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My Nationality Campaign denounces NCLW proposed discriminatory draft bill

22-5-2019

The NCLW head, Claudine Aoun Rukuz, yesterday handed the prime minister, Saad Hariri, a draft bill to approve the right of Lebanese women married to non-Lebanese to confer citizenship to their children. According to the proposal prepared by NCLW, nationality is granted only to minors who have not reached 18 at the time the law becomes effective. It excludes children aged 18 and above, who, by virtue of this draft bill, shall receive a green card that gives them civil, economic and social rights excepting the political rights and the right to property ownership and public office. The bill also notes that the holder of the green card, can, after five years of receiving it, be granted full Lebanese nationality if he/she meets certain conditions. (For more about the law, please check: http://bit.ly/2YCQx4g) In response to the above proposal, My Nationality is a Right for Me and My Familh Campaign commented on its Facebook page (https://bit.ly/2JUtMok), saying, the draft which originally seeks to address discrimination, clearly discriminates against Lebanese women by stressing inequality in rights between men and women in terms of conferring nationality to their children. The proposal, the Campaign added, supports exceptions and conditions that do not apply equally to Lebanese men, and it discriminates against the children of the Lebanese mother, eventually leaving children with a Lebanese citizenship and children with a green card! My Nationality is a Right for me and my family Campaign lamented that after the submission of two inclusive proposals that observe full equality to this effect, the NCLW draft law comes to exaggerate discrimination against Lebanese women and mothers. (Al Diyar, May 22, 2019)

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Pakistani woman Asmaa Aziz documents domestic violence in video

21-5-2019

Pakistani woman, Asmaa Aziz, published on March 26 a shocking video on social media where she appeared with shaven head and bruised face. She accused her husband of beating her with iron pipes, taking her clothes off and shaving her hair off in front of his assistant for refusing to dance for him and his friends. Asmaa said that when she went to the police to file a complaint, the latter procrastinated, a fact the police denied. The police clarified that it immediately dispatched a team and arrested her husband, who denied his wife’s allegations, together with his assistant on the following day. Asmaa’s lawyers later pleaded the case be tried under the stricter anti-terrorism act instead of the usual criminal procedure. Recalling, that Asmaa’s case sparked uproar on social media with many voicing their anger over domestic violence in Pakistan. Similarly, Amnesty International said “systematic change was needed in Pakistan, noting that women’s rights in the socially conservative country is still controversial. (Al Diyar, May 20, 2019)

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VAW: Father abuses his daughter

21-5-2019

The ISF General Directorate announced in a statement on May 13, that it has information about a father sexually abusing his minor daughter (14) in his house in Wadi Majdlaya, Aley, Mount Lebanon. Upon investigation, the Information Division managed to identify the suspect named A.A (Syrian, born in 1977), alcoholic and wanted for appearing under the influence of alcohol, the ISF statement said. An information squad tracked him with his family, raided his residence and caught him red-handed. The ISF Directorate statement said that, under interrogation, the culprit admitted repeatedly abusing his child for two years. He also confessed to beating his wife and children and threatening to kill them should they speak up. The felon was referred to the competent judiciary, the statement concluded. (Al Mustaqbal, May 14, 2019)

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Spotlighting Lebanese women MPs

20-5-2019

The candidate to the parliamentary elections in Tripoli, Yahya Mawlud, filed an appeal on May 13 before the Constitutional Council contesting the election of Future Movement MP Dima Jamali. The appeal included 11 reasons, notably, a televised admission of bribery and buying votes by Jamali, in addition to a direct interference by the government head in her electoral campaign, using public facilities and government departments for elections purposes and propaganda, exceeding the limit for electoral expenses and stuffing of ballot boxes. This appeal is the second filed against Jamali, recalling that the Constitutional Court invalidated her election on February 21 and ordered new parliamentary bi-elections in Tripoli after the appeal by Islamic Charity Association candidate, Taha Naji (https://bit.ly/2GnDoG3). Meanwhile, pictures of Future MP Rula Tabsh, having coffee during the day of Ramadan when offering condolences for the death of Patriarch Sfeir, have sparked wide controversy on social media. While opponents said Tabsh, being a representative of Sunnis in the Legislature, should have respected the sanctity of the holy month, others supported her personal freedom. On the other hand, the minister of state for economic empowerment of youth and women, Violette Safadi, said during an Iftar banquet at the Rashid Karami International Fair in Tripoli that the current crisis the country is facing is calamitous but not impossible to resolve. She stressed the need to approve the budget in order to revive the economic cycle. (Al Diyar, An Nahar, May 18, 19, 2019)

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US report warns of threat by ISIS widows, wives

20-5-2019

An American report published on Friday by the Atlantic Council, one of the largest research institutes in DC, warned against the threat by the widows and wives of ISIS fighters who live with their children in camps in Syria and Iraq, or those who returned to their countries in the Middle East, Europe and the US. According to the report, ISIS has earlier exploited women in so-called ‘the empowerment jihad”, but that, after its collapse, has shifted to what it termed ‘the challenge jihad, or harassing enemies while luring new recruits, men and women. The report considered that security officials in countries to where ISIS women returned, brace for the challenges associated with this return, especially that these women have not undergone any kind of rehabilitation to this effect. The report also stressed that those returnees now pose an indefinite and alarming threat to their communities, which worries western governments about the possibility of their return to ISIS. This could open the door to new terrorist operations in Europe and the US. The report can be found on https://bit.ly/30voENC. (Al Diyar, May 20, 2019)

