Government’s gift to Lebanese women: Bill criminalizing sexual harassment approved

Coinciding with the International Women’s Day, the Lebanese Cabinet approved yesterday a draft law proposed by the ministry of state for women’s affairs to criminalize sexual harassment, and referred it to Parliament for ratification. Minister Jean Ogassapian said that the move was a gift to women on their day, expressing his gratitude for a remarkable accomplishment after only 2 months from his appointment. He pledged to take bolder and positive steps that strengthen the status of women in society. On Women’s Day, statements from officials continued. To this effect, President Michel Aoun praised women’s perseverance saying he supports the eradication of all inconsistencies between men and women in the law, and promised to continue to work to achieve that. Aoun was speaking yesterday in front of a delegation of a delegation of the Lebanese Council of Women led by Iqbal Dughan. Similarly, Prime Minister Saad Hariri held a brunch in honor of the women employees at the Grand Serail, stressing his commitment to introducing the women’s quota, because as he said, “society will not accept the idea unless it is enforced on it.” For her part, the president of the National Commission of Lebanese Women, Randa Berri, reiterated on the occasion her demands for inclusion of the quota with not less than 30% in any upcoming electoral law. To note, that despite the endorsement of the above law yesterday, An Nahar newspaper mentioned today three proposals related to women that are still pending between the parliamentary committees and the Parliament’s General Committee. These are respectively related to regulating the marriage of minors, abolishment of Penal Code Article 522 and the amendment of Provision C of Article 14 of the Social Security Law on the right of women to grant National Social Security insurance, An Nahar reported. (An Nahar, Al Mustaqbal, March 8 and 9, 2017)