Other news

41 year old B. Kh. confessed to murdering his 27 year old wife some 10 days ago and then burying her in their home garden in Nabatieh.  B. Kh. confessed after the internal security undertook a dig of the garden in the presence of the Nabatyeh district attorney, Ghada Abou Karrum.  According to the statement issues by the ISF, the perpetrator confessed to killing his wife because of “personal and family disputes”.
The local newspapers had noted that the murder would not have been uncovered had it not been for the victim’s aunt who had reported her missing to the police.  When calling on the husband, the police was wary of his contradictory answers and also noticed that flies were gathering around a specific plot in his garden.
Source: Al-Akhbar 15 September 2014

A number of Lebanese, Syrian and Iraqi women and their children organized a sit in by the UN House to express their solidarity with women in Syria and Iraq and to condemn various forms of terrorism and violence against them.  Activists were also present at the sit-in which raised a warning regarding the undermining of women and against all fundamentalist and extremist groups which continue to violate women’s rights and dignity.  The sit-in was called for by the Rassemblement Democratique des Femmes Libanaises.  It included statements by Iraqi women who had arrived to Lebanon just some 10 days ago and who spoke about the suffering caused by fundamentalist groups including rapes, murder, FGM and trafficking.  Manar Zeaiter, member of RDFL, spoke about sexual violence and the fact that fundamentalist groups are subjecting women to rape, forced marriage, traffic and FGMM on a daily basis whilst it is impossible to accurately document these abuses.  As such, and given this level of violence against women, Zeaiter noted women had to act in the name of solidarity, and say no to violence.  Zeaiter also called on the international community and on public institutions all over the world to act seriously to stop funding fundamentalist groups and halt the long term repercussions of armed conflicts on women and ensure that the protection of women in armed conflict is on the agenda of all conferences, plans and strategies.
Source: Al-Diyar, Al-Akhbar, Al-Safir, Al-Mustaqbal, Al-Nahar 10 September 2014

Kafa Exploitation and Violence and the Legal Agenda launched yesterday a joint study entitled “Dreams for Sale: a journey of exploitation of migrant domestic workers from Nepal and Bangladesh”.  The study relies on semi structured interviews and the survey of migrant domestic workers from Nepal and Bangladesh currently in Lebanon or who had returned home.  The study also includes interviews with representatives of employment agencies as well as employers and officials who were asked about mechanisms and practices for recruiting workers from these two countries and their subsequent employment in Lebanon.
The study noted that migrant workers were duped in what concerns their conditions of work and their lives in Lebanon or were not given important information or were provided by false information by the middlemen.  The study exposed forced work subjected to migrant workers who are denied rest and weekends and whose papers were confiscated.  Other practices include forbidding them from going out alone, forcing them not to leave home, forbidding them from calling their families as well as subjecting them to physical and sexual violence.  The study notes that the sponsorship (kafala) system creates unjust relations of power amongst employers and employees.  This system has prevented workers from changing their work and employers and henceforth fleeing becomes the only way to terminate a poor work relation.
The study concludes with recommendations which would contribute to changing the mechanisms of recruitment as well as limiting exploitation of migrant workers.  These include strengthening the role of the state, exchanging bilateral agreements between Lebanon and countries of origin, strengthening control of employment agencies and limiting corruption, providing incoming migrant workers with sufficient and accurate information and holding accountable those who violate the rights of migrant workers.

Source: Al-Mustaqbal, Al-Safir, Al-Akhbar 9 September 2014

The organization “Say No to Violence” is getting ready to launch its “satchel and book” project which targets school children in poor and marginalized areas.  Abir Ghanem. In charge of immigration at Say No to Violence noted that the project will seek to address some of the needs of students namely in securing their books and stationary.  She reiterated the importance of enrolling children in schools, combating school dropout and social violence which are often the result of losing the family’s breadwinner and the inability of families to buy school material for their children.

Source: Al-Mustaqbal 9 September 2014

The Libanbel association which focuses on the rights and interests of children undertook the rehabilitation of a special room at the Baabda prison for women to allow children who are less than 13 years of age to meet with their incarcerated mothers and to improve the conditions of such visits.  The rehabilitation of that room has started on the second of September in collaboration with the general directorate of the internal security forces.

Source: Al-Diyar 9 September 2014

Thirty women decided to submit their candidacy for the next parliamentary elections and that is within the framework of an initiative launched by “Women in Front” and with the support of the “Women in Parliament” gathering which groups some 120 CSOs and women groups.  The new candidates expressed their refusal to the extension of the mandate of the current parliament while considering that move as a threat to democratic life which is the basis of Lebanon’s Constitution.  The Candidates also noted that the current electoral law is not ideal and does not reflect the aspirations of women.  They highlighted however that they will not miss a chance to exercise their leadership role and to prove themselves on the political scene. Women in Front called on all women wishing to present their candidacy for the electoral elections to come to participate next Wednesday 10th of September at 9:30 AM in the sit-in event in front of the Ministry of Interior in Sanaye3h.

