Focus on Lebanon | Lobby Training Manual

August 2010

Lobbying is a critical component of the democratic process. The essence of representative government is that policymakers should be representing the needs of their constituencies when they pass laws.

Gender Issues, Civil Society, Election Law, Election Management, Elections

BRIDGE and Lebanon’s Ministry of Interior and Municipalities Among Winners of UN Public Service Awards

June 23, 2010

On June 23, 2010, two of IFES’ partner organizations attended an awards ceremony to receive the 2010 United Nations Public Service Award in the categories of “improving the delivery of public services” and “fostering participation in public policy-making decisions through innovative mechanisms.”

Civil Society, Election Law, Public Opinion

Lebanon’s Local Elections 2010: Elections in North Lebanon

May 30, 2010

IFES has produced a briefing paper on the Fourth Round of Lebanon’s local elections to take place on May 30, 2010. The fourth and final round of local elections will be held in the muhafezat of North Lebanon, consisting of the six districts of Akkar, Batroun, Bcharreh, Koura, Menieh-Dennieh, Tripoli and Zgharta.

Elections, Democracy Assistance, Gender Issues

Background on the Lebanon Election Violence Risk Assessment Project

May 2010

Ahead of the 7 June 2009 parliamentary elections in Lebanon, the International Foundation for Electoral Systems (IFES) established the Lebanese Election Violence Risk Assessment (LEVRA) Project, the objectives of which are:

Post-conflict, Elections, Civil Society, Election Management, Election Procedures

Lebanon’s Local Elections 2010: Elections in the South and Nabetieh

May 23, 2010

On May 23, 2010, Lebanon will have the third round of local elections. During this round, the elections will be held across southern Lebanon in the two muhafezats of South Lebanon and Nabetieh. This briefing paper lays out what  local governmental bodies these elections are for, which are the key battleground municipalities, and the number of women candidates, among other things. Previous rounds of elections were held on 2 May (in Mount Lebanon) and on 9 May (in Bekaa and Beirut). The final round of elections will take place in North Lebanon on 30 May.

Elections, Democracy Assistance, Gender Issues

The Status of the Women in the Middle East and North Africa: A Grassroots Research and Advocacy Approach Preliminary Findings from Surveys in Lebanon and Morocco

May 2010

Last week at the annual World Association for Public Opinion Research Conference, Rola Abdul-Latif and Lauren Serpe of IFES’ Applied Research Center presented their paper, "The Status of the Women in the Middle East and North Africa: A Grassroots Research and Advocacy Approach."  The paper highlights comparative data from surveys in Lebanon and Morocco conducted under IFES’ SWMENA project, funded by the Canadian International Development.

Gender Issues, Civil Society, Civic Education, Education

Observing International Women's Day

March 08, 2010

International Women's Day began to be observed in the early 1900's when women became more vocal about their desire for equality and freedom. Since then, International Women's Day has gained greater acknowledgement so that today it is internationally recognized.

Gender Issues, Civil Society, Education

Focus on Lebanon | Attitudes Towards Policy Change Topic Brief

February 18, 2010

This topic brief presents the main findings from the SWMENA survey in Lebanon on people’s attitudes towards policy change. The survey elicited opinions on possible law reforms that have the potential of improving the status of women in Lebanon. These include opinions on an optional civil marriage law, on introducing gender quotas in elected bodies, and on reforming the citizenship law.

Gender Issues, Civil Society, Election Law, Election Management, Elections

Focus on Lebanon | Civic & Political Participation Topic Brief

February 18, 2010

This topic brief presents the main findings from the SWMENA survey in Lebanon on civic and political participation. It includes an analysis of civic engagement through membership in different types of organizations and taking part in different activities to express opinions on political and social issues. Voting behavior is also explored in reference to participation in the most recent parliamentary elections in June 2009 as well as women’s opinions about policy priorities and factors influencing their voting choices.

Gender Issues, Civil Society, Election Law, Election Management, Elections

Focus on Lebanon | Control of Financial Assets Topic Brief

February 18, 2010

This topic brief presents key findings about asset control based on data from the 2009 SWMENA survey in Lebanon. It includes an analysis of women’s control over assets, focusing on how earnings are spent, financial decision making and control over personal property and financial savings.

Gender Issues, Public Funding, Political Finance, Financial Disclosure