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Leila Saade re-elected president of a francophone network

5-11-2019

In the presence of 90 participants from 10 different parts of the world, Professor Leila Saade was re-elected president of the Francophone Network of Leading Women in Higher Education and Research (RESUF) during a meeting last week of the Network’s General Assembly at the International University City (Cite Internationale Universitaire de Paris). Saade to recall, is a Law professor at the Lebanese University and head of RSUF since its inception. She also served as a member for six years of the Scientific Council of the Francophone University Agency (AUF), and headed the Regional Experts Commission (CRE) affiliated with the AUF, as well as the Doctoral School of Law of the Middle East (EDDMO). The latter is an initiative by AUF established to enhance the status of women and contribute to their access senior positions in higher education and research institutions. (NNA, November 4, 2019)

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Debate in France on Islam and hijab

1-11-2019

An Nahar newspaper today wrote that the fiery debate on Islam in France involves as well the issue of hijab. To this effect, a member of the far-right National Rally on October 11 took a harsh stand against a veiled woman accompanying her son on a school trip. This extremist attitude towards the veil rather reflects nearly 59% of the French people which considers the hijab as ‘incompatible’ with their community, according to the Human Rights Council Advisory Committee. The director of research at the French National Center for Scientific Research, Sebastian Roche, commented on this saying: There is a strict attitude toward the hijab as it is considered an attack on two major revolutions in the history of France: Secularism in the early 20th Century and women’s liberation in the seventies of the past century. To be noted, the attack on the Paris police headquarters 4 weeks ago, where a staff member killed 4 of his colleagues, refueled the debate on the veil, and hence on Islam, the second largest religion in France. This debate is largely nurtured by ‘ignorance’ and ‘impulsive behavior’, An Nahar reported, citing a statement by French President, Emanuel Macron, in which he called for confronting the ‘Islamic monster’. (An Nahar, November 1, 2019)

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Historic female mission outside space station

1-11-2019

The NASA astronauts, electric engineer, Christina Kosh and physiologist, Jessica Meir, scored a landmark achievement on January 18 completing an all-female spacewalk to replace an exterior part of the international space station. Noting that many female astronauts have partaken in similar missions within the vicinity of the facility but were always escorted by their male peers. To recall, Kosh has participated in four missions, but this was the first for Meir, bringing the number of women spacewalkers outside of a space station to 15. Koch and Meir landed with NASA’s space jacket 11:38 GMT in a 7-hour mission. It is worth mentioning that the first woman to work outside of a space station was Russian astronaut Svetlana Savitskaya in 1984. (An Nahar, October 17, 2019)

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Kulluna Lil Watan: Women and the national anthem

31-10-2019

In a special feature on October 22 in Al Akhbar, Jana Nakhal spotlighted the role of women in the ongoing popular protests. The patriarchal system dubs the presence of women in the demonstrations as original, or limited or isolated from the current serious political work, Nakhal wrote. She stated that women, were and are still present, but the problem is in the state of mind which is in denial or is refusing to see or analyze what is happening in this regard. The popular sit-ins and street demos have brought back women to the media, to social media platforms and to the minds of the Lebanese as well, Nakhal said. This does not mean that Lebanese women have been unnoticed. To the contrary, they are strongly present and noticeable as ce owd extras or secondary to a prominent male figure, or as a beautiful face or sex symbol. It was noticed however, Nakhal maintained, that there was no real presence, except shy appearance via social media snapshots, of women who are angry, loud and frustrated. She pointed out that one of the remarkable contributions of women to the current uprising is that they are occupying front-row and vital positions as opposed to their traditional backseat political role. While the ultimate stereotypic role in politics for women is within the electoral system and official representation, Nakhal analyzed, they are starting to be seen in leading the street protests, cheering, organizing, documenting or covering the news of those protests. The patriarchal mindset however ignores and seeks to marginalize this fact by trying to focus on pictures and videotapes showcasing women as beautiful or seductive figures. For more, kindly visit the link below: https://bit.ly/321xrGv. (Al Akhbar, October 22, 2019)

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Three Lebanese women among the most inspiring and influential women for 2019

31-10-2019

BBC published the list of the 100 most inspiring and influential women around the world for 2019, including three Lebanese out of 17 Arab women. The Lebanese women are: 1) Najat Saliba, chemistry professor at AUB conducing world leading research on polluted air; 2) poet Dayna Ash, founded on her return to Beirut (at the age of 16) the Haven For Artists NGO providing a cultural and creative space for women and LGBT community in Lebanon, and 3) Aya Bdeir, founder of LittleBits company which makes kits of electronic blocks that allows anyone to build, prototype and invent, particularly girls aged 10. Noting, that this year, Bdeir launched a USD 4 million initiative with Disney aimed to reduce the gender gap in science, technology and innovation through supplying 15,000 10-year old girls in California with free LittleBits kits. (Al Mustaqbal, October 16, 2019)

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Condemnation of violence against women demonstrators

