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In partnership with ActionAid Regional Initiative, Fe-Male Association launched on Friday the ‘National Network to Change the Image of Women in Media an Advertising in Lebanon’ through a written act based on findings of a study prepared by the project with contribution of Dr. Nahawand Qadiri, under the title, ‘Towards a more balanced image of women in the Lebanese Media’. The said act was signed by a number of civil society groups, notably, Kafa Enough Violence and Exploitation, ABAAD resource center for gender, the National Media Council, Sawt el Shaab radio station and many other involved institutions and associations. The act highlights a list of provisos, stressing the following needs: create media material that does not contribute to stereotyping woman; promote women’s presence in the media and give them space to express their views on various issues; enhance the language of the media by showing more respect for women’s privacy in coverages related to gender based violence. In its address to advertising agencies, the act advised less commodification of women’s bodies and the creation of innovative publicity campaigns in their promotion of consumer goods, urging the advertising community to cooperate with civil society to produce gender sensitive advertisement. The launching event also saw the presentation of a report for 2016 compiled by Fe-Male monitoring the image of women in the media and ads. The report included a critical review of drama shows in Lebanon and the Arab World from a gender perspective, in addition to a sample of publicities and media programs published during the period from August 2015 to August 2016, clearly reflecting an objectification and stereotyping of women. To close, winners of the best gender sensitive Ad competition for university students organized jointly by Fe-Male and ABAAD were announced. Participants, Zeina Qarut and Mariam Hawari, who came in the first place were honored for their joint ad motivating women to realize their dreams. Malakeh Khanat, the first runner up, tackled in her creative ad the different prejudices against women. (As Safir, November 19, 2016)

 

On the occasion of the Independence Day, “My Nationality is a Right for Me and My Family Campaign” organized a symbolic sit-in in front of the French Embassy in Beirut demanding the enactment of a nationality bill which is fair and equal for both women and men. Participants, including women concerned and their families, actors and actresses, as well as civil society and feminist activist, hoisted banners that read, ‘we want a nationality law made in Lebanon’, or ‘our independence will only be complete with independent legislations’, or ‘an expired law’, and others. During the protest, Campaign coordinator, Karima Shebbo, stated that the national law currently in effect has been set by in 1925 (during the French Mandate) by French Commissioner General Serai, which means that ‘our independence is still incomplete and shall only be completed with the updating of laws dating from the French Mandate.” Shebbo strongly called for a just and fair act which is based on gender equality and guarantees the rights of Lebanese women to grant their nationality to their family members. In her address to the legislative and executive authorities and to the President of the Republic, Shebbo called for the creation of laws consistent with the Seventh Paragraph of the Constitution stipulating that ‘all the Lebanese are equal under the law…” For her part, lawyer Iqbal Dughan, President of the Lebanese Council for Women (LCW) made clear that the move is not against the French Embassy, particularly that France has amended and changed the French nationality law and gave women their right to this effect. The protest, Dughan maintained, is against the patriarchal mindset dominating the Lebanese State which prevents Lebanese women from granting their nationality to their children. On the other hand, and on the International Day for the Elimination of Violence Against Women, the International Group for Humanitarian Assistance, Basmeh, honored on Friday woman fighter and feminist activist, Hind Atwi, on the launch of her booklet ‘My Nationality’ (jinsiyati) written by children, in cooperation with AUB’s Center for Civic Engagement and Community Center. Atwi wrote her story inspired from her struggles and real life experiences regarding deprivation of the constitutional rights of Lebanese women  in this respect, citing stories by children of women sharing these predicaments. Basmeh director pointed out during the honoring ceremony that the children are mostly and directly affected from this situation as this will negatively impact the various aspects of their lives, including education, civil rights and hospitalization. (As Safir, An Nahar, Al Hayat, L’Orient Le Jour, November 19 and 21, 2016)

 

