#Trending: 'Milestones' for women in Lebanon's new cabinet

#Trending: 'Milestones' for women in Lebanon's new cabinet
Saad Hariri's newly formed cabinet puts an ex-army man to head Lebanon's first ever women's affairs ministry but gives the country its first ever hijabi minister.
2 min read
20 Dec, 2016
Lebanon gets its very first ministry for women's affairs [AFP]
Lebanon on Sunday formed its new government headed by Prime Minister Saad Hariri, in a move that put an end to nearly two years of political deadlock.

A striking feature of the new cabinet is the country's very first ministry for women's affairs - a move widely welcomed given women's little representation in politics.

In what certainly marks a major milestone in the history of women's rights in Lebanon, the country's first minister for women is a 62-year-old ex-army man.

Jean Ogasapian - of the Future Movement - was assigned to head the woman's affairs ministry.

Ogasapian had enjoyed a lengthy career in the Lebanese army until 2000 when he left to go into politics, acting as administrative reforms minister in the government of Fouad Siniora in 2005, and as a state minister in Saad Hariri's 2009 cabinet. 

However his new job has prompted outrage among the Lebanese twitterati.

The same selection of cabinet positions also saw the appointment of only one female minister in a large government of 30 ministries.

The appointment of Inaya Ezzeddine as minister for administrative development marks a major move as the Amal Movement representative becomes Lebanon's first ever female minister to wear the hijab.

In a country where over 50 percent of the population is Muslim, the appointment of Ezzeddine was widely applauded.


[Translation: #be_optimistic the new minister is beautiful with hijab, good luck to Inaya Ezzeddine]