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In an unprecedented move in recognition of women’s rights, the National Evangelical Synod of Syria and Lebanon officially appointed Rula Adel Suleiman as the first woman pastor thus breaking with the traditional preference for men in consecration for priesthood. Earlier in July, a decree of ordination of 42-year old Suleiman, who holds a degree in theology, was issued in response to a request she submitted to the Synod, to be put into effect on February 26. On the subject, Suleiman told An Nahar that she has a task to serve women, describing the decision by the Synod as an “avant-garde and bold step that paves the way for future women servants of the Church,” as she said. For his part, the secretary of the Committee on Church and Spiritual Affairs in the Synod, pastor doctor Hadi Ghantus, stressed that the Church cannot perform competently unless the woman is equivalent and on part with man. Rev. Ghantus hailed the appointment which substantiated the fact that decisions in accepting or refusing a woman be based solely on need, qualifications and priesthood service, disclosing the ordination on March 24 of another female pastor, preacher Najlaa Kassab. (An Nahar, February 25, 2017)

 

 

 

 

 

 

In a statement released yesterday, “Say No to Violence” association appealed to all Lebanese political parties and blocs to work hard to achieve a fair and just participation of women in political life and promote their access to Parliament in the upcoming elections. The call came after a regular meeting with involved civil society groups in the country who confirmed their demands to this effect. These include: nominate women for the elections; accelerate their access to decision making positions; create a civil society pressure group and give Lebanese women their rights on par with men. Participants stressed that marginalizing women constitutes a flagrant violation of human rights, which is totally unacceptable. They called on the government to observe related international agreements and fulfil its legislative role in abolishing all forms of discrimination inherent in the prevalent laws. ( Al Mustaqbal, February 24, 2017)

The US Agency for International Development (USAID) launched on Tuesday the new touristic circuit entitled ‘rural routes between Jbeil and Batroon’ which links together 20 villages in the area. The project, completed in cooperation with the Ministry of Tourism, the Municipality of Jbeil and PRODES Association (Promotion et Developpement Social), is expected to expand economic prospects, especially for women, and create jobs along the designated path. It comes as part of the rural tourism strategy kicked off by the ministry in February 2015 with the contribution of civil society. It helps to promote rural tourism as basis for the growth of rural economy and inspires cooperation between local stakeholders and the private sector to enhance economic growth. Moreover, the new circuit promotes touristic attractions of each village by highlighting its historic information, landmarks and rural activities on hand, and the accessible hospitality services, from restaurants to guesthouses. It should be noted that PRODES, active in building the capacities of women, has developed a training system to activate their role in presenting their rural communities in the context of preparing the groundwork of the above touristic path. (OLJ and Al Diyar 22,23 February 2017)

 

 

The Social Relief and Welfare Association in Saida held yesterday a graduation ceremony for some 80 Syrian refugee women who completed courses in sewing, cooking, secretariat and IT. The 3-month training workshop was funded by the Sharja Charity Association under the supervision of the Humanitarian and Development Affairs Attaché at the UAE embassy in Beirut. This activity comes as part of the Specific Human Capital Investment Program which includes support in the fields of vocational education and training, as well as protection and empowerment of women refugees and is implemented by the Emirati Attaché in Lebanon. In this context, Muslim Masuri, director of the Attaché, pointed out that the latter, in collaboration with involved partners, is currently studying ways to secure the  tools and equipment needed to assist graduates in starting up their small businesses. For his part, the head of the Sharja Charity Projects and Guarantees Management, Mohammad Hamdan Zerri, announced an extension of the courses for another semester to take in new students. He maintained that the aim of educating displaced Syrian women is to empower them to be self-reliant, facilitate their social integration and increase their chances to get jobs in order to eke out a living for their families. (Al Mustaqbal, February 23, 2017)

  

 

In its issue of February 12, Al Mustaqbal newspaper brought into focus an initiative by ‘Syrian Jasmine’ https://www.facebook.com/SyrianJasmine/, launched back in 2014 in the Jordanian capital, Amman, by Lara Shaheen. According to Shaheen, the project aims empowering displaced Syrian women through training them on how to craft and sell handmade merchandise instead of simply waiting for a short-lived and inadequate financial aid. The project started with 5 Syrian women refugees, and a capital barely exceeding USD 2000 on a 40 square meter office area with basic equipment, Shaheen told Al Mustaqbal reporter. Some 250 women joined the workshop in the first year, she said. The project is divided into two areas, she explained. The first, which is manufactured at the factory premises, includes the making of soaps, embroidery and sewing, while the second covers handmade crochet and woolen items designed by women from their own homes, Shaheen expounded. The beneficiaries who work at the factory receive a steady monthly pay, unlike those who work by piece where the institution usually deducts a certain share of their profits. As per the marketing concept, Shaheen noted that, given the limitations of getting a trading license for a Syrian woman in Jordan, she uses social media, particularly the Jasmine page on facebook. She mentioned that she relies much on the non-for-profit organizations who tend to buy Jasmine goods and sell them in their home countries, namely, Canada, Sweden, Germany, Saudi Arabia, Kuwait and the UAE. The beneficiaries, she said, are women who have been brought together by war and exile, coming mainly from Aleppo, Homs, Damascus and Dar3a. (Al Mustaqbal, February 12, 2017)

