On International Women’s Day: A well attended march in Beirut condemns violence against women

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