Al Hasnaa newspaper organised a round table last week emtitled: “Pioneer politics in Lebanon: What role for women?”.  The event was organised at the Faculty of Law, Political and Administrative Sciences at the USJ, in collaboration with the 7th day initiative of USJ, Institut Français du Liban and Women in Front, following an initiative by the author Rita Bassil.

The round table was moderated by Fadia Kiwan, the director of the Political Sciences Institute at USJ, with the participation of Nada Anid, a founding member of women in front, Al-Akhbar editor in chief Pierre Abi Saab, Mariam Al-Shami, a member of Amal movement’s advisory council, the independent candidate and member of Aley’s municipality  Saada Wahhab Halima, MP Sami Gemayel advisory Lara Saade, representing the Phalange party and the candidate Nathalie Fadlallah.

Kiwan started her intervention with a brief chronology of women’s right to political participation, a right which was consecrated sixty years but remains largely not in practice whilst discussing the causes and the context that lies behind women’s low political participation.  The participants then shared their experiences, pointing out to the various driving factors for their involvement in politics, the challenges they faced and the difficulties in reaching leadership position in a patriarchal society.

Source: http://www.almustaqbal.com/storiesv4.aspx?storyid=570710">Al-Mustaqbal 13 May 2013

Feker Hayat Foundation and the MEPI- funded women empowerment project in Minyeh organised yesterday a cultural outing to the Chouf.  The expedition started from the headquarters of the association in Minyeh – Tripoli, under the patronage of the Future MP Kazem el Kheir and headed by the president of the project and the organisation, Mr. Saleh Hamed.
The first step was at the home of MP el Khair who welcomed the delegation, indicated his commitment to any project which seeks to improve the condition of Lebanese women and thanked the association for its efforts in supporting rural women.

The delegation then headed to Baakline to visit the national Library and then to Al Irfan association where they toured the various educational, medical and social organisations headed by Al Irfan.  The group also visited a students’ exhibition and ended its tour with a film viewing showcasing the activities of Al Irfan.  The last stop in the region was at the Moussa Palace before the group continued to Saida and then back to Tripoli.

Source: Al-Mustaqbal 10 May 2013

For more information about the organisation’s earlier activities, please check: The rights of rural women addressed in a training workshop by Feker Hayat Foundation in Tripoli, 27/12/2012, The National Commission for Lebanese Women calls for women quota in the forthcoming legislative elections, 7/12/2012 and Feker Hayat Foundation and women’s empowerment in Minyeh, 5/9/2012.

The Nurses Order organised yesterday an event entitled “for a more conducive work environment” to celebrate the international Nurses’ Day (May 12th).  The event was held at the UNESCO palace under the auspices of the Minister of Public Health represented by Asaad Khoury and with the participation of the representative of the Minister of Labor, Eman Khazaal, and the president of the Parliamentary Commission for health, MP Atef Majdalani as well as the participation of nurses and public figures.
The event included the launch of a campaign entitled “the rights and dignity of nurses” which aims at putting in place initiatives and mechanisms which will limit risks related to occupational hazards, the protection of nurses from violence on the work place and the creation of systems for reporting any form of violence or abuse in the practice of nursing.
The head of the nursing order, Helen Samaha Nouweyhed, gave a keynote address calling on decision makers in the health sector to adopt and abide by the fundamental principles for strengthening the nursing sector and emphasizing its role as a sector enjoying vital human, professional economic and social resources.  She also called on the health sector, and particularly hospitals, to adopt flexible working hours and ensure that working hours do not exceed 42 hours per week so as to ensure the safety of patients, while finally calling for improving salaries, supporting the legal and professional rights of nurses and ensuring close accompaniment during their education and employment. The opening was followed by a discussion seminar focusing on improving the working environment for nurses in which participated Mohammad Alameddine, Riwa al-Atrah, Ogarite Younan and Asaad Khoury.
Source: Al-Mustaqbal 9 May 2013
For more news about nurses in Lebanon check the previous articles published on WEEPortal on 08/05/2013 titled 67.5% of nurses in Lebanon plan to leave their profession because of working hours and poor career prospects and on 13/12/2012 titled: 62% of nurses in Lebanon suffer from violence and verbal abuse