Subscribe to newsletter

Custom Search 1

You are here

Home

News updates

Violence against women: collective rape of a minor in Tyre, husband sued over attempt to kill wife

9-7-2019

The General Directorate of the Internal Security Forces- Public Relations Department, declared in a statement yesterday that information available at the Regional Gendarmerie South Investigative Unit pointed to the collective rape of an underage Syrian girl (14 years) who was also videoed and blackmailed. The ISF statement went on to say that, upon surveillance and follow up, the above Unit managed to identify and arrest the 8 perpetrators in three towns south of the country. The felons, after confessing to the rape and extortion, were referred to Saida’s Judiciary police station and the Anti-Human Trafficking and Morals Protection Bureau for interrogation, while the girl was taken to a care center as required. On the other hand, the Investigative Judge in Mount Lebanon, Rania Yahfouf, referred the defendant H.A to the Mount Lebanon Criminal Court after shooting his wife with a machine gun on 1/2/2017, in an attempt to kill her. The wife, who was shot in her leg, managed to escape and sue her husband but dropped her personal claim later. (Al Mustaqbal, Al Diyar, July 9, 2019)

Share on

Protection and legal counseling in Mount & North Lebanon

8-7-2019

In its issue of today, An Nahar shed light on the work of the Legal Movement NGO which provides services to marginalized groups in both Mount Lebanon, the North and Akkar, covering around 76 morally and physically vulnerable cases. Among services offered by the association, the executive director, Antonia Malfi, mentioned protection, legal counseling and judicial representation, pointing out that services are not restricted to helping marginalized Lebanese women and girls, but also extends to provision of protection to LGBT persons and migrant domestic workers. Malfi distributed the cases as follows: 66% of the cases are females, 34% males, 3% children, 79% adults, 19% racial discrimination, 75% personal status cases and 10% slavery and forced labor. She highlighted a few examples treated by her association, including the case of a Lebanese mother who, with her husband and 9-year old boy, are considered stateless persons. The woman, Malfi said, is subjected to verbal and physical violence from her in-laws which forced her to leave her house and reach out to the association. The latter filed a lawsuit and won an alimony for the battered wife, in addition to the custody of her child. Another case relates to the rape of an Ethiopian MWDW, where the association filed a grievance to the prosecution on charges of rape and sexual abuse. (An Nahar, July 8, 2019)
 

Share on

High child marriage within Syrian refugee camps in Lebanon

5-7-2019

In a special feature today, Al Akhbar highlighted the issue of child marriage which is rampant within Syrian refugee camps in Lebanon. The phenomenon, Al Akhbar wrote, is not a novelty in the Syrian community. But the curse of war has aggravated the situation raising the rate from 3% to 13% in the beginning of this year, according to the First Sharia Judge in Damascus, Mahmoud Ma’rawi. The majority of child marriage cases are completed in accordance with ‘private (‘urfi) contracts’, Al Akhbar said, adding that the rates appear to be greater among displaced Syrian communities in the camps on Lebanese territory. For more insight, Al Akhbar spoke to Hayat Mirshad, the campaigns and communications officer at the Lebanese Democratic Women’s Gathering, who, citing UNICEF figures, estimated the marriage rate of minors in the Syrian refugee camps in Lebanon at 27% between 2017 and 2018, pointing to the current year’s rate of 41%. For her part, the social activist, Rawda Abdel Kafi, explained the reasons behind the rising number of girl minor marriages, including fear from harassment combined with the difficult economic conditions. The concerned parents believe their daughter’s marriage could mean an upgraded life compared to life in the tent, Abdel Kafi said. She pointed out that in the event of the death or absence of the father, the mother is forced to marry her daughters to alleviate the burdens of the household. (Al Akhbar, July 5, 2019)

 

Previews related news:
Lebanese and Syrian underage girls speak up
 

Share on

EU-funding for protection of women refugees in Lebanon Jordan & Iraq

4-7-2019

The minister of state for the empowerment of women and youth, Violette Safadi, yesterday launched ‘Madad Women’, in cooperation with the EU Fund and the Euromed Feminist Initiative (EFI). The launch event was held at the Serail in Beirut during the regional conference entitled, ‘Enhancing gender equality and engendering Syrian crisis response in host countries- Lebanon, Iraq and Jordan’. The project comes as part of ‘Strengthening access to protection, participation and services for women refugees, internally displaced people and women in the host communities in Lebanon, Jordan and Iraq’. On the occasion, Prime Minister Saad Hariri stressed the need to change some laws that sustain women’s rights, advising political parties to be bold enough to endorse the role of women in politics and political action. Hariri reiterated his belief in the greater role the Lebanese woman can play in the political and public life of the country. “As head of the government, I am ready to make the impossible possible in order for women to gain their full rights,” Hariri maintained. (Al Diyar, Al Mustaqbal, July 4, 2019)

Share on

Women in uniform: Number is rising but challenge persists

4-7-2019

In its issue of today, An Nahar newspaper devoted a feature on the participation of women in the Lebanese Army. It said that notwithstanding the growing number of women joining military ranks since the appointment of the new Army Commander, Joseph Aoun in March 2017, there remains the challenge of sustaining these gains. At the end of the civil war in 1990, An Nahar wrote, the Lebanese government asked Lebanese women to volunteer as soldiers in the Military Establishment, including the military police and the military school. Yet, the number of women soldiers remained relatively low compared to the actual number of male soldiers in service, the newspaper said. Until the year 2017, women only numbered 1000 out of the total of 70,000 soldiers. During the past two years, the participation rate of women in the Army rose considerably reaching 3,000 women in 2018, including 3 colonels and 17 brigadier generals, An Nahar report said. Citing military sources, An Nahar anticipated a rise in the number to 4,000 women soldiers by March 2019. On the other hand, the size and scope of the role of women in the Army remains subject to the defense minister’s decisions, rather than to a law or decree released by the parliament or the cabinet. Currently, An Nahar said, the decisions enacted three decades ago can be revoked by any minister in the future without the approval of the council of ministers. In conclusion, the report demanded that the Legislature and the cabinet ratify laws to the end of endorsing the participation of women in the Army, and hence, supporting the gains made. (An Nahar, July 4, 2019)

