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Starting 11th December a craft market in Beirut CD

8-12-2015

As part of a new initiative to revive traditional crafts, the Beirut’s central district is hosting as of Friday, December 11 some 30 artisans and designers will be displaying in the “Saifi Village” quarter every day from 4 to 9 pm. The project which is supported by Solidere aims at promoting the national craft heritage through the revival and familiarization of traditional skills and craftsmanship, including the production of the folkloric oud musical instrument, textile trade, manual pottery, cigar, wood carving and tools design. Visitors will be able to partake with the help of artisans in the making of crafts objects, such as the building of wooden boats and design their own artistic product from the wide collection of displayed fabrics, among other artifacts. The market will be open for the public over two weeks on December 11, 12, 13, 18, 19 and 20. (Al Diyar, December 5, 2015)
 

 

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Following Ain Najem murder Azzi urges associations to stop defending ‎foreign‏ ‏domestic workers (!?)‎

7-12-2015

After the crime which the Metn town of Ain Najem witnessed last ‎Thursday, and in which a foreign domestic worker killed her employer, ‎Natali Michel Salban, Labor Minister Sajaan Azzi criticized what he ‎described over-zealous associations for defending the rights of migrant ‎women domestic workers saying that these murders and other similar ‎acts should rather dissuade these associations. Speaking to Al ‎Jumhouriya newspaper, Azzi maintained that violence against families of ‎Lebanese employers happen daily adding that “MWDW are not always ‎victims or woman employer always the bad person”. The Minister also ‎denied that MWDW are being systematically exposed to abuse. And in a ‎surprising statement that contradicted earlier ones, he went on to say: “If ‎true, (the abuse), they would not come in large numbers to work in the ‎country even when their own governments prevent them from doing so”, ‎while concluding that cases of abuse are exceptions and not the norm. ‎‎(Al Akhbar, December 5, 2015)‎
 

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Future women seminar in Beirut on protection from domestic violence

7-12-2015

Coinciding with the 16 Days of Activism Against Gender-Based ‎Violence campaign, the two committees for legal awareness and social ‎development at the Future Movement Women’s Sector organized last ‎Friday a discussion seminar on the protection of women from domestic ‎violence at their premises located in Beirut. Participants discussed the ‎issue of violence, its legal and social impacts. Developing on the subject, ‎the Sector’s assistant for Organizational Affairs, Nawal Mdalali, pointed ‎out that “the Future Movement was on the forefront in adopting the law ‎for the protection of women against domestic violence.” Likewise, ‎lecturer, Ziad Khaled, defined the verbal and physical violence against ‎women and outlined its psychological and social impacts on the entire ‎family, particularly on the children, pointing to the “discriminatory ‎stereotype traditions that promote and encourage this spiteful attitude ‎against women.” In conclusion, Khaled maintained that “economic ‎empowerment is a key factor for achieving women’s freedom and ‎independence.” He went on to say that eradicating gender differences ‎starts from developing appropriate legislations, pointing to the recently ‎adopted law against domestic violence which he described as the ‎beginning of change as it sets legal checks for penalizing the abuser and ‎for protecting the battered woman and her direct family. (Al Mustaqbal, ‎December 5, 2015)‎
 

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Mooneh, craftwork bazaar at the Red Cross in Batroon

7-12-2015

On the occasion of the Christmas and New Year Holidays, the Chief of ‎the Lebanese Red Cross, Susan Ouais, represented by head of the First ‎Aid and Emergency Teams, Rosi Boulos, opened yesterday the annual ‎crafts and traditional mooneh fair in Batroon in the presence of a crowd ‎of public figures. The bazaar which runs until Sunday evening, December ‎‎13, showcases a collection of artisan and artifacts, paintings as well as ‎homemade sweets and mooneh items. Opening hours are from 10am to ‎‎2pm and from 4pm to 8pm.( Al Diyar, December 7, 2015)‎
 

