Advancing Arab Women’s Political Participation: Experiences and Journeys of Women Politicians from Lebanon and Syria

Abstract

Women in the MENA region are still fighting for their political agency in a patriarchal society which obscures their own right to participate and be politically influential. Women’s participation in the public sector and political power positions have not been achieved the desired level, although many measures have been adopted by a majority of MENA countries to enhance the representation of women in decision-making positions. To answer the above questions, we need to understand women›s historical pathways to reach such posts from a feminist lens. This lens would lead us to having women as central to data collection and exploring the analysis and identifying key opportunities and factors that would help other women participate in politics. Thus, it is dedicated from women to women. This research will explore women›s life journeys and experiences in political positions, mainly focusing on their official roles as a mediator, member of parliament, and in the cabinet. The objective is to study the lived experiences and stories of women currently part of policymaking and conflict resolution. The thesis will look into two country cases: Lebanon and Syria. Lebanon will be a great case to explore the journeys of women in parliament and the cabinet. Although representation of women is minimal in Lebanon, it presents a wealth of experiences to explore women’s inclusion in, or exclusion from, politics. Syria is a country under conflict and recently, women represent less than thirty percent of the constitutional and negotiations committees; hence, it would be worth looking into the journey of these women who made it to the peace table and how they are contributing to conflict-resolution. Putting these experiences as the core of knowledge about women’s activism in politics would empower other women in the region to participate in high positions. The main findings of the research are divided among four dimensions: the self-foundation dimension, the role of structural legacies that impact political practices, the political institutional design dimension, and the roadmap dimension to conceptualize advancing women’s participation in politics.