Beirut, 15 April 2025- The United Nations Development Programme (UNDP) and the United Nations Entity for Gender Equality and the Empowerment of Women (UN Women), in collaboration with local NGO “Fifty-Fifty” and with support from the Government of Canada, today convened the launch and signing of the SALMA Agreement ("Together for Equality"). This strategic initiative aims to significantly increase women’s representation in Lebanon’s municipal councils ahead of the 2025 Municipal and Mukhtar Elections.

The SALMA Agreement—an abbreviation of سوا للمساواة ("Together for Equality")—is designed to ensure that at least 30% of municipal council seats are held by women, and that gender parity is achieved in leadership roles, including mayors and deputy mayors. In the absence of a gender quota law in Lebanon, the SALMA Agreement serves as a crucial step toward dismantling the barriers that have historically excluded women from leadership positions in local governance.

The event marked a pivotal milestone as Lebanon prepares for the 2025 Municipal and Mukhtar Elections. In the context of the continued absence of a gender quota law, the SALMA Agreement addresses this gap by fostering a more inclusive and equitable environment for women’s participation in the elections. 

In her remarks, UNDP Resident Representative, Ms. Blerta Aliko, highlighted the urgency for action ahead of the May 2025 elections: “I call on political parties and national leaders to nominate women, to proactively support them during their campaigns, and ensure they are empowered to lead in public office. Women’s participation in political life is not just beneficial—it is essential for Lebanon’s democracy to thrive.”

Ms.  Gielan Elmessiri, UN Women Representative in Lebanon said “Women’s voices are powerful agents of change—and nowhere is their leadership more needed than in our local communities. As Lebanon prepares for the upcoming municipal council elections, we call on all political parties to take meaningful steps toward gender equality by nominating more women to their lists. Empowering women in local governance is not just a matter of representation; it’s a matter of building stronger, more inclusive communities.”

Ms. Joelle Abou Farhat, President of the “Fifty-Fifty” gave the opening remarks “Today, it has become clear to everyone that the presence of women in municipal councils is not only a right, but a necessity. Women understand the needs of families, schools, the environment, and the community. They think of inclusive solutions for all groups and work with dedication and consistency. From this perspective, the "Salma Agreement" emerges as a moral commitment by all who sign it, to ensure effective participation of women in municipal life and to achieve balance and equality, by securing a minimum of 30% representation of women in municipal and elective councils”.

The event provided a platform for key political leaders, civil society organizations, and stakeholders to commit to working towards enhancing women’s political participation in Lebanon, especially in municipal councils. In fact, the SALMA agreement received 105 signatures of the beforementioned stakeholders who attended the event, showcasing the strong will of key actors in the country to advancing gender equality in local governance.

With the 2025 Municipal and Mukhtar Elections fast approaching, the signing of this agreement presents a critical opportunity to break down the barriers limiting women’s participation in political leadership and pave the way for a more equitable, democratic future for Lebanon.

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About UNDP

UNDP is working in Lebanon since 1986 as a development partner supporting economic recovery, including working with municipalities to deliver basic services to host communities, promoting clean energy and solid waste management, strengthening governance and rule of law, providing support to elections, and working on empowering women and youth.

About UN Women

UN Women, grounded in the vision of equality enshrined in the Charter of the United Nations, works for the elimination of discrimination against women and girls; the empowerment of women; and the achievement of equality between women and men as partners and beneficiaries of development, human rights, humanitarian action and peace and security. Placing women’s rights at the centre of all its efforts, UN Women leads and coordinates United Nations system efforts to ensure that commitments on gender equality and gender mainstreaming translate into action throughout the world. It provides strong and coherent leadership in support of Member States’ priorities and efforts, building effective partnerships with civil society and other relevant actors.   

For more information, please contact

In UNDP – Lebanon    |    Maryam Sweid    |     Maryam.sweid@undp.org  |    +961 71 366 212 
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