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With the end of the deadline for nominations for the municipal elections in Beirut and Beqaa areas, and despite general indifference by political parties, new women candidates have emerged. The Baalbaq electoral list of ‘Muwatinoun Wa Muwatinat fi Dawla’ included 3 women nominees, namely Mirvat Wahbeh, Yumna Tfaili and Hadil Rifai, who have been involved in community projects  implemented by LOST , in collaboration with the German KAS foundation. In the capital of the North, on the other hand, journalist Huda Mohamad Sabagh, disclosed her intention to run for municipal elections in Al Mina. Similarly, the Forum for the Rights of Persons with Disabilities- the North, nominated its member, Rasha Sankari, for Tripoli municipality. In Beirut, 3 women candidates Huda Osta, Matilda Khury and Yusra Siadani, were nominated in the  “Beirutis” list, which was announced by previous Prime Minister Saad Hariri, and which includes a total of 24 names .Meanwhile, in Nabyeh, Mount Lebanon, which has 3 mayors (makhatir), Amal George Bou Hadir, expressed her regret to Al Diyar newspaper over failing to form a mayoral electoral list with 4 other women, who backed down because the “majority in the area does not accept the idea of women in such positions,” as they put it. Regarding civil society actions in this respect, the Association for the Development of Tripoli and Al Mina called for more balanced and quota-sensitive municipal electoral lists that take into consideration the role and participation of women in such elections. Similarly, in the Shuf area, the Social Services Committee for Iqlim Al Kharoub, organized yesterday a meeting entitled ‘the role of women in municipal work and civil society’, during which engineer Sara Abdallah encouraged the nomination of women who make 70% of society, while lamenting their “marginalized role as a result of the dominating male chauvinist mentality.” In the same vein, the United Nations Special Coordinator in Lebanon, Sighrid Kaag disclosed after a meeting with the interior minister that there is a genuine opportunity for women to run for elections and for voters to vote for them.

Al Diyar, Al Akhbar, Al Mustaqbal, April 28, 2016

 

Related news:

Preliminary observations on women’s participation in 2016 municipal elections
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The Lebanese capital, Beirut, will host on May 11, the eighth edition of the Arab Women Forum for Entrepreneurs under the title, ‘Empowering a new generation of Arab women entrepreneurs’. Over 400 participants from the business, entrepreneurship, government and financial circles will partake, in addition to capital investors and representatives of business incubators and accelerators. The event which is jointly organized by Al Hasnaa magazine and Al Iktissad Wal Aamal Group will include interactive sessions, workshops, as well as networking and communication meetings. The event will also highlight the achievements of innovators and entrepreneurs from different countries and generations, and is expected to address ways of women empowerment to promote women’s work and businesses. The last session of the Forum will be devoted to presentations of success stories by women pioneers. (An Nahar, April 28, 2016)

 

 

The Progressive Women Union of the Progressive Socialist Party (PSP) organized last Monday a joint seminar with the Arab Women Network for Gender Balance (Thaira) which focused on ways of ensuring the participation of women in decision making structures of political parties in order to boost equality within these parties. While the Network’s coordinator, Khatun Haidar, underlined the importance of this issue, the President of PWU, Wafa Abed, emphasized the association between women’s political participation and daily participation in community matters. “It is an unending evolution and infinite struggle to cope with fast changes in a world where change has become its only constant feature,” Abed explained. For his part, Zafer Nasser, PSP general secretary, noted that the “women’s participation is an issue that concerns both women and men,” adding that the anticipated role of women has yet a long way to go. He also emphasized the importance given to this matter by Party and its leadership, which, he claimed, is demonstrated in various current initiatives that are being undertaken in preparations for the forthcoming municipal elections.

Al Mustaqbal, April 26, 2016

 

In its issue of today, As Safir daily newspaper portrayed the unending suffering of migrant women domestic workers (MWDW) in Lebanon who are subjected to harsh work conditions and extremely low wages. This, As Safir noted, forces them to escape leaving behind their permits and passports while continuing to live in the country illegally. Speaking up to the newspaper, one Bangladeshi national said that her working day starts at 5 am and ends after midnight. This, she grieved, includes cleaning the houses of relatives of her employer and surviving on half a loaf of bread throughout the day. She pointed out to being regularly beaten by her employers which drove her to flee the house without her residency papers but to continue to support herself through other sources and send money to her family in Bangladesh. On the subject, As Safir interviewed activist and lawyer, Manar Zeaiter, who underlined the right of Bangladeshi MWDWs to challenge their improper and unacceptable working conditions and seek better income generating work. Zeaiter, on the other hand, stressed the right of the government and the labor ministry to regulate the status of foreign nationals working on Lebanese territory. The illegal residence of those workers, Zeaiter maintained, “will contribute to the emergence of a new exploitation system that will be run by human trafficking networks that will replace recruitment agencies.” She proposed a solution to the problem which starts from understanding and tackling the causes of escape of MWDWs in difficult situations, including the adjustment of relevant legislations. This, Zeaiiter sustained, begins with Lebanon’s commitment to international labor conventions that are based on the principles of justice, equality and humanitarian working conditions. “All outlawed MWDWs have experienced inappropriate living and working conditions, which should prompt us to readdress the present situation,” Zeaiter concluded. (As Safir, April 27, 2016)

 

