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Euro-Med promotes women’s political participation

24-5-2018

The Euro-Med Women Network organized yesterday a dialogue table at the Riviera Hotel, Beirut to follow up on the outcomes of the 4th ministerial meeting of the Union for the Mediterranean on women’s rights hosted by Egypt last November. On the occasion, the minister of state for women’s affairs, Jean Ogassapian, said the Arab woman, and the Lebanese woman in particular, boasts aptitudes that allow her to continue the struggle to achieve her rights, hoping the recommendations from said meeting be implemented in line with a clear strategy, and wishing the new cabinet will embrace women ministers. Similarly, Christina Lassen EU Ambassador to Lebanon, said women in Lebanon still face many challenges, especially in terms of political participation, demanding further effort to realize the goals related to women’s rights. For her part, the executive director of Euro-Med Women Network, Boriana Jonsson, pointed out that women’s participation is fundamental, stressing that legislation to this end should be at the center of gender, education and human rights work. She called for the formation of committees to create an action plan for the implementation of the ministerial statement. (Al Mustaqbal, May 24, 2018)

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Sayyid Ali Fadlallah calls for women’s rights, ends of discrimination among citizens

24-5-2018

Cleric Sayyed Ali Fadlallah reiterated his support for women in their struggle to achieve their full rights and safeguard their role and dignity. Among the rights he highlighted, are the right of women to grant nationality to their children, which he noted, is still subject to religious rather than human considerations and the right of mothers to the custody of their children because they are adept. Fadlallah, who was speaking during the annual Iftar dinner held by Al Mabarrat Charity Association’s Women Committee, stressed that a “change is not brought about by a simple decree but by the human being himself.” Politicians, spiritual leaders, educators and sociologists do have a part, but the main responsibility remains that of women who alone are qualified to play this role. Whoever debases or abuses his wife, Fadlallah stated, does not harm his wife alone, but also impairs his future and the future of his own children, for an oppressed mother cannot bring up a healthy and sensible generation. In conclusion, Fadlallah asked women to be more efficient at this stage in order to face growing challenges outside and inside the country, especially the challenge to build a state governed by the law. “We want a state free of corruption, allocation and quotas and discrimination. We want a modern and fair state.” )Al Mustaqbal, May 24, 2018(

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Hijab in the Sorbonne triggers Islamophobia

23-5-2018

Al Diyar newspaper cited today student Mariam Pougetoux, president of Sorbonne UNEF student union, 19, who described as “sad” politicians criticism of her wearing hijab as a means for political gain. In the details, Al Diyar wrote that the French interior minister, Gerard Collomb, has personally slated Mariam for appearing on TV last week wearing a veil, and dubbed this as a “provocation” and a “shock” to him. Similarly, Equality Minister Marlene Schiappa, stressed that Pougetoux’s appearance was a form of political promotion of Islam, warning that UNEF should notify about the values it wants to promote clearly and precisely, as she put it. Meanwhile, reacting to the collective attacks targeting Pougetoux on social media, a student posted on Buzzfeed News saying: “This is my faith. My hijab has no political function whatsoever.” To recall, France has imposed a ban on wearing headscarves or any religious symbols in public schools since 2004, to become in 2011 the first European country barring hijab in public places. (Al Diyar, May 23, 2018)

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Women Leaders Council discusses Cedar 2018

23-5-2018

The Women Leaders Council of Lebanon (WLCL) organized yesterday a seminar to discuss Cedar 2018 donor conference (April 6, France) under the headline, ‘Economic priorities for the coming period’. The seminar focused on the goals of Cedar, including increasing public investment and ensuring financial and economic stability, in addition to, the introduction of sectoral reforms bound for investment sustainability, structural reforms and the development of a strategy to upgrade various production sectors. On the occasion, WLCL chair, Madiha Reslan, said the aim of the above panel discussion was to highlight economic priorities, clarify the vision and set an action plan independent of ongoing political discord, describing the meeting as a new initiative to endorse the role of women in national economy. “We are responsible here to not allow any marginalization of women in the future,” she said. Hazar Caracalla, the premier’s advisor for economic affairs, for her part, said the meeting was an initial step for cooperation between the Women Leaders Council and the Office of the Prime Minister in support of productive sectors and companies in which women make a large part of their workforce. She concluded by saying that the government has identified the social and economic challenges the country has faced by the end of 2016 and has set a roadmap for stability, growth and job prospects, noting that the worksheet presented by the Lebanese government to Cedar was key to this effect. (Al Mustaqbal, Al Diyar, May 23, 2018)

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Human rights activists arrested in Saudi Arabia, protest against compulsory veil in Iran

22-5-2018

Human Rights Watch noted on Friday that the Saudi authorities have detained 7 human rights and women’s rights activists since May 15. The charges, HRW stated, were unprecedented against them especially that their activities were limited to advocating women’s rights to drive, abolishing male guardianship system and defending freedom of expression detainees. HRW statement stressed that these arrests were blatantly in violation lwith the recent reform and modernization campaign spearheaded by Crown Prince Mohamad Bin Salman. On the subject, the Middle East Director at Human Rights Watch pointed out that said campaign has been a rage of fear for genuine Saudi reformers who openly and publicly advocated for human rights or women empowerment. On the other hand, Al Diyar newspaper brought attention today to the movement launched 5 years ago by Masih Alinejad against the compulsory veil in Iran and which attracted thousands of women. The protest movement, Al Diyar wrote, travelled fast on social media inspiring scores of activists to plan and organize unprecedented demos in the streets of Iran, and wondered if this means the movement is very close to achieving its goals. For more on the subject, kindly visit the following link::https://goo.gl/TDm9y8. (Al Diyar, May 22, 2018)

