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Claudine Aoun calls for gender balance in new cabinet

11-9-2020

The head of the National Commission for Lebanese Women (NCLW), Claudine Aoun Rukuz, visited on September 9, prime minister designate Mostafa Adib, to ask him to consider gender balance alongside competence in the formation of his new government. This, Rukuz stressed, endorses the role of women in political life and in decision making, and positively impacts the dynamics of government performance in taking the right decisions during this critical period. Rukuz pointed out that the above demand also contributes to realizing the aspirations of Lebanon’s youth in a gender-equal society. She underlined the need to benefit from the aptitudes of Lebanese women who have fully demonstrated their responsibility in all arenas and throughout the various crises that hit the country. (Al Diyar, September 10, 2020)
 

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MoU between Labor and ESCWA for creating women’s jobs

11-9-2020

The caretaker minister of labor, Lamia Yammine, and ESCWA Executive Secretary, Rola Dashti, yesterday signed a memorandum of understanding aimed at strengthening the capacities of labor ministry employees. Yammine, on the occasion, stated that the MoU is the beginning of a real partnership between the labor ministry and the ESCWA with the aim to reach the UN Sustainable Development Goals through the provision of jobs, the enhancement of the skills of the ministry’s workforce and the delivery of studies, research, programs and training assistance to facilitate the arrival at above goals. Yammine said that ESCWA will support the ministry’s plan to integrate people with special needs in the labor market through the provision of decent work, in collaboration with civil society and concerned parties. The minister disclosed that the MoU will be time indefinite and will involve two workshops that start early in October on the vital role of digital and communication technology in recruitment and in the creation of new employment prospects for youth and women. They also involve the assessment of the labor ministry’s performance and capacity building of its employees, as well as the provision of scientific tools to evaluate productivity in public institutions. (Al Diyar, September 11, 2020)
 

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Children of Lebanese mothers allowed to enroll in public schools

9-9-2020

The minister of education in the caretaker government, Tarek Majzub, issued on September 6, a circular advising all administrators of private and public schools to prioritize the enrollment of children of Lebanese mothers married to non-Lebanese like other Lebanese students. This decision comes from the minister’s respect of the rights of Lebanese women, the right of education to all and the need to eliminate all forms of discriminations against women. My Nationality is a Right for Me and My Family Campaign reminded on its Facebook page that it has submitted a letter to Majzub under No. 11/7656 asking him to sanction the registration in state-run schools of children of Lebanese women married to foreigners. It noted in a statement, that the issuance of the above decision now is an indication that last year’s decision to this end was repealed, adding that the ministry did not allow the enrollment of the children of Lebanese mothers before that date. In an address to all mothers and media activists who were tracking and supporting this issue, the Campaign said this decision is but a product of a call for justice and of perseverance. “We will not celebrate because we realized one of our basic rights. This is truly demeaning in this day and age. What we are basically after, is the Lebanese nationality for families of Lebanese women, the Campaign stated. (An Nahar, September 9, 2020 Nationality Campaign FB page https://www.facebook.com/jinsiyati)

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Feminist Demands Charter: Gender disaster response plan

8-9-2020

Some 39 women’s rights groups in Lebanon and 5 feminist activists, signed the “Feminist Demands Charter” for a gendered disaster response plan. The charter holds the authorities fully responsible for the destruction and human toll of the Beirut Port explosion and the injustices against women, requesting an immediate humanitarian intervention that admits and addresses the existing gender inequalities to ensure that the needs and priorities of women and girls in the country are met. The above charter calls for the following, notably: 1) Conduct a gender-sensitive needs and priorities assessment as follows: Any mechanism that undertakes a gendered assessment of damages, needs and priorities of all women and girls, must consult with and reflect women of all ages and social categories and explicitly address the capacities and needs of all women and girls in participation, protection and delivery of services. 2) Ensure women’s representation and inclusion in leadership positions: The representation of voices of all women and marginalized groups in discussions, decisions, compensations, resource deployment and efforts for the purpose of this emergency. 3) Provide food security, shelter and sustainable livelihoods: Ensure equal access to food security, cash assistance, shelter, mental health and social, psychological care as well as all forms of support for all women, specifically the most vulnerable and who are at increased risk. 4) Prevent and respond to violence against women and girls: Strengthen and render free of charge the national mechanisms (hotline and others) to report incidents of sexual abuse and exploitation, in addition to efforts to ensure women and girls access to justice and legal aid. 5) Ensure access to health care and sexual and reproductive health services: Increase efforts to ensure pregnant and lactating women and adolescent girls are prioritized for support in health supplies. For the full names of the organizations signatories of the charter in English, kindly refer to the link below: https://bit.ly/3bzcV6w For a full view of the charter in English: https://bit.ly/3bzcV6w

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Palestinian militant Leila Khaled talks about gender, justice and resistance

8-9-2020

San Francisco State University (SFSU) professors Rabab Abdul Hadi and Momomi Kinukawa will host Palestinian militant leader of the Popular Front for the Liberation of Palestine, Leila Khaled, (1944), to speak about “Whose Narratives? Gender, Justice and Resistance.” The discussion planned for September 23 via zoom will be followed by a questions and answers session with students, activists and academics. Others expected to speak at the event, which will be livestreamed past midnight Beirut time, are Ronnie Kasrils, Rula Abu Dahou, Sekou Odinga and Laura Whitehorn. (Al Akhbar, September 7, 2020)

