Other news

Pressures by civil society and the media to include the law to protect women from family violence on the agenda of the House have finally borne fruit as the law has been included as item 9 on a 70 item agenda for the parliament convening of 1, 2 and 3 April 2014 called for by the Speaker of the House Nabih Berry.  Another major development is the court rule yesterday by Judge Fouad Mourad sentencing the accused of murdering his wife Manal Assi to capital punishment.  According to Al Akhbar newspaper, this important development is a positive indication on how the judiciary should deal with crimes of violence against women especially given the skepticism that followed the release of the killer of Roula Yaakoub.
Public pressure in support of the law to protect women from violence had intensified recently particularly by Kafa who has called for a sit in on April 1st at the Solh Square in order to accompany the discussions of the law by Parliament and demand its endorsement.  In addition, 280 Faculty members of the American University of Beirut had addressed an open letter to the Speaker of the House read by Dr. Leila Dagher demanding the endorsement of the law during the sit in organized by faculty and students at AUB.  The letter calls on the Parliament to take the necessary to refer to justice all perpetrators of violence against women and children as well as declare its commitment to the dignity of women and children.  
Kafa for its part called for an endorsement of the law that protects women and children from family violence but not in its present form and for the criminalization of marital rape by abolishing the concept of marital sexual duties. Kafa also rejected the attempt to transmit penalties section to the Penal Code, and called for the law to address women’s concern and not the family generally. It is to be recalled that the national alliance for the legislation of the law to protect women from domestic violence of which Kafa is a leading organisation calls for the criminalization of the act of rape itself, and not only the harm resulting from it. The Alliance also considers that the protection law “should include all of those existing or residing with the woman at the time of violence, including children, since in this case, they are prone to violence or witness it, without undoing the declared juvenile protection law”.
Within the same vein, the movement of independent Lebanese women activists issued a statement to all civil society activists, as well as to the media, political parties and heads of religious confessions to pressure for the endorsement of the law to protect women as well as allocate air time on TVs and Radios to vote for the law.  The coordinator of the movement, Ruwayda Mroueh, said that if the MPs form the Progressive Socialist Party (PSP) whose leader, Walid Jumblatt, publicly endorsed the law would actually sign it, then the total signatories would add to 71 out of a total of 128 MPs which would allow the law to pass without any changes.
Source: Al-Akhbar, Al-Nahar, Al-Mustaqbal, Al-Safir, Al-Mustaqbal 28 March 2014

Ruqaya Ass3aad Munther, 24 years old and 6 weeks pregnant, is the new victim of domestic violence and was killed in cold blood shortly after Margaret Tannus, Manal al-Assi, and Christelle Abu Shaqra whilst the law remains absent.
According to the reports on the sinister event, Ruqaya’s spouse (27 year old) fired a shot gun at her last Wednesday after she asked for divorce as a result of his repeated physical abuse.  She was hit in the chest and her husband left her lying and bleeding on the floor for half an hour before his father came to take her to the Rassoul al Aazam hospital where she lost her life according to the medical personnel.  The killer took his two children (Hassan 5 years and Ruwayda 3 years) and fled.  However, the police called on him for investigation.  His father then phoned him to tell him that his wife is still alive and he should bring his kids and come home.  Upon this call, he returned home and was apprehended by the police and taken into custody at the Borj al Barajneh police station.  According to Ruqaya’s 16 year old sister, Zeina, Ruqaya was continuously subjected to harsh beatings by her husband and had marks all over her body when the family inspected her cadaver in addition to the bullet that killed her.  However, the forensic doctor who checked the body before washing it, did not make any mention of the fresh bruises which were obvious on her neck and chest.  This prompted her family to ask for a reexamination of her body according to Kafa who published the details on the site of the association.
Source: The Daily Star 26 March 2014

The programme of Arabic language and literature at the Lebanese American University organized a conference for journalist and poet Jumana Haddad on the difference in addressing erotica and porn literature in Arabic literature based on the gender of the writer.  The event was under the auspices of Dr. Latif Zaituni and was organized yesterday at the LAU Business School at the Beirut Campus.  Haddad discussed the discriminatory nature of the terminology “women literature”.  She argued that “feminist literature”, or literature that addresses inequality, discrimination, patriarchy, and sexual minorities, is an acceptable and logical concept.  However, Haddad added that “women literature” referring to literature produced by women and the concept is still considered erroneous and refuted and has no consideration in literature.
Haddad also refers to literature on sex in the Arab world through highlighting Arab cultural heritage which is rich with volumes that deal freely and in an uninhibited way with sex such as the writings of Egyptian Imam Jalal el Dine al Sayooti.  She also referred to her experience in publishing “Al Jassad” (i.e. Body” magazine) and the negative social and religious views of erotica.  Haddad noted that erotica does not exist in the Arabic literature unlike French or English literature.  She also doubted that this will be possible in the near future because of the overall environment in the region and which is characterized by an increase in religious extremism.  She also condemned the present censorship measures, widespread in the Arab world, that are suppressing creativity.
Source: Al-Nahar 26 March 2014