Source: Al-Nahar 8 September 2014

Al Akhbar newspaper published a report about domestic violence which looked at this trend from the standpoint of various stakeholders even though the practice and results of violence remain similar.  The report dwells on the case of a woman abused by her brother who boasts about the violence he practiced against members of his family for many years and says that he has strived throughout his life to maintain the “unity” of his family.  The report also analyses various factors that lead to violent behavior within the family whilst noting that nothing excuses the perpetrator of violence as they have to bear the responsibility of their actions and no factor can be considered to be a direct cause of violence. According to the report, perpetrators of violence usually seek to control their victims and deal with them as objects.  Such people have low self esteem and are usually subdued vis-à-vis people whom they think are strong.
According to the report, violence is encouraged by many external factors mainly peer support and value.  Hence, it is important to understand the political, social, economic and educational sources which support, condone and protect domestic violence.  The report also provides illustrations of different forms of violence in Lebanon such as educational violence including moral and physical violence against students in schools, political violence through different forms of oppression, economic violence practiced by the state and holders of financial interests which usually collaborate to oppress economically-weak people, through for instance sabotaging the trade union movement for the review of the public salary scale.
Source: Al-Akhbar 5 September 2014

Al Akhbar newspaper published a report about the case of H.H. who confessed to raping more than 50 women over a period of 4 years, none of whom filed a legal procedure.  Of the total only 25 of victims, all aged over 50 years, lodged a complaint upon his arrest.  The report addresses the question of victims of rape who prefer to keep silent rather than acknowledge an act of rape.  The newspaper quotes a source in the investigation saying that the majority of women have not lodged a complaint against H.H. because of the conservative environment to which they belong whilst noting that most of the crimes occurred in the Shouf and the mountain area.  Psychologist Nadine Lahhoud noted that women do not come forward because they have been raised to be fearful especially in what concerns taboos.  She added that in cases of rape, society tend to blame women and problematise the issue in such a way that considers rapists to be innocent.
An activist noted that rapists are encouraged by the fact that they are likely to get away with their crimes because women will not dare say what happened and because sex is considered to be taboo by families and by society.  She added that women do not have enough trust to resort to the state.  She quotes training sessions on dealing with VAW between Kafa and the ISF where ISF members refrained from registering complaints by women victims of domestic violence because “these are private matters” or because they “have no time for chit chat”.
Source: Al-Akhbar 3 September 2014

Al Akhbar newspaper published a report about the rampant trend of marriage of underage girls coinciding with the next session of the Human Rights Council which will take place in Geneva on September 27th.  The issue of early marriage is on the agenda of the next HR Council meeting amongst its 40 items to be discussed.  According to the General Secretary of the NCLW, Fady Karam, the NCLW has prepared a law proposal to determine the legal framework of such practices.  The proposed law requests the consultation of a judge in order to secure a marriage license, short of which, the family has to pay a penalty.  Karam noted in his interview with Al Akhbar that according to the new law, families may request a marriage license from religious courts. He insisted on the need for harmonisation between religious and civil courts to ensure the protection of children.
The report noted that early marriages are on the rise in rural areas such as Akkar and the Beqaa.  Even though statistics are not available in Lebanon, UNICEF nevertheless noted that as a result of the Syrian crisis and the influx of 1.3 million displaced people, the trend has grown exponentially in displacement centres.  According to worldwide estimates, one of every nine girls is being forced to marriage before reaching 15 years of age.  Some girls are even forced to marry at six years of age.  The report underscores the negative impact of early marriage on health especially given the risks of repeated and forced pregnancy which is directly linked to maternal and infant mortality.

Source: Al-Akhbar 2 September 2014

Al Akhbar newspaper published a report on the implementation of the domestic violence bill number 293 and which was endorsed some four months ago whilst focusing on the trends followed by judges.  According to the report, some 16 cases have resorted to the law of which 11 were lodged by Kafa and 5 by lawyer Brigitte Chalabian, the director of Justice without Borders.  According to Leyla Awada, lawyer at Kafa, the emerging problem related to the gaps and differences amongst judges in requesting protection orders, hence the difficulty in setting up a standard mechanism for women victims of violence to resort to.  Awada added that verdicts also differ depending on the judge’s background and mindset regarding the different forms of violence against women and its relation to power.  She also notes that the law does not clearly defines a number of terms leaving this to the judge’s discretion and interpretation as the categories of VAW included in the law did not clearly stipulate what the penalties should be.
Chalabian noted for her part that the biggest problems will arise once there will be requests for continuance and in cases of divorce as there will be an overlap in three laws namely: the domestic violence bill, the law to protect underage children and personal status laws.  She wondered what will happen if there are differences between religious and civil courts noting that the law has given religious courts the prerogatives of appealing civil laws.  Thus, the domestic violence would have only protected women from violence but not for example from being separated from their children.

Source: Al-Akhbar 2 September 2014