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In cooperation with the International Arab Forum and the Beirut Bar Association, the International Bar Association organized last week a conference entitled ‘women lawyers in the business sector’ aimed at women’s empowerment as well as the development of their professional skills, domestically and abroad. The conference focused on the latest trends in global trade disputes and ways to improve the capacities of building networks between lawyers in the region and around the world. On the occasion, the founding president of the Arab International Women’s Forum (AIWF), Haifa Fahum Kilani, underlined the importance of the above assembly in “raising awareness on relevant international standards and in encouraging women lawyers to assume senior leadership positions.” Participants also discussed existing opportunities that allow the practice of Lebanese women lawyers across the borders and how to transcend the national into the global practice, including procedures dealing with international arbitrary cross-border trade contracts and frameworks of fighting corruption on both the national and international levels. (Al Mustaqbal, March 6, 2016)

 

In its issue of yesterday, As Safir daily highlighted the experience of Rindala Jabbur, a woman member in the Free Patriotic Movement (Tayyar), for being the youngest political bureau member in the country and the second in the Tayyar’s political council after Mireille Aoun Hashem. Coming from the West Beqaa town of Ammeeq, the woman activist and journalism graduate, who just turned 30, disclosed to As Safir that she has run for the party’s political bureau elections for three reasons. Firstly, because she is a woman, and that General Michel Aoun, head of the Tayyar, is a staunch women advocate, secondly, because she seeks to bring in the spirit of youth in partisan work in Lebanon, and thirdly, because as a journalist, this helps her to properly communicate her political message. On her experience with the Tayyar, Jabbur told the newspaper that her political preferences have awakened when she was still a high school student and grown with her throughout her years in college. Elaborating on her political and professional life, Jabbur recalled her participation in the FPM rallies on the streets since 2002, and later on in the university campus and in the central information committee, up to her post as a Tayyar’s information officer in the West Beqaa constituency. This, she added, besides her work as a reporter and anchor of ‘haki baladi’ program at Radio Sawt al Mada, and also as an instructor since 2009 at the International Lebanese University and the Lebanese University. Jabbur finally mentioned that she had accompanied General Aoun in two of his complex trips to Iran and Syria, and recently published her first novel entitled ‘Ayla’ for which she won UNESCO’s first prize of reading. (As Safir, March 5, 2016)

 

The British Ambassador to Lebanon, Hugo Shorter, inaugurated a project last week in the southern town of Bissariyeh aimed at building the capacities of women through relevant training courses. This comes as part of a joint program between the UNDP and the Lebanese Ministry of Social Affairs entitled ‘Supporting the Capacity of Syrian Refugee Hosting Communities in Lebanon’. In this respect, Shorter met with women participants in training workshops devoted to teaching the principles of safety and quality of food products. During the visit, the project national coordinator at the Ministry, Suheir Ghali, emphasized the significance of the endeavor and it role in contributing to the economic empowerment of an essential component of society, women. For her part, the technical advisor of the project, Marina Lagodich, noted the contribution of this undertaking to the creation of jobs for women only. (Al Mustaqbal, March 4, 2016)

 

In its issue of March 4, the local Daily Star newspaper shed light on the useful community activities carried out by the Korean Battalion operating within the UNIFIL forces in the village of Borghlieh, Tyre. The newspaper gave special focus to the sewing workshops which targeted women in this southern town and aim to assist them in economic empowerment. In this respect, the Korean sewing instructor, Hannah Kim, told the newspaper that her country’s brigade organizes up to four 3-month courses every year to help women acquire adequate sewing skills. One beneficiary, Rania Shehab, who got married at an early age, said that she enrolled in the course to learn how to repair the clothes for her family members, adding that she now plans to open a small tailor shop that can cater for relatives and neighbors. Another participant, Zahra Khudr, a mother of 3 children, said with pride that after completion of the tutorial, she has become self-reliant and can now mend her family’s wardrobe without outside assistance. (The Daily Star, March 4, 2016)

 

The Akkar Network for Cooperation, in coordination with Heartland Alliance International, organized yesterday a discussion meeting under the title ‘Registration of Marriage Contracts as a Religious and Social Obligation’ at Halba Town Hall. The purpose of the UNICEF supported event was to shed light on the various negative repercussions of not registering marriage contracts. During the meeting, lawyer Atiba Miraabi outlined the legal ramifications of unrecorded contracts and explained the procedures required to complete the registration. Atiba also touched on the social problems that affect families and individuals in the Lebanese and Syrian refugees communities as a result. For his part, Sheikh Bahaadinne Salam stressed in his intervention the significance and need to record marriage contracts. He warned that “not doing so could lead to major losses in rights for women, their partners, children and the whole family, and can bring about undesirable legal, social and human problems,” as he said. (Al Mustaqbal, March 3, 2016)

