Other news

A Saudi women delegation arrived to Lebanon last week to encourage gulf citizens and Arabs in general to visit Lebanon and spend the summer there.  MP Bahia al Hariri greeted the delegation and expressed her appreciation vis-à-vis the role that Saudi Arabia is playing in Lebanon in the most difficult circumstances.  The Lebanese Consul in Jeddah, Ziad Atallah, emphasized the importance of this visit which highlights the active role of women in KSA.
MP Hariri also organised a dinner upon the invitation of former MP Saad Hariri to welcome the delegation.  The dinner was attended by the PM's wife, Lama Tammam Salam as well as the former PM's wife, Huda Siniora and Minister Alice Shabtini and wives of ministers, MPs and Arab ambassadors as well as women representatives of the media and CSOs. It is to be noted that Saudi women delegation had done a number of visits to various Lebanese locations and met with several ministers, MPs and key figures.
Source: Al-Mustaqbal 23 June 2014

The “Youth Sexual and Reproductive Health Working Group” at the Faculty of Health Sciences at the American University of Beirut organised the day before yesterday a workshop for the media entitled “Engaging media in raising awareness about reproductive and sexual health for young people in Lebanon”.  According to Al Akhbar newspaper that covered the workshop, participants agreed that women face much more societal constraints which restrict their sexual practices. The newspaper noted that sexuality and everything directly or indirectly related to it remain one of the major taboos related to "moral norms”.  As a result, the public may find it difficult to accept the result of studies that indicated that 8% of the youth acknowledge having sex whilst 50% say that they do not have a problem with sex before marriage.
Dr. Faysal Kak from AUB noted that these figures are indicative of the changes taking place in society and which need to be addressed rather than denied.  Kak added that research findings should be translated into policies which the media could contribute in implementing and disseminating.  However, Kak further adds that generally the way in which the media approaches sexual health lacks appropriate understanding of a proper conceptual framework as well as knowledge of global transformations and the understanding of the linkage between gender and sexual health.
Kak added that the increase in the average age of marriage (from 24 years for men and 20 years for women in 1970, to 33 years and 29 years in 2012, respectively) has led to an increasing gap between puberty age 15 years and marriage age 30 years which has had dangerous repercussions namely sexual coercion, STDs, abortion, unwanted pregnancies and other problems.  He highlighted that awareness raising on sexual and reproductive health needs to target all of society and not just women.  According to Kak, women need to become more reconciled with their bodies both in terms of physical and mental health as this will lower the levels of problems and diseases caused by lack of awareness.
Participants in this event spoke of a number of media-related problems namely the treatment by the media of sexuality which tends to be vulgar.  This leads to a fierce reaction within society and especially from religious officials who tend to defend their interests as men in restraining women's sexuality.  Participants concluded that awareness interventions should go beyond the mainstream media channels.  They added that the communication of true information is likely to change behavior and would ground the idea that sexual rights should be enjoyed by both women and men.
Source: Al-Akhbar, Al-Safir 19 June 2014

“Nahar al Shabab” organised in collaboration with the Friedrich Ebert Foundation a training workshop which was held in 7arissa within the framework of the LYLOT-2 programme which seeks to train young people from different political allegiances and regions in areas of communication, conflict resolution, positive change and implementation of development projects.
One of the organizers of the workshop belonging to Nahar al Shabab, Mario Ghorayeb, clarified that the training which targeted 75 people aims to develop policies for addressing daily needs. It also intended to create opportunities for the youth to interact with each other and exchange expertise and knowledge. The first training session focused on communication and conflict resolution and included discussions and viewing of short films on the communication skills.  The second session included a 1.5 hours test during which participants were asked to respond to a question on the power of civil society and local problems.  The third session focused on decentralisation, its pros and cons and the challenges towards its implementation. The event was concluded with an evaluation session after which 25 people will be selected to participate in the second stage of the project.
Source: Al-Nahar 19 June 2014

The women sector of the Fikr wa Hayat organized yesterday in Be7nine in Danniyeh a workshop on the family violence law within the framework of it Women Empowerment III project which the organization is implementing with funding from the American Embassy in Beirut.  MP Kathem al-Kheir of the Future Movement spoke about the family violence law and about its development within the parliamentary commissions to reach its present form.  He also spoke about its rationale, objectives and importance.  The coordinator of the women section in the Future Movement, Nabila Halwani, stressed the importance of women’s education so that women start demanding their rights.  She added that violence against women increases when there are no laws to curb it.  She also noted that abusers were themselves abused as this matter is related to education and home environment.
Rita Sayydeh explained the clauses of the new law and demanded that MPs protect women’s dignity with the law.
Source: Al-Mustaqbal 17 June 2014

Al Mustakbal published an interview with French novelist Annie Arnoux in which she talks about her latest book “Look at the Lights, Honey” published by Editions Seuil.  The book tackles a new subject pertaining to daily life namely shopping and supermarkets.  The author explains that this space (the supermarket) is not just a place for shopping necessities but carries many other dimensions.  Arnoux notes that the supermarket has not gained a literary interest because it is a feminine space and because most writers live in Paris and do not go to supermarkets and to the “grande surface” which are located in the suburbs.
In her book, Arnoux speaks of the social and economic realities imposed by supermarkets and the shopping process which has codified one’s desires.  She adds that people normally cannot resist shopping during sales or during specific times of the year.  Supermarkets have also influenced acts of love as loving a child means buying him/her all that is possible.  Arnoux criticizes children’s games and the way these are marketed which are often crude and vulgar.  She adds that in her childhood, she used to play with dolls however, with the changing lifestyles, and the increase in women working, toys now include electric cleaners, make up, household cleaning utensils, etc…
Source: Al-Mustaqbal 16 June 2014

