Arab civil and women organizations launch the Beirut Appeal

A number of civil, women, human rights, and development organizations from Lebanon, Egypt, Jordan, Palestine, Tunisia, and Morocco, met in Beirut between 15th and 17th December upon the invitation of the Collective for Research and Training on Development – Action (CRTD.A) and within the framework of the “Sustainable Economic Opportunities for Women” project to review the current political situation in the Arab region and its implications on the rights of women.
The 19 participating organizations launched an appeal in which it reviewed the current situation and areas of concern and highlighted obstacles and challenges affecting liberties and women’s rights in Lebanon notably the deterioration of the security situation, the rise of terrorist operations and armed conflict and the risk these pose on the process of democratic transitions, the various forms of moral and physical violence against women which has reached slavery and murder, the deterioration of social and economic conditions and its negative repercussion on women, as well as the deterioration of liberties notably the right to organize thus impeding the work of CSOs and democratic forces, and finally the rise of various forms of political Islam notably fundamentalist forces which are a threat to human rights and to the rights of women and minorities.
Organisations participating in the Beirut appeal called on governments to adopt public policies which mainstream gender at all level especially in terms of economic and social rights, and which focus on employment and social protection, in addition to ensuring equality between women and men in their access to resources as well as in the enjoyment of rights and to include CSOs in policy dialogue ad formulation.
Source: Al-Nahar 18 December 2014