Mrs. Fadia Kiouane (Lebanon), who chaired the Sixth Plenary Panel, underscored the importance of the session's theme which addresses the weakness of women's participation in political life. Taking the floor (Egypt), Nadia Halim Sleyman argued that Arab women's presence decision-making positions as well as their participation in political life remain below expectations. The speaker mentioned that, at the level Arab level, some constitutions recognise women's right to participation in political life, while others show discrimination between men and women. She also evoked the notable discrepancy existing among women's representation rates in the parliamentary chambers of Arab countries which vary between 2 and 20%. Dr. Sleyman affirmed that the promotion of women's participation in political life is a sine-qua-non for strengthening the exercise of their right to citizenship and for easing their access to decision-making positions. Dr. Sleyman went on enumerating the obstacles which prevent Arab women's participation in political and public life, mentioning in this context, the weak participation of the elite as well as the lack of the youth's drive for participation in public life. Evoking the quality of women's participation in political and associative life, Dr. Sleyman noted that only serious studies and research can provide an objective assessment of the level of women's participation. On her part, Dr. Bahiya Al-Johshi (Bahrain) argued that the question of human development requires reflection on the aspects of women's empowerment and the consolidation of their role in the development process. She mentioned, in this context, the UN reports which affirm that development favours the promotion of all potentials, including those relative to political action. The speaker also underscored the importance of education as the only means to consolidate women's position and to improve the indicators of their political and social participation. She also recommended the reinforcement the role of the media in the promotion of women's political participation and the mobilisation of the society, especially the youth who are the warrant of change, next to the eradication of women's “legal illiteracy”. Dr. Sayed Ould Obbah (Mauritania) raised the question of women's political participation in relation to political pluralism and representation, noting that the indicators of such participation are “good and encouraging”. He also called for setting up of legal and institutional frameworks in order to resolve the question of women's political participation, particularly in those societies where male mentality still prevails. Concluding his talk, Dr. Ould Obbah recalled the many experiences of certain Arab countries which have endeavoured to put an end to women's exclusion, underscoring the need to go beyond façade representation in favour of true access to high and decision-making positions.
