The Parliament continues to stonewall in endorsing the proposed "domestic violence protection bill" despite the fact that women are paying the price of this delay, sometimes with their life. Al Akhbar newspaper published a report on a domestic violence victim called Mona from Saida, who committed suicide through intake of a combination of medical drugs simply to get away from the excessive violence and brutality of her husband. However, the judiciary for its part acquitted the husband who had admitted to the police that he abused his wife regularly.  Following the acquittal and in attempt to justify his decision, Judge Bilal Halaoui said that that Mona's suicide cannot be directly attributed to her constant abuse by her husband, but was rather a voluntary act. The husband was released from custody based on clause 564 of the penal code which stipulates no cause for keeping him in custody.
On a related vein, An Nahar newspaper pointed out to a more positive view of masculinity where recent approaches seem to favor engaging men in combating violence against women.  In its report, An Nahar highlighted the work of three organisations that have adopted this approach namely Kafa, Abaad, and the Say No to Violence Coalition.

Source: Al-Akhbar and Annahar of 25 October 2012)

Lebanese Foundation for Permanent Civil Peace (LFPCP)  organized last week, in collaboration with Diakonia, a second seminar within the framework of its new programme entitled " women in decision making at the local level in Lebanon", The seminar was organized in Al Ryak in the Beqaa with the attendance of 30 women and activists. Rola Zaiter, member of the Rassemblement Democratique des Femmes Libanaise, spoke about the important role that women play in education, at home and within society at large.  The programme coordinator, Rabih Kays, presented the objectives of the programme and introduced Mr. Antoine Messara, the member of the association’s executive committee who, in turn, presented a lecture entitled “Reviving the Lebanese heritage to support women's human rights - the case of Laure Moghaizel".
This programme which begun earlier this month (see news brief posted on WEEPortal on 9 October 2012) aims at improving women's representation in local and civil society in addition to improving women's political participation and supporting human rights and women's rights in addition to supporting national cohesion and also securing a path for women to reach social harmony, peace and security. A follow up seminar will be held on the forthcoming 3 and 4th November with other seminars planned in North Lebanon and Mount Lebanon.

Source: Al-Mustaqbal 24 October 2012

On the occasion of the 2012 International Year of Cooperatives, media attention has lately focused on the situation of the cooperative sector in Lebanon. In that context, Assafir newspaper published last Saturday two articles covering this sector. The first pointed out to the challenges facing that sector mainly in the Beqaa, where promises that had arisen as a result of the setting up of the cooperatives were not fulfilled, whereas the second article focused on the reality of cooperatives in Nabatieh area, highlighting some other challenges but also success stories.

The first report stated that a large number of cooperatives were established only to attract donations of international donors and national organizations. The President of the Cooperative Union in Lebanon, Dr. Rida Al-Mayss, told “Assafir”, that hundreds of cooperatives that were formally established during the past years largely failed in implementing any development project let alone to set up a permanent structure. Dr. Al-Mayss praised the recent decisions of Minister of Agriculture, Dr. Hussein Hajj Hassan, to revoke the registration of hundreds of inactive cooperatives and to provide financial aid to the active ones.

The second article also focused on the harsh reality facing the cooperatives in Nabatieh, pointing out to major challenges such the absence of cooperation culture, obsolete cooperative  laws and regulations, lack of markets, absence of support and the unavailability of bank loans with low interest rates.
Yet and despite all these difficulties, the article identified a number of active cooperatives such as the Arab Saleem food processing women cooperative. This rural women cooperative was established to support women of low income, to increase their productive capacities and to achieve women empowerment. This cooperative produces a wide range of products such as jams, pickles, thyme, olives, distillates, and have received support from several national and international organizations, such as YMCA, UNDP and CRTD.A (with funding from CIDA). CRTDA is currently providing support in the form of capcity building and in-kind assistance.  The cooperative is also member of the recently-established union of marketing cooperative, named “Namlieh” which is located in Beirut.

Source: Assafir - Assafir 20 October 2012