“Say No to Violence” calls on Lebanese women to present themselves for the next parliamentary elections

Following its regular meeting last week that included representatives of various civil society organizations, “Say No to Violence” organisation called on pioneer women to present themselves as candidates in all over Lebanon for the next parliamentary elections and so as to form a civil pressure group and to ensure a fair representation of women in the next elections and governments.

Participants in the meeting issued a statement saying that “violence against women in Lebanon is a violation of human rights and is not accepted in any form and at any level”.  All participants reiterated a number of key demands to be discussed with the next governments namely: endorsing the law to protect women from domestic violence, the right of women to transmit their nationality to their children and spouses, eliminating discrimination against women in the labour law and in the National Social Security Fund, lifting all forms of discrimination in the penal code, curbing all forms of exploitation and objectification of women in the media, giving women their right to political participation, implementing the Convention for the Elimination of all Forms of Discrimination Against Women while lifting the current reservations on the Convention, criminalising sexual harassment, standardising and increasing child custody age and calling for equality in family laws.

 Source: Almustaqbal 27 April 2013