The Electoral Participation of Women in Libya: A Study of the Attitudes of Libyan Academics towards Electoral Processes

Abstract

    This study sought to investigate the electoral participation of women in Libya by measuring their attitudes towards the electoral process. In terms of the extent to which it guarantees women's political rights, especially electoral ones, as well as exploring their views on the types of electoral systems (the individual election system - the electoral list system - the mixed election system) in terms of their compatibility with the aspirations of women in Libya for wide representation in official institutions. And also measuring her views about the obstacles that are likely to limit the electoral participation of women.

The study relied on the questionnaire tool for an intentional sample of 150 Libyan female academics holding master’s and doctoral degrees working in universities, public institutions, and academic centers in Libya and abroad. Libyan women agree or strongly agree that the Constitutional Declaration has given Libyan women the right to electoral participation, even if it is implicit, and that the majority of Libyan academics agree or strongly agree that the best electoral system for them is “proportional representation” because it is the closest in supporting participation The political and electoral situation of Libyan women, and that the majority of Libyan academics agree or strongly agree, that the security situation is the biggest obstacle to the electoral participation of Libyan women