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Intaliqi – Arabic for “set yourself free” – is an association which aims at empowering women through a series of skills-based programs. It empowers marginalized women located in the geographical area extending from Beirut to the Beqaa, while offering training, and aid assistance, so as to help women become more active and productive in their communities. The organization which was founded in 2013 by Zeina al-Zein and Lynn Tabbara, targets women in need of assistance regardless of nationality (i.e. Lebanese, Syrian or Palestinian women). More than 30 refugee camps are now receiving aid from Intaliqi, including much-needed food and medical supplies. In Majdal Anjar, the organization has leased a piece of farmland where up to 20 women from the nearby camps of Marj are currently working. The women learn how to plant and harvest crops, thus acquiring skills that can be useful for their future, and enabling them to reach a higher level of economic independence. Another empowerment program is the Ramadan kitchen located in Dalhamieh. The kitchen facilities, is fully equipped to prepare Ramadan meals. Hot meals prepared by women are then distributed in various refugee camps where Intaliqi is currently working. (The Daily Star, 24 June 2015)

The presidency of Saint Joseph University in Beirut disclosed a deed of agendum with celebrated author and novelist Emily Nasrallah by which the latter grants USJ the rights of over 17 documents of her literary works to the University’s Oriental Library. The works include articles in the press over the period of 15 years in addition to unpublished research and studies by Nasrallah and all that has been written about her. USJ President Professor Saleem Dakkash described the moment as “very dear” to the academic institution owing to the cultural value in Lebanon and the Arab region of an author whose works portrayed the spirit of the Lebanese village. To be noted, Nasrallah’s works have been translated into several languages, mainly, German, Finnish, English, Thai and Spanish among others. Pleased and relieved with this step, Nasrallah said “these manuscripts are now in safe hands”. Dakkash on the other hand announced the hosting of a ceremony to inaugurate the pavilion devoted for the author at the Oriental Library. (An Nahar, 23 June 2015)

The regular General Assembly of the Order of Nurses in Lebanon held its special session yesterday at Beit al Tabib in Beirut to discuss and endorse the financial and administrative statement in the presence of Antoine Romanas, representing the Health Minister. Former Order president Helen Samaha Nuwaihid outlined in her speech the Order’s accomplishments in the past three years and congratulated the newly winning President by acclamation Dr. Nuhad Yazbik Dumit. The session then moved to discuss the agenda by citing and discussing the administrative report and passing the 2014 budget followed by announcing the names of candidates and beginning the electoral process. After counting the votes, the ballot office announced the results as follows:
- Order Council membership, university degree holders: Shams Hassan Issa and Rabia Sakht Sidi and technical degree holders Abir Saleh Edelbi
-Disciplinary Council membership of university degree holders, Mariette Wehbeh Majdalani and university professor of nursing by acclamation Lina Afif Younan.
- Pension and Financial Aid Fund membership of university degree holders, Christia Shakib Suaibi, Tamar Ohanes Mkardashian, Nazik Antounios Azar and Gizelle Chemali Hajal, and of technical degree Rula Iskandar Adem and Gladis Maroun Antakli. (Al Diyar, Al Mustaqbal, 22 June 2015)

Lawyer Ghadeer Alayli signed yesterday his book entitled ‘The Right of the Lebanese Woman to pass nationality to her children’ at the Beirut Bar Association following a seminar on the subject. Alayli presented the highlights of his Master's dissertation on the acquisition of the Lebanese Nationality as stipulated in the last paragraph of Article 4, Decree No. 15 “1925/s”, which he included in his book. “Jurisdiction has a role in protecting families and disadvantaged groups, and has the remit to prevent discrimination against women, and therefore against their children, particularly in the event of the legislator’s abstention from practicing his role in amending or revising laws in line with society’s evolution,” Alayli wrote. According to Al Akhbar newspaper, Article 4 comes in two parts, one involving minor children's entitlement to the Lebanese nationality, be they of a Lebanese mother or father. Alayli, however, bases his study on the second part of above article, focusing mainly on two important legal facts: first, the extent of public commitment to the right of women to pass their nationality to their children, and secondly the permissible edge of jurisdiction in this specific text. Alayli asserts that the content of this text is controversial, while arguing that jurisprudence is not restrictive and can sanction the right of women to transmit her nationality to her underage children. He also argued that the current legal text was drafted in a patriarchal spirit which considers the father to be the ‘breadwinner’, pointing out that many developments since then have disproved this statement. Finally, Alayli put forward three levels of interpretations regarding the last paragraph in Article 4 which can largely facilitate the work of justice. (Al Akhbar, 19 June 2015)

A group of Palestinian associations and institutions, including the Palestinian Civil Committee, began developing programs to train women to become professional Palestinian dress embroiderers. PCC Women's Committee officer Amina Awad noted that her association is focusing its activities on the revival and promotion of popular Palestinian traditions, especially among the young generation in the Palestinian camps. This endeavor comes in response to piracy and confiscation attempts by the Israeli Occupation, Awad added, that the purpose of the workshops is to invoke heritage as a means to revive Palestinian culture and uphold the national identity. According to Awad, the outcome of the first training round was promising, with the participation of women of 18 years and above. Products from the training were displayed in an exhibition in order to support financially the families of Palestinian martyrs, empower women and encourage them to work. (Al Diyar, 19 June 2015)

