Subscribe to newsletter

Custom Search 1

You are here

Home

News updates

Arab Women Council honors Zamakhal with Golden Shield of Excellence 2017

20-10-2017

The Arab Women Council- the Organization for Social Responsibility, honored the president of the Gathering of Lebanese Businessmen and Businesswomen (RDCL), CEO of Zimco Group Middle East, Dr. Fouad Zamakhal, with the Golden Shield of Excellence Award for Outstanding Initiatives in recognition for his many achievements in various fields and their impact across the Arab region. The award comes on the sidelines of the ‘Third Regional Forum for Social Responsibility: The role of women leaders in promoting economic growth and sustainable development 2017’ during its meeting on October 18 in Cairo. On the occasion, Zamakhal spoke about the role and influence of women on their households, communities, workplace, and particularly in their leadership of companies and institutions, in addition to their success and distinction in assuming public responsibilities. Zamakhal stressed that a leading woman can also excel as a good housewife, caring mother and pioneering entrepreneur, and also as a leader in society, economics and politics. Zamakhal lauded the role of Arab women in senior management positions working for the advancement of the Arab societies. “This benefits the Arab societies, where men and women in business team up to build the Arab communities and economies to the effect of realizing the desired growth, and reducing unemployment,” Zamakhal said. He finally called for cooperation of Arab businessmen and businesswomen to give women their complete rights and achieve equality. (Al Mustaqbal, Al Diyar, October 20, 2017)

Share on

New school for displaced women in Beqaa

20-10-2017

The Kayani Foundation headed by Noura Jumblat, opened its 7th school in Bar Elias in the Beqaa, with the support of Kayani partners/friends and the UN Women for Peace Association, a non-profit organization committed to delivering education to Syrian refugee children. To note, the school offers general and vocational education in line with the national Lebanese Curriculum. It provides professional training in nursing, computer skills, knitting and embroidery, makeup and hairstyling. Additionally, the school offers protection promotion programs for children and women to strengthen defiance against all kinds of exploitation, increase job prospects and prevent early marriage. On the occasion, Jumblat stressed that education is the salvation for young displaced Syrian women. (Al Hayat, October 20, 2017)

Share on

30% women’s share of administrative appointments in public hospitals

20-10-2017

On the agenda of the Cabinet meeting of today are some 60 items including the appointment of heads and members of administrative boards, directors and government commissioners in 7 state-run hospitals. Sources close to the Future party indicated that women’s share of these appointments will be 30%. The names of women appointees as published by Al Diyar newspaper include Dr. Marise Antoine Karam, contractor with the public health ministry, government commissioner for 3 years at the Jezzine Government Hospital; Mona Mustafa Teriaki and lawyer Suha Abdel Qadir Antar as members in Saida Government Hospital; lawyer Christine Elias Sabanikh as member in Elias Hrawi Government Hospital; lawyer Colette Toufic Atallah and Dr. Gizele Joseph Nader as members in Ftouh Kese rwan Government Hospital- Bwar; Dr. Ginwa Khalil Dakouki as board chairperson, Dr. Fatmeh Ibrahim Hajj as member and Lina Radi Najm president for Siblin Government Hospital for three years and Dr. Iman Abdel Salam Baba member in Tripoli Government Hospital. (Al Diyar, Al Mustaqbal, October 20, 2017)

Share on

The inevitability of changing Arab masculinity

19-10-2017

Al Hayat today brought to light the thousands of cases in Egyptian society that reflect significant changes in masculinity in the Arab mindset. Such perceptions, the newspaper wrote are being exposed to major shocks as part of a need to change and move forward, making clear the inevitability of developing the perception of masculinity in the minds of its holders is documented in the study ‘Understanding Masculinities’. The latter was published this year by UN Women in coordination with Promundo involved in promoting gender equality and creating a world free from violence. The study was based on the International Men and Gender Equality Survey – MENA region, launched across 4 countries: Egypt, Lebanon, Morocco and Palestine. It indicated that the outcomes are very close and sometimes identical in relation to perceptions of masculinity in the minds of boys and men aged 18 to 58 years, shared by a dominance of traditional attitudes regarding equality. The study also pointed out that men in the four selected countries that are going through tremendous economic turbulences, are under enormous pressure to find a job that demonstrates and maintains their conventional masculine role in providing for the household. According to Al Hayat, reality also reveals many masculine perspectives that view women as inferior and incomplete human beings, that need to be cared for, rectified or segregated. In conclusion, the newspaper wrote that notwithstanding the above study, life in Egypt badly needs a revision of the masculinity notion by its holders. (Al Hayat, October 19, 2017)

