Subscribe to newsletter

Custom Search 1

You are here

Home

News updates

UK couple gain right to a more equitable civil partnership

28-6-2018

The Supreme Court of Britain unanimously ruled in favor of Rebecca Steinfeld, 37, and Charles Keidan, 41, from London, in their request to civil partnership instead of marriage, noting that previously, only same sex couples were allowed civil partnership. A civil partnership contract can be registered with the local authorities and grants all the rights currently enjoyed by spouses, such as inheritance, social security, retirement and abandonment. To recall, Britain’s Court of Appeal has earlier rejected the couple’s request in February 2017. The couple who have been together since 2010 and have two daughters, considered that the law that prohibits heterosexual people from civil partnership is contrary to the country’s equality law. They said traditional marriage has treated women as property, adding they did not want to enter into that arrangement. They said they wanted to raise their children as equal partners and civil partnership is the best example for that. Hence, the Supreme Court declared that restricting civil partnerships between same sex couples is sexist, while noting that this does not oblige the government to change the current law in effect. To remind, since 2014, same sex persons have the right to choose between marriage or civil partnership if they wanted to, but this is prohibited for heterosexual persons. On the subject, Martine Loat, chairman of the Equal Civil Partnerships Campaign said work is underway to give everyone the right to a civil partnership, pointing that more than 130,000 people have signed a petition in support of this. (BBC, June 27, 2018)

Share on

Lions Club and the political role of women

28-6-2018

Under the sponsorship of the minister of state for women’s affairs in the caretaker government, Jean Ogassapian, the Lebanon Lions Club organized yesterday a debate on ‘The importance of the role of women in political decision making’. During the event which also honored the newly elected MPs Rula Tabsh Jaroudi and Dima Jamali, Ogassapian said the capacities and potentials women boast can help them seize senior positions. In her turn, Jaroudi, a Lions member, stated that as a lawyer, and within the Future Movment agenda, she will focus her legislative efforts on youth, job creation, women and education. Jamali for her part, underlined the essential role of political parties in backing proficient women, stressing the need to intensify this support and remove hurdles which slow down women’s access to political life. Jamali also maintained that she will work on women’s issues, particularly on the right of Lebanese mothers to grant nationality to their children and fighting violence against women, as well as, on the revival of Tripoli’s economy. (Al Mustaqbal, June 28, 2018)

Share on

Lebanese women highly vulnerable under confessional personal status laws

27-6-2018

The Lebanese Women Democratic Gathering (LWDG) held a press conference yesterday about the incident during which security forces snatched a boy from his mother in implementation of a ruling issued by the Sunni Sharia Court (https://bit.ly/2txdLM7), as well as, the many violations that accompanied many similar rulings. LWDG press conference concluded that as long as the spiritual and religious personal status commandments are untouchable, women will remain vulnerable second class citizens and violence against them will continue. It was agreed that repeated incidents of similar nature determines the need to adopt a unified personal status law that safeguards the right of children, first victims of parental disputes. In the course of the press conference, violations that accompanied the case were detailed. Like for example, the mother was not formally notified of the court’s ruling that the child should be handed over to his father or she will be jailed; the son refused to accompany his father after the court ruled to drop the custody with the testimony of the mother; the judicial verdict to drop the mother’s right in the custody of her own child is contrary to Article 15 which drops the mother’s right in the custody of her son until the age of 12. On the subject, the Lebanese Union for Child Welfare and the Family Rights Network explained that the method used in the execution of the court ruling contravened the provisions of the Convention for the Protection of the Rights of the Child ratified by Lebanon without reservations, in reference to the use of asecurity forces to implement the ruling and terrorize the little boy. According to Al Akhbar newspaper, the mother has appealed the decision by the court, but the latter reversed her request and executed the ruling to drop the child’s custody. (Al Akhbar, June 27, 2018)

