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Celebrations continue in commemoration of International Women’s Day.  In Saida, young women and men from the association of Literature and Culture organized a campaign to offer “one thousand roses to one thousand women’ all of whom are “housewives” and workers in the old souks of the city.  The youth group organized checkpoints and handed in their roses to women passersby with cards inscribed with the following “congratulations for women’s day, yes for women’s freedom, no for violence, no for the exploitation of working women, yes for the right of women to transmit their nationality to their children”.

With the International Women’s Day coinciding with earth day, the Programme for Women’s Studies advertised an upcoming conference on March 13th entitled “Palestinian Women against Occupation”.  In addition, the general Union of Palestinian Women organized in Al Bass camp a demonstration with a large participation of women in addition to local leaders.

The Association for the Care of Martyrs organized a celebration for its women staff.  The president of the Association, Intissar al Wazir, praised the pioneer role played by Palestinian women in the struggle, side by side with men, against occupation as well as her contribution in institution building and in developing their society and the achievements made so far although the road ahead is still long to reach full rights and equality with men.

Finally, and as per its annual tradition, the Association of USSR graduates in Lebanon organized an event attended by hundreds of graduated from universities and Russia and Ukraine.  The event was attended by Russian and Ukrainian Ambassadors in Lebanon Alexander Zasypkin and Vladimir Koval in addition to social, political and media figures.  Ambassador Zasypkin wished peace and prosperity for women in Lebanon and the world.

Assafir and Al Mustqbal 11 March 2014

 

The Lebanese Women’s Council issued last Thursday March 6th the recommendations of its Conference on Human Security and which was held on February 24th and 25th.  The key recommendations including demanding that the media adopts objectivity in portraying women as well as exercise self censorship when publishing material that may incite hatred.  The Council called on the media to play a role in building a public opinion that is immune to the politics of fear adopted by politicians and which lead to dissension and strife.
 
The Council also reiterated the importance of legislating to guarantee the safety of women and girls especially during wars and armed conflict as well as including women in peace negotiations and in all efforts aiming to reconstruction and on implementing international conventions that seek to protect women from violence before, during and after armed conflict.

The Council asked the Cabinet to put in place strategic studies which would allow it to identify risks and develop strategies that will address needs in addition to being committed to comprehensive economic development and maintain civil peace, empower the private sector through providing a competitive environment that is conducive to investment and to attracting labor.  The Council also called for adopting decentralization of production, diversifying the economy and so as to adapt to globalization and to the opening of markets as well as absorbing labor and to strengthen women’s role in the employment market.  Finally, the Council reiterated its support to the welfare role by the state as well as the need to match the supply and demand within the job market.

Al Mustqbal and Annahar 8 and 10 March 2014
 

The issue of violence against women gathered some 4000 persons in an unprecedented march last Saturday March 8th.  The event was called for by Kafa Violence and Exploitation and included a forum theater which was presented in front of the National Museum in Beirut and illustrated the issue of gender based violence.  After the show, participants marched towards the Ministry of Justice and were led by the mothers of Rula Yaakoub and Manal Assi, two women victims who succumbed to domestic violence.  The director of Kafa, Zoya Rouhana criticized the way in which the judiciary is dealing with the issue of domestic violence and called for accountability so that women are not killed twice.  She noted that the struggle will continue until the law to protect women from domestic violence is endorsed by parliament in its integrity and as requested by civil society.  This particular event was characterized by the participation of a large number of children and men in addition to youth and students group.  In addition, activists from other pressure groups took part in this event such as Samira Hamido, an activist in the Nationality Campaign whose personal narrative combines gender based violence and legal violence because of the discriminatory nature of the nationality law and given the fact that she was married to an Iranian.  To be noted also that some 270 activists from the Nationality Campaign participated in this event along with their children and spouses who came from different parts of Lebanon to demand protection from violence and from marital rape.
Also to be noted that the clause of the law proposal which addresses marital rape was given due consideration amongst the marchers who expressed their disapproval with views stating that marital rape cannot be proved easily.   Indeed, Al Akhbar published a report yesterday indicating that marital rape can indeed be proven with well known forensic exams.  This matter was further corroborated by gynecologist Dr. Faysal Kak and another unnamed judicial source.  The report also quotes a number of clergy who condemn domestic violence and especially rape.  A Christian clergy noted that the church refuses any form of coercion for sex which is considered as a form of violence.  On the other hand, Sayyed Ali Fadallah called for establishing a family court to look at conjugal problems.  He added that a spousal relation does not allow husbands to aggress their wives.  He added that he is for a law that protects women from domestic violence on conditions that the law gives primacy to safeguarding family life.

A bouquet of other smaller NGOs/CSOs events took place in commemoration of IWD.  Teachers of the Bahaa Eddine Al-Hariri school in Saida commemorated this event under the slogan: “women against violence.. a society against terrorism”.  They called for an end to all forms of domestic violence including killing and discrimination as well as enacting laws that will stop violence and protect women within their families and societies.  The Lebanese Collective for Family protection also issued a statement highlighting women’s role especially in a society that suffers from several problems including the resurgence of violence especially against women.  The statement calls on decision makers to find effective mechanisms to modernize laws whilst reiterating their commitment to a law which protects women and all family members from violence and noted their agreement with the revisions on the law put in place by the parliamentary commission.

