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4- Women and Political Participation
Women's position was further affirmed in basic legislation (the
Declaration on the Power of the People, the Great Green Human
Rights Charter in the Era of the Masses and the Freedom
Promotion Act) as well as Law no (1) for 2007 on Modus
Operandi of the People's Congresses and the People's
Committees, citing in Article (1) that: "Sovereignty and power
in the Great Jamhirya shall be for the people. Power shall be
directly exercised through basic people's congresses where all
Libyans, men and women, shall be enrolled on reaching the age
of 18".
Through all that, women are entitled on reaching the age of 18
upwards to participate in basic people's congresses and express
their opinion freely on all issues at stake at this level, be they
day-to-day activity or public life issues or issues of higher State
interest. Women also have the right to take part in elaborating
the people's congress agenda and to upgrade to take up leading
posts in these congresses' or in people's committees' secretariats,
and to become members of regulatory and executive committees
or drafting committees overseeing preparations for and steering
of congress sessions.
Women have taken part in political, diplomatic and consular
work through functioning at the level of the People's General
Committees on External Communication and International
Cooperation. Women also have been upgraded in terms of job
hierarchy to become Secretary of the Overseas Popular Office
and to participate as representative of the Great Jamhirya in
many regional and world conferences and forums.