Libya: Attempts to Address Obstacles Facing Women and Promote Women’s Participation in Elections

In Libya, women have been consistently under-represented in elections. Consequently, they have been under-represented in governance and decision-making. As Libya prepares to hold national elections, the UNDP, and the High National Commission (HNEC) plan and conduct democratic processes that are credible, transparent, and inclusive. In May, experts in gender, governance, media, and civil society gathered in Tripoli to grapple with some of the most pressing challenges and impediments to women’s participation. At the first international conference to be hosted by the HNEC conference hosted by Libya since 2013, women from Comoros, Somalia, Jordan, Tunisia, Algeria, Yemen, Palestine, Iraq, Kuwait, and Libya came together to share knowledge, experience, and ideas for achieving inclusivity in elections and governance.

Deputy Special Representative of the Secretary-General of the United Nations for Libya, Mr. Reason Zeninga, held a meeting via video conference with a number of representatives of women and youth from all over Libya to discuss their observations on the results of the 6+6 Committee. Libya’s feuding parties have reached an agreement on legal steps to hold long-delayed elections in the troubled North African nation. Participants expressed their concerns about the proposed electoral bills being unenforceable, and about the possibility of hijacking the political process to prevent elections from taking place.

Last Thursday, the Deputy Special Representative of the Secretary-General of the United Nations, Mr. Residen Zeninga, received representatives of the Supreme National Council for Libyan Women who shared their views on issues related to the elections and the outputs of the 6+6 Committee, including the issue of women's quotas and ensuring that women play a greater role in decision-making. The participants in the meeting called for building the capacities of women and young decision-makers. They also called on the United Nations Support Mission in Libya to increase the involvement of officials in Libya in expanding the political space available to women.