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‘My hijab is not against justice’

11-4-2019

Under the slogan, ‘My hijab is not against justice’, the students of the faculty of law staged a sit in yesterday in front of the Justice Palace in Beirut demanding the right of mouhajabat to enter the judiciary equally with other citizens as mandated by the Constitution. The move came after a veiled Lebanese woman, Amani Alji revealed that an unspecified ‘bylaw’ in the Justice department has prevented her from entering the Institute for Judicial Studies. Alji pointed out that one of the judges in the oral exam committee sarcastically asked her: “what is the story behind your hijab?”, adding, “you cannot enter the Institute with a veil on your head.” During the protest, the professor of human rights, Dr. Halima Qaaqur, said: “I teach human rights, and I believe that any protection of the freedom of belief is a public issue rather than a private personal one, whether you wore a hijab or not.” She stressed her support for the freedom of belief, equality and justice, on which the State should be built, as she said. The students, for their part, noted that the muhajaba is educated and has successfully reached the Legislature and the cabinet, and seized the highest public positions, hence, why should an internal custom prevent her from entering the judiciary. “This causes moral damage and therefore must be lifted,” they stated. (Al Akhbar, April 11, 2019)

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Women in Moslem countries: early marriage, arrest, harassment and threats

10-4-2019

In Jordan
On April 8, the Jordanian Parliament amended the age of marriage, sanctioning marriage at the age of 16 in "special cases" provided it meets a number of conditions, including the judge’s approval and if the marriage proved to be needed, and secured the two conditions of consent and choice. Noting, that the age of legal marriage in Jordan is 18 years, and the introduced amendment comes as an exception (https://bit.ly/2G6KZY7).
In Saudi Arabia
Saudi authorities have arrested seven people, including two US citizens, over connection with women's rights activists. According to Saudi human rights group, ALQST, 6 men and one woman, a writer, were arrested, despite the latter’s pregnancy. The detainees, who are writers and bloggers involved in public and reform affairs, were banned from travel since last February. (https://bbc.in/2VAm2em). Also, Saudi Imam, Abdullah Rafidi, one of the leading Islamic scholars, said prominent Saudi woman, Ghada Mariri, a nano science specialist in the US, has trespassed Islamic sharia, especially after appearing on magazines and TV without hijab. Mariri has justified her attitude stressing that each attire has its purpose. (https://bit.ly/2X0lpLc).
In Afghanistan
In its issue of April 5, Al-Akhbar newspaper drew attention to the harassment and rape assaults against female Afghan football players by the president of the Afghan Football Federation and a number of sports officials. The latter were reportedly arrested following complaints by female athletes of sexual and physical abuse at a training camp held in Jordan last year. The incident, Al Akhbar wrote, has uncovered a series of incidents of sexual exploitation against female football players who remained silent in fear of repression by their families (https://bit.ly/2InyLx7).
In Brunei
On April 6, hundreds of people demonstrated in London in front of the Dorchester Hotel, a property of the Sultanate of Brunei, in protest against the country's practice of stoning to death for homosexuals and perpetrators of adultery. (https://bit.ly/2Z204TG). (Al Akhbar, Al Diyar, April 5, 6, 7 and 8, 2019)
 

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Draft law allowing children of Lebanese mother to benefit from civil and social rights

10-4-2019

The head of the Parliamentary Committee on Women and Children, MP Inaya Izzedine, submitted yesterday a proposal to the Parliament’s General Secretariat aimed to allow children of Lebanese mother married to non-Lebanese to benefit from civil and social rights. The latter includes the right to residence, travel, property, healthcare, work, social security and practicing commerce, as well as the right to registration and tax clearance, on par with children from a Lebanese father. One exception in the proposed draft is the right to political participation as a candidate or voter. Noting, that in the explanatory statement of the draft bill, the nationality law of 1925 granted the Lebanese man the right to give nationality to his non-Lebanese wife and deprived the Lebanese woman married to non-Lebanese of this same right. Since independence to date, the nationality issue in the country has been handled as a taboo, especially in relation to recognizing the right to nationality of children from a Lebanese mother. The above draft law is expected to alleviate the suffering of children from a Lebanese mother and a non-Lebanese father due to deprivation of their civil rights. This issue, to recall, has become a burden on the Lebanese society with relation to its social and security inclinations enforced by deprivation, particularly that many of these children are born, brought up and studied in the country and have not known any other homeland. On the other hand, the Committee on Women and Children discussed during a session on April 4 headed by Izzedine, the amendment to Articles 503 and 504 of the Penal Code to the end of criminalizing marital rape, but no decision was taken to allow deliberation after a review of the domestic violence law. (Al Mustaqbal, Al Diyar, April 5 and 10, 2019)

