Other news

The United Nations High Commission of Refugees, UNHCR, announced that it nominated Rima al Sabbah, to replace actress Angelina Jolie as the Good Will Ambassador for the Organization. Al Sabbah, the Lebanese wife of Kuwait’s Ambassador to Washington, was chosen in recognition of her contributions to humanitarian action, the UNHCR announcement added. On her part, Al Sabbah, said she was honored to be selected, and promised to work on bringing increased support for Syrian refugees in neighboring countries. She pledged to help UNHCR in delivering urgent aid to parts of the world in dire need of it, particularly the Middle East region. 

(ٍSource: L’Orient Le Jour, February 2, 2015). 

 

The Women Sector of the Future Movement organized last Friday its second General Assembly at the Qalamoun coordination.  The first GA was held last Tuesday in Beirut within the framework of the ongoing preparations of the feminist agenda which aims at developing a road map for strengthening women’s role in the public sphere notably at the level of decision making and influencing public opinion.  Coordinators and committee members from Tripoli, Akkar, Kura, Minieh, Dennyeh, Byblos, Batroun and Zghorta took part in this event which focused on reviewing women’s realities as well as the identification of work priorities.   The general coordinator of the women’s sector at the Future Movement, Afifeh el Sayyed, reiterated that the main aim of developing the feminist agenda is to challenge discrimination against women in laws and rights as well as in practices and attitudes.  Al Sayyed added that the purpose is also to develop a contemporary vision which is in line with the liberal nature of the Future Movement and to highlight concerns related to women and improve their conditions and positions.  Similarly to the previous one held in Beirut, the GA also included sessions which looked at the challenges that women face politically and socially.  Participants were divided into working groups which discussed their suggestions for strengthening women’s participation in the Future movement as well as at all levels within the state.  To be noted that the Future Movement will conclude its GA meeting next Friday in the Beqaa through the holding of the last GA with participation from Mid and West Beqaa, Baalbaq and 3rsaal.

 

(Source: Al-Mustaqbal 31 January, 2015)

 

The vice president of the National Commission for Lebanese Women, Ms. Randa Berri, noted that challenging terrorism is not only within the remit of the armed forces in our countries but is everybody’s responsibility including women.  Berri was speaking at the opening of the 35th session of the Commission for Arab Women which was held in Cairo last Saturday under the slogan: “We are one woman”.  Ms Berri, who headed the NCLW delegation to the event, reiterated the importance of addressing issues of concern related to women with special needs on the agenda of the Commission.  She called on her colleagues to set up an emergency committee to address emerging challemges threatening Arab societies and particularly women. The Consultant to the President of the Women’s Committee at the League of Arab State, Dr. Inas Mekkaoui, introduced the report compiled by the Committee over the last three years and resented the Cairo Declaration for Arab Women which is entitled “Arab Women’s Post-2015 Development Agenda”.

(Source: Al-Diyar 31 January, & Annahar 2 February, 2015)

 

The Youth Group of the Progressive Socialist Party and the Justice Commissioner of that party organized yesterday a symbolic sit-in at the Samir Kassir plaza in support of optional civil marriage in Lebanon. Youth groups from the National Liberal Party, Kataeb, Democratic Renewal Movement, and other party and civil activists also joined in.  During the sit-in, the PSP's Justice Commissioner, Nashat Hosseiniyeh, read the statement on behalf of the protesters in which he condemned the failure to process civil marriages contracted in Lebanon thus undermining the achievements so far namely the fact that the state has recognized civil marriages contracted in Lebanon and authorized their registration.  Hassnyeh insisted on the need to abide by the decisions of the legislative council of the Ministry of Justice and which authorized the registration of civil marriages contracted in Lebanon and thus complete all the necessary paperwork.  He also asked Parliament to approve the project lay on optional civil family code which will liberate many Lebanese from the imposed confessional constraints.  Hassnyeh concluded by noting that any failure to complete such procedure is a professional infarction which should be penalized by the law.

(Source: Annahar & Al-Mustaqbal 30 January, 2015)

 

The Loubanioun association held yesterday a discussion session on issues related to women’s work within political parties.  Women representatives of the PSSP, Future, Amal, Jamaa Islamyah, Hezbollah, Lebanese Forces, Free Patriotic Movement, Phalangist and Marada parties were in attendance.

During the meeting, Myrna Zakharia from the Marada party spoke about the relation between CSOs and political circles, saying that politicians have had enough lessons from CSOs as criticism from the outside is easier than working from the inside.  She added that many CSO individuals made their ways into political parties but could not practice what they preached.  She further added that if CSOs consider all politicians to be corrupt, then it is useless to address demands to them and if they considered that they are good, then they should not waste time criticizing them.  She also lambasted CSOs for their criticism of the prorogation of the Parliament and said that although it is a bad practice, CSOs are not well positioned to criticize politicians, as it is also a common practice within CSOs.  She concluded by saying that there are 100 fold more CSOs in Lebanon than there are political parties and there are good people on both sides.  She called on CSOs to refrain from systematically criticizing and condemning politicians because they themselves are no worse and no better.