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Bank Audi, United Sports and North Laboratories awarded for promoting gender equality

4-12-2015

In collaboration with the Beirut Chamber of Commerce, Agriculture and Industry, the National Commission for Lebanese Women (NCLW) organized yesterday at the Chamber’s premises a ceremony for the distribution of the ‘gender equality’ award to business enterprises which support women’s participation in the economy. During the event was held in the presence of Labor Minister Sajaan Azzi and the Chamber President, Mohamad Shucair, and many members of the business community, Azzi noted that there is nearly one million and 800 thousand workers in the country, of who 64% are men and 36% of women only, a proportion that should increase, as he noted. Shucair, on the other hand, reiterated that a “healthy economy cannot survive without the effective participation of women in economy and decision making,” stressing that it is the responsibility of everyone to bring justice for women and guarantee their fundamental rights. This, he cited, can be achieved through appropriate legislation, proper funding, providing incentives, training and rehabilitation. During the ceremony awards were distributed to the following enterprises: Bank Audi, United Sports of Lebanon and the North Laboratories. It is to be recalled, that based on a MoU signed earlier, the Chamber and NCLW have agreed to grant annual awards to gender sensitive economic establishments for their performance in the following four fields: corporate strategy, human resources, employment system and incentives to employees. (Al Mustaqbal, As Safir, Al Diyar, An Nahar, December 4, 2015
 

 

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25 Syrian displaced women in the Beqaa trained on ways to counter VAW

4-12-2015

Coinciding with the campaign entitled: 16 Days of Activism Against Gender Violence, the German Freidrich Naumann Foundation, Sawa for Development and Aid and the Arab Institute for Human Rights, completed yesterday a series of training workshops targeting Syrian women refugees located in the he Beqaa camps of Jib Janin, Bar Elias, Gazeh and Majdal Anjar. The ceremony took place at Hudood club in Majdel Anjar and Jussoor School in Jib Janin. The Arab Institute director, Jumana Mer3hi who facilitated the training sessions explained that the 4-month event was aimed at building the capacities of some 25 Syrian women refugees. This, she stated, will enable them to develop their knowledge and skills on women’s rights and on ways of fighting discrimination, as well as in communicating with and listening to victims of violence. Likewise, Sawa head, Nawal Mdalali, pointed out that the focus on women and children is mainly because both categories represent the most vulnerable segments of society that are subjected to violence, adding that the scale of gender-based violence rises usually during wars. For her part, Friedrich Naumann’s representative in Lebanon in charge of the project, Yara Asmar, explained that the purpose of the training is to build the capacity of displaced women to address difficulties which they encounter in the host country. (Al Mustaqbal, December 4, 2015)

 

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Live testimonials on the impact of displacement on Syrian women

3-12-2015

As part of the 16 Days of Activism Against Gender Violence, and in partnership with UNFPA in Lebanon, the Lebanese Women Democratic Gathering (LWDG) held yesterday a meeting to discuss the impact of displacement on Syrian women refugees and their Lebanese peers. The event comes within the framework of LWDG project entitled: ‘Involvement of Local Communities and Leaders in Preventing Violence Against Women’. During the meeting, LWDG information officer, Hayat Mirshad, maintained that Syrian women have paid the highest price for the war on their land before being confronted with the hardship of displacement. Mirshad added: “The scale of suffering could be summed up in the following facts: rape, sexual harassment, physical and moral violence, psychological trauma, domestic violence, forced and early marriage, resorting to prostitution as a mean of family subsistence, rising crimes of honor against women who were subjected to rape during the war in Syria, lack of the minimum economic and social fundamentals and exposure to abuse and exploitation in return for certain services.” Mirshad went on to say that as the reality of the refugee crisis has given way to all forms of violence against women, local communities, their leaders, civil and international organizations are called on to find useful lines of attack that are supportive of women and that can protect them from violence while easing tension with their Lebanese counterparts. Furthermore, a documentary film entitled, “Them: Live Testimonies for Syrian Women on the Impact of Displacement”, and presenting a number of real life cases, was screened at the end of the meeting. (Al Mustaqbal, December 3, 2015)
 