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VAW: Racist assault, death of Ethiopian migrant worker, child rape

9-4-2019

In the latest violence incidents against women, the first investigative judge in the North, Samaranda Nassar, issued an accusatory verdict in the case of the father molesting and raping his minor and adult daughters under threats of violence. The ruling found that that the acts of the father and the mother were to be considered as criminal offenses according to relevant articles of the Penal Code. The judge referred the case to the grand jury in the North for trial of the defendants befor the Criminal Court at a later stage. Recalling, that the defendant rapes his four daughters in Tripoli and sold them for sex with the knowledge of their mother (c.f: https://bit.ly/2Gb2cRD). On the other hand, Al Diyar newspaper today, citing Lebanon 24 website, reported a racist attack on a non-Lebanese girl, who took the bus in her return trip to Tripoli, and was assaulted by the driver. Also on April 8, NNA reported that an Ethiopian worker was killed after falling from her employer’s apartment in the 8th floor in Tripoli. Security forces rushed to the scene for investigation. (Al Diyar, Al Mustaqbal, April 9, 2019)

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Women’s rally in Beirut on April 13 and 14

9-4-2019

For the second consecutive year, Beirut will host on April 13 and 14, the 2nd edition of the Rallye des Graces of classic cars with the participation of 45 women from 19 Arab and European countries. The event will be held under the patronage of prime minister Saad Hariri, in collaboration with ATCL. An Nahar spoke to the head of the organizing party, Shahrazad Rizk, who said she was gratified that Arab women are the first to launch the idea in the Middle East shared by prominent peers in business and activists. Rizk maintained that the activity has a touristic side to it namely promoting the image of Lebanon and its vision, and contemplating its scenic nature. Participants, she boasted, will become ambassadors after they return to their countries recounting what they saw and experienced. Rizk also pointed out that the number of participants in last year’s edition (25 women) increased this year to 45. She pledged to continue to promote the race in order to include it in the annual calendar of sports events with the aim to expand cooperation and communication among women contestants from Lebanon and outside at all levels and fields. (An Nahar, April 9, 2019)

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Civil marriage in Lebanon, between law and practice

8-4-2019

Beirut Madinati member, lawyer Nayla Geagea, organized on April 3 a seminar entitled, ‘The right of civil marriage in Lebanon: between law and practice’. The purpose is to inform the debate on the civil marriage which has resurfaced recently by correcting misinterpretations of the constitution and laws. On the occasion, Geagea tackled Decree 60 L.R of the year 1936 related to the confessional system of religious denominations in Lebanon. According to Article 10 of said decree, in one of its provisos ‘Lebanese belonging to a religious sect subject to the ordinary right and Lebanese who do not belong to a sect, should submit to the civil law in matters related to personal status’. The importance of this article, Geagea explained, is that it recognizes the right of non-members of the 18 sects in the country to submit to civil law in personal status matters. Hence, Geagea added, “We have an absolute right to freedom of belief, mandated by the law and guaranteed by the Constitution, but which in practice is different.” Geagea pointed out that the right to choose the form of relationship with the State outside religious sects is also acknowledged by the Constitution, and applies as well to the right to civil marriage which does not require a law to attest it. Marriage contracts should be regulated within a framework of relevant legislations through the enforcement of a foreign law like the Cypriot law, she recommended. Lebanon is not a secular state, because it does not enforce citizens to civil marriage following the religious marriage, she said. This means, we admit to the pluralism and multiculturalism of the Lebanese people, which gives us an edge over other secular countries, she added, comparing the Lebanese model to the Swiss one, with a slight difference, that Lebanese sects correspond to linguistic groups in Switzerland. (Al Akhbar, April 6, 2019)

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Amal Alamuddin appointed as British Ambassador for freedom of press

