Moawwad Foundation and the third CEDAW document

President of Rene Moawwad Foundation, former Minister and MP Nayla Moawwad reiterated the urgent need to end all forms of discrimination and injustice against women especially legal discrimination. Moawwad particularly mentioned the need to reform the nationality law (despite some reservations on this matter), the penal code, personal status law, as well labor and social security laws and most notably the law for the protection of women and family members from domestic violence. Moawwad was speaking during a press conference organised to launch the third Lebanese CEDAW document, an activity which is part of a currently implemented project entitled: ‘Improving the living conditions of women in North Lebanon’ which is funded by the European Union. 

During the event, the president of the Committee for the Follow-up of Women’s Affairs, Fahmiyyeh Charafeddine noted that Lebanese women have drastically advanced in the domains of education and work, adding that progress in the work field remained constrained by the traditional gender distribution of work.

For his part, Judge Mohamad Saab, representing Justice Minister Ashraf Rifi said: “if women really wanted to attain their rights, they should do this in partnership with men, and vice versa.” He pointed out to a high women participation rate of 50% and more in the judiciary system where many women occupy leadership positions. 

Following the presentation of the CEDAW document, a number of women beneficiaries presented their achievements throughout the project while focusing on how its activities contributed to building their capacities and enhancing their role in society

(Source: Al Diyar, June 5, 2015)