Share on

WUAB ratifies gender diversity

27-6-2018

The board of directors of the World Union of Arab Bankers (WUAB) approved during a meeting in Cairo yesterday the gender diversity protocol prepared by the chair of the Women’s Empowerment Group in Arab Banks and Financial Institutions, Chief Operating Officer at Al Mawarid Bank, Nahla Khaddage Bou Diab, noting the group is one of the prominent working groups within the WUAB. The meeting discussed the importance of adopting the gender diversity protocol as an instruction manual during day to day operations of institutions in order to achieve coherence and integration between the various skills, according to a statement issued by WUAB board. It also aims to reduce gaps within institutions in order to activate their capacity to adapt to a constantly changing global environment and enable them to create equal opportunities between men and women. The board meeting also discussed the anticipated measures to be taken by ambitious Arab banks aspiring to reach international labor standards through the adoption of the system and the development of the concepts in an applied manner. The meeting concluded with the formal approval by the board of the gender diversity protocol, to be followed later with debates to examine its implication on the Arab banking sector. (Al Diyar, June 27, 2018)

Share on

Unemployment among Lebanese women hits 35%

27-6-2018

The head of the Gathering of Lebanese Businessmen and Businesswomen (RDCL World), Fuad Zamakhal, said unemployment among women in Lebanon has reached an alarming rate of 35% . He said women should be inspired to work part time or full time in companies, or invest in startups founded and led by high potential females. Zamakhal was speaking yesterday during a roundtable discussion under the heading, ‘Lebanon 2018: Reducing the gender gap in the private sector’. The event was organized by RDCL in cooperation with The Business Year magazine and the Lebanese American Chamber of Commerce. Some of the topics tackled included: Women’s quota in the private sector, gender inequalities in employment, the cultural, social and financial hindrances facing women entrepreneurs and enhancing the presence of women in the male dominated sectors from education up to administration. Despite international acknowledgment that gender diversity in the workplace is useful for the growth and fiscal performance of companies, yet participants noted that only few Lebanese establishments work in this direction, which is reflected in the role of both men and women in structuring corporate governance. The Business Year director, Anne Laure Perrin, pointed out that the recommendations issued at the end of the roundtable seek to advocate women’s empowerment at work alongside and equally with men and to promote society’s recognition of the active role of women and enhance their role to serve the sectors in which they work as well as their nation. (Al Mustaqbal, June 27, 2018).

Share on

Defining sexual harassment in the absence of deterring laws

26-6-2018

In its issue on Saturday, Al Akhbar newspaper touched on sexual harassment with particular reference to a recent incident which went viral on Facebook. A sexual innuendo mentioned in the electronic conversation between a young man and woman has developed into an accusation of sexual harassment and a decision to stop the harassing party until an announcement is made in the case of defamation filed by the complainant. Al Akhbar wrote that the endorsement of a law which criminalizes sexual harassment and the serious tackling of the issue by the former Legislature would have rationalized the debate sparked in the past few days on the definition of harassment, stressing that, in the absence of a competent law, the definition will remain obscure while the dispute continues. On the subject, Al Akhbar spoke to lawyer Karim Namur who collaborated with the Feminist Collective, Nasawiya, in editing a draft law related to sexual harassment, and who maintained that “an act is labeled harassment only if it implicates several elements. Otherwise, the laws would serve as a moral police regulating relations between people.” Hence, Namour went on to say, the legislation is important for it rationalizes any argument interpreted emotionally on social media networks.” It is not recommended to tag every word or phrase as an act of harassment for this trivializes the issue, Namour explained, adding that, unfortunately, this could exacerbate further macho reactions and play down feminist concerns. For more on the subject, kindly visit the link below: https://goo.gl/BneCrM. (Al Akhbar, June 23, 2018)

Share on

Muslim Turkmenistan bans polygamy

26-6-2018

The Parliament of Turkmenistan approved last week a new law banning polygamy. The law signed by President Gurbanguly Berdimuhamedow introduced amendments to the Family Code effective in the country, including adding a provision to Article 7 which states, that “polygamy is not permitted in Turkmenstan”. The amendment also explains the meaning of polygamy as ‘cohabitation with two or more women simultaneously within a common household’. To recall, the majority of Turkmenistan’s population practices Islam which allows men to have several wives (up to 4 wives), while at the same time, polygamy is considered a felony under the country’s Criminal Code, with penalties reaching 2 years of community service or a considerable fine. (Lebanon 24, June 20, 2018)