8-4-2019

The UK Secretary of State for Foreign Affairs, Jeremy Hunt, appointed prominent human rights lawyer of Lebanese origin and wife of Hollywood star, George Clooney, Amal Alamuddin, as ambassador of free press. In an article he wrote to The Sun newspaper, Hunt said: “We will work together to ensure the legal protection of journalists and promote laws across the world that fight hate and fake news,” adding, “I will do my best to help journalists do their job in a safe environment.” For her part, Alamuddin said she aims to build up new legal initiatives that help secure a more effective international response to assaults on the freedom of press and media. Alamuddin was speaking on the sideline of the G7 foreign ministers meeting held in France on Friday and Saturday, where she was accompanied by Hunt. Media reports have indicated that Alamuddin’s appointment is part of a campaign kicked off by Hunt to place press freedom as a priority task in his position, preparing his country to become world leader in promoting the safety of journalists worldwide as well as an umbrella for independent media. (Al Diyar, April 7, 2019)

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Profiles of 3 young Syrian women entrepreneurs

5-4-2019

In its issue of today, Al Akhbar newspaper spotlighted three young women from Syria, Vicky Talar Harnetsian (24), Mariam Rai’ (20) and Alya Ashkar (22). Harnetsian, Al Akhbar wrote, began making earrings and accessories for her sister, but was drawn to the idea of having her own commercial enterprise of handmade accessories. So, she took photos of her finished products and posted them online. Rai’, Al Akhbar said, kicked off her clothing import and sale project by promoting the products through friends and relatives and broadcasting them on Whatsapp or Facebook. The idea came to her few months ago, but developed quickly into a network of 6 virtual friends who assisted her in delivering the clothes to interested customers. As for Alya Ashkar, Al Akhbar said she collected bags and eyeglasses and sold them by directly contacting customers and producers via social media networks. Speaking to the newspaper, Harnetsian boasted, “My company is my home, and my office is my desk. From the start of my project, I wanted to secure a monthly income separate from my family’s.” Rai’ in turn said: “I work to establish and prove myself and not for the sake of money only.” While Ashkar noted: “I wanted to feel responsible and independent. I faced many logistical and social obstacles, but always met them with perseverance.” The article can be found on the following link: https://bit.ly/2UB1GEk. (Al Akhbar, April 5, 2019)

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Claudine Rukuz: Political parties have role in raising women’s political participation

5-4-2019

The head of the National Commission for Lebanese Women (NCLW), president of the Supreme Council of Arab Women Organization, Claudine Aoun Rukuz, reminded of the low representation level of women in the Parliament. She pointed out that NCLW is working to push lawmakers to approve the women representation quota, on the one hand, and is working in parallel with political parties to this effect. Rukuz was speaking at the workshop on ‘the political representation of women in Lebanon’ organized by NCLW, in collaboration with ESCWA Center for Women (ECW). Rukuz explained that the current electoral law, based on the proportional system, boasts big chances of success to candidates running on political parties lists. Hence, political parties have key role in any procedure that raises women’s representation in the Legislature. Rukuz revealed the Commission’s intention to open channels of dialogue with said parties and discuss obstacles impeding Lebanese women’s advancement inside the organizational cadre of parties, which eventually prevents the adequate nomination of women by those parties. (Al Diyar, April 5, 2019)

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My Nationality Campaign follow up with Democratic Gathering

5-4-2019

A delegation from My Nationality is A Right For Me And My Family Campaign met yesterday the Democratic Gathering MP Hadi Abul Hosn to discuss the latest updates on the nationality law amendment proposal submitted by the Gathering to secure women’s right to confer nationality to their family members (c.f: https://goo.gl/8psCAh). Both sides agreed on a number of steps to be launched by the beginning of next week. Abu Hosn promised to discuss the issue with House Speaker on the one hand, and coordinate with relevant committees, notably the Defense, the Interior and Municipalities, and the Administration and Justice committees, on the other, demanding inclusion of bill on agenda of said committees. For her part, the Campaign’s coordinator, Karima Shebbo, in agreement with Abul Hosn, categorically rejected all partial solutions, like studying files separately or issuance of so- called green cards, because, as she maintained, rights cannot be manipulated according to preferential and confessional standards. Shebbo explained that Lebanese women’s right to grant nationality to their children has been hijacked and should be remedied the sooner, ensuring a gender equality in complete citizenship. The Campaign commended Abul Hosn’s human rights and humanitarian approach away from unfounded concerns to the end of achieving social justice for all. (Al Diyar, Electronic Nashra, NNA, Al Anbaa, April 5, 2019)

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