Share on

A profile of Jihane Khairallah, general manager of Hotel Albergo

19-10-2017

In its issue of today, L’Orient Le Jour highlighted the profile of Jihane Khairallah, general manager of Hotel Albergo in Ashrafieh, Beirut for 11 years. In an interview with the newspaper about her distinctive management of the boutique hotel, Khairallah said there are a number of factors involved, most notably the sense of belonging, the passion and thrill of working there. The poise and magic the place imparts is inspired by the unique relationship with the guests, the way you treat the workers and staff, and by a stamina and will to do that, Albergo maître de maison boasted. The visitor feels at home, she said, but admitted that working with her is quite challenging and demanding because she is passionate and careful in doing her job. Khairallah who holds a degree in management from Sorbonne University in France, said that she worked first in Idarat Management, before she moved to Palm Beach hotel in Ain El Mreisseh area in 1998. And with the opening of Albergo Hotel, Khairallah told L’Orient Le Jour reporter, she decided to ride the waves. In 2006, she was promoted to the position of maître de maison, which she revealed was not easy to get as these posts are usually reserved for men. (L’Orient Le Jour, October 19, 2017)

Share on

Women graduate from woodwork training in Tripoli

18-10-2017

Under the patronage of the industry minister, Hussein Haj Hassan, and the presence of labor minister, Mohamad Kabbara, a graduation ceremony was held in Tripoli on Wednesday for trainees who completed courses in woodworking. On the occasion, UNIDO representative in Lebanon, Cristiano Pasini, spoke of helping hundreds of carpenters and training of dozens of students who built up their own woodworks, including women. The initiative is ongoing, Pasini said, and “we constantly provide young people with manufacturing machines.” The Japanese Ambassador to Lebanon, Matahiro Yamaguchi, said that the provision of upgrading and skills training enables graduates to find jobs. For his part, the representative of the education minister, director general of Vocational and Technical Training, Ahmad Diab, applauded the participation of women in the project, noting the role of higher education in economic development. Diab also announced the transformation of the Carpentry Vocational Center in Zgharta to an investment aimed at marketing the carpentry production to benefit participants. Haj Hassan, in turn, said: “We, in the government, are fully aware that foreign products are competing with the national industry inside our markets and abroad.” However, he mentioned a comprehensive strategy to protect domestic production from dumping and from raising imports, and at the same time, increasing exports through reducing the income tax on exporting, and supporting exhibitions abroad. To note, the workshops are implemented by the ministry of industry and UNIDO, in cooperation with the General Directorate of the Vocational and Technical Education and with funding from the Japanese government. (Al Mustaqbal, 12 October 2017)

Share on

Six women judges sworn in

18-10-2017

Six women administrative judges, fresh graduates from the Institute of Judicial Studies, were sworn in yesterday at the seat of the Shoura Council headed by Judge Henri Khoury. The event took place at the Shoura Council premises in Downtown Beirut in the presence of the president of the Judicial Inspectorate, Judge Berkan Saad, the head of the Institute, Judge Nada Dakroub, director of the Institute, Judge Suheil Abboud, and a number of judges and families of the newly sworn in. The judges who took the oath are, Luma Ajaj Yaghi, Luma Adel Azravil, Michele Melhem Mezher and Carine Iskandar Amatouri. Following the oath, Khoury addressed the graduates saying: “Adopting and following a clear judicial policy and methodology is crucial to guide the judge in the darkest moments, strengthen his/her confidence, polish his/her persona and coach him/her.” In the end, Khoury added, the strength of the judge lies in his knowledge of the “red lines that are not to be crossed”. Dakroub, for her part, called on the new graduates to do what is fair for the people who expect them to act fairly. “Be fair at all times,” she told them. (Al Mustaqbal, October 18, 2017)

Share on

Egyptian universities ban students from wearing "indecent" clothes!