Share on

General Directorate of Personal Status obstructs the registration of civil marriage in Lebanon

4-7-2019

After its report on the civil marriage contract registered in Lebanon by two Lebanese expatriate lawyers, Abdallah Salam and Marie Joe Abi Nassif, who erased the mention of their sect from their personal status documents (: https://bit.ly/2FRspE5), An Nahar newspaper wrote today that the married couple have completed the necessary formal procedures and that the ministry of interior has received the marriage registration request. An Nahar went on to say, that part of the administrative process has been finalized with a signature of a ministry employee confirming the receipt, but pointed to a deliberate delay in the request reaching the execution register at the General Directorate of Personal Status. According to the newspaper, it is unlikely that the minister of interior, Raya Hassan, is unaware of the obstruction, insisting that she rather instruct against impeding a procedure that has met the required legal conditions. Speaking to An Nahar, Abdallah explained that there should be a separation between the ongoing arguments on the enactment of an optional civil marriage in the country, which involves dialogue between various sects and groups, and between the right of the Lebanese who erased the sect to register their marriage on Lebanese territory. He maintained that the rights of this category ought to be respected and observed. Likewise, Marie Joe said, “we shall not lose our patience.” In her address to minister Hassan, she said, “You are a minister for all the Lebanese and are entrusted to improve the performance of your ministry to become more human as you earlier declared, and to put the law into practice so as not to remain a slogan.”. (An Nahar, July 4, 2019)

Share on

UNIFIL support to women's cooperatives in the South

4-7-2019

Accompanied by Jnata mayor, (Tyre), Abdel Mutalib Husseini, the head of UNIFIL’s Sector West, General Bruno Bishota, visited yesterday the workroom of the Women’s Agricultural Cooperative in the town to explore hands on the preparation of rural products. Bishota expressed his satisfaction with the activities women in the area and the environs engage in. He stressed his sector’s commitment to providing the necessary backing to these coops, including capacity building of marketing techniques and the acquisition of new skills. Following the tour, Bishota invited the coop to participate in the upcoming exhibitions planned by the Italian Battalion where UNIFIL units can buy from the showcased local artifacts and goods. (Al Mustaqbal, July 4, 2019)

Share on

Migrant foreign workers: Violence and unfair treatment in both Lebanon & Kazakhstan

3-7-2019

After a number of Arab workers, including Lebanese workers, were beaten in Kazakhstan by Kazakh colleagues over a picture showing one of them with a local woman (https://bit.ly/2xpr3Mt) , about 126 Lebanese workers with their families returned to Lebanon on a private jet under supervision from the Higher Relief Committee head, Maj. Gen. Mohamad Kheir. The latter clarified that an agreement has been reached between Consolidated Contractors company and the Lebanese workers requiring that the next two weeks be part of a summer retreat to revitalize their energy after what happened. Meanwhile, following a decision by the Government of Ethiopia banning its nationals from travel to Lebanon for work, as per the unsafe and unjust conditions for migrant workers, the Lebanese labor minister, Kamil Abu Sleiman, told Al Markaziya portal that his ministry has drafted and submitted to the cabinet a MoU demanding the resumption of the import of labor force from the African country based on observation of the rights and safety of Ethiopian workers. Abu Sleiman said the decision will become effective after its publishing in the official gazette. The minister also spoke about the sponsorship (Kafala system), stressing that he is currently reviewing a study on the matter in hope of ending the system altogether. (Al Mustaqbal, An Nahar, July 3, 2019)

Share on

British company in Lebanon offers 6-month paid parental leave

2-7-2019

Diageo Lebanon, a premium British spirits company, announced that it will start implementing a 6-month paid maternity and paternity leave policy, hence becoming the first company in Lebanon to implement such policy. The decision, to recall, is part of the company’s global policy to be rolled out in various countries and covering all employees as of the first of July, regardless of when they started working at the company. The general manager of Diageo MENA, George Rbeiz, said the company decided to implement the policy instead of the Lebanese law and offer a 6-month paid maternity and paternity (parental) leave to its employees. This step, which is a recognition of the important role fathers play in raising families, builds the confidence of employees and changes their views about work and parenthood. It is worth mentioning, that around 40% of Diageo’s executive committee and 44% of its board are women, declaring the company as a leader in the inclusion and diversity of labor force. (An Nahar, Al Akhbar, July 2, 2019)

Share on

Wage differences between women and men in soccer

1-7-2019

In a special feature published today, Al Akhbar newspaper wrote that the world of soccer does not observe pay equality between men and women. The international game, the newspaper said, is governed to a great extent by a sexist mindset, particularly in the financial part. A few days back in the US, the equal pay lawsuit by Women National Team players resurfaced, Al Akhbar said, noting that the demands of female players were not impossible, but rather basic. Among these demands, is increasing the financial value corresponding to their representation of the National Team and raising the compensation for tournaments, particularly the World Cup, in addition to equal treatment in side benefits with relation to comfort in travel and accommodation. Al Akhbar went on to analyze, that Europe, namely France, is not as good in the treatment of its women football players. The proficient players of the Women National Team, Al Akhbar said, have raised their voices in protest demanding higher ceiling for the compensations should they win in the World Cup. (More on the following link: https://bit.ly/2Xjzg4a)

Share on

Pages


Subscribe to RSS - News updates