The Notre Dame de Secours University Hospital in Byblos organised a health event on breast cancer under the auspices of the Minister of the Displaced, Judge Alice Chabtini who reiterated the need to speed up the process of modernizing laws as well as enact laws to protect women and safeguard their rights.  On the environmental front, the Women Development Office in Kfarzebian organized a tree planting event in the region which carried the slogan “women plant trees on IWD”.  The event was organized in collaboration with Save Energy Plant Trees SEPT association and CRI which is implemented by the United States Forest Service USFS with funding from USAID.
Source: Al-Mustaqbal, Al-Akhbar, Al-Mustaqbal, Al-Nahar, Al-Mustaqbal, Al-Safir, Al-Mustaqbal, Al-Diyar, Al-Mustaqbal, Al-Nahar, 8,9,10 March 2014
Video: women stories about GBV and discrimination by LBCI
Video: Kafa’s March coverage by OTV

The Information International Company organized a seminar on early marriage from the points of view of religion and law. The seminar included interventions by members of the clergy as well as Judge John Azzi who insisted on the need to develop the laws in relation to early marriage and set the early marriage age at 18.  He also presented a number of suggestions namely the creation of a Ministry for Family Affairs, a family court as well as a public prosecution specialized for family matters.  Sheikh Youssef Sbeity of the legal office of Sayyed Mohammed Hussein Fadlallah noted that Islam does not allow the kidnapping of minor girls and then contracting a marriage under the guise that she has reached puberty and has married with her free will without the presence of her guardian.  Father Abdo Raad of the Basilian Salvatorian Church considered that the minimum marriage age in Christian communities is 18.  He asked for stiff penalization of anybody who performs a marriage underage girl no matter what his confession is. Sheikh Mahdi Shalak, the retired judge of the Sunni court, indicated that marriage in Islam is in fact a civil contract and adults and children who are considered to have reached puberty can marry themselves without the guardian’s consent however, he considered that girls under the age of 9 cannot be married and, in any case, girls should not marry before the age of 14.

In a related vein, and following the media coverage of the declaration made by Ms, Randa Berri during the NCLW event to launch the campaign to protect girls from early marriage, and in which she stated her position against the criminalization of marital rape, NCLW issued a clarification statement noting that it supports the full demands of civil society organizations, notably Kafa, in their demand for the criminalization and penalization of marital rape.  NCLW added that Berri’s statement was simply to highlight the complexity of the proof of guilt in this case although she is one of the principal supporters of this law.

On the other hand, Future Movement MP Ziad Kaderi, spoke yesterday on the occasion of International Women’s Day and reiterated the support of his party towards the law to protect women from domestic violence whilst assuring that the Future Movement will vote for this law.  He also called for a consensus around the right of Lebanese women married to non-nationals to transmit their nationality to their children and the need to discuss this matter cool headedly and away from political bickering.
Sources:  Al-Mustaqbal, Al-Akhbar, Al-Nahar, Al-Mustaqbal, Al-Nahar 7 March 2014

As Safir newspaper published a report on the numerous cases of sexual harassment and rape of Syrian displaced women by either their relatives or by the host communities and sometimes even by humanitarian aid workers and those entrusted with distributing aid to the displaced.  The report pointed out to these abuses which are leaving psychological sequel on many women.  Indeed, a number of suicide attempts have been recorded in addition to severe psychological disorders exacerbated by the taboo of silence.

The report also sheds the lights on the ways in which these women are trying to cope with their new realities, especially after their failed attempts at suicide, recording their fears from a society that does not accept such disturbances, and in the absence of any protection.

In a related vein, Al Mustaqbal newspaper quoted a statement dated 1 March 2014 by the Internal Security Forces, notably the vice squad and which refers to the arrest of 2 Syrian men who were charged with facilitating prostitution and human trafficking.  One of the perpetrators confessed that they have an acolyte, who would provide them with women coming from Syria.  This person was later arrested when he came to one of the houses of the detainees to “deliver” two women, whom he confessed having tricked into leading them to believe that they were coming to do domestic work whereas in fact they were being channeled into prostitution.
Source: Al-Safir, Al-Mustaqbal 6 March 2014

A second court ruling was issued considering a transsexual defendant to be innocent after the person was charged with having sexual relations with men.  According to Nizar Sagieh who spoke with L’Orint le Jour, this ruling is of key importance not only in terms of the ways in which the law deals with transsexuals but also in terms of defining clause 534 of the penal code and which penalizes “abnormal sexual intercourse” and which was often use to criminalise homosexuality.
Saghieh notes that Judge Dahdah raised a specific question about the definition of “abnormal sexual intercourse”.  He noted that even of people are different to the norm, they have nevertheless come to life normally.  He also reminded that abnormality basically means not complying with normative behavior of the majority.  Saghieh also remind readers that this court ruling is reminiscent with that of Judge Mounir Suleiman in 2/12/2009, who ruled for the innocence of two homosexuals.  The ruling literally said that “ humans are part of nature and one of its component.  Thus, no human behavior can be considered abnormal or against nature even if it was a criminal conduct as this is part of human norms”.
Saghieh concludes that Judge Dahdah’s ruling which stipulates that the definitions of the penal code are independent from those of monolithic religions as well as his adoption of secular criteria can be considered as jurisprudence.  Saghieh hoped that this will eventually lead to the annulment of clause 534 of the penal code.
Source: L’Orient Le Jour 6 March 2014

To be noted that the Legal Agenda had published a report on this verdict in issue 14th of their newsletter, this can be accessed via the following link.

