NDI’s ongoing qualitative research revealed that while Libyans were broadly supportive of women playing roles in public life, there was significant disagreement over what type of engagement is best-suited to women. Some participants in a study conducted in November 2011 were uncomfortable with women playing a leading role in politics and thought high-level positions were inappropriate or would conflict with women’s responsibilities to their families.
In a follow-up research study conducted in May 2012 participants were asked to share their opinions on women as candidates and whether they would vote for women. There was resistance among both women and men participants, some of whom claimed that women were too emotional to adequately handle the stresses of political life or too beholden to family responsibilities to be effective in politics. "If the woman and man have the same qualifications I will vote for the man," claimed one woman participant from Derna, "because the woman will have other responsibilities such as raising children and she is naturally more emotional."
(We invite you to read the full report published by one of our partners, NDI)
NDI’s ongoing qualitative research revealed that while Libyans were broadly supportive of women playing roles in public life, there was significant disagreement over what type of engagement is best-suited to women. Some participants in a study conducted in November 2011 were uncomfortable with women playing a leading role in politics and thought high-level positions were inappropriate or would conflict with women’s responsibilities to their families.
In a follow-up research study conducted in May 2012 participants were asked to share their opinions on women as candidates and whether they would vote for women. There was resistance among both women and men participants, some of whom claimed that women were too emotional to adequately handle the stresses of political life or too beholden to family responsibilities to be effective in politics. "If the woman and man have the same qualifications I will vote for the man," claimed one woman participant from Derna, "because the woman will have other responsibilities such as raising children and she is naturally more emotional."
(We invite you to read the full report published by one of our partners, NDI)