HR Parliamentary Commission discussed domestic violence and is hopeful about the future!

The President of the Parliamentary Human Rights Commission, MP Michel Mussa, convened a meeting at the House yesterday to discuss the issue of domestic violence.  At the end of the meeting Mussa demanded that the bill to protect women from domestic violence was unanimously endorsed, some time ago, by a sub commission of the Joint Commissions especially that it had met 58 times for that purpose and introduced a number of important changes to that bill.  Mussa hoped that the concerned public institutions will resume normal work following the formation of the new cabinet so that this law can finally be passed. He noted that officials should not await the passing of the law as the present laws in Lebanon de facto penalise anybody who causes harm within or beyond the family.  He added that there are tangible advances in this regard particularly, pointing out to  present training to build capacities of the judiciary system to deal with issues of domestic violence. He also referred to an admin memo requiring those concerned to launch criminal pursuits against perpetrators of domestic violence.  Mussa further added that his Commission discussed the role of forensic doctors and that MP Atef Majdalani confirmed that he will convene a meeting of the Parliamentary Commission dealing with health to discuss all aspects of violence against women and the need to use meticulous and more modern medical technology. This has become a pressing need following the case of Rola Yaakoob and what was relayed in the media about the poor-performance of forensic doctors and the contradictions they exhibited.
Source: Al-Diyar, Al-Nahar 26 February 2014