16-10-2017

In its issue of today, Al Hayat newspaper drew attention to the controversial issue of female university students attire. This, Al Hayat wrote, has driven the dean of agriculture at Alexandria University, Tarek Serour, during a tour to the campus, to ask students wearing indecent or provocative clothes that incite sexual harassment to leave. A statement by Serour identified the dress code which prohibits wearing ripped jeans, tight-fitting or revealing clothes. Defending his decision, the dean said it “seeks to prevent sexual sedition, harassment and arousing men’s instincts”. From Tanta, to Halwan and from the veil to the ‘jilbab’ (Muslim dress), an unending hullabaloo fueled only by female students’ outfits, AL Hayat said. The University of Halwan President, Dr. Majid Najm, confirmed above line of thought, and considered that the sanctity of the learning environment prohibits indecent dressing out of tradition and customs. But the issue, the newspaper went on to say, did not stop at the ripped jeans which allegedly arouses sexuality and jeopardizes the principles of morality, but also indexed the makeup. To this effect, the dean of the faculty of specific education at Menofiya University, Hanan Yashar, banned from entering the campus any female student wearing over-done makeup in addition to inappropriate clothes. (Al Hayat, October 16, 2017)

Share on

NCLW calls for lifting CEDAW reservations on nationality

16-10-2017

In cooperation with ESCWA Center for Women, the National Commission for Lebanese Women (NCLW) organized on Friday a workshop entitled ‘International mechanisms for the elimination of all forms of discrimination against women: Text and judicial application’. On the occasion, NCLW president Claudine Aoun Rokuz said gender equality in Lebanon, which is the first goal of the Commission, remains unfounded, due to injustices and prejudiced practices against women rooted in legislations inherited from a cumulative history of poverty, ignorance and oppression which are inferior to women. Aoun drew attention to some of the key existing mechanisms needed to realize above goals, including the Convention of the Elimination of all Forms of Discrimination Against Women (CEDAW). The latter, Aoun reminded, has been ratified by Lebanon back in 1996 but with reservations on imparting equal rights a par with men to grant nationality to their children and “their status in the family as wife and a mother”. The NCLW, Aoun noted, strives to persuade members of Parliament to lift said reservations that are no longer useful to society, as she said. The sessions addressed many topics, namely, international mechanisms on the respect and protection of human rights; the role of the justice ministry in safeguarding human rights in general, and the rights of women; in addition to a brief on CEDAW provisions and Lebanon’s national responsibilities and commitments to this end. The workshop issued a number of recommendations binding criminal judges to use existing conventions in relation to cases of discrimination against women. On the other hand, the minister of state for administrative development, Inaya Izzedine, the only woman minister, disclosed to Al Diyar that she is working on the creation of a ‘citizen/State reconciliation’, because the relationship, as she said, is that of mistrust. Izzedine mentioned that this could be realized through several schemes, most notably the digital government project, but that requires a political decision. She also stressed the need for inter-ministerial cooperation to end corruption and all sorts of political and sectarian nepotism that serve like a buffer to perpetrators. (Al Mustaqbal, Al Diyar, October 16, 2017(

Share on

Coming up next: Saudi women as taxi drivers

16-10-2017

Following King Salman’s decree of last month that allowed Saudi women to drive within the country, (: https://goo.gl/yiALtz), and 8 months from implementing the Royal Order, a group of Saudi women are bracing up to sit behind the wheels as cab drivers. In this regard, some 30 housewives and female employees enrolled in an introductory recruitment session set off by the Khobar-based ride-hailing company, Careem, boasting a car rental with a driver service application. On the projected session, Nawal Abdel Jabbar told AFP that after the historic long sought-for decision by King Salman, “I wanted to come here and prepare myself to become a taxi driver (Captinah).” “It is a privilege and honor for the woman to be liberated and become self-reliant,” Jabbar said. The Royal decision, she added, will give go-ahead for more similar steps in defense of women, including combating harassment. For its part, Princess Nourah Bint Abdelrahman University, which presents itself as the largest university for women in the world, announced on Twitter the opening of a women-only driving school. Similarly, Saudi female activist Manal Cherif who for years advocated the rights of women to drive in the Kingdom, said she believes “the time when women were forced to remain silent has gone forever.” Cherif tweeted saying that she has woken up to what she described as a New Saudi Arabia. (An Nahar, October 13, 14, 2017)

Previous related news: 
It is never too late: Women in Saudia allowed to drive!
 

Share on

Pages


Subscribe to RSS - News updates