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Children’s Rights: Newborn outside a house in Akkar; no accurate statistics on child marriages

31-10-2018

A newborn was found inside a box in front of a house in Hay el Bahr area of Akkar in the North. A security squad arrived at the scene and transferred the baby to Halba Government Hospital where he was found in good health condition. Legal procedures are expected to take place in preparation to hand the child to a proper care center. On the other hand, the representative of UNFPA in Lebanon, Asma Kurdahi, told An Nahar newspaper that there are no accurate statistics on child marriage cases and birth rates in the country. She said the UN agency is working with community organizations to approve birth spacing, stressing that the issue needs perseverance and follow up through training and educating persons with communication skills to relate instructions to Lebanese and Syrian refugee women. Kordahi also drew attention to the contributions of health guidance programs to this effect, and efforts made in the area of the marriage of minors and the mounting need for family planning. “We have felt a positivity seeing a wife accompanied by her husband to one of the facilitation sessions…” said Kordahi. She revealed that a strategy is currently under preparation with the ministry for women and NCLW to launch the national action plan for the implementation of UN Council Resolution 1325 on women, peace and security. (An Nahar, Al Mustaqbal, October 31, 2018)

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Draft bill for women’s quota in municipalities

31-10-2018

The minister of state for women’s affairs in the caretaker government, Jean Ogassapian, disclosed on Friday that his ministry has submitted an amendment to the municipality law requiring the adoption of a women’s representation quota in municipal councils. The ratification of said draft, Ogassapian said, could be achieved with less effort compared to the parliamentary elections law. The minister was speaking during a round table discussion organized by UNESCO and the Hariri Foundation, in collaboration with the Lebanese University, under the title, ‘Gender equality: Cultural and societal drawbacks’. Ogassapian explained that the law is one of seven draft bills and several recommendations referred by his ministry to the end of promoting the status of the Lebanese woman. It is not only about the law, he said. The law alone is not enough, and neither is changing the outdated mindsets. The cultural and legal sides should combine to realize the desired change, Ogassapian maintained. Justice and equality must be streamlined in all Lebanon to emphasize the pivotal role of woman in bringing up a family away from extremism, illiteracy, terrorism, idleness and joblessness, as well as, working to build healthy societies up to contributing to the making of political and strategic decision at the level of the nation. (Al Mustaqbal, October 31, 2018)

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Former Mufti of the Republic intervenes to cancel LGBT party

31-10-2018

The former Mufti, Mohamad Rashid Qabani, appealed yesterday to the heads of cabinet, parliament and republic and to the AUB administration to ban and stop an LGBT dating/mixer night planned by the University’s Gender and Sexuality Club on October 30. Describing the event as a disgrace to all Lebanese that could bring about the Divine destruction of Lebanon, Qabani called for closing Madame Om Hamra venue, arresting the organizers and punishing the concerned interior ministry officer who gave the OK. In the footsteps of the Mufti, Dar al Fatwa reminded that it has always been “against all those who violate religious teachings and moral values of the holy books on which our society based its mores,” as he put it. Dar al Fatwa warned that it will prohibit homosexual persons from acting contrary to moral values. For its part, the AUB club announced on its Facebook page the canceling of the event, noting that it will issue a detailed statement on the subject later. On the other hand, Al Akhbar newspaper reported that the Lebanese State Security yesterday arrested HIV patient, Richard G. on charges of providing tattoo services in a beauty clinic in the Beirut neighborhood of Verdun, sealed the center with red wax. Al Akhbar pointed out that the law is not clear in banning an HIV positive person from practicing any profession, even a medical related profession, citing human rights jurists who questioned the right of the State Security department to expose or reveal the medical file of a detainee. Is this apparatus now hunting HIV/AIDS patients as dangerous criminals in a country lost between the rule of law and the confessional law, they asked. (Al Akhbar, Al Diyar, October 31, 2018)

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Honoring Amani Kabara Shaarani