 

The May Chidiak Foundation (MCF) held yesterday its fourth annual ‘Women on the Front Lines’ conference to shed light on women with outstanding ventures in the fields of business, media and the film industry. The conference included one-day interactive workshops during which participants tackled numerous topics, notably, women’s rights, as well as the major male driven political and legal obstacles that hinder women’s effective engagement in public life and in attaining leading positions. Discussions also focused on the participation of women as voters and candidates in the upcoming municipal elections, in the first phase, which will qualify them later on to run for Parliamentary elections. There they can take part in the drafting and enacting of legislations that improve their social and living conditions by eradicating the discrimination practiced against them at work and in the Personal Status laws. On this occasion, the conference host May Chidiak, pointed out that the domestic violence related draft law is still in the Parliament lying in wait for the signature of 128 MPs and the blessings of the 18 religious sects of Lebanon,” as she put it. “The Lebanese woman is still a captive of the patriarchal male chauvinist mentality that always places her as second to the brother, male relative or spouse. Whereas, we all know that if there was justice, women would excel and surpass their male partners,” Chidiak added. She stressed the need to incorporate women’s quota in the electoral law, which covers not only the voters lists but also the results of elections. For his part, the former Minister of Interior, Ziad Barud noted that the participation of women in public life is still very weak compared to the global, or even more, to Arab ratios. “Strengthening the role of women starts with the adoption of women’s quota and the relative majority elections system, up to the implementation of the civil marriage system” to replace the outdated confessional system. (An Nahar, Al Diyar, As Safir, March 2, 2016)

 

In anticipation of the municipal elections, the Lebanese Organization for Studies and Training (LOST) in Baalbaq launched on February 26 a new project for building women’s leadership and participation skills. The event which was organized in collaboration with the German International Cooperation Agency (GIZ) was held under the patronage and presence of Baalbaq-Hermel governor, Bashir Khudr. On the occasion, LOST president, Rami Lakkis, pointed out to the participation of some 120 women who have been selected from the training groups in the towns of Hermel, Shaath, Labweh, Deir al Ahmar, Shmistar and Timneen al Fawka, noting that the training has covered various topics related to leadership, participation in local and municipal action. Lakkis underlined the primary goal of the endeavor which is to engage women in the local development action in order to promote the values of governance, notably fighting corruption, increasing productivity and achieving justice, prosperity and sustainability of work. Similarly, Khudr said that he hopes to see a greater participation of women, as candidates and voters, in the upcoming municipal elections, away from any political manipulation. “Women, up bringers need to be responsible. They should struggle to raise their children on the respect of women’s rights, including their right to assume senior positions and participate in the public life,” Khudr went on to say. And in a special address to women, he concluded “the responsibility for changing the patriarchal mentality lies on you.” (L’Orient Le Jour, February 27, 2016)

 

In cooperation with the Chamber of Commerce, Industry and Agriculture in Saida and the South, the Palestinian Commission for Honoring Martyrs organized last Friday its second annual traditional craft fair under the title, ‘Our Heritage is Our Identity’ at the Chamber’s exhibitions hall. During the ceremony which saw the graduation of the participants in artisan and vocational skills courses, the President of the Chamber, Mohamad Hassan Saleh, noted the significance of such an ambitious activity aimed at economic empowerment and development of social and living conditions of the young Palestinian men and women. He pointed out that similar “endeavors not only seek to support the youth by boosting their vocational and crafts skills, but also contribute to the promotion of the Palestinian heritage and preservation of their culture and identity.” For her part, Amena Awad, speaking on behalf of Commissions’ Women Committee, noted that the exhibition showcases the resilience of Palestinian crafts persons and their determination to return to their homeland. She also briefly outlined the various crafts and vocational training workshops which were implemented. (Al Mustaqbal, February 28, 2016)

 

The Lebanese artist Colette Haddad entered the Guinness World Record for the largest underwater painting measuring 6 square meters outscoring the Danish painter Jesper Kikkenborg, and achieving a breakthrough for Lebanese women by working in the cold water of La Marina Dbayyeh, for two straight hours. Her painting has embodied the aquatic nature of Lebanon combining a wide range of icons, including, the Pigeon Rock of Rawche, the columns of Baalbek, a Phoenician galley, the traditional folklore dance (dabke) and the Lebanese emblem, in addition to Lebanon’s 10425 km2 surface area.(Al Diyar, February 26, 2016)