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Working mothers’ challenge after maternity

5-10-2018

Al Diyar newspaper wrote today that, at the end of the maternity leave, working mothers wonder which is better, to stay at home and care fulltime for her newborn or return to her regular job? While restarting her career could make her feel guilty for not devoting her time to her child, mothers also fear to quit work which gives them the feeling of accomplishment, and is an effective support for the partner in difficult times. According to Al Diyar, studies have shown that working from home generally affects the well-being and happiness of the employee, who while realizing higher flexibility and independence levels, feels less stable emotionally, and more stressful and exhausted. Despite the exhaustion a job causes, including long working hours and commuting, this work style helps employees in general, and working mothers, in particular, appreciate and enjoy themselves by meeting different people and communicating about different things. A working mother gives an example for her children that there are plentiful opportunities out there, the newspaper argued, adding that this does not necessarily mean neglecting them. It’s about raising independent children through relaying a sense of responsibility but not staying home around the clock. (Al Diyar, October 5, 2018)

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Canadian court defends the right of “mu7hajabats”

5-10-2018

The Quebec Court of Appeal ruled on Wednesday that a judge could not refuse to hear a woman who wears a veil. The top court decided unanimously that citizens can wear any religious attire inside the courtroom if it constitutes an honest religious belief and if they do not harm another person’s constitutional rights or the public interest. The decision came after Rania Alloul, a Muslim Canadian from Montreal, was denied access to the court in 2015 for putting a headscarf. Alloul launched a legal campaign to establish her right in standing before a judge in Canadian courts wearing a hijab. Quebec Court Judge then Eliana Marengo based her decision on the fact that any person should be ‘suitably dressed’ for a court proceeding, comparing Alloul’s wearing of a hijab to wearing sunglasses or hat. The 3-judge Appellate Court found that Judge Marengo did not take into account Alloul’s constitutional right in expressing her sincere religious beliefs. She based her ruling on the principle of secularism of the State which she erroneously believed to be part of the supreme court’s regulations, the 3-judge panel ruled. (Al Diyar, October 5, 2018)

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HRW demands reform of nationality law 

4-10-2018

Human Rights Watch said yesterday that Lebanon should amend the discriminatory nationality law to ensure that children and spouses of Lebanese women married to non-Lebanese have the right to citizenship similarly to Lebanese men. Lebanon must end all forms of discrimination against women and their spouses and children in the nationality law, HRW added. The organization called on the ministries of labor, health and education to adopt and publicize decrees that treat spouses and children of Lebanese women on par with the rest of Lebanese citizens to ensure they are not deprived of their basic rights and services. The organization maintained that the current nationality law discriminates against Lebanese women married to non-Lebanese and consequently against their children and spouses through denying them citizenship. The current law affects the lives of children and couples in all respects, including their legal residency and access to the job market, education, social services and subsidized medical care, and puts many children at risk of becoming stateless. The deputy Middle East director at Human Rights Watch, Lama Fakih, for her part, said the Lebanese parliament should amend the outdated nationality law that goes back to the French Mandate era because it has been causing unwanted and unjustified suffering for more than 90 years. Securing basic rights for the children and spouses of Lebanese women, like education and work, is a step in the right direction, Fakih said, but added, that confusing and piecemeal procedures cannot replace equal citizenship. (Al Liwaa, October 4, 2018)


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My Nationality is a Right for Me and My Family cooperation with Democratic Gathering
LF supports women’s full nationality right and draft bill from Democratic Gathering
 

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Graduation of women Republican Guards

4-10-2018

The Republican Guard Brigade hosted yesterday the graduation of women soldiers who completed their assigned training period. During the ceremony, Brigade Commander, Brigadier General Salim Feghali, addressed the graduates saying, “Your determination to join the army is yet another proof of the strength and courage of women and their fundamental role in society, in the various institutions, particularly in the security sector.” Concurrently, female soldiers in the Army’s commandos took part in a live combat exercise in Hanoush-Hamat training field and the adjacent coast. On the participation of women in the military, Al Diyar newspaper wrote today that in the framework of its strategy to build and rehabilitate the establishment, the Military has opted to accept scores of young Lebanese women degree-holders as military volunteers. This, the newspaper said, has improved the efficiency of the Army elements, and hence the speed of their responsiveness to their duties and their abilities to enhance their work, which increased overall productivity of the Army. Citing ministerial sources, Al Diyar said that after the experience proved successful, the near future will see more female military volunteers. (Al Diyar, Al Mustaqbal, October 4, 2018)

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Crisis of religious educators in the North lingers

3-10-2018

Al Diyar brought to light the fate of the religious educators in the North with the start of the new academic year which still hangs in the balance as a result of unkempt pledges made by political leaders prior to parliamentary elections to restore health insurance and financial grants from the UAE. The educators, Al Diyar wrote, asked Dar al Fatwa in Beirut to investigate the reasons behind suspension of the UAE allowances, grieving the humiliation they suffered in recent months at the doors of ministers and MPs to ask for compensating a medication, a doctor’s visit or school admission. The newspaper cited one religious educator who lamented being turned into beggars in their own country amidst a deafening silence from the Muftis of Tripoli and The Republic. On the subject, the newspaper revealed that the news of extension of the term of Mufti of Tripoli and the North, Malek Shaar, has been a shock to the teachers, as this will not change the stalemate. They sought to direct their anger to social media platforms but received instead oral notices of dismissal. Also, Al Diyar mentioned that the follow up committee on the rights of Akkar Muslim scholars is planning to escalate in the face of the ruling spiritual and political authorities after reaching the point of despair. Nearly 800 staff in the religious establishment, including imams, preachers and educators are disadvantaged, impoverished and deprived of their basic human rights. (Al Diyar, September 16, 19, 2018)


