This Dominance of Power in Levant Region is the Fatal Constant

Wars and conflicts are not news for this region. The vicious cycle has been going on before these countries were even formed. It is always overlooked but it is  a clear factor done in the same way over time: men’s dominance over power and decision making.

In a world of different genders, one sex initiates, leads, ends and repeats conflicts and wars at the expense of all humanity and nature. This is not meant to be an attacking statement but rather an eye opener to considering alternatives to peace. 

Most often, people find it difficult to picture women in governmental or leadership positions, and  find women’s presence in such roles bizarre and abnormal. On the contrary to such harmful mentalities, several studies have shown  that when women participate in peace agreements, the likelihood for them to last longer thereby increases. When women participate in peace agreements, the chance for a two-year agreement increases by 25 per cent. While for a 15-year agreement to last, women’s participation increases the chances by 35 per cent. This directly shows how women’s participation yields sustainable and durable peace. 

Make the link: women in politics and decision making and a more peaceful region.

The linkage comes into being when more women are participating in public office, in civil service, as head of states or governments, in parliaments, ministerial cabinets or as diplomats. What is key here is that women bring in different perspectives to public office matters, and most importantly represent the perspectives of half the population which is always left unheard in decision making. Hence their participation will create local and national policies and decisions for all members of society. Countries that do not shut out women from decision making and hold equal participation between men and women in politics are vis-a-vis more vibrant democracies. 

Looking at Costa Rica, a country which faced a bloody civil war in the late 1940s now ranks as one of the most peaceful and happiest countries in the world, and the first in place in South America. Besides its shift in systems, what makes Costa Rica standout worldwide is its highest representation of women across all Government levels. Currently, around 47 per cent of members of parliament (MPs) are women. 

Another country who witnessed a large-scale drastic civil war is Rwanda. Around 800,000 killings and a mass genocide took place, but now Rwanda records the fifth largest improvement in peace recorded by 2019. Despite the violent past, Rwanda now sits as the 79th most peaceful nation globally. At the same time, Rwanda is one of the most successful pioneers at achieving gender equality in post-genocide. It is no surprise though that Rwanda also has the highest number of women in parliament amongst all the countries in the world. Rwanda’s MPs consist of 61.25 per cent women. 

Several other countries have also improved measurably on gender equality in political participation. Amongst them are New Zealand, Sweden, Denmark, Norway, France, Finland, Switzerland, and the United Arab Emirates. These countries are stable politically and are at the forefront for peace. However, only four parliaments around the world – Rwanda, Cuba, Bolivia and the United Arab Emirates hold parity. In that sense there is a long way for all countries but even more concerningly in the Levant region.

So, what makes women’s political participation important – besides the fact that is a basic human right?

There is an evident correlation between women’s participation in public office and the increase in policy making emphasis towards the quality of life. Quality of life for all members of society and most importantly, families and children as well as minority groups. This focus on its own reduces social inequalities which could lead to tensions and followingly conflicts. 

The late Madeleine Albright once said, “women in power can be counted on to raise issues that others overlook, to support ideas that others oppose, and to seek an end to abuses that others accept.” Kofee Anan has also once said “study after study has taught us, there is no tool for development more effective than the empowerment of women.” These two statements have a lot to address to countries who are still struggling with wars and conflicts and a neglection of half of their population. Higher equality between men and women is linked to a lower chance for conflict, both between and within states. When women participate in peace processes, the resulting agreement is more durable and better implemented. In Northern Ireland for instance, the Women’s Coalition tremendously worked on successfully reviving relations between Catholics and Protestants.Women are more likely to discuss issues on human rights and justice which are central to building peace and stability which are less likely to be discussed by males during negotiations. 

Indeed, several frameworks, resolutions and commitments have taken place for United Nations member states to increase the high-level decision-making positions for women but this is not enough. The Beijing Declaration in 1995 internationally called for gender equality between men and women in political participation and power sharing. Also, in 2000, the United Nations Security Council Resolution 1325 was passed. It is better known as the Women Peace and Security agenda, heavily focusing on the importance of women's full and equal participation in peace processes. Despite all efforts, willingness is needed by the citizens. Willingness is necessary by empowering other women and dismantling the mentality of politics as a male-dominated realm.

It is no recent news to see the Syrian Arab Republic, Iraq and Lebanon cross the headlines. Those three countries have always faced turbulence, unrest and bloodshed. However, what do they have in common besides their most apparent geopolitical position? The patriarchal political establishment, a system of government controlled by men.

Women’s political participation is at alarming rates amongst these countries. To better understand this concern, the Syrian Arab Republic, Iraq and Lebanon are taken into account. 

