BEIRUT: President Michel Sleiman encouraged women Wednesday to play a greater role in their country’s politics and expressed hope that Arab women would be able to gain their full rights as citizens.
“Sleiman encouraged women to dive into the political life [of the country] and run in municipal and parliamentary polls to demonstrate their abilities and affirm their national and responsible role at these levels,” Sleiman’s press office quoted him as saying on the occasion of Arab Woman Day.
“[I] hope that the day will be not be far when Arab women will be able to their full rights in the political and national sectors,” Sleiman added.
Participation by women in Lebanese politics is low historically. Although there are women lawmakers present in Lebanon’s Parliament they are rarely appointed top posts as ministers in Lebanese governments.
In the statement, Sleiman also voiced disappointment over the lack of progress in improving womens’ status in Lebanon, saying the country had fallen behind even though it was the first country in the region to grant women rights, primarily the right to vote.
“It is very important for the development of countries that women participate effectively in all fields alongside men so that their roles be analogous,” Sleiman said.