On the occasion of International Women’s Day, The Say No to Violence organization launched a media awareness campaigns focusing on various forms of daily violence against women.  The Campaign calls on all citizens to wear a “No To Violence Against Women” badge in solidarity with women and to mark their rejection of all forms of discrimination against women.
In its statement, the organization also called on the Lebanese authorities to help in challenging the marginalization of women and redressing the social structure as well as the social relations of gender so as to enable women to take on their role as partners who are equal to men.  The Campaign also urged women to engage in the forthcoming parliamentary elections as women in all parts of Lebanon and so as to consecrate the fundamental principle of equality in politics as well as create a pressure that will encourage the state to reform discriminatory laws.
Within the same vein, and also in commemoration of International Women’s Day, the Faculty of Law and Political Sciences at the Notre Dame University is organizing tomorrow a seminar entitled Women in the Public Sphere.  The event will be held at the NDU Campus in Zuk Mosbeh with the participation of Major Suzanne Hajj Hobeiche the head of the Cybercrime and Intellectual Property Bureau at the Internal Security Forces, Ms, Suzanne Jabbour representing the Restart association and the Human Resources Manager in the Lebanese Forces, Ms. Nada Nachef.
Source: Al-Nahar, Al-Mustaqbal, Al-Nahar 6 March 2014

On the occasion of International Women’s Day, the NCLW launched yesterday, and in collaboration with The Institute for Women Studies in the Arab World - Lebanese American University, the National Campaign to protect girls from early marriage.  The event was held at the LAU Campus in Beirut.

The Secretary of the NCLW, Lawyer Fady Karam, noted in his keynote address that the failure of the state in protecting young girls is a violation to the Constitution and to the International Conventions that Lebanon has signed.  Karam said that underage girls are victims of customs and traditions that are not related to tradition and that the Lebanese legislators must ban early marriage or at least impose restrictions to ensure that take into consideration the health, social and psychological well being of underage girls and that ensure that they fully consent to early marriage.  Karam highlighted the complementarities of roles between civil and religious authorities on this matter.

Kafa’s Director, Zoya Ruhana referred to the International Anti-Trafficking Conference which was held last month in Vienna and which highlighted the death of 1 million girl child globally every year as a result of early marriage and rape.  She also pointed out to the numerous cases highlighted recently by the local media on early marriage but lamented that this coverage does not shed light on the key legal issues and that is that the laws in Lebanon legitimize early marriage. For her part, Arlett Tabet, Public Appeal Attorney and Judge Arlette Tabet, talked about the complexities in protecting underage girls in view of the confessional system in Lebanon and where each sect has set its won minimum age of marriage within a framework where there is no control on this matter from the state.

Ms. Randa Berri, NCLW Vice president, spoke on behalf of the NCLW president, First Lady Wafa Suleiman, about the realities of underage marriage in Lebanon and its devastating social impact and the fact that it is quite prevalent amongst the poor.  She noted that the Campaign must adopt three things, namely ensuring that the state adopts a minimum age of marriage law to protect young girls from all kind of violence, in addition to respect International Conventions especially the Child’s Rights Convention.  Berri went on to provoke women activists by rejecting the incrimination of marital rape on the ground that it is very difficult to prove such rape acts!.  
Source: Al-Mustaqbal, Al-Nahar 5 March 2014

The May Chidiac Foundation – Media Institute (MCF-MI) launched yesterday the second edition of its “Women on the front lines” Conference in commemoration of International Women's Day.  The event which was held in Beirut highlighted the experiences of pioneer women who were able to create change within the Arab region and in the public arena through their various expertise and discipline whether in economics, social work, media, politics and others.
Former Minister Mona Ofeishe spoke in the event in addition to Minister of Health Wael Abou Faour and the president of the Foundation May Chidiac. Speakers highlighted that despite the struggles of women in the Arab region, they still have a long way to go before any tangible legal changes are reached.
Source: Al-Mustaqbal, Al-Nahar 4 March 2014

The League of Women’ Rights (LWF) organised yesterday a get together with the media on the occasion of International Women's Day.  During the event, LWF expressed a number of demands related to citizens' livelihoods including the need for safety and stability at social, political, economic, and democratic and trade union level.  LWF noted the need to continue working on the reform of discriminatory laws such as the penal code, the NSSF, protection of women from domestic violence, the nationality law as well as the civil family law.  The women organisation also called for changing women's negative image in the media and for creating more spaces for women's issues to be covered by the media.
Source: Al-Mustaqbal, Al-Safir 4 March 2014