With the impending municipal elections, calls have risen to step up women’s participation in the said elections as well as for the endorsement of the women’s quota.  The latter of is significant importance given that the rate of participation of women in municipal action still lags behind, despite its increase from 3% to 6% in the wake of the 2010 elections. To this effect, and just one day before the deadline of submission of nominations for the Beirut and Beqaa areas, preliminary indications show that the number of women generally remains low. Some women candidates chose to be on civil society electoral lists, while others chose to run as independent. Another feature is that women candidates tend to describe themselves as activists or professionals. One other clear and important observation is that political party lists have yet to include women candidates, notwithstanding past pledges and public statements by parties in favor of increasing women representation in the upcoming elections. A good illustration of women candidature is the Beirut Madinati list which is unprecedentedly and equally divided among men and women nominees, with a noticeable inclination in selection towards competence and proficiency. Of women candidates, we noted so prominent names such engineers Mona H7allak and Nada Dughan, film director Nadine Labaki, as well as Maria Manok, Carol Chebli Touini, Nada Sahnaoui, Rita Maaluf, Farah Kobeisi, Rana Khoury, Amal Cherif, Iman Hassan Ghandour and May Omar Daook. Also, remarkably, and for the first time in its history, the town of A3rsaal in the Beqaa, have filed a number of women candidates. These include civil society and women activists Rima Krombi and Fatmeh Bo7hlok. Meanwhile, in the Metn village of Khreibe, woman journalist Haifa Banna stressed in her interview with As Safir daily that she has run independently to face the monopoly of the very few. Heading south, and specifically to Zawtar al Sharqia in Nabatiyeh, the newspaper  highlighted the nomination of young woman journalist Zainab Ismail, who vowed to end the marginalization of women in the upcoming municipal elections. (As Safir, Al Mustaqbal, April 19 and 26, 2016)

 

During its annual convention, the Future Movement Women Sector launched last Friday its feminist agenda in cooperation with the Friedrich Naumann Foundation for Freedom. The agenda aims at promoting awareness on women’s issues to gradually elevate the standard of their political participation and management of public affairs, as well as their effective engagement in planning and implementing the general policies of the Future Movement through the application of the women’s quota. In addition, the agenda, seeks to eradicate marginalization and legal discrimination against women and to pressure the various political parties and parliamentary blocs to do the same on the electoral level. The recommendation issued at the end of the conference, called for the following: form a women’s coalition to support women in decision making and networking, and help break down economic, social and political barriers, and all forms of violence. It also underscored the need for the all political parties to launch educational, awareness-raising and capacity building initiatives supportive of women active participation in elections. (Al Mustaqbal, April, 24, 2016)

 

The Director of the French Cultural Center in Beirut and the Advisor for Cooperation and Culture at the French Embassy presented Dr. Nada Moghaizel Nasr with the Academic Palms Knight’s Medal during a ceremony held at the University of Saint Joseph USJ. Moghaizel, who is the honorary dean of the Faculty of Educational Sciences, and represents the USJ president for quality assurance, said that she has regained the experience in the field of education guided by the values of her late parents, Laure and Joseph Mogheizel, whom she described as the ‘realistic dreamers’. She presented the honor to her students who, as she said, inspire from the passion and values of teaching. Moghaizel pledged to follow up her career in education after receiving the medal as “responsibilities are greater now.” (An Nahar, April 19, 2016)

 

Following the uncovering of the most dangerous human trafficking network in Maamelteyn, north of Beirut, (visit: http://www.lkdg.org/ar/node/14941), the investigative judge of Mount Lebanon, Peter Germanos, issued his accusative verdict in the above human trafficking case. The judge announced that the defendants’ act in partaking in the exploitation of young women in prostitution activities is considered a felony according to Article 586 of the Law No. 164/2011 related to human trafficking which is punishable with five years of imprisonment and a relatively high fine. Germanos added that the act of abortion practiced by the doctor and his aide nurse on some of the women involved is also considered a felony punishable by 4 to 7 years in jail. The judge based his decision on the judicial warrant which stipulated conducting a broad survey of suspect night clubs on the Kesrwan coast, and which ended with the closure of some 13 illegal venues indefinitely. On the same subject, the Syrian Human Rights Network appealed to the UNHCR to ensure the protection of some 45 young Syrian girls living in Lebanon and who have been systematically raped and their bodies sold by the above mafia between the end of 2013 up till last month. Meanwhile, the General Directorate of the Internal Security Forces announced it has raided 18 video-poker shops in the areas of Dbayeh, Jounyeh, Antelias and Borj Hamoud for using girls who work there in prostitution acts outside the shop. Likewise, the Office for Combating Human Trafficking at the Judicial Police Unit, arrested persons from different nationalities on the charge of facilitating and practicing prostitution and drug dealing inside the hospital of Peter and Paul in Sad al Boucherieh, east of Beirut. (Al Hayat, Al Diyar, An Nahar, April 18 and 20, 2016)

 

As part of the initiative to rehabilitate inmates inside and outside prison, Dar Al Amal association distributed certificates for about 20 inmates at the Baabda Women Prison who completed training courses in sewing and hairdressing. The project is in partnership with the Lebanese Ministry of Social Affairs, Sarah’s Bag and DIACONIA Sweden for International Development and Cooperation. It should be noted, that Dar Al Amal has since 1996 embarked on helping inmates in the acquisition of skills they need to improve their living conditions inside three women jails across Lebanon, mainly in Baabda, Tripoli and Zahle. It has also sought to assist convicted women in the development of their capacities and in facing challenges in order to reintegrate them in society. (Al Mustaqbal, April 19, 2016)