 

(Source: Al-Diyar 29 January, 2015)

 

In its issue of last Monday, An Nahar newspaper highlighted a flagrant discrimination against women in civil service notably the memorandum which was posted a few weeks ago on the civil service website calling for applicants for Category 3 in the Ministry of Foreign Affairs and which included 7 eligibility criteria.  One of these criteria requires that women applicants be “single” and should be able to prove her status.  The newspaper described this criteria as being unfair and discriminatory.  According to a source in the said Ministry, there were some attempts during the last ten years to review these criteria but to no avail in view of various political obstacles.  The source in the Ministry denied the accusation of discrimination and cited a number of women in diplomatic positions, (namely 36 employees), who are married.

Former Minister of Foreign Affairs, Fawzi Sallukh, said that these criteria are drawn from a law approved on 18/6/1976 (by-laws of the Ministry), adding that he received no complaints on that matter during his mandate despite the fact that calls for recruitment were issued several times.  He reiterated that achieving gender equality and equal opportunities is a legitimate cause.  He added however that, unfortunately, the general situation in Lebanon is “unstable” and that addressing such issues is “secondary” matter.

In commenting the news, Maya Ammar, Kafa’s media spokesperson, noted that this matter is unacceptable especially since it does not equally apply to men and that it is a gross discrimination against women and a measure that blocks women’s participation in public life.  Ammar added that such discrimination causes economic and moral prejudice to women and is in gross violation of the international Conventions that Lebanon has ratified and should adhere to namely CEDAW which was ratified in 1996.  The president of the Lebanese Working Women League, Iqbal Dughan, added that such criteria are in violation of the Constitution, and as such, the Civil Service Council should have rejected this clause.

 

(Source: Annahar 26 January, 2015)

 

The Rotary Beirut Cosmopolitan Club organized two days ago a dinner at the Phoenicia Hotel convened by its President, Ms. Lina al Shaer.  The event included a discussion on women’s empowerment as key to Lebanese society.  Al Shaer described the journey of women who joined the Rotary Club around the world, stating that the Rotary was exclusively male until 1987.  Presidential candidate, Nadine Mussa said that Lebanon is the second worst country worldwide after Brunei in terms of women’s participation in political life.  She added that her presidential candidacy was driven by her desire for change and to push Lebanese to think about alternatives to traditional candidates and to demonstrate that “women are better than men in politics”.

Princess Hayat Arslan considered that women remain marginalized in Lebanon because of traditions, general legislation and a particularly unfair electoral law which does not ensure proper representation and participation of women.  She added that the solution lies in adopting a contemporary electoral law which will include a women quota.  Arslan pointed out to injustice in the current religious family laws as well as the mutilation of the newly approved law to protect women from violence as well as custody laws which separate women from their children (at the age of 9 years for girls and 7 years for boys) and finally the fact that Lebanese women still cannot transmit their nationality to their families.  She concluded by saying that the solution is in adopting a civil family law.

 

(Source: Annahar 29 January 2015)

 

The Women Section of the Future Movement (FM) held its first General Assembly yesterday for the purpose of setting its feminist agenda as well as a road map for strengthening women’s role in decision making and opinion making.  The GA was held at the Future Movement centre in Qantari with the participation of members from the coordination committees in Beirut, Mount Lebanon, Hasbaya and Marjeyoun.  The Assistant General Secretary of Administrative Affairs in the Future Movement, Samir Dumit, reiterated the strong belief of his party in women’s presence in leadership positions as well as their strong participation in the public sphere.  He called on women to become the “mothers of the Future Movement”.  The coordinator of the women section, Afife al Sayyed, noted that the overall aim of the GA is to highlight concerns related to women and ways of improving their conditions and positions.  Various sessions were held during the GA in order to discuss the realities of women and the challenges to women’s social and political work.  Participants were divided into groups who discussed their vision for strengthening the participation and representation within the Future movement as well as at the level of state institutions.

 

(Source: Al-Mustaqbal 28 January, 2015)

 

Following the statement by the Ministry of Labor rejecting the legitimacy of the trade union of migrant domestic workers, the President of the General National Federation of Trade Union of Workers and Employees in Lebanon (FENASOL), Castro Abdallah, declared that the legitimacy of such trade union is not bestowed by the Ministry but rather by the fact that there are some 250,000 migrant domestic workers who do not enjoy their basic rights.  He compared the trade union to an “illegitimate child” denounced by the father but who cannot be denied the right to life.  Abdallah described the decision by the Ministry to withhold authorization for this new trade union as baseless.  He also questioned the legitimacy of authorizing, on the other hand, owners of employment offices the right to set up their union.  Abdallah wondered how traffickers can have the right to unionise.

According to Abdallah, the position of the Ministry is in total violation of international labor codes 87, 97 and 189 and of the International Human Rights Charter and the International Covenant of Social, cultural and economic rights.  He also added that the Ministry is also in total contradiction with the Cabinet which voted for the international convention for decent work number 189 at the 100th session of the ILO in June 2011.  Abdallah concluded by saying that the demands of migrant workers are economic and are within the remit of union work, hence the importance of creating a trade union which would protect their rights.  He also noted that the emerging trade union will also include Lebanese workers.

(Source: As-Safir & Al-Akhbar 28 January 2015)

 

Towards a “Union” for foreign domestic workers amidst threats from the Ministry of Labor