Patriarchy and Sectarianism : A Gendered Trap
Developed By:
Beyond Group
In Partnership With:
HIVOS
Ministry of Foreign Affairs of the Netherlands
2016
Patriarchy and Sectarianism
A Gendered Trap
This report looks at how the influence of national measures and lack of consideration of women's issues have directly impacted women's involvement in politics.
Lebanon has failed to ratify the Committee on the Elimination of Discrimination against Women (est. 1982; UN) (CEDAW) articles that ensure proper distribution of tasks in families, as well as granting both women and men equal rights in terms of marriage, custody rights, guardianship and other measures that recognize women as first class citizens and as individuals who receive full and equal access to and benefit from all laws.
This failure to do so, serves as a reminder of the Lebanese patriarchal political structure, a structure that claims to offer women access to the political space and points to a lack of legal barriers (for example, women have the right to vote and run) without actually supporting women in their attempt to gain access, this is best illustrated by the way in which the system reminds the Lebanese people that a woman's role is to be a mother and caregiver and are unable to make a decision about passing their nationalities to their children.
By doing so, the Lebanese government, represented by the political parties, unions, and other political structures, has directly set limitations and obstacles to limit the personal status of women, and instead, has adapted it to fit religious and cultural expectations. Today, women in Lebanon are fighting for equal access to opportunities and rights and to enjoy being full citizens, without prejudice toward their gender, their expectations and their professional careers.
The fight is still nascent and requires attention and analysis of the deep-rooted man-made structures that are by their very nature exclusive of women. When women do decide to become politically active, they are faced with many challenges pertaining to society's expectations of them, to the gender stereotyping of each and every woman, and the challenges related to resources and access to them.
Women cannot stand alone in promoting political activism amongst women; everyone has a role to play, including the government that has a responsibility to design and implement measures to guarantee quicker and easier access to politics for all groups, with women being the top priority.
Finally, by its nature, politics in Lebanon is exclusive and is dominated by the political elite who have extensive financial resources, social networks and social power to exercise power and repeatedly attain it. It is even more exclusive of women, who, if they decide to become active in politics in a patriarchal society, would need to compete with men, with the media's image of how politicians appear, with a general discourse of clientelism and many other aspects of Lebanon's unique political system.
This report acknowledges that access to formal politics in Lebanon is challenging for both genders, and all economic classes, and minorities, however it serves to highlight the different ways women are abruptly excluded from entering politics by being drawn into a vicious circle of constant challenges with little hope for progress and career advancement.