31-10-2019

The Lebanese Council to Resist Violence Against Women LECORVAW, condemned in a statement yesterday all forms of violence against Lebanese women, including repression, intimidation, humiliation, physical abuse or masculine ill-treatment. The statement rejected any attempt to abort the determination of Lebanese women who proved to be an asset of strength for the people and for the nation. Women around the world, the statement says, have played a leading role in revolutions and in fighting injustice, corruption, tyranny and repression of freedoms and rights, the statement said. And since Lebanese women and girls have exhibited vigor and courage during their exceptional role in the demonstrations, LECORVAW demands bringing to justice all those who carry out any act of aggression against any woman or girl who take active part in building their nation by physical, verbal or moral assault and holding them accountable and severely penalizing them, the statement concluded. (NNA, October 30, 2019)

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UN-supported project for developing four women coops in Tyre

17-10-2019

On the occasion of the International Day of Rural Women which falls on October 15 of each year, UN Women- Fund for Gender Equality, in collaboration with Lebanon Family Planning Association for Development and Family Empowerment (LFPADE) launched yesterday the social cooperative NESWA project in the Tyre town of Janata. The project involves four women-run coops in the Tyre villages of Abbasiyeh, Hmaira, Janata and Yanouh. During the launch ceremony, a UN Women presentation explained that NESWA is the outcome of LFPADE efforts over three years of the implementation of "Strengthening the economic situation of women in the district of Tyre" initiative. The latter, to recall, contributed to the empowerment of some 300 women and helped them shift from home-made producers to become competitive entrepreneurs in the local labor market. NESWA, according to the UN presentation, has constituted a rural model with high capacities competing in the domestic and global markets. For her part, the regional program officer at the UN Fund for Gender Equality, Rana Hujeiri, outlined the stages of the project, which she maintained, has accompanied rural women in changing their reality. The NESWA model, Hujeiri said, represents a qualitative leap in institutionalizing cooperative work, noting that the model has been developed by 9 experts who worked to build an integrated operational system for women's cooperatives with growth potential. Similarly, Nawal Jaber spoke on behalf of the participating women, saying the project has grown her confidence and steadfastness and opened the doors for continuity and sustainable stability. At the end, everyone toured a sideline exhibition which showcased products by NESWA, followed by the opening of a fully equipped cooperative kitchen, which is one of four founded by the project according to ISO22001 standards of excellence. (NNA, October 17, 2019)

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Dr. Ilham Kallab Bsat’s paper on "Nonviolence and the University of Nonviolence"

17-10-2019

The Lebanese Association for Women Researchers called for participation in ‘A text and a dialogue’, 2019 event with the academic researcher and author, Ilham Kallab Bsat to discuss her paper entitled, "Nonviolence and the University of Nonviolence". The paper can be accessed via the following email: lamia@umich.edu. The event starts at 6 pm, Thursday, October 24, at the Association premises in Raml el Zarif, Towfic Tabbara Center, 2nd floor. For additional info, kindly call: 01-739726. (Al Akhbar, October 17, 2019)

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BAU & women’s role in scientific research

17-10-2019

The Deanship of Graduate Studies and Research at Beirut Arab University (BAU) yesterday hosted the ‘Dardasha Talks’ event (https://bit.ly/2FJT3iN), which aims at highlighting the role of women in scientific research. During the event, the dean of graduate studies and research, Hania Naccache spoke about the importance of emphasizing the role of women in scientific research, in addition to their role in society and their positive impact on the economic, social and political life. Likewise, BAU president Amre Adwi stressed the collaboration with various stakeholders to this end. For her part, Dr. Tamara Zein, DAWREK’N director, underlined the need to support this role of women, particularly PhD holders in order to reach higher academic posts and to use their scientific potentials. She cited a statistical study by the Observatory which showed that female PhD holders outweigh men with the same degree, whereas the number of women is way less than men in higher academic ranks (such as dean or president), and that men are dominate these positions. At the closing of the event, some 16 female researchers from BAU and other Lebanese universities presented their latest findings in the field of scientific research. (AN Nahar, October 17, 2019)

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Lebanon Gender Equality Observatory

17-10-2019

Issam Fares Institute at AUB signed yesterday a memorandum of understanding with the ministry of state for the economic empowerment of women and youth aimed at convening and leading the research policy group of the National Gender Equality Observatory in Lebanon. The partnership culminates 18 months of cooperation in supervising the work of a research group of academics and activists in gender studies. The purpose of the agreement is to develop plans and methodologies required for an in-depth knowledge of women status in marginalized communities and women refugees, as well as complete evidence-based practice. On the occasion, the acting director of the institute, Dr. Nasser Yaseen, said the institute seeks to inform decision makers and provide them with facts needed to develop feasible national policies and strategies. For her part, minister Violette Safadi, pointed out that the incidence of gender-based violence in Lebanon has significantly increased with growing armed conflict. ( NNA, October 16, 2019)

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