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Moroccan woman in favor of normalization with Israel honored in Beirut

14-3-2019

In its issue of today, Al Akhbar newspaper drew attention to the honoring on March 9 in Beirut by the Arab Development Council for Women and Business of Moroccan poet Boushrail Shaoui who supports normalizing ties with Israel. Al Akhbar wrote that on the occasion of the International Women’s Day, the Council honored 20 Arab women, including Shaoui, in a ceremony under the title, ‘Fingerprint of a female leader’ that was attended by Lebanese political dignitaries. The honoring would have passed unnoticed had it not been for the statement issued by the Moroccan Observatory Against Normalization exposing Shaoui as an expert in promoting normalization. Her campaigning, the statement clarified, is not limited to endorsing (unfounded) dialogue between the murderer and his victim and the “noble” call for “peace”, but her shameless visit to Israel. Shaoui, the statement said, headed a delegation of the Berber-Jewish Friendship Association in 2017 which visited Israel and held meetings with Israeli politicians. In its condemnation statement, the Observatory described the honoring as a suspicious scheme on the part of the Council, wandering, ‘how can a staunch supporter of normalization with Israel be honored in the capital of resistance, Beirut?’ Subsequently, the Council issued a statement yesterday announcing its decision to strip Shaoui of her award, in keeping with its ‘commitment’ to its national and Arab affiliation. The full article can be found on the following link: https://goo.gl/jZggt4. (Al Akhbar, March 13, 2019)

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Maronite Court has powers to hear civil marriage cases

14-3-2019

During his visit to the Maronite Spiritual Court yesterday, Maronite Patriarch, Bishara Rai, issued a circular to be executed involving marriage-related lawsuits and the implications of civil marriage in Maronite courts. In the directive, which will be put in effect as of March 18, 2019, Rai explained that, when a Maronite court looks into cases of desertion or marriage annulment, ruling on civil marriage provisos become part of its power: like for example, alimony, compensation and the right to custody and seeing the children. The circular expounded the concept and types of alimony as seen by the Maronite courts, which cover the provision of food, clothing and housing, hospitalization and medical treatment, service for the elderly as well as education for children. The circular also tackled the legal addressing of marriage terms (rights and duties), pointing out that such cases are considered urgent compared to the original lawsuit which is the desertion or end of the marriage contract between couples. These, Rai stressed, should be resolved during the proceedings before the pronouncement of the verdict in the original lawsuit. (For the full circular in Arabic, kindly visit the following link: https://bit.ly/2FaMrtv). Rai said the heads of the registration bureau at the Unified Court of First Instance and at the Patriarchal Court of Appeal must submit all required documents and copies of them to the chief of registry to accelerate the pronouncement of verdicts. He also asked lawyers to formulate a petition of the lawsuit and briefing of hearings to avoid unnecessary information. (Al Diyar, March 14, 2019)

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Saudi women right activists on trial

14-3-2019

Saudi authorities began yesterday the trial of 10 female activists for women’s rights in the wake of the arrest last May of a group of them on charges of supporting hostile elements systematically undermining the Kingdom’s stability and social security and national unity. Commenting on the trial, Amnesty International campaign director for the Middle East Program, Samah Hadid, said Saudi authorities are now bringing charges against the activists after spending almost a year in prison without access to lawyers and under continuous torture and sexual harassment. Saudi Arabia is dealing with the advocacy of women’s rights as a crime, which constitutes a serious escalation in the Arab Gulf country. For his part, Human Rights Watch researcher, Adam Koegel, described the trial and “allegations of ill-treatment” of women prisoners as another indication to the escalating repression by Saudi authorities. He called on KSA to immediately halt all unfair procedures and release any accused activist detained for involvement in peaceful protest action only. On the other hand, a tweet by US Muslim congresswoman Ilhan Omar which described the Saudi authorities as the worst encroachers and violators of human rights, has sparked mixed reactions. One Twitter user posted a picture of Omar with the Turkish President Erdoghan to remind her of supportive stand to Turkey. (Al Akhbar, Al Diyar, March 14, 2019)

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Minister Safadi backs My Nationality campaign

