News updates

After pointing to the wage disparities between women and men soccer players (https://bit.ly/2MsujjD), Al Akhbar newspaper reported today that the US Women National Team players (USWNT) who, last month, have won their 4th world title, are closer to achieving equality in wages and workplace conditions with their male peers. In this regard, the court has set the date for pronouncing its decision in the equal pay lawsuit against the national soccer federation (USSF). Al Akhbar wrote that 28 members of the US Women’s National Soccer Team filed on March 8 a lawsuit against the Federation for gender discrimination and unequal pay. Los Angeles district judge, R. Gary Klausner, set May 5, 2020 as the deadline to decide on the case, after the mediation between USSF and USWNT reached a deadlock. On the subject, the women players’ spokesperson, Molly Levinson, said, the team is looking forward to the jury trial in May 2020 to claim their demands. More on the following link: https://bit.ly/2TNXG0u. (al-Akhbar 21 August 2019)
 
Previous related news: 
Wage differences between women and men in soccer
 
 

For the first time in the history of Sudan, a woman, and additionally a Christian, has reached the highest authority, Al Diyar reported today. The rule in Sudan, to recall, has been transferred from the Military Council to an 11-member Sovereign Council becoming the highest authority in the country under the terms of the Constitutional Declaration. The latter, to recall, has dissolved the transitional military council which ruled Sudan since the overthrow of Omar Hassan Al Bashir in April. Al Diyar said that following a lengthy meeting between the Military Council and the opposition Forces for Freedom and Change (FFC) alliance, agreement was reached to appoint Raja Nicola Abdel Massih as a conciliatory member of the new Sovereign Council. Abdel Massih, born in Om Durman, holds a bachelor of laws from Cairo University (1980). She was appointed in the ministry of justice in 1982 and gradually promoted to an advisor in the ministry in 2005 to be recently nominated by FFC to represent the Christian side in the Sovereign Council. (Al Diyar, August 21, 2019)
 

In its issue of  10 August, Al Akhbar newspaper highlighted the negative role played by some media in addressing issues related to rights, notably women’s rights to confer nationality to their family. Al Akhbar pointed out to a recent TV show entitled “fi-male” broadcasted on LBCI and which hosted Joseph Abi Fadel, a media person known for his bigotry and sexism notably vis-à-vis women’s right to confer nationality.  Abi Fadel was given ample space to express his distorted a bigoted differentiating between women married to Syrians and Palestinians and women married to other foreigners.  The TV show host dealt with the matter very lightly and joined her guests in adhering to his views noting that these are merely controversial.  Al Akhbar indicated that there were no other opinions aired in the show thus showing that the TV show was complicit in the discriminatory views aired by the guest.  Al Akhbar asked the coordinator of My Nationality is a Right for me and my Family Campaign, Karima Chebbo, about her opinion.  Chebbo noted that mainstream media is often denying the space to women and human rights defenders and are thus amplifying the voices of individuals who are against human and women rights.  As such, Chebbo sees that social media is an efficient alternative to communicate the message about rights and to mobilize the support of public opinion.  Chebbo praised the immediate impact of social media and its wide outreach and the fact that it allows interaction and engagement especially when it broadcast testimonials and human interest stories related to the denial of the rights of women to transfer nationality. (For more about the article in Arabic please visit: https://bit.ly/2z4mnMQ). (Al Akhbar, 10 August 2019)
 

In its issue of today, L’Orient le Jour highlighted the professional journey of Lara Saade, lawyer and legal advisor to MP Sami Gemayel, the president of the Phalangist Party.  Saade pursued her legal degree first at the St. Joseph University and then studied international law at Paris-Sud.  She also received a degree in in public policy from Syracuse University and is currently pursuing a doctoral degree from the university of Grenoble.  Saade told the newspaper that she initially wanted to pursue a medical degree and had enrolled in biology at the Lebanese University.  However, she later became active with the students branch of the Phalangist party and realized that she can contribute to society in a different way and thus shifted to studying law and met with MP Sami Gemayel.  Saade worked with UNDP after she graduated.  By then, Gemayel was voted in parliament for the first time.  She proceeded to send him a number of legal suggestions which led him to ask her to join his legal team.  Saade first refused the offer as she wanted to pursue her professional career rather than go into politics but she ended up agreeing.  Saade recalls that the first set of legal amendments she prepared were related to the municipalities law, the tax measures for the 2018 budget, the electricity bill, and others.  Saade noted that she is committed to fighting all forms of discrimination against women and indicated that her work with UNDP focuses on legal reform toward gender equality in Lebanon and the Arab world. (L’Orient le Jour. 19 August 2019)
 

On the occasion of the international day to combat human trafficking (July 30th), the International Organisation  for Migration (IOM) as well as Justice without Frontiers, launched at Cinema City on August 8th the campaign entitled “together to combat human trafficking”.  The event featured the screening of a documentary entitled “cheap humans” and was under the auspices of the Minister of Justice, Albert Serhal, with the presence of several notables.  The Minister reiterated that Lebanon is a founding member of the UN and its constitution adheres to the International Declaration of Human Rights and is committed  to materialize these values in all sectors.  The Minister also said that Lebanon is committed to track down and punish criminals involved in human trafficking as well as effectively protect victims.  He further noted his commitment to reform pertinent laws as the current laws define the nature of the crime as well as the correspondent punishment without taking into consideration how to deal with the victims.  The Minister also shared his intent to create a unit within the Ministry of Justice which would be specialized in human trafficking and which would be a link between the Ministry and other concerned ministries as well as with local and international NGOs. (Al Dyar, August 10th 2019)