THE IMPACT OF FORMAL AND INFORMAL INSTITUTIONS ON THE REPRESENTATION OF LEBANESE WOMEN IN SENIOR PUBLIC ADMINISTRATION POSITIONS

Abstract

Lebanese women remain underrepresented in politics in Lebanon in all parliament, cabinets and senior public administration. In Lebanon, the government has not achieved a gender quota policy in high level public administration positions nor in parliament during the post-war period until present to guarantee a sound and equal representation of women in high-ranking governmental positions nor conducted reforms to the currently adopted electoral law that glorifies and maintains those in power. Thus, women remain at the borders of formal politics in Lebanon, with a minimal role to play at the grassroots and party politics level. This thesis will study the impact of formal and informal institutional barriers that have been endowed on Lebanese women for decades and centuries. It will draw on the major factors relevant to legal frameworks, patriarchy and religion and informal networks. Nevertheless, it aims to debunk the enigma of having Lebanese women play an important role in the shadows of male elites and being confined to that role only. Fourteen semi-structures interviews have been conducted with members from the Lebanese civil society, women director generals and scholars/gender experts. The findings suggest that the absence of temporary special measures, a patriarchal culture entrenched in society and inaccessible political scene remain the most prominent challenges for women to mark their presence in politics. In addition, findings explain to us that women are seen better as workers and army bees rather than decision makers in politics because it fits better their role in the Lebanese society. Even though this study is more of exploratory nature, it presents us recommendations on how women can break their silence and create a network of their own in order to start digging a loophole in a system that was for ages controlled and managed by male warlords. It also opens for further research by not only exploring the topic from a male’s point of view, but from a policy perspective through different policy approaches and frameworks.