Previous related news:
Tripoli religious educators lament absence of justice
The issue of Tripoli religious women educators escalates

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Violence against children: Newborn girl abandoned inside a box in Minyara

3-10-2018

One week after the discovery of an abandoned infant in Saida (https://goo.gl/2aXzaz), a baby girl was found inside a plastic box at the entrance of a building occupied by Syrian refugees on the outskirts of Minyara. A Syrian family spotted her and took good care of her before the security squad arrived at the scene and began investigation. The newborn was transferred to Abdallah Rassi Government Hospital where a forensic doctor examined her condition pending the results of investigation to uncover the identity of her family. (Al Mustaqbal, October 2, 2018)


Previews related news:
Baby girl found in Saida, campaign highlights violence against children
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Jordan promotes gender pay equality

3-10-2018

The Jordanian minister for planning and cooperation, Marie Kaawar, stressed her country’s commitment to reduce the gender pay gap through electronic payroll services in sectors where women are concentrated, like education and health. Kaawar was speaking at the Equal Pay International Coalition (EPIC) event in New York. Recalling, that during this year the National Steering Committee for Pay Equity (NSCPE), founded in 2010, was recognized globally. As an umbrella of 17 institutions, NSCPE seeks to develop effective policies and practices that promote the principle of equal pay for work of equal value and reduce gender pay gap. Its main objective is to contribute to the Kingdom’s goal to increase women’s participation in the labor market as well as, socio-economic development gains generated by working females. The Committee also noted that the wage gap between the sexes in Jordan stands at 13.6% in the public sector and 14.2% in the private sector, and is visible in sectors occupied largely by women, like the health sector for example, where the gap reaches 31.8%, followed by education (30.2%). NSCPE said in conclusion that said gaps show that females are particularly concentrated in low-paying jobs and are paid less for the same work compared to males. (Al Hayat, September 30, 2018)

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Women Council discusses current economic situation

2-10-2018

The Women Leaders Council of Lebanon (WLC) led by its president Madiha Raslan, met the president of the Beirut Chamber of Commerce, Mohamad Choukeir, and discussed with him current economic issues in the presence of over 60 women leaders from various fields. Raslan, on the occasion, praised Choukeir for his support to WLC, calling for regular and head on meetings with officials to inform them of development and suggest ways to rebuild the economy and sustain its recovery. In turn, Choukeir maintained that all indicators point that the country has reached an insupportable situation where the State and the private sector are in the red. The situation, he stated, requires drastic solutions, notably, the formation of the cabinet, ending squandering and inadequate spending, cutting on recruitment and improving the pension system and other reform related matters. Choukeir warned that the various production sectors plan to escalate the situation if the formation of the government was delayed further, giving a 10-day or two- week ultimatum at the latest to that end. In conclusion, he emphasized the key role played by women in society and economy which gives an added value to the functions they play, stressing his full backing to any proposal that endorses women’s rights, or that strengthens their position and efficacy in public life. (Al Mustaqbal, Al Diyar, October 2, 2018)

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Violence against and exploitation of migrant workers in Lebanon

1-10-2018

The cycle of violence against female migrant domestic workers in Lebanon continues unabated. In the latest, the body of a young woman was found on Friday inside a bag in the area of Dekwaneh- Metn. Security forces arrived immediately to the scene and started investigation. Initial examination has showed that the victim, an Ethiopian national, received a blow to the head, while investigation is ongoing to uncover the identity of the assailant. Earlier on September 12, the body of an unidentified Ethiopian girl in her thirties was found strangled in the neighborhood of Naba’a. Police arrived and started investigation to determine the circumstances of the crime. The body was transferred to Baabda Government Hospital after the forensic doctor examined it. On the other hand, Al Mustaqbal reported on Thursday that after Russian and Ukranian women packed their lives in a suitcase to come to work in Lebanon, a number of them were mugged by the same ‘customer’ who paid for one-night sex and then stole what he paid them. (Al Mustaqbal, Al Akhbar, September 12, 27, October 1, 2018)

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Future women’s marathon to fight cancer

1-10-2018

The Future Movement’s Women’s Sector announced that it will be organizing a marathon on Sunday, November 7 under the theme, ‘Confront… don’t stop… stand up against cancer… stand up against violence… challenge obstacles that impede career progress’. The event, sponsored by prime minister Saad Hariri, will take place at the Beirut Corniche between Biel and Manara. The promotional video called on men and women, boys and girls, to actively participate and run for the cause to overcome the disease and challenge roadblocks to career development. More info on the following link: https://bit.ly/2RbnLVz. (Al Mustaqbal, October 1, 2018)

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