Al Hayat newspaper published a report about Arab women's political participation especially following the recent series of revolts in the region.  The report notes that Arab women are still excluded from decision making although they constitute half of society.  The report also notes that there are growing concerns that women may lose gains made with the return of traditional gender roles in the region.
The report presents information on a regional project entitled “Strengthening the role of parties and unions to enhance women’s political participation”, which is implemented by a number of organisations in the Arab region namely: The Feminist Studies Centre (Palestine), Centre for Egyptian Women's Legal Assistance (Egypt), Arab Institute for Human Rights (Tunisia and Morocco), Rassemblement Democratique des Femmes Libanaises (Lebanon).  The project is funded by Oxfam Novib and the European Union and seeks to break the traditional image which associates women's political participation with particular age and profession groups.  The project targets the youth and aims at boosting women’s participation at the decision making levels and not just within the rank and file of political parties and trade unions.
The regional coordinator of the project, Manar Zeaiter from RDFL, notes that women are significantly present in Lebanese political parties and trade unions but do not take part in decision making.  She added that women in political parties do not carry a women agenda and do not act to demand for women's rights.  The project thus will focus on organising seminars and workshops for women in collaboration with political parties and trade unions on issues important for women such as family laws, women's work and other issues.  Zeaiter notes that independent women are also targeted by the project through the organisation of training workshops on political participation.  As such the project will target women who would like to participate in municipal or parliamentary elections and who have had some experience in this field so that they are able to overcome obstacles such as patriarchal mindsets.
Source: Al-Hayat 12 June 2014

Al Nahar newspaper of today reported in its security and judicial news section that, "Adugna Freeza, a women domestic worker, of Ethiopian nationality, was found dead inside her room at her employer’s house, in the town of Kal7at in Koura, after dying from asphyxiation with a hair tie, and that investigations are being conducted to find out the causes of her death”. The reporting of this piece of news, in this form is indeed a cause of great concern and raises serious questions about the role of the associations working to protect domestic workers, particularly in view of their responsibility to shed lights on the true circumstances of the death. Also worrying is the lack of attention by the media, notwithstanding the National News Agency which reported the event in only one sentence.
Source: Al-Nahar 12 June 2014

The investigation judge in Mount Lebanon, Peter Germanos, requested in a presumptive decision, that M.M. accused of murdering his wife, Ruqaya Munther, with a shot gun, be charged with murder according to article 549, clause 4 of the penal code which is subject to capital punishment.
On the other hand, the Council for the Development of Chekka organized earlier this week a seminar on violence against women during which, former Minister Mona Ofeishe intervened along with the deputy DGS of the Communist party, Mary Debs who noted that violence against women is not only domestic but also includes social, political and legal discrimination.  She added that the solution to break the circle of violence is to find a unified civil family code.  Ofeishe spoke about the causes of violence and insisted on the need for new laws and legislations.  She noted that the law to protect women from domestic violence which was endorsed last April was below the expectations of civil society and of women in general and hoped that it will be revised shortly.
Within the same vein, the International Centre for Humanities in Jbail-Byblos affiliated to the UNESCO organized earlier this week an art exhibit to reflect the realities of the life of a Jordanian survivor of childhood violence.  The event was under the auspices of the Minister of Social Affairs represented by the director of the local center of the Ministry of Social Affairs, Dolly Shami and organized by the Lebanese Council to Resist Violence Against Women (LECORVAW).  LECORVAW president, Laura Sfeir, noted that the event is a great step towards changing the lives of abused women as art is a form of expression that is also an important therapy.  Shami for her part spoke of the diverse interventions undertaken by her Ministry to combat gender based violence.
Source: Al-Mustaqbal, Al-Mustaqbal, Al-Nahar 11 June

Smart centre for media and advocacy launched yesterday a series of workshops in South Lebanon as part of the second phase of its She-Leads project.  The event was held at the South Lebanon Cultural Centre which is located in Nabatieh, with the participation of 50 women from Nabatyeh, Kfeir, Saida and Harouf as well as Smart’s partners in South Lebanon.  Smart’s director, Samar al Yassir, noted that the second phase of the project targets a diverse group of women from North Lebanon, Kesrwan and Nabatyeh and aims to train them to become decision makers in their communities and to become more effective politically, socially and economically.  A number of representatives of Smart partners then spoke notably Doha Sabbagh, from “For a better Nabatieh” association, Amani Shakarun, from Development for People and Nature Association (DPNA),  and Samar Nawfal, from Women Empowerment Support Association– Kfeir, who praised the importance of the programme in supporting and empowering women in their localities.
Source: Al-Mustaqbal 11 June 2014

Pioneer Women association worked with 70 women in all Lebanese governorates, building their capacities in preparation for the next municipal elections in 2016.  This work was carried out within the framework of the project entitled “women in municipalities”.  After this first phase, women who participated in the various training events were required to assess the needs of their localities and to organize a number of activities aimed at improving the situation in their locations as well as to bring in awareness, positive change and strengthen and visibilise the professional work that women can do in municipalities.  Within that framework, the Beqaa women group organized last Friday a seminar entitled “strengthening the role of women in municipalities”.  The event aimed at encouraging women to engage in municipal work and to seek decision making positions.  The seminar started with a presentation of the objectives and activities of the “Women in Municipalities” project. This was followed by several interventions of women from the audience and was concluded with recommendations on ways which would empower women to engage further in civil society and in public life.
Source: Al-Mustaqbal 11 June 2014