Beirut: UN Women welcomed the visit of United Nations Secretary-General Ant³nio Guterres to Lebanon as a pivotal moment to advocate for gender-responsive reforms in the country's governance and recovery, reconstruction, and reconciliation processes. This visit follows the recent election of General Joseph Aoun as President of the Republic of Lebanon and the appointment of Judge Nawaf Salam as Prime Minister, ending more than two years of political deadlock. The Secretary-General's visit presents a crucial opportunity to elevate women's voices in Lebanon's political landscape, particularly as the new Government takes on the challenges of socio-economic recovery and the enforcement of the 27 November 2024 ceasefire.
According to National News Agency - Lebanon, as part of his visit, the Secretary-General participated in a dialogue organized by UN Women Lebanon. The meeting convened 20 leading women's rights activists and representatives of feminist civil society organizations, as well as environmental activists and young women peacebuilders working across the country to address the needs and challenges of their society across the humanitarian, development, and peace dimensions. The meeting was attended by the United Nations Special Coordinator for Lebanon, Jeanine Hennis-Plasschaert.
The discussion focused on the critical reforms needed to advance gender equality in Lebanon. The meeting served as a platform for diverse women leaders to present their key demands to the new Government, ensuring that Lebanon's recovery, reconciliation, and reconstruction efforts are gender-responsive and inclusive. Guterres emphasized the importance of defending the presence of women in decision-making bodies during the reconstruction process, affirming the UN's support in this endeavor.
With only 6 percent of women currently in Parliament and 5 percent in municipal councils, Lebanon remains far from achieving the minimum benchmark of 30 percent of women in governance structures. Participants highlighted the urgent need for reforms to ensure women's equal participation in political decision-making, especially in light of the forthcoming municipal elections in May 2025 and parliamentary elections in 2026. Other key priorities discussed included the rehabilitation of Lebanon's food sector, the restoration of devastated lands in the South, and the protection of the most vulnerable women, such as Palestinian women refugees.
Gielan Elmessiri, UN Women Representative in Lebanon, underscored the significance of the Secretary-General's visit at this crucial moment. The interaction with local women leaders is expected to elevate their contributions and bolster their role as key actors in the upcoming recovery and reconstruction process. UN Women calls on Lebanon's new political leadership to seize this historic moment to implement long-standing gender reforms, fostering an inclusive governance framework that empowers women and strengthens their role in shaping the country's future.