More than fifty women and civil society representatives, lawyers, activists and journalists gathered at Gender Concerns Marboua café in Tripoli, Libya to discuss the role of the Constitution in stabilising Libya and the on-going dialogue in Sakherat, Morocco supported by the UN mission to Libya.
Despite increasing instability, conflict and deteriorating security in Libya the meeting of the Marboua café was a huge success; the meeting was broadcasted live on Aljazeera Live TV by the Libyan Al Naba TV Channel as well as in Doha, Qatar. Ms Hekmat Kmashi opened the event by discussing Gender Concerns work in the region and outlining the foundation and activities of the Marboua Café since its establishment in 2014. One of the main agenda points was the discussion about the creation of High Women Council which was argued by Dr Fairouz Naas (Head of Women Society). Dr Mohamed Bara (Dean of Faculty of law – Tripoli University) and Dr Mohamed Alharary, a local politician. Dr Bara from the Libyan Constitutional Drafting Assembly updated the audience on the organisation’s recent activities and informed that some members of the organisations left due to controversial behaviour of the Chairman.
Following the speeches the floor was opened to the meetings attendees, who discussed various issues in more depth. Various women activists and members from the civil society emphasised the need of a High Women Council to ensure that the rights of Libyan women is to be included in the new Constitution, how to best ensure implementation and then monitor these advancements.
The meeting confirmed that Marboua Café will remain open despite the troublesome state of Tripoli and a meeting of ‘Women for Democratic Transformation’ (WDT) platform activities will be announced in the weeks to come.