In cooperation with 37 civil groups, the Lebanese Association for Democratic Elections (LADE), launched yesterday so-called ‘A Parliament for the whole Country’ assembly aimed at developing a proportional electoral law that secures a fair representation of all before the end of 2016 the latest. The projected act should contain a women representation quota, as stressed LADE secretary general, Zeina Helu. In parallel, ‘Women in Parliament’ alliance held a press conference yesterday to announce the completion of the ‘Parties Nominate Women’ project. Alliance coordinator Samira Maasri said that women are absent from the decision making position in the executive and legislative branches of government, and called for stricter commitment to international conventions that stipulate the ‘development of legal mechanisms which guarantee women’s representation in the Parliament by not less than 30%. Maasri disclosed that work is underway with the Lebanese political parties to this effect, particularly in the forthcoming elections. During the conference, a brief report was presented on the viewpoints of political parties from the women’s quota as a temporary measure. The report has shown complete responsiveness on part of the Lebanese Forces, Future Movement, PSP, Ahrar and Kataeb parties, but the Free Patriotic Movement did not clarify its stand. The Alliance has not been able to meet with representatives of Hizbullah, Marada or Tashnaq parties to know where they stand, the report said. Women activists in the Alliance also demanded the establishment of a women affairs’ ministry. Meanwhile, PM designate, Saad Hariri, received yesterday a delegation of the National Alliance to Support Women Representation in Political Life and discussed their demands, particularly concerning the participation of women in public and national posts. Dr. Fahmiyeh Charafiddine, chief of the National Committee for the Follow-Up of Women’s Issues, disclosed that Hariri was positive. On the other hand, representatives of some 50 civil society associations, including ‘Civil Society Table of Dialogue’, held a conference on Wednesday calling for stepping up the formation of a government of youth equally represented by men and women. (Al Diyar, Al Mustaqbal, As Safir, November 17 and 18, 2016)

 

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Renewed efforts to boost women's participation in government and parliament

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Women coalition requests women’s participation in the upcoming cabinet

 

In partnership with UN Entity for Gender Equality and the Empowerment of Women (UN Women), the United Nations Economic and Social Commission for Western Asia (ESCWA) held a regional workshop on the ‘institutionalization of gender within public institutions’ project. The 3-day event (from November 14-16) held at ESCWA HQ in Beirut, saw the participation of representatives of governments, council and committees involved with women in member states. A statement issued at the end of the workshop said the latter aimed at building the capacities of member states in the field of mainstreaming gender in state-run institutions, through a review of the pertinent action plan and its adaptation to the needs of Arab countries. Participants came out with a unified Arab framework for the accountability and assessment of the efforts to institute gender equality in public facilities, to be funneled at later stages on the level of national mechanisms and public establishments. During the workshop, the director of ESCWA Center for Women, Mehrinaz Awadi, pressed the need to create an integrated Arab tool to evaluate and measure gender equality. Similarly, the director of coordination at UN Women, Aberna Mehrotra, pointed out that the most remarkable accomplishment would not have been realized without the commitment to the principle of gender equality at all levels of the UN. (Al Mustaqbal, November 17, 2016)

 

As part of its ‘Knowledge is Power’ project, the American University of Beirut, AUB, launched on November 14 a social media campaign to raise awareness against sexual harassment under the hashtag: # NotYourAshta# . The campaign, which was implemented in partnership with the Arab Foundation for Freedoms and Equality, AFE, and Women in Front Association, has went viral and been shared widely by social media users who posted their views and experiences on the subject. The campaign is expected to last till November 25 to coincide with 16 Days of Activism against Gender-Based Violence event. 

On the other hand, the Catholic Patriarchs and Bishops Council in Lebanon issued a statement yesterday outlining the program of the third day of the 50th plenary session which presented a guidebook containing directives on sexual abuse of children. The guide came after a request made by the Vatican to all Episcopal Conferences around the world asking them to lay down guidelines and regulations on sexual harassment cases after having to tackle unfavorable consequences of similar incidents. Participants have discussed the contents of the guide and made proper observations, and decided to publish a French copy before submitting it to the Holy See. Participants overwhelmingly expressed their denunciation of the crime of harassment of minors, while aiming at rendering investigations objective and impartial and at clearly exposing perpetrators. (The Daily Star, An Nahar, November 17, 2016)

 

 

In their intensified crackdown on human trafficking and prostitution networks across Lebanon, the General Directorate of Internal Security arrested a woman (Lebanese, 1963) resident of the Southern Suburb of Burj Al-Barajneh for forcing her two Syrian daughters, (31 and 17 years) into prostitution and seducing men for money! After listening to the two girls in the presence of a juvenile delegate, they confirmed what was attributed to their mother. They disclosed that she has forcedly taken them from their father in Syria and allured them to come to Lebanon and accompany her to night clubs where they enticed men. The two sisters were handed over to a civil society association to receive the proper care. In a related development, the Judiciary Police Anti-Trafficking Bureau on November 8 busted inside a compound in Byblos north east of the capital a sex predator (Syrian woman, 1967) known as ‘Mama Jiji’ among young girls barely out of their teens working for her, in addition to arresting her assistant (Syrian man, 1972) and two girls under 20 years. A GS squad also clamped down on a number of suspicious places in Tripoli’s Zahrieh neighborhood and busted a ring make up of 19 women from Bangladeshi and Ethiopian nationalities. Furthermore, a woman migrant domestic worker died in hospital yesterday after being severely burned on Sunday at the home of her employer in the Keserwan town of Daraya. Investigation by the police station of Shhim in the Shouf area has revealed that the Bangladeshi worker caught fire by accident while preparing coffee and was admitted to Sibine state-run hospital where she was treated but eventually succumbed to her wounds. (Al Mustaqbal, Al Diyar, L’Orient Le Jour, As Safir, November 10, 15, 16, 2016)

