BEIRUT: Caretaker Finance Minister Raya al-Hasan expressed her hope for national legislation on a quota for women’s representation in Parliament, the National News Agency reported Thursday.
Hasan made her remarks at the opening session of the “Women in the Arab World, Africa and Asia” conference, organized by the Arab Women Forum in recognition of its tenth anniversary and held at the Lancaster House in London.
Hasan urged women to participate in public life as “the time is right for women in the Arab World to demand a fair position in political and economic life.” Hasan is one of two female ministers in the Lebanese Cabinet and the first woman to be appointed finance minister in the Arab World.
According to Hasan, Arab states will not be able to overcome the challenges they face today if women are not involved in the decision making process.
“We are currently seeking to issue a law that specifies a quota for women in municipal councils and we hope that a similar law will someday be issued for women’s representation in Parliament,” she said.