As part of its aim to support women role in political life, ‘Loubnaniyoun’ Association launched a joint platform agreed with several Lebanese parties and aiming at designing plans to speed up women’s access to leading political and decision making positions at the level of parties and national institutions. In this respect, a delegation of the organization headed by Nadine Daher visited the offices of the Progressive Socialist Party in Beirut. To be noted, a large conference will soon be held to formally launch the platform following the endorsement of the document by the various political parties involved in this initiative (Tayyar Al Marada, Future Movement, Free Patriotic Movement, Jamaa Islamiya, Amal Movement, Hizbullah Party, PSP, Lebanese Forces Party and the Lebanese Kataeb Party). In preparation for the document, Loubnaniyoun organized a series of meetings with the motto ‘women in politics’ bringing together women party representatives to review the role of women in public life so as to draft a joint action plan that will support the active participation of women within the political parties and national institutions. (Al Mustaqbal, 19 June 2015)

‘When employers meet with domestic workers, is the title of a conference organized yesterday by ‘Insan’ Association under the patronage of Labor Minister Sajaan Azzi. The conference which coincides with the International Domestic Workers Day was opened with a presentation of challenges facing migrant workers in Lebanon and the role of the Ministry in improving their conditions. Head of Inspection at the Labor Ministry, Jumana Haimur, tacked in her intervention the new measures introduced by the Ministry to end abuse of domestic workers, and which include: supervising recruitment agencies, activating the role of field inspectors, in addition to the signing of new bilateral memorandums of understanding with countries of origin. In this respect, the head of the Syndicate of Owners of Recruitment Agencies in Lebanon, Hisham Burji, underlined the need for introducing a compulsory insurance that compensate the employer in the event of the domestic worker leaving her employer’s house. According to Burji, the introduction of this new insurance will restrict infringements on the freedom of movement of the domestic worker or withholding her passport. The Conference was concluded with both employers and workers agreeing on the need for reforming the present “Kafala” sponsorship system. (Al Mustaqbal, 18 June 2015)

L’Orient Le Jour daily published a feature on June 13 on the challenges of Permaculture in Lebanon quoting 8 women farmers from Qosaybeh village located in the southern mohafazat of Nabatieh. These eight women were trained on the principles of that sustainable form of agriculture and have prepared the land for the cultivation of tomato, besides lemon, lettuce and tobacco. The training workshop was held in the village of Saydoon, in Jezzine was organized by “Toorab” environmental association with the participation of 12 people including women from Qosaybeh. According to Rita Khawand from Toorab the training session focused on practical rather than on theoretical knowledge. For his part, agriculture engineer, Fadi Kanso clarified that environmental trends in Lebanon have been developing slowly but surely due to the difficulty encountered in introducing new innovative agricultural techniques to the and instead of reliance of conventional techniques, using mainly pesticides and fertilizers. It should be noted that the Permaculture approach which emerged in Australia in the seventies is based on agricultural and human approaches that are designed to be environmentally sustainable, self-sufficient, and is aimed at alleviating the human and automated work. A world day of Permaculture is celebrated each year on May 3rd. (L’Orient Le Jour, 13 June 2015)

Media activist Hayat Mirshad refused on June 10 to appear before the Cyber crime Bureau in Beirut on charges of libel and slander on cyberspace as per the complaint of plaintiff Tony Khalifeh, a local media figure. Mirshad to be recalled has criticized Khalifeh on the his handling of the subject of violence against women, particularly the video aired on most TV channels showing a lawyer beating his wife in public and then justifying his act on Khalifeh’s program. Activists staged on June 10 a sit in at the Barracks of Martyr Colonel Joseph Daher in solidarity with Mirshad. The protest aimed to “provide support for Mirshad in the face of conservative and reactionary thought seeking to suppress and silence progressive feminist voices” as was announced in the invitation. For his part, Lawyer Nizar Saghieh, following up on the case, explained that in the event of a lawsuit against a journalist, he or she are not to be questioned by judicial police, but by the competent judge in the presence of an attorney, so as to prevent intimidation of journalists at police stations. According to Saghieh, Judge Karam initially refused to summon Mrashad on the grounds that she is not a member of the Syndicate of Journalists, notwithstanding the documents which clearly support her claim. However, the Judge under public pressure was forced to reverse his decision and asked the Cyber crime Bureau to close the file. (L’Orient Le Jour, 16 June 2015)

The Notaries of Lebanon rejected a circular by the General Security Directorate which calls on them not to formally recognize all forms of emotional relationship between foreign migrant domestic workers of the third and fourth categories. The Council of Notaries Chief Raymonde Bashur Sakr appealed in two letters to the Interior and Justice Ministries five days ago to cancel the above decision which violates both the International Convention for Human Rights and the Lebanese Constitution that protects public freedoms. However, no final decision regarding the implementation of that official directive was taken, Sakr explained, adding that the decision is still binding and can be only repealed by the Ministry of Justice. However, she noted that some notaries have refused to abide by the GS circular. It is worth mentioning here, the Legal Agenda and other associations sent a detailed memo earlier on May 13 calling for cancellation of Circular 1778 (for more info, press here). For its part, the GS reply which justified the purpose of the circular was even more appalling than the decision itself. The reply went on to argue inconvincibly that the precautionary measure was not intended to prevent marriages or to interfere in personal matters of citizens or resident workers but aimed at protecting the integrity and the social role of the family, while respectful of the residency requirements. (Al Akhbar, 16 June 2015)