30-10-2018

The Lebanese Media Foundation- Ruwad Min Lobnan honored on Friday the head of the Lebanese Council of Women, Dr. Aman Kabara Shaarani, for her contributions in the national, social and feminist fields and was handed the Shield of Ruwad as a pioneer figure in education and social work. On the occasion, the media coordination office, Mariam Beydoun, praised Kabara giving a synopsis of her career life. Kabara, Beydoun said, is a former professor at the Faculty of Education- Lebanese University. She was appointed director of the department in 1978, and chaired LCW from 1992 to 1996 and from 2008 to 2012. She headed the National Committee for the Follow-up on Women’s Issues (1996-2008) and represented LCW in many committees. She represented the Lebanese University at the Parliament and at several local and international conferences and lectured in various educational and women related matters, in addition to publishing a number of books and publications. Shaarani in turn, said her honoring in these circumstances is a joy to her, adding that her involvement in feminist action is an achievement which sought to blend in the various social groups in one national initiative. “One should admit the abilities, competencies and contributions of women in society as active and equal components on par with men,” Shaarani concluded. ( Al Mustaqbal, October 29, 2018)

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‘Ardi’ 7th exhibition returns to southern suburbs

29-10-2018

The 7th edition of ‘Ardi’ exhibition kicked off on Friday until November 6 at Sayyid al Shuhada complex in Beirut’s Southern Suburbs. The exhibition, run earlier by Jihad al Binaa foundation for development and interrupted for six years because of the precarious security, is back under a new and independent management. Some 650 key and secondary participants have reserved over 300 stands and booths, according to the information officer of the exhibition, Adel Ahmad. A quality control committee of six food specialists was formed to monitor all the stages of production up to packaging and display during the fair, Ahmad told Al Akhbar newspaper. He boasted that the new management has, for 45 days, trained participants on packaging methods that sell and inspire consumers and visitors to buy. Likewise, participants spoke to Al Akhbar about the return of the exhibition. Nuha from Baalbek and Nagham from Jezzine, agreed that the expo will help them market their rural products enabling them to get an extra income for their households. For her part, Raifa from Bint Jbeil, said she expects this exhibition, like the previous ones, to expand her networking with urban customers who already started sending their requests of goodies. And what is unique at this year’s exhibition, Al Akhbar wrote, is that it initiated online shopping via its social media pages allowing customers to reserve the food or handicraft products they pick. (Al Akhbar, October 27, 2018)

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Lebanon committed to agenda on women, peace and security

29-10-2018

The head of Lebanon’s Permanent Mission to the UN, Ambassador Amal Mdalalli, on Saturday said her country is witnessing a more active participation of women at all levels of governance and in leadership positions. Mdalalli, who was speaking during a UN open discussion on ‘women, peace and security’, explained that the security sector is seeing a qualitative leap in this direction, especially with the Lebanese Army’s reliance on a strategy aimed to ensure gender equality. Lebanon remains strongly committed to a comprehensive approach to the above, pointing out that during last May’s parliamentary elections, despite the modest outcome of winning females (only six lawmakers), there has been a record number of women nominees. Women, she stated, are active in the political dynamics and in the nation’s future on par with their male peers. The National Commission for Lebanese Women (NCLW), on a mandate from the government, has held six consultation sessions between April and July 2018 that were translated into the first national action plan related to the UN Resolution 1325, Mdalalli said, which is expected to be approved by the upcoming government. However, in Lebanon, like other parts of the world, there remain loopholes and gaps that hinder the full achievement of the agenda on women, peace and security, Mdalalli said, calling for addressing such gaps through a comprehensive legal approach to this effect. (Al Mustaqbal, October 29, 2018)

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My Nationality Campaign stresses speedy amendment of nationality law

29-10-2018

My Nationality is A Right for Me and My Family campaign screened ‘Lebanon my motherland’ film which covers testimonies of children of Lebanese mothers from various nationalities and affiliations who face many challenges and obstacles in their lives. During the press conference held on October 26 and attended by representatives of civil society and international organizations, the Campaign renewed its demand to amend the nationality law to include the right of Lebanese women in passing nationality to their children. The campaign’s coordinator, Karima Chebbo, criticized the unresponsiveness of politicians who, in their elections speeches, pledged to give priority to end discrimination against Lebanese women and rectify the nationality law to this effect. Today, however, Chebbo lamented, there remains only one draft bill submitted by the Democratic Gathering lawmaker Hadi Abulhissen. The Campaign, Chebbo maintained, rejects insinuations by certain political factions to the issuance of so-called green card or temporary passport, refusing to accept any compromises. The only solution, she said, is a fair nationality law that ensures equality between all citizens, men and women to the end of social justice. Chebbo concluded by saying, the campaign will follow up the referral of the draft law to the concerned parliamentary committees and will stage parallel mobilization and advocacy actions on ground. My Nationality Campaign, she stressed, will not rest until the law is modified, warning that it will not concede any approach to women’s rights through narrow sectarian and demographic perspectives. (Al Hayat, L’Orient Le Jour, October 27, 2018)