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Trafficking in women increase five times in Lebanon

22-5-2018

Al Akhbar highlighted today the findings of a study published last April by Euro-Mediterranean Women’s Foundation in collaboration with the League for Lebanese Women’s Rights (LLWR). According to the study, ‘Prostitution and Trafficking in Women in the Eastern Suburbs of Beirut, the total number of women victims of trafficking in Lebanon rose from 19 women in 2015 to around 87 women in 2016, that is by nearly a 500% increase, noting that 94% of them are Syrian nationals. The results have shown that the influx of Syrian refugees and the concentration of the majority of displaced persons in the capital exacerbated this phenomenon. The study also pointed to a new type of trafficking in women under so-called ‘fake marriage’, where traffickers marry  Syrian girls as young as 15 years and sway them into prostitution and begging. Another category spotlighted by the study involved European women who enter Lebanon under permits allowing them to work in night clubs and who are eventually subjected to sexual abuse and sometimes to human trafficking. To recall, the study is based on interviews with various Lebanese associations and on courts and ISF statistics. It focused on the densely populated eastern suburbs of Beirut, namely Al Jadid neighborhood in Sin el Fil, which is the center of interest for workers driven away from other countries ad seeking better economic conditions. (Al Akhbar, May 22, 2018)

 

Previous related news:
Three women are sexually abused weekly and death penalty for wife killer
Since 2011 Syria is a country of origin for women trafficking not just for transiting
Family prostitution ring uncovered in Tripoli
New prostitution ring and trafficking involving Syrian women busted in Junieh
 
 

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LGBTQI concerns

21-5-2018

In its continuous reporting of LGBT news and activities, L’Orient Le Jour addressed the issue during the closing evening of the LGBT exhibition ’Letters of Love to Gay and Transgender People’ (c.f: https://bit.ly/2IRFUGG). One passionate activist, Nayla, said she feels her femininity despite her birth as a boy, lamenting that her mother forced her to cut her hair out of denial of her effeminacy. Similarly, Dina, 29 years, born in the US, told L’Orient Le Jour reporter that she discovered her attraction to other women, a fact that was completely rejected by her family who decided to move her to a stricter school which exacerbated the situation further. The mother finally suggested sending her daughter to Lebanon where she eventually joined pro-LGBT activists. The event organizer, Dima Matta, explained that advocating women’s rights is inseparable from advocating LGBTQI rights, as both come under the big umbrella of human rights. She said she did not expect such a wide participation, especially after the suspension of Beirut Pride week 2018, stressing more work should be done to this end. (L’Orient Le Jour, May 19, 2018)

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New penal code amendments to protect minors

21-5-2018

MP Elie Kairuz submitted on May 18 a draft law to further amend Articles 505 and 518 of the Penal Code. To recall, while the first article pardons the culprit who sexually assaults a minor who completed 15 years if he marries his victim, the second is related to forced sex under seduction and deception of marriage. Kayrouz asked House Speaker Nabih Berri to refer the above proposal to relevant parliamentary committees for discussion and passing in the General Assembly. According to the new amendment, Article 505 will be modified to become as follows: ‘He who sexually assaults a minor under 15 years, shall be punished with imprisonment for not less than five years, and for not less than 7 years if the minor did not complete her 12 years. Also, he who sexually assaults a minor who completed 15 years but did not turn 18, shall be imprisoned for a minimum of three years.’ As for Article 518, it will become: ‘He who seduces and sexually assaults a girl with the promise of marriage, shall be imprisoned for at least one year and fined between LBP 5 million and 10 million. (An Nahar, L’Orient Le Jour, May 19, 2018)

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Lebanese beggar found dead with over a LBP 1.7 billion

18-5-2018

Al Mustaqbal today spotlighted the death of Fatmeh Uthman, the beggar who was found dead with a fortune of LBP 1.7 billion in her savings account. Fatmeh, 52, from the town of Ain Zahab, Akkar, is physically disabled, the newspaper wrote. At the age of 13, she left her family house (consisting of 9 children) to move to Beirut and start her career in panhandling. During a visit to her parents’ home in Akkar, Al Mustaqbal reporter discovered that the living conditions were very modest. And in an interview with her siblings, they said they knew their sister had cash but not a treasure, revealing that they found LBP 5 million in a bag inside her car-turned-home in Nouiri, and that there were rumors of additional bank accounts. To note, Fatmeh advised in her will that the money be used to build a mosque in her neighborhood. (Al Mustaqbal, May 18, 2018)

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Black women denounce racism, discrimination at Cannes Film festival

18-5-2018

After women film stars at Cannes Film festival called for gender equality and a larger share for women in the film industry, (c.f: https://bit.ly/2Ky9M8i), some 16 black and biracial actresses joined hands to denounce the lack of representation of people of color in cinema. The Senegalese-born French actress and co-author of “Noire N’est Pas Mon Metier” (Black is not my job), told AFP that the adoption of a quota system could be a possible option to combat what she described as the “invisibility” of people of color on the screens. To recall, the above book, which is a collective initiative by actresses, provides anecdotes of the racism actresses faced in their movie career. For his part, Olivier Rousteing, the creative director of Balmain French luxury fashion house which attaches great importance to diversity against racism in the world of fashion, said, “I have personally witnessed these humiliating remarks and fully understand the ignorance and discrimination (these actresses) faced throughout their career.” (An Nahar, May 18, 2018)

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