Speaker of the House Nabih Berri issued a special statement on the occasion of Mothers' Day.  In a public event honoring mothers yesterday, MP Michel Moussa spoke on behalf of Mr. Berri and highlighted his commitment to issue the law to protect women from domestic violence.  Berri further adds that honoring Lebanese mothers will be through securing their rights and ensuring equality with men.  He noted that the law to protect women from domestic violence and which was endorsed by Parliamentary Commission is a promising legislative step.  He hoped that this law will be issued in a rightful format which will prevent aggression on women and will protect them from violence.  He also added that honoring women will be in the implementation of CEDAW, in the realization of women's citizenship and in finding employment for their children scattered around the world in search for work and in stopping the migration of the youth.
It is to be noted that addressing the issue of violence against women should bring back to our attention other forms of legal and moral violence against women particularly against those who are denied the right to transmit nationality to their children.  It is our since hope that women will be able to truly celebrate next year mothers' day after securing their right to transmit nationality.
Source: Al-Nahar, Al-Diyar 21 March 2014

The Loubnanyoun association organised yesterday a seminar entitled "Women in Politics".  The event was held at the Press Syndicate and was attended by representatives of several Lebanese political parties including the Lebanese Forces, Al Marada, the Future Movement, Amal party, the PSP and others.  
In her key note address, the organisation's President, Nadine Daher noted that Arab women are way ahead of Lebanese women in terms of political participation due to the unified strategies of the Arab women's movement.  She pointed out to the challenges facing women's political participation in Lebanon.  Other speakers in the event included Wafa Abed representing the women branch of the PSP who called for supporting women's political rights.  She was followed by Maya Sukkar representing the Lebanese Forces, Mirna Zakharia representing al Marada, Afifah al Sayyed representing the Future movement, Youmna Gemayel representing the Phalangists and Mariam Shami representing the women's affairs bureau of the Amal Movement.  The event was concluded by an address from media representative, Ramza Assaf, who highlighted the central role of women in building society while stressing the ability of women to take on high level political positions.
Source: Al-Nahar 21 March 2014

On the occasion of mothers' day (March 21st), As Safir newspaper published a report highlighting the cases of special mothers who have experienced the predicaments of their children or who have lost their children because of a disease or car accident and who have thus transformed their personal tragedies into boarder humanitarian and societal issues.  The report relays the stories of four women who set up NGOs to mark their love for their children and to build communication networks amongst other women suffering from similar plights.
Anne Marie Jazzar al Hajj, the president of Un Coeur Pour Philippe, is Philippe's mother who died because of a heart failure.  She notes that since she was not able to save her son, she feels extreme happiness in saving other children's lives.  She adds that her organisation has thus far cared for nine patients to whom it has provided the pacemaker device which cost ranges between USD 90 to 100 thousand.  Zeina Kassem, the president of Roads for Life - the Talal Kassem Fund for Post-Accident care, notes that her organisation was created after her son Talal died in a car accident.  Her organisation now works with doctors and first aid workers and trains them on state of the art programmes adopted in some 70 countries to save patients during "the golden hour" which is the sixty minutes directly following the injury.  She notes that 200 doctors were trained since the establishment of the organization in 2011, in addition to 100 first aid workers trained in 2013 alone.  The member of the Lebanese Down Syndrome Association Hana Salem shares her experience with her 23 year old daughter Zeina who has Down Syndrome.  She talks about the creation of her association in 1998 with the aim of providing support to parents as well as create a communication network amongst them and with organisations in addition to focusing on scientific research.  She highlighted the success of her organisation during the past few years particularly in challenging myths related to Down Syndrom as well as facing social stereotypes and supporting children in this condition.  The President of the Lebanese Autism Society –LAS Arwa Al Amine Halaoui talks about the idea of creating her organisation and which comes from her own experience with her son Abbas, now 24 years old, and the experience of other parents and the need to share this and accompany children with autism and raise social awareness on this condition. All those interviewed note that the activities of their organisations may not lessen the pain or compensate losses; however, their pain makes them feel more empathy towards others.
Source: Al-Safir 21 March 2014