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Indonesian woman dentist designs colorful protective suits

4-9-2020

Indonesian woman dentist Nina Agustin, from Malang, designed colorful protective equipment for her patients to uplift their mood in the clinic while meeting the safety standards and medical protocol during the Covid-19 pandemic. On her innovative idea that went viral on social media, Agustin said dentists are more likely to be infected with the coronavirus as they directly treat the mouth of the patient. And while the protective wear available in the market usually comes in white and in large sizes, Agustin explained, it makes a dentist uncomfortable in her work, which sparked the idea of creating 25 different suits of personal protective equipment (PPE). (An Nahar, September 4, 2020)

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First female judges sworn in Kuwait

4-9-2020

Eight female judges were sworn in to the Supreme Court yesterday to become the first in the history of the Arab Gulf state. This follows years of controversy to allow women to serve in the role. It comes, in fact, 6 years after 20 females were appointed to the public prosecutor office. Commenting on this move, the Chair of the Supreme Judicial Council and the Court of Cassation, Youssef Mutawa, said the female judges’ work will be evaluated after a period of time to be developed accordingly. For her part, the head of the Kuwaiti Women’s Cultural and Social Society, Lulwa Saleh Mulla, pointed out that her association has long struggled for the right of women to serve as judges. These appointments are encouraging, and we believe we are taking steps forward in the ranks of advanced nations, Mulla told AFP. Kuwaiti society is reportedly one of the most liberal in the Arab Gulf with women in senior government posts, however, some traditional families enforce tight restrictions on the movements of their female relatives. (An Nahar, September 4, 2020)

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"Khatera”, Afghan women’s battle against sexual abuse

3-9-2020

In its issue of today, Al Akhbar newspaper drew attention to the film “A thousand girls like me” by Afghan director, Sahera Mani, which will be screened at 6 pm tonight on the Facebook page of Saraya Theatre, Yafa as part of the Jaffa Festival activities. The film is based in the true story of an Afghan woman, Khatera, 23, who forced her father to stand trial after a lifetime of sexual abuse, Al Akhbar wrote. She risks her family, freedom and personal safety to expose a judicial system that lays the blame on women who seek protection. It is an attempt to overcome fear and set a positive example for her daughter and other girls like her, Al Akhbar said. (Al Akhbar, September 3, 2020)

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Nationality campaign: No hope for Lebanon under discriminatory laws against women

3-9-2020

My Nationality is a Right for Me and My Family Campaign released a statement yesterday on the occasion of the centenary of Greater Lebanon maintaining that it will not give a congratulations speech on the occasion until the declaration is realized in word and deed through nondiscriminatory laws that treat Lebanese citizens equally. The Campaign said that since the declaration on September first by the High Commissioner of the French Mandate for Syria and Lebanon, General Henri Gouraud, of the Greater Lebanon and the onset of Lebanon’s Constitutions on May 23, 1962, which defined the structure of the state, up to the independence date on November 22, 1943, a defective bill is still in effect. To note, the Nationality Law regulating Lebanese citizenship was enacted on January 19, 1925, by the Ordinance of the French High Commissioner for Syria and Lebanon, General Sarrail. The Campaign demanded an abolition of the law which it described as unequal and unfair for Lebanese women and their families. How can a law dating back to pre-independence take precedence ove the constitution of a republic? The statement wondered how can a nation that supposedly claimed its independence remain subjected to a nationality law set by the commander of the French Mandate Army. No resurrection of Lebanon is possible unless these bigoted laws are modified or amended, the Campaign stated. It said that while official celebrations were underway yesterday to mark the centenary, Lebanese mothers married to non-Lebanese were touring schools and the education ministry to try to scare up the most basic right for their children, which is the right to education, impeded by the official reluctance to ratify a law that gives the priority for the admission of students from a Lebanese mother and a non-Lebanese father. In fact, this comes at a time women are stressed more than anyone with relation to the coronavirus-imposed quarantine and to the deprivation of all the benefits, according to My Nationality Campaign statement. The Lebanese woman is still paying a high price as a result of the discriminatory nationality bill which not only deprives her of conferring citizenship to her family members, but also affects all life matters, like for example education, medical care, employment, etc. In conclusion, the Campaign called for an end to the injustice rooted in the laws and for the approval of a fair and equitable nationality law. It advised for harmonizing relevant local laws with international conventions and with the spirit and text of the Lebanese Constitution, revealing that during the French President’s upcoming visit to Lebanon it will ask him to clear out the discriminating nationality law put by his ancestors. (The full article is found on the following link: https://www.facebook.com/jinsiyati)

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Creative women work in Beirut: Sculptures from shattered glass, “Beirut chants for hope”

2-9-2020

Lebanese artist Sara Abu Murad made new sculptures in her Beirut studio using shattered glass from the devastating explosion which hit the Port of Beirut on August 4. The art works were presented yesterday during a ceremony to mark the Greater Lebanon centenary in the presence of French President Emmanuel Macron who concludes his official visit today. On the other hand, Lebanese singer, Abeer Neemeh, will hold a concert on September 8 under the title, ‘Beirut chants for hope’ as part of the annual Beirut Music Festival which takes place in December. The evening will be streamed on Facebook in light of the coronavirus enforced health restrictions. It will also be broadcast live on MTV Lebanon and various “Beirut Chants” social media platforms. (Al Akhbar, September 2, 2020)
 

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