ESCWA Centre for Women (ECW), in collaboration with the National Commission for Lebanese Women (NCLW), organized a consultative participatory workshop on Women’s Political Participation and Representation in Lebanon, on 4 April 2019 at the United House in Beirut. 

The workshop brought together male and female representatives of the Lebanese political parties as well as independent political activists, in addition to members of NCLW. 

Participants discussed the barriers that face women inside and outside their political formations preventing them from accessing elected and non-elected structures in the country, and provided recommendations on ways to address them. During the workshop, ESCWA also facilitated a teleconference with a Tunisian female Member of Parliament to explain her country’s electoral law horizontal and vertical parity, as a good practice from the region, and to share her personal experience in benefitting from such as a temporary special measure.

At the end of the workshop, the political parties shared their good practices and actions in promoting and enhancing women’s representation and access to decision-making spheres. The recommendations and experiences of the participants will inform NCLW’s future strategy and workplan in moving forward with advocating for a higher political representation and participation of women.