TRIPOLI—The United Nations Support Mission in Libya (UNSMIL), in collaboration with UN Women and UNDP, convenedthe final session of the Libyan Women’s Caucus on 8 and 9 June in Tripoli.
The first day brought together women members of the Structured Dialogue toconsolidate their contributions and align on key prioritiesemerging from the process. On the second day, the session expanded to include women representatives from the House of Representatives and the High State Council, elected municipal representatives, the Libyan Women’s Union, civil society organisations, and members of the international community. The discussions were attended by Special Representative of the Secretary-General for Libya Hanna S. Tetteh, and both of her deputies, DSRSG for Political Affairs Stephanie Koury and DSRSG and Resident Coordinator Ulrika Richardson, alongside UN Women Representative Florence Basty.
The meeting marked the culmination of a series of caucus meetings, which served as a platform to strengthen collective efforts to translate women’s priorities on governance, security, the economy, national reconciliation, and human rights into concrete, actionable outcomes and to identify opportunities for collective advocacy.
The strong participation of women in the Structured Dialogue—reaching 35 per cent—was highlighted as a significant step toward a more inclusive political process in Libya. Discussions also underscored the importance of ensuring diverse representation, including women with disabilities, young women, and women from cultural components, within the process.
“The Libyan women were not absent from this process, but were present in the halls, committees and discussions,” said one of the Structured Dialogue members, stressing that presence alone is not enough if decisions continue to be made without the actual participation of women.
Members of the LWC called for sustained collaboration among civil society organisations, institutional actors, international partners, including men, to advance and implement the recommendations developed through the Structured Dialogue.
Discussions further highlighted the need to strengthen coordination, maintainmomentum, and ensure that women’s priorities are meaningfully reflected in political outcomes and decision-making processes.
SRSG Hanna Tetteh concluded the session by emphasizing the importance of strengthening community and political participation as a fundamental entry point for achieving sustainable democratic change.
“Such change cannot be realised by any single group but requires the joint engagement of both men and women, along with building a shared conviction that the process of change serves the interests of society as a whole,” she said.
She also emphasised that participation is not a one-time event, but a continuous process that requires patience, commitment, and perseverance, even in the face of challenges and frustrations that may arise along the path of reform and change.
Read more about the Structured Dialogue final outcomes on the UNSMIL website, including a Woman’s Charter that was developed in coordination with hundreds of Libyan women to articulate shared priorities.
