Randa Berri: the Constitution is only respected through endorsing the rights of women

On the occasion of Mothers’ Day, the Kataeb Constituency of Keserwan- Ftoo7 honored yesterday a number of women, including, the director of the National News Agency, Laure Sleiman Saab, journalist, Dalia Freifer and the dean of the Doctorate Higher Institute at the School of Law and Political Sciences, the Lebanese University (LF), Leila Saadeh. In her speech, Saab said that, personally, she is against granting women senior posts through a said representation quota. “If she deserves the position, she will get it without being imparted to her,” Saab boasted, stressing that women are competent enough to be in the front lines in all fields and industries. For her part, and during her opening of Hassan Kamel Sabbah Hall and Rammal Rammal Laboratory facility at the LU School of Sciences, Nabatiyeh, the wife of the House Speaker, Randa Berri, touched on the currently debated women’s quota and participation of women in decision making. Berri drew attention that as the public university has a role in expounding the public opinion on various national issues; it should strongly advocate the rights of women through inclusion of the quota by not less than 30% in the projected electoral law. She called on all the parliamentary blocs to adopt the principle of the representation quota for women, without which, she warned, there can be no justice, equality or partnership in the country. Berri went on to say that the Constitution cannot be honored by only ensuring the rights and quotas of various religious groups in Lebanon while marginalizing the rights of women. In her address to the students, Berri appealed to them to become the voice of women in this righteous demand. (Al Diyar, March 19, 20, 2017)