14-3-2019

A delegation from My Nationality is A Right for Me and My Family Campaign discussed yesterday with the new minister of state for women and youth empowerment, Violette Safadi, the amendment of the current nationality law to the end of ensuring Lebanese women’s right to confer nationality to family members. The delegation handed the minister a complete file including its demands and the draft bill of the desired egalitarian nationality law (c.f: https://bit.ly/2THGqNW). Both sides tackled the legal discrimination embedded in the law and its impact on Lebanese women and their families. In turn, Minister Safadi expressed her full backing to this demand but in a pragmatic way, which secures the implementation and ratification of the bill, so as to not remain subject to political interference and void promises. The file, Safadi maintained, will be put on the table of discussion to be addressed soon, pointing out that the right of the Lebanese woman to pass on nationality to her children is a natural right of her and can be established only through the law. In response to a question on the outcomes of its meetings with officials and political parties to this effect, My Nationality Campaign told Safadi that since the recent parliamentary elections, only PSP MP Hadi Abul Hissen came forward with a draft law, but still awaiting its referral to the concerned committees. In the same vein, Abul Hissen tweeted on March 11 calling on all political factions to cooperate in the Legislature to enact an all-inclusive and fair nationality law that plays fair to women. He also thanked My Nationality Campaign for its follow-up on the issue. (My Nationality Facebook page, An Nahar, March 12, 14, 2019)

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Nabatiyeh prosecutor indicts mother of the crime of kidnapping son

13-3-2019

Al Akhbar newspaper highlighted today the indictment in January by the Nabatiyeh Prosecution headed by Judge Abbas Ji7ha, of Zainab Sayegh for the crime of kidnapping her 5-year-old boy. Sayegh lawyer, Najeeb Farhat, told the newspaper that this is the first time a mother is charged with kidnapping her own son, pointing out that the public prosecutor’s ruling reversed the jurisprudence of the Court of Cassation which clearly exempts the mother or father from above charge. He clarified that the prosecution against Sayegh was based on a lawsuit filed by her husband charging her of kidnapping their son after she retained custody of her child refusing to hand him over to his father. This, the prosecution alleged, violates the Jaafari Court’s decision which ruled that Sayegh has the right to see her child for 24 hours per week only, while noting that the investigative judge in Nabatiyeh will look into the case on March 28. Farhat also pointed out that the mother faces the danger of arrest any time unless the public prosecutor advises the investigative judge to halt the prosecution. He noted that in the formal defenses he submitted, he requested suspension of the kidnapping claim as the custody issue is still in dispute at the Jaafari Court. In turn, Sayeth said she conceded under pressure and threat to the decision of the Jaafari Court, but that she could not bear it any longer and was suffering, and hence decided to appeal. For more, kindly visit the link below: https://goo.gl/HqsFT1. (Al Akhbar, March 9, 2019)

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‘We walk for equality’ marathon in Qob Elias

13-3-2019

In collaboration with Work-Based Learning Association, Sawa Association for Development and Aid organized on March 10 a marathon in Qob Elias under the motive, ‘We walk for equality’. Around 1,500 participants from schools and refugee camps joined after having participated in the “Sawa to promote gender equality” initiative. The aim of the activity, according to Sawa president, Nawal Mdalalli, is to increase awareness among students, women and men on human rights and to reduce violence against women and girls in society. The director of the program, head of Work-Based Learning, Yassir Faraj, pointed out that sports and social networking have proven to be a successful tool in curbing violence, particularly inside Syrian refugee camps, stressing that exercise contributes to promoting positive human values. (Al Mustaqbal, March 11, 2019)

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LF’s proposal for criminalizing marital rape

13-3-2019

On the occasion of International Women’s Day, the Lebanese Forces Department for Activating Role of Women, announced that LF MPs Sitrida Geagea and George Akis, have on March 6 submitted to the legislature a draft bill criminalizing marital rape. On the proposal, Akis said the wife is not a commodity or body accessible as a sex tool at all times, rather she is a partner in life and decisions. Akis stressed, “it is unacceptable that while we seek to enact legislation prohibiting domestic violence to ignore the fact that coerced sex is a horrendous form of violence. It is inadmissible as well to differentiate, as does the current penal code, between the rape of a wife and the rape of women in general, criminalizing the second and accepting the first.” In an interview with L’Orient Le Jour, Akis reminded that the LF Party was a pioneer back in 2014 to suggest the amendment of articles 503 and 504 of the Penal Code criminalizing marital rape, but did not succeed. As our society is a patriarchal one, we should push forward to revoke discriminatory laws and adopt fairer ones that ensure the dignity of women, Akis noted. Similarly, LCW president, Iqbal Doughan, maintained that marriage is a partnership between two parties, hence agreement is key in marital relations, stressing that violence of any form is intolerable. (L’Orient Le Jour, March 12, 2019)