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Femme Francophone Entrepreneur 8th competition

20-5-2019

In partnership with L’Orient Le Jour and le Commerce du Levant, the 8th edition of ‘Femme Francophone Entrepreneure’ competition was launched in Beirut on Friday. The event which is organized by the Francophone University Agency (AUF) Middle East and Berytech, seeks to promote women’s entrepreneurship in Lebanon, through granting a yearly 20,000 euro as subsidy to the most promising projects. Winners also receive mentorship and guidance in the creation of their startups through the business incubator, Berytech. The competition runs in 4 stages: 1) The first stage consists of online application where competitors are asked to attach an initial candidacy file no later than June 20, 2019. Results and names of shortlisted candidates to be announced on June 28; 2) A training period of 4 days for the 25 contestants; 3) the second stage of online application where competitors are asked to submit the complete file with an action plan before the end of August 16. The names of semi-finalists who will receive intensive training, will be announced on August 30. The five finalists will be selected on September 17; 4) the five finalists will pitch before the jury and audience on September 25, and the two winners will be chosen on the same day. (L’Orient Le Jour, May 18, 2019)

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MWDWs: Regulating domestic worker, body of Sri Lankan woman discovered in Tyre

20-5-2019

The Syndicate of Owners of Recruitment Agencies for Migrant Domestic Workers in Lebanon said in a statement on May 16 that the sector has, for several reasons, been in turmoil for non-completion of relevant agreements between the Lebanese government and the governments of sending countries. The statement added that, such agreements if implemented, will have positive impact on the sector, including, safeguarding the rights of migrant domestic workers (MWDWs) and employers, reducing the cost of recruitment, monitoring and tracking the presence of MWDWs on Lebanese territory and controlling incidents of illegal residency. The Syndicate urged the labor minister, Kamil Abu Sleiman, to press for passing MoUs in the first cabinet session to put an end to any costly and unwanted procrastination in this regard. It appealed to Lebanese citizens wishing to recruit migrant workers to ensure the office or agency is authorized and licensed. Meanwhile, the body of a Sri Lankan MWDW was found yesterday hanging from a tree in an orchard in Tyre, the South. Security forces arrived at the scene and started investigation, while the body was transferred to a hospital in the area. As such, the total number of dead MWDWs since the start of this year is five, according to our website. (Al Mustaqbal, May 17, 19, 2019)

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Austria bans headscarves in primary schools

17-5-2019

The Austrian Parliament on May 15 passed a law submitted by the governing center-right coalition, banning headscarves in primary schools. The new measure was faced with criticism from leftist parties and Islamic organizations, who accused the government of trying to make headlines instead of promoting the wellbeing and education of children. To avoid the impression that the government targets Muslims specifically, the text of the law referred to ‘any ideologically or religiously influenced attire’ without mentioning the hijab. The two main parties in the coalition, the far right People’s Party and the Freedom Party, plainly declared that the Islamic hijab was the target of the law, noting that the government has maintained that the Jewish yarmulke or the Sikh patka will not be affected by the ban. Austria’s Muslim community organization, IGGO, described the draft bill as “demeaning” and a “tactic to divert attention”, stressing that it is intended for a limited number of female students. (Al Diyar, May 17, 2019)

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Half of Moroccan women experienced violence

17-5-2019

A survey conducted by the Ministry of family, solidarity, equality and social development in Morocco, revealed that nearly 54.4% of women have experienced violence, with the highest rates recorded among married women. The study which covered some 13543 women aged 18 to 64 years from all over the North African country between January and March 2019, showed that violations took various forms, but that the most widespread being psychological violence, followed by economic, physical and sexual abuse. The findings of the second national survey published 10 years after the first one, has pointed to several forms of abuse, including rape, physical assaults, denial of education, dismissal from work, wage discrimination and deprivation of inheritance. It showed that women aged between 25 and 29 years, were the most vulnerable (59.8%). According to the study, around 12.4% of women have suffered at least one case of violence, noting that the rate of prevalence of e-violence, including sexual harassment, blackmailing, extortion and defamation on social media recorded 13.4%. The study also pointed out that nearly 93.4% of female violence victims prefer to keep silent, while widows and divorced women were more likely to report violence incidents against them. To recall, the Moroccan Legislature has approved last year a bill to combat violence against women. (c.f: https://bit.ly/2JpoHFh ). (An Nahar, May 16, 2019)
 

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Minister Hassan from Stockholm: Women should become more confident, achievers

17-5-2019

The minister of interior, Raya Hassan, said women are still underrepresented in security sector and in peace processes in the world despite the huge developments in this respect. She stressed that women’s participation in building peace is key for the implementation of the UN 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development (SDGs), particularly Goal 16 devoted for promoting the existence of peaceful and inclusive societies, provision of access to justice for all and the building of effective and accountable institutions at all levels. Hassan’s remarks came during a round table on ‘Women in Leadership for Sustainable Peace’ that was held on May 15 at the Swedish Foreign Ministry, on the sidelines of the Stockholm Forum organized by Stockholm International Peace Research Institute (SIPRI). Hassan said that without women’s engagement in decision making, world countries will not be able to achieve sustainable peace, adding, “Without this, we will not be able to achieve sustainable development.” She pointed out that there are structural and political challenges that ought to be addressed, calling on all women to enhance their self-confidence and ensure their ability for accomplishment. (Al Diyar, Al Mustaqbal, May 17, 2019)

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