In partnership with Konrad Adenauer Foundation (KAS), Smart Center organized a meeting in the Union of Municipalities of Baalbaq Hall to launch the second phase of the Economic Empowerment of Women in Baalbaq Caza project. Under the title, ‘Reality and challenges facing small and medium women entrepreneurs’, the event was held under the patronage of the head of the Woman and Child Parliamentary Committee, MP Inaya Ezzedine, in cooperation with the Municipality of Arsal and the Unions of Municipalities of Baalbaq and North Baalbaq. On the occasion, Smart executive director, Randa Yassir, presented a report on the needs of women in Beqaa SMEs, with the aim to showcase positive experiences through a realistic study, as well as highlight challenges and create proper solutions and proposals to this effect. For her part, Ezzedine said that, similar to other countries, rural women in Lebanon face difficulties, and added, governments have not adequately addressed their needs specifically in the national policies and laws. What is required, she noted, is to find an enabling environment to enhance their social and economic conditions in line with the partnership approach. Protecting the Lebanese woman in laws and eliminating or amending texts that legalize and substantiate discrimination against her, automatically affects the rights of rural women, Ezzedine maintained. (NNA, July 9, 2019)