 

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In its issue of last Saturday, l’Orient le Jour highlighted the problems facing Lebanese women married to non-nationals and who cannot transmit their nationality to their family though they lived and grew up in Lebanon.   The newspaper spoke with 49 year old Ghada, divorced from her Syrian ex-husband and who lives with her three children near the stadium in Beirut.  Ghada who is a member of an association seeking to change the current nationality law, spoke about the difficulties she faces especially since she had to travel to Lattakeyh, despite the war in Syria, to renew her children’s identity papers.  Ghada noted that her children face many a hurdle especially since they could not find a job and thus had to leave to Sweden via illegal means.  If her children fail to enter Sweden, they are not even able to return to Lebanon in view of the recent refugee crisis.  According to Ghada, there are 90000 such cases in Lebanon of whom, only 180 are Christians.  Ghada says that if demographic concerns are behind this discrimination, she will accept to be treated as a second class citizen so that her children can have a nationality without the right to vote.  Ghada also said that she sent a letter to the Minister of Foreign Affairs, Gibran Bassil, following his call for immigrants to claim their Lebanese citizenship, and in which she told the Minister that immigrants willingly waived their nationality and left the country.  Why then, should their citizenship be reinstated whilst Lebanese women married to foreigners are not given this right.  Ghada noted that she will continue to struggle until she reaches her objective. (L’Orient le Jour, February 18th, 2017)

 

In the latest child abuse incidents, the national media aired today news of a newborn baby girl thrown in a garbage dump in the town of Rumyeh north of Beirut. Security forces arrived at the scene for investigation while a civil defense team transferred the baby to the Baabda State Hospital for treatment. (An Nahar, L’Orient Le Jour, February 17, 2017)

 

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After the abolishing on Wednesday by the Parliamentary Commission for Administration and Justice of the Penal Code Article 522 that allowed for rapists to escape prosecution by marrying their victims ( http://bit.ly/2lS1lfD), L’Orient Le Jour newspaper spoke to concerned NGOs to know where they stand on the matter. From Kafa Enough Violence and Exploitation, lawyer Leila Awada expressed her objection to a legislation that holds onto traditional considerations, warning that the organization shall not keep quiet vis-a-vis the compromise reached. Awada also disapproved the exceptions to the law, basically inherent in cases related to consensual intercourse with an under-aged between 15 and 18 years of age should the aggressor decide to marry his victim. She criticized a law that views a sexual activity with a minor as an offence, if it was committed outside marriage, describing that as a flagrant concession by the Lebanese State to underage marriage as supported by the personal status laws governing sects in Lebanon. On the other hand, lawyer Danielle Howayek representing Abaad Resource Center for Gender Equality, told L’Orient Le Jour that, while the formula adopted had its unfavorable challenges, yet it was the best so far, boasting that her organization’s campaign achieved its goals to this effect. Howayek made clear that Abaad will continue its struggle until the law is ratified by the Parliament, urging sister NGOs to carry out awareness campaigns to educate the youth on their sexual rights and the consequences of marriage decisions. (L’Orient Le Jour, February 17, 2017)

 

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In its issue of today, L’orient le Jour published an interview with Rima Saliba, 37 year old from Zghorta, who is one of the four women elected on February 5th into the leadership council of the Progressive Socialist Party (PSP).  Saliba spoke about how she first got to know the PSP and that is through her humanitarian work in Bab el Tebbaneh in Tripoli.  According to Saliba, she was searching for a meaning for social justice and humanity when she witnessed poverty and tragedy in the area where she was working.  As such, socialist ideals influenced her notably the precepts of Kamal Jumblat thus prompting her to join the PSP in late 2006.  Following that, she moved forward in her position within the party to reach its leadership council.  Saliba clarified that the presence of the party is very limited in Zghorta but she reiterated that her aim as member of the leadership council is to increase the outreach of her party across Lebanon in addition to reinforcing the ideal of redistribution of wealth and resources and bringing in a fair taxation system and having balanced development across the various regions of the country.  Saliba also spoke about the challenges she faced notably vis-à-vis her neighbors and friends who found her decision odd and who continuously asked her “what are you doing amongst those people”.  To this question, Saliba would continuously answer “I found myself amongst them”.  Saliba concluded that she will work with her women colleagues on the leadership council to further the participation of women in political life. (Daily Star, February 16th, 2017)