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National Observatory for women researchers launched

13-3-2019

Lebanon’s National Council for Scientific Research (CNRS) and the Lebanese National Commission for UNESCO launched on March 11 the National Observatory for Women in Research, also known as “Your role: females” to boost women participation in the research field. On the occasion, the director of the CNRS program for PhD scholarships and observatory coordinator, Dr. Tamara Zein, said the observatory aims to create a dynamic on female researchers in Lebanon to encourage their contribution to scientific research. This results in activating the general scientific research system and helping realize socio-economic development and the building of the knowledge-based society, Zein maintained. Through this, the observatory looks forward to strengthen investment in research, innovation and development, Zein explained, pointing out that it’s scientific impact and output will not only impact women, but will reflect on all components of society as well. According to its administrators, the observatory’s action plan is based along five main axes: 1) study conditions of female researchers and diagnose hitches impeding their robust contribution to scientific research output, 2) evaluate and streamline research output of Lebanese women through targeted conferences and seminars, 3) develop capacities of female researchers to stimulate a successful scientific process, 4) allocate funding programs for research projects and provision of grants to conduct research related to women, 5) encourage decision-makers in universities and research centers to adjust their systems to tune in with the empowerment of female researchers in order to alleviate the social and economic reality that negatively influences their performance.(Al Akhbar, March 23, 2019)

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Women of Gaza struggling to preserve hope

12-3-2019

In its issue of today, Al Diyar newspaper spotlighted the women of Gaza, whom despite the siege imposed on the Strip for years now, have always try to sustain hope to carry on. Nada Radwan, 27, has worked in e-commerce for a while, the newspaper wrote. But when unemployment reached an alarming rate of 50%, she decided to channel her technology skills into one of her favorite hobbies, cooking. Speaking to Reuters, Nada, who publishes videos of her recipes on her social media account under ‘Nada’s Kitchen’, said it was difficult to find a job. “That’s why I thought of starting something I have passion for and at the same time make money.” This is an attempt to challenge the siege by getting work that requires talent, a cam and internet connection, Nada boasted. Al Diyar also spotlighted another woman from Gaza, Sahar Yaghi, 28, who left college to become a wedding planner and provide for her family. This kind of work, she said, required staying awake until late night. She also mentioned that she hears comments from her neighbors belittling her work which they called ‘indecent’, stressing that she loves what she is doing and hoping to become the top wedding planner in whole Gaza. (Al Diyar, March 12, 2019)

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Woman adverting “Maid for sale” legally summoned

12-3-2019

The Labor Ministry Inspection Bureau summoned yesterday a woman from North Lebanon to question her after a demeaning ‘maid for sale’ Facebook ad. The labor minister, Kamil Abu Sleiman, ordered an investigation into the matter which he described as a new form of slavery. During interrogation, the woman admitted that she posted the ad spontaneously without thinking, and that she deleted it shortly after putting it, stating she was not above the law. She also pledged not to repeat the action and post an apology on her Facebook page. The labor ministry team also listened separately to what the migrant domestic worker had to say, that she wasn’t being mistreated by the family but that she had tough time dealing with a sick child at her employer’s house. Upon investigation, the woman in question was notified that her actions constituted a “legal and humanitarian violation and should not be repeated to avoid being blacklisted and denied the right to employ any worker in the future.” Similarly, Abu Sleiman’s media office said in a statement that the minister will soon announce a package of measures to improve the conditions of MWDWs, noting that he started a series of meetings with involved NGOs to this effect. This, the statement added, is in preparation for amendments on the existing rules and regulations that contribute to the creation of controls which protect workers’ rights. (An Nahar, March 12, 2019)

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