Share on

Saudi women: Reforms and arrests

25-6-2018

The decision allowing Saudi women to drive (https://goo.gl/uh2ZbD) became effective yesterday in all parts of Saudi Arabia where a number of women appeared behind the wheels in a festive and euphoric atmosphere in the streets. Meanwhile, and as part of reforms underway, the Saudi Armed Forces Hospitals Department announced the opening of vacancies at the College of Nursing for Girls at the General Authority for Military Industries in the city of El Sih. The department said it will start receiving applications through its electronic website as of Sunday until next Wednesday. The applicant should be born and raised in Saudi Arabia, be not older than 23 years and holds a high school diploma. Simultaneously, however, and in the wake of the arrest of 7 human rights campaigners, Saudi activist Manal Sheriff, spoke to BBC about a new ‘smear campaign’ targeting women’s rights advocates. She criticized the arbitrary detention of women allegedly accused of treason. “Now back to square one. We have returned to the police state,” Sheriff maintained, warning of an imminent and systematic crackdown on supporters if women’s rights. To recall, Sheriff lives in Australia and has had a prominent role in defending and promoting the right of Saudi women to drive. (Al Mustaqbal, An Nahar, Al Diyar, June 22, 23, 24, 25, 2018)

Share on

Kafala is Slavery: Migrant women domestic workers protest

25-6-2018

On the International Day for Domestic Workers, Amnesty International in collaboration with a number of civil society organizations and MWDWs in Lebanon, organized yesterday and for the 9th consecutive year, a demonstration calling for the legal protection of MWDWs and for resolving issues resulting from the ‘kafala’ sponsorship system. Hundreds of domestic workers marched from Dora to Sin el Fil carrying placards which read, ‘Kafala is Slavery’, demanding the inclusion of domestic work in the Lebanese Labor Code and the repeal of the Kafala system. A joint statement by the participating organizations advocating the rights of MWDWs, requested four main demands that protect the rights and life of domestic workers, namely: the abolition of sponsorship and its replacement by a fair arrangement; suspension of administrative detention of workers who are victims of violence and exploitation; a closer monitoring of recruitment agencies with the tightening of punishment of rights violators, and the ratification of the ILO Convention 189 to this effect. Similarly, Al Akhbar newspaper referred to a study conducted two years ago by AUB which showed that nearly 40% of Lebanese employers do not regularly pay the salaries of their domestic workers and that 94% of sponsors withhold the passports of their workers. Al Akhbar also published a letter by 8 Syrian women in Tripoli recounting the stories of two of them, where the sponsor forced them to do additional chores, including the preparation of mouneh as a condition to sustain the sponsorship. (Al Akhbar, June 25, 2018)

Share on

Lebanese women MPs’ agendas

25-6-2018

Konrad Adenauer Foundation (KAS) in collaboration with Smart Center organized on Friday the first talk with female members of the Parliament to discuss their national programs with the participation of students from the debate clubs at the different Lebanese universities. MPs taking part in the debate were, Inaya Izzedine representing Speaker Berri, Bahiya Hariri, Paula Yacubian, Dima Jamali and Rula Tabsh. The representative of Konrad in Lebanon, Malte Gaier, stressed the need to activate the role of youth in the political, social and public life in the country. MP Izzedine pointed out that, the empowerment of women and young people was no longer a luxury, noting that investment in these two components and empowering them to engage in the development process is a requisite for achieving solid progress in the areas of development and stability. Likewise, MP Hariri pointed to her role in the Legislature and her dedication to youth, sustainable development and education in this regard. Yacubian touched for her part on the participation of women in political and legislative life and on the women representation quota, leaving Jamali to highlight the role of the private sector and underline the importance of the Cedar donor conference. Jamali also called for the adoption of laws to support women, put an end to violence against them and grant them the right to confer nationality to their family members, with a special attention to the rights of persons with special needs. MP Tabsh, for her part, talked about the Cedar Conference, demanding the endorsement of fundamental schemes, related to electricity, water and transportation. She also tackled the status of women and their legislative functioning, hoping that the ministry of state for women’s affairs would become a real government ministry, and emphasized the significance of the women’s quota. (Al Mustaqbal, June 22, 25, 2018)
 

Previous related news:
Only six women candidates voted to Parliament

Share on

Pages


Subscribe to RSS - News updates