 

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A new prostitution ring broken in Beqaa, victims also Syrian girls

Prostitution ring, victims mainly Syrian girls, busted north east of Beirut

Prison sentences for women trafficking and new arrest in northern Beirut suburbia

 

Following the moves by the National Campaign to Increase the Age of Custody for the Shiite Sect in support of Fatmeh Hamzeh who was jailed and later released for refusing to give up her son, the Campaign issued a statement two days ago, responding to an earlier statement by the Higher Islamic Shiite Council (HISC) in relation to its main demand to raise the age of the Shiite mother’s custody of her children in the Jaafari courts. In its statement the Campaign expressed its dismay vis-à-vis the attitude of arrogance and contempt of HISC. The statement went on to say that the Council want to give the false impression of being an “idyllic and fair apparatus”, at a time when Sharia judges should strive to a better understanding of family related problems and act to lifting injustice against women, while adding that increasing the age of custody falls within the powers of the Shiite Council. The statement, on the other hand, emphasized that its members have no premeditated intentions and do not receive funding support from foreign, Arab or even from local organizations. It noted that the demand of the Campaign is largely based on current ‘fatwas’ of Shiite scholars, as well as laws on custody of children in force in other muslin countries. (As Safir, November 15, 2016)

 

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Fatmeh Hamzeh victim of Lebanon’s confessional constitution and laws

Release of Fatmeh H7amzeh victim of confessional laws in Lebanon

 

In its edition of yesterday, As Safir newspaper reported on a poll carried out by Information International that highlighted a number of key right issues of importance to Lebanon’s public: the right of Lebanese women to grant nationality to family members, optional civil marriage and the right of women to a comprehensive health insurance plan and old age pension. The phone poll conducted during the period between November 8 and 10 covered some 500 respondents divided along sectarian lines and distributed as such: 52% males against 48% females, essentially targeting the above 18 years- age group. The survey indicated that nearly 72% of respondents supported the right of Lebanese women to grant nationality to their non-Lebanese husband and her children against 22% who opposed it. The survey also showed a higher level of support among Muslims, as such: 84% for Sunnis and 71% for Shiites, falling to 64% for the Greek Orthodox and 62% for the Maronite confession. Regarding the issue of optional civil marriage, about less than half of respondents (48%) were in favor, against 44% opposing. Across the religious confessions, the level of support was higher among Christians recording respectively, 77%, 67%, 64% and 54% for the Catholics, Armenian, Maronite and Greek Orthodox respondents, while falling to 38% among Muslim Shiites and 29% among the Sunnis. On overall health insurance and old age pension, the overwhelming majority of respondents where in favor (97%) against only 2% who opposed, the survey concluded. (As Safir, November 15, 2016)

 

The heated policed rivalry regarding the distribution of seats in the proposed cabinet points out the continuous marginalization of women, despite the circulation of the name of former minister Leila Solh Hamadeh, vice chair of Walid Bin Talal Foundation, as a potential candidate, and as reported by L’Orient Le Jour today. In this respect, the newspaper referred to the president of the Civil Society Dialogue Table and women’s rights activist, Hayat Arslan’s disappointment over what is going on.  “Our motto has always been: a government that has no women is underdeveloped”, Arslan told Al Markaziyah electronic portal, expressing regret over the absence of the active participation of women. There are many qualified women deserving to be in leading positions, Arslan boasted. “We were looking forward to a reform that would fairly represent all elements of society be it in the cabinet or in public institutions,” Arslan maintained, stressing as well the significance of youth representation in the government to be. For her part, the environmental activist, president of the Green Party of Lebanon, Nada Zaarour, disclosed to L’Orient Le Jour, that she has had talks with concerned circles advising them not to give up on women in the upcoming cabinet. Zaarour said she believes the subject is just as important as the environment. She lambasted the preoccupation of politicians in so-called ‘sovereign’ ministerial profiles, whereas, they consciously disregard the environment dossier which has direct impact on the life and health of citizens. (L’Orient Le Jour, November 11, 2016)