Abeer Amnina, Professor of Political Science and Public Administration at the University of Benghazi and a member of the advisory committee, stated that the presence of women in the Libyan political arena is influenced by a complex factors, encompassing security, social, and cultural dimensions, in addition to the governing legal framework.
Assessing female representation in current political institutions, Amnina noted that the 16% figure for women in the legislative authority falls short of the desired minimum quota of 30%, despite slight improvements observed at the municipal level. Regarding the executive branch, the Government of National Unity formed after the Geneva Convention was somewhat positive, with women taking on sovereign ministerial portfolios such as Justice and Foreign Affairs, alongside advisory and deputy roles. However, she cautioned that this presence risks remaining merely symbolic if appointments are based on tribal or factional quotas, insisting that effectiveness, leadership capability, and knowledge must align with representation in the future.
Conversely, Amnina strongly criticised female representation in the Constituent Assembly elections, labelling the 10% figure out of 60% as “extremely disappointing and unjust.” She asserted that the law is the fundamental guarantor of women’s participation, warning against manipulative legal interpretations that diminish this involvement, such as occurred with the local administration law (Law 59), where a provision for “at least one woman” was interpreted as a ceiling rather than a minimum requirement.
Legal and Cultural Reasons Behind Weak Female Leadership
Amnina attributed the scarcity of women in leadership roles to several factors, placing legal challenges at the forefront. This is particularly true when legislation fails to allocate effective electoral districts for women in areas where high representation should be expected, suggesting a “systematic exclusion” observed during electoral processes that overlooked female participation in many regions. She explained that the social environment continues to resist the concept of the “female leader” due to prevailing religious culture and societal values that view politics as a male domain, compounded by hurdles related to funding and weak grassroots support within a tribal society.
Evaluating participation in legislative and executive councils, she noted a disparity: some women managed to exert influence in the legislature, while their impact is more pronounced in the executive. Nevertheless, the general post-war instability limits the scope of authority afforded to female ministers.
The Role of Legislation in Empowerment and Quotas in Sovereign Posts
Amnina emphasised the decisive role of laws in accelerating women’s presence in elected bodies, citing the National Conference elections where the law mandated horizontal and vertical rotation in party lists, facilitating female engagement. She urged that future elections should adopt a mixed system (individual and list-based), ensuring both horizontal and vertical representation for women. Concerning sovereign posts, she clarified that while opportunities were advertised, a lack of proper promotion, coupled with political ambiguity arising from disputes between the HoR and HCS, meant that civil applicants were marginalised. Moreover, attaining sovereign positions requires a vote based on complex tribal and regional alignments, which excludes many women. Her final message to decision-makers was that the law is the foundation that must explicitly mandate support for women, and no political actor can obstruct the application of that law