Syrian Arab Republic  

The parliament is better known as Majlis Al-Chaab (People's Assembly), with speaker Hammouda Sabagh. The percentage of women in parliament is 11.2 percent in the formation of July 2020. In addition, the highest share was set in 2016 at 13.2 percent of 250 seats, hence equivalent 28 women to 222 men. The worthy imbalance is not only due to exclusionary politics but discriminatory laws which were further exacerbated during the conflict. One of the most concerning issue is the citizenship right. Altogether, despite the surge in female-headed households by the conflict, Syrian women are stereotyped against to remain in the conventional roles rather than in public life. However, their equal participation in political leadership is imperative to achieving peace. 

Iraq 

The Iraqi parliament known as the Council of Representatives of Iraq is led by president Mohammed Rican El-Halbousi. It consists of 329 members, 320 which are elected and only 95 women. This sets them at 28.88 percent, the highest percentage yet reached in the October 2021 elections. Iraq has a quota of at least 25 percent of the total number of seats for women. 

Lebanon  

Mistaken as the most democratic country in the Middle East however insufficient with a proper inclusion of women. The current ministerial cabinet which was formed during September 2021 only has one seat held by a woman. Najla Riachi is the Minister for Administrative Development comprising 0.24 percent of the entire cabinet. 

To top that, amongst the 128 seats in parliament which was lastly elected in May 2018, only 4.69 percent of members of parliaments are women. In October 2019, when the protests of high hopes flooded the streets of Lebanon, a previously unseen chant or slogan was also seen on the streets. While calling out for anti-corruption, many stood up for the “female revolution.”

Women across these countries are also subjected to gender-based violence rather than critique of their political stance, agendas or contribution. Whenever a female politician is to voice an intervention, most of the time she is retaliated with personal feedback rather than argued on the subject at hand. Several politicians in the region struggle with online shaming attacks or by profanity of cursing and swearing. They receive responses on their personal lives rather than on their explicit talking points. In turn, this holds back society from wanting their mothers, sisters, wives or cousins to participate given the violent aggressive environment they will be a part of. 

These nations often witness elections however they fall for a concerning act - purple washing. Most parties use purple washing which is a form of engaging women in their parties to polish their image. This is a very common method to appease democratic values of equality and look good to the West. However, to what extent are these women really based on merit and unapologetic participation?

In a conflict-fraught region, achieving gender equality becomes the least of worries. Many even associate it with a woman’s fight alone. But what many fall short on understanding is that women’s inclusion in local, communal and national leadership is a gain for society, the country and the region as a whole. 

When women are involved in politics, there is a huge impact on families, communities and countries. Women’s participation creates investment in education, health and stronger social issues. As fundamental players in communities, women are more likely to prioritize basic needs within budgets. When strengthened in the political sphere, it is more likely that women’s participation in the workforce will also be strengthened and hence positively impacting the economy. 

According to a study done by McKinsey Global Institute, achieving or moving close to achieving gender parity contributes to an increase of $12 trillion of global gross domestic product (GDP) in the Middle East and North Africa region by 2025. Therefore, if women and men participated in the labor force equally, same hours and same sectors, this can be attained. In that sense, there is a huge margin for not only giving women their basic rights but a benefit to regional economic prosperity which in turn will yield stability and peace. 

Gender equality, women’s inclusion and women’s rights are trendy topics. However, they are constantly addressed as a woman’s problem. This is a false misconception heard on a daily basis. Certainly, these societal problems do impact women, yet they have a far-reaching effect on society, politics, diplomacy and peace as a whole. Therefore, the next time gender inequality is raised in a discussion, do not miss out on the opportunity to address at it from another lens.

References

authors, A., Krause, J., & Additional information Funding This work was supported by the Swiss Program for Research on Global Issues for Development [Grant Number 146777]. (n.d.). Women's participation in peace negotiations and the durability of peace. Taylor & Francis. Retrieved March 1, 2022, from https://www.tandfonline.com/doi/full/10.1080/03050629.2018.1492386 

Council on Foreign Relations. (n.d.). Growing economies through gender parity. Council on Foreign Relations. Retrieved March 1, 2022, from https://www.cfr.org/womens-participation-in-global-economy/ 

Monthly Ranking of Women in national parliaments. Parline: the IPU's Open Data Platform. (n.d.). Retrieved March 1, 2022, from https://data.ipu.org/women-ranking?month=1&year=2022 

Strengthen women's political participation and decision-making power. Women Deliver. (2018, October 16). Retrieved March 1, 2022, from https://womendeliver.org/investment/strengthen-womens-political-participation-decision-making-power/ 

Tabbara, R. (2021, October 25). Women's Representation in Parliament: A tale of plentiful proposals but limited political will. L'Orient Today. Retrieved March 1, 2022, from https://today.lorientlejour.com/article/1279197/womens-representation-in-parliament-a-tale-of-plentiful-proposals-but-limited-political-will.html 

Who is in the new Lebanese cabinet? The National. (n.d.). Retrieved March 1, 2022, from https://www.thenationalnews.com/mena/lebanon/2021/09/10/who-is-in-the-new-lebanese-cabinet/