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Iranian women exceptionally attend one football match

26-10-2018

For the first time in the history of the Islamic Revolution, the Iranian authorities allowed women to watch from inside the stadium the country’s national team playing against Bolivia, Al Akhbar reported today. The decision came after approval by Tehran Central Insurance of a request submitted by Iran’s Football Federation’s to this effect, where specific seats were allocated for Iranian women which prevents their mixing with men. Al Akhbar wrote that while football supporters and fans were optimistic about the step, which could at some point in the future, okay women’s access to stadiums, the euphoria did not last. The next day following the Iranian league’s match, authorities again prevented women from entering. To clarify the subject, attorney general of Iran, Mohammad Jafar Montazeri, said allowing females into stadiums will not be repeated, warning any official who attempts to do under any condition or pretext, according to Mehr News Agency. Since the onset of the Islamic Revolution in 1979, authorities in Iran have banned women from attending athletic contests, namely, men’s soccer matches and wrestling, noting that there is no official ban or law to this end. The local authorities have been enforcing orders on women, unjustified. (Al Akhbar, October 26, 2018)

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Provocative SM page to combat marriage of minors

26-10-2018

In a special feature today, Al Akhbar highlighted a campaign that has gone viral two days ago on social media and which allegedly sells young girls for men who prefer child brides, but which stresses that it is only an attempt to raise awareness on child marriage! The party behind it, which is still anonymous, believes it is an innovative and novel idea, Al Akhbar wrote. “I have Lebanese girls, Syrians are sold out”, the owner of the number enlisted on the Facebook page answers one of the callers, and addes, “We will visit the Sheikh together to check it out, need to know what age you are looking for,” Al Akhbar wrote. The website posts the photos of two young girls, each accompanied with a brief profile. The Lebanese Women Democratic Gathering did not wish to comment on the awareness intention behind said campaign, while ABAAD organization voiced its reservation despite “the many violations of the principles of child protection employed in the campaign”, it said. On the subject, the Cybercrime Bureau told Al Akhbar, but did not elaborate, that it is currently monitoring the page, not aware that the page has been closed on Wednesday, after receiving a large number of complaints by viewers who were provoked by the ideas it imparts on trafficking in underage girls. In conclusion, Al Akhbar described the campaign as a stupid, irresponsible attempt to combat trafficking of child girls, wondering about the legal explanation of posting the images of two young girls on its FB account. (Al Akhbar, October 26, 2018)

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New breakthrough: Ethiopia appoints first female president

26-10-2018

After achieving gender parity in government, Ethiopia’s parliament on Thursday unanimously elected Sahle Work Zewde as the country’s first female head of state after the resignation of President Malato Chome. Zewde is 4th president since the adoption of the 1995 Constitution which states that the president will be elected for a maximum of two 6-year terms. To recall, Zewde is the special representative of the UN Secretary General Antonio Guterres to the African Union, and has served as ambassador of her country to France, Djibouti and Senegal as well as the permanent representative to the Intergovernmental Authority on Development (IGAD), the regional bloc of East Africa. Born in Addis Ababa, Zewde, who studied in France, is currently the only female head of state in Africa. In her inaugural address, she welcomed the reforms introduced by prime minister Abiy Ahmed who took office last April, notably his appointment of a cabinet with half the posts taken up by women (c.f: https://goo.gl/1j2DS6). She promised to stress the role of women in promoting peace and upholding their peace accomplishments, calling on the government to end poverty with the full participation of women. (Al Diyar, Al Mustaqbal, October 26, 2018)

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Hopefully one day in Lebanon: A cabinet with 50% women in Ethiopia 
 

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