The Palestinian Women Forum in Lebanon, with the support of the EU, organized yesterday a seminar on the topic of women’s political participation and the ways in which it is linked to the process of democracy as well as to Resolution no. 1325. Ms. Lina Matar from the Lebanese Women's Committee highlighted the challenges facing full and active political participation of Lebanese and Palestinian women. Ms. Matar referred that the main obstacle facing women's active political participation is the sectarian system in Lebanon.
General Union of Palestinian Women made a specific reference to the forms of Palestinian women's Political participation. This participation comes exclusively within the framework of women's involvement in national activism. Hence, this justifies the discrepancy in setting priorities between Palestinian women's political participation and that of other women in the region.  
The UN resolution 1325 was discussed as well through highlighting its application mechanisms in Lebanon and more specifically in the Palestinian context. This resolution reaffirms the importance of women equal participation and full involvement in all efforts for the maintenance and promotion of peace and security.
The 1325 resolution was issued on 31st of October 2000 after the brutal rape of women during conflicts especially in Bosnia and Rwanda and as a result of international, regional and national struggle of women organizations

The Palestinian Women Forum in Lebanon organized yesterday a seminar on the topic of women’s political participation and the ways in which it is linked to the process of democracy as well as to Resolution 1325.  Key topics discussed related to the situation of Palestinian and Lebanese women and the challenges posed by the confessional system in Lebanon.  Resolution 1325 was also discussed especially in terms of its existing mechanisms for implementation.
A reminder that Resolution 1325 was issued on 31st of October 2000 after the brutal rape of women during conflicts especially in Bosnia and Rwanda and as a result of international, regional and national struggle of women organizations.  This resolution reaffirms the importance of women equal participation and full involvement in all efforts for the maintenance and promotion of peace and security.

Original text in Arabic: Al-Akhbar, Al-mustaqbal

The Lebanese Women Democratic Gathering organized a round table about “Justice for women in the frame of personal status laws”. Jurists and civil society activists participated in the round table discussions where the importance of a civil law governing the communal peace and social justice between all citizens; men and women, was highlighted especially amid the Lebanese current sectarian system.

The conclusions of the round table can be summed up the following recommendations:

• The endorsement of a personal status civil law
• Set a national strategy for the personal status laws
• Developing the current laws, and raising awareness regarding their discrimination among citizens
• Coordination with NCLW in the awareness campaigns

On another note, and in the frame of executing the national women strategy in Lebanon 2011 – 2012, NCLW in collaboration with UNFPA is developing a work plan to implement this strategy through a participatory between both the private and the public sectors. In that framework, NCLW organized 5 workshops related to pedagogy, culture and media, fighting women’s poverty, economics and politics.

Original text in Arabic: Annahar - Annahar - Al-mustaqbal