 

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Future workshop in Iqleem al Kharoob on political participation of women

2-12-2015

The National Committee for the Follow-Up of Women’s Issues, in coordination with the Future Movement Women’s Sector organized yesterday a workshop entitled: ‘the participation of women in political life’ which was held at the premises of the Future Coordination Committee for South Lebanon, in the presence of Barja and Shhim mayors and a number of community members and women from Iqlim al Kharoob. The holding of the event is part of the project entitled: ‘Building the Capacities of Parties Promoting Gender Equality’ which is funded by the European Institute for the Mediterranean and the Euro-Mediterranean Women Foundation and targets seven countries of the region, namely Lebanon, Algeria, Egypt, Jordan, Morocco, Palestine and Tunisia. The project director, Nada Makki, outlined its objectives which are as follows: strengthening partnerships between various parties promoting gender equality at the community, national and Euro-Med levels; enhancing general monitoring policies on the issue of equality and finally improving access to the production of knowledge on gender equality. For her part, the head assistant of the Future Movement Women’s Sector, Nawal Modalali, outlined the reality of women and the various ways for improving their participation in political life. (Al Mustaqbal, December 2, 2015)
 

 

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Political system & personal status laws impede women’s political participation in Lebanon

2-12-2015

The representative of the National Commission for Lebanese Women (NCLW), Dr. Fadia Kiwan, stressed that one should not accept any excuse, argument or political maneuver that blocks the adoption of a minimum quota for women of 30% in parliamentary elections, in addition to any other special preferential arrangement that can boost women’s chances of winning equally with men candidates. Kiwan was speaking at the National Conference held yesterday under the title, ‘Special Transitional Measures promoting the Representation of Women through Electoral Legislations’, which was organized by the Parliament’s Secretariat, in collaboration with UNDP, NCLW and the Alliance of Lebanese Women in Parliament. In this respect, UN special coordinator in Lebanon, Sigrid Kaag pressed for the adoption of a women’s quota, noting that the parliamentary representation of women in the country (3%) is the worst in the MENA region; compared to 31% in Algeria for example. For his part, the Lebanese Interior Minister, Nuhad Mashnook said that the new electoral law should include a women quota of not less than 15% and that this rate should increase progressively. Yasin Jaber, representing Speaker Nabih Berri, explained that the complex political system in Lebanon and the existence of various personal status laws work to subjugate women to the sectarian-governed patriarchal authority. Jaber concluded by calling for the endorsement and adoption of the quota law in order to raise the political representation of women and as the only practical means to achieve this. (As Safir, An Nahar Al Mustaqbal, December 2, 2015)
 

 

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Patriarchal personnel status laws at the basis of discriminatory laws and violence against women

1-12-2015

As part of the 16 Days of Activism Against Gender Violence Campaign, entitled ‘An archaic law is not a serious law’, and which Kafa launched last week (please refer to….) Kafa pressed on with a new sub-campaign for changing the archaic patriarchal legislations and personal status laws and their replacement by civil laws based on gender equality. The slogan of this new campaign: ‘the personal status system is dissonant” clearly highlights the major original flaws in the texts of present family laws that were developed by patriarchal mindset, while emphasizing the need to reform the majority of these texts that are incompatible with women’s and children’s rights, and that are grossly discriminatory against both. In the same vein, Kafa referred to one of its most recent publication entitled: ‘Zalfa’s questions and answers about the personal status law’, which offers simple information concerning personal status laws and related key legal facts. Kafa also strongly criticized the recent decision by the Grand Jury to release suspect Mohamad Munzer who murdered his wife Ruqaya on the eve of Mothers’ Day in 2014 after subjecting her to years of domestic violence, and this despite an earlier criminal accusation. )As Safir, December 1, 2015(
 

 

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