The village of Bakkifa in the Qaza of Rashayya bid farewell yesterday to Salima al Kazaz Dergham, also known as Oum Nabil, who served as Bakkifa’s municipal head from 1964 to 1998 and was the first woman to serve in this position.  Dergham's funerals were attended by key social, religious and political figures. Several persons spoke on this occasion notably Saadeh Baddour on behalf of the village residents, municipal head, Fadel Fayad on behalf of the municipal council and Jamil Dergham on behalf of the family. Speeches saluted Dergham's life achievements in development and public service and the pioneering role she played in supporting women and encouraging them to play a public role in Bakkifa. Dr. Yehya Khamis spoke on behalf of MP Walid Joumblat and noted that Dergham lived in the service of others and as the first woman to be elected municipal head, she was a role model for women in Lebanon seeking to serve at the highest level.  He added that the deceased worked for the development and advancement of her village.  The Minister of Public Health, Wael Abou Faoor, announced that Dergham was bestowed the Lebanese Order of Merit First Class by the President of the Republic, Michel Suleiman, in recognition of her contributions to Lebanon, while extending his condolences to the family.
Source: Al-Mustaqbal, Al-Nahar 19 March 2014

The Rassemblement Democratique des Femmes Libanaises (RDFL) commemorated the fourth anniversary of the passing away of its former president Wadad Chakhtura during an event held last week at the UNESCO palace in Beirut during which it released a volume entitled "A Salute to Wadad Chakhtura".  The event was attended by trade union and civil society activists in addition to RDFL members and scores of friends of Chakhtura.
The commemoration included a number of speeches notably by senior women activists Linda Matar who shared snippets of Chakhtura's journey in opposing the civil war as well as the Israeli invasion.  Joumana Merhy, the Director of the Arab Human Rights Institute spoke of Chakhtura as somebody who did not compromise in her position which was critical to social and cultural norms as well as the confessional system, all of which were responsible for violating women's citizenship rights in addition to the lack of political commitment to equality. The event also included other speeches notably by the president of the teachers' syndicates, Nehmeh Mahfuz, the director of Association Najdeh, Leyla al Ali, and RDFL's director, Caroline Sukkar Slaybee, and was concluded with the distribution of the book dedicated to Chakhtura's journey as an activist for women's rights.
Source: Al-Nahar, Al-Safir, Al-Mustaqbal 17 March 2014

According to a new study released by the American University of Beirut, the spending patterns of women and men are almost similar.  The study was carried out by Professors Laurence Leigh and Leila Hanna-Khauli from the Olayan School of Business and covered 400 groups of shoppers in several fashion and sports stores in downtown Beirut.  The researchers teased out, through observing and interviewing women and men shoppers, a view of their planned and unplanned shopping habits. They found that more men than women enter into shops.  However, women tend to have planned their shopping more than men.  However, men and women tend to spend equal time in shops and in shopping items not initially planned although men need to do more impulse shopping than women.
The results of the study were shared during the 13th International Marketing Trends Conference which was held in Italy last January.  The results of the study were unexpected as it raised new problematics related to gender and shopping patterns in Lebanon and whether the limited gender differentiations are a characteristic of Lebanon or part of wider global pattern involving urban consumers.  The expert concluded by saying that AUB intends to undertake more comparative studies of shopping patterns in different western countries and to compare these to the shopping patterns in the Middle East.
Source: http://newspaper.annahar.com/article/114444-%D8%AF%D8%B1%D8%A7%D8%B3%D8%A9-%D9%84%D9%84%D8%A3%D9%85%D9%8A%D8%B1%D9%83%D9%8A%D8%A9-%D8%B9%D9%86-%D8%A7%D9%84%D8%AA%D8%B3%D9%88%D9%82-%D8%B1%D8%AC%D8%A7%D9%84-%D9%84%D8%A8%D9%86%D8%A7%D9%86-%D9%88%D9%86%D8%B3%D8%A7%D8%A4%D9%87-%D9%8A%D8%AA%D8%B3%D8%A7%D9%88%D9%88%D9%86-%D9%81%D9%8A-%D8%A7%D9%84%D9%85%D8%B4%D8%AA%D8%B1%D9%8A%D8%A7%D8%AA">Al-Nahar 8 March 2013

The representative of the Ministry of Social Affairs (MOSA), Jean Mrad, convened a press conference yesterday during which he introduced the new MOSA information program entitled "7ala to target the poorest families" and which is being implemented in collaboration with the World Bank within the framework of the social action plan SAP put in place by the Lebanese government back in May 2006 during the Paris 3 conference.  Mrad added that this new program will help the government in rationalising support by adopting an information system which determines the poverty level of families and assess their socio economic situation through a combination of some 62 indicators drawn from a representative of each family while bypassing income levels. He went on to explain that income per se cannot be used as a sufficient indication of family wellbeing in a country like Lebanon.  Mrad added that the project adopts a social and economic assessment of every family according to an objective and transparent methodology which is calculated numerically by the programme and thus gives priority to families suffering from difficult social and economic circumstances.
According to the MOSA official, families wishing to adhere to the programme should submit an application at the MOSA social development centres in the areas where they live.  Following that, social investigator will visit the family to fill out a questionnaire to gather more information.  Mrad also noted that assistance to families will be drawn from the Government budget allocation to the programme and which total USD 28.2 million for the period extending between 2012 and 2014.
Source: Al-Akhbar, Al-Mustaqbal 13 March 2014