Awareness on domestic violence in Kfar7azir MOSA center in Koura

The Development Services Center of Kfar7azir and Dar Ba’shtar, located in Koura, and belonging to the Ministry of Social Affairs (MOSA), organised an awareness-raising and training seminar on “gender-based violence” and on the “Bill for the Protection of Women and Family Members against Domestic violence”. The event was held in collaboration with KAFA and RET Liban and in the presence of president of MOSA Center, Jumana Khury, Program Assistant of the Women’s Support Program, Diala Da2bool, in addition to heads of various social associations and activists.
Khury outlined the health and humanitarian activities of the center, and particularly the specific project aimed at supporting the most vulnerable families. She also highlighted the continuing cooperation between the Center and various associations involved. On her part, the social assistant, Shereen Lakkeess, talked about violence as defined by the World Health Organization, listing the different types of violence, notably marital violence, and its direct and indirect impact on the physical, psychological and economic life of families.
From a legal perspective, Lawyer Marie Jean Sarraf pointed to conditions in Lebanon prior to the endorsement of the above law where women represented the weaker party who had to relinquish all her rights and return to her partner after being subjected to abuse. Sarraf clarified the concept of family and domestic violence and reviewed the various crimes stipulated by the Law No. 293, and pointed out to the procedures which the battered wife should follow in order to seek protection, including filing a grievance at the nearest police station and claiming the right for protection granted to her by the Law. (Al Diyar, Feb 9, 2015)