Petition to lift reservations on CEDAW from Lebanese women organisations

On the Human Rights Day, December 10, women groups under the umbrella of the Arab Regional Center for the Global Women Democratic Union held a meeting last Friday during which they signed and put forward two respective petitions to Lebanese Parliament Speaker, Nabih Berri, and UN Director General. The first petition called for, primarily, lifting the reservations on the Convention for the Elimination of all Forms of Discrimination (CEDAW) and secondly, adjustment of the Nationality Law, particularly, the First Paragraph of the First Article, as such it becomes, “Every person born from a Lebanese father or a Lebanese mother is a Lebanese citizen”, in addition to enactment of a civil personal status law that unites all citizens. The second petition stressed the need to lift the reservations on the CEDAW, readdress the freedom of choice in application of said Convention with its attendant Optional Protocol. It also pressed for giving no longer than 2-year grace period for the amendment of pertinent laws related to personal status towards the realization of a civil law that guarantees equal rights of women on parity with men. Additionally, it appealed to all CEDAW member states to commit to the recommendations of the Beijing Platform of Action in relation to women’s representation quota in political decision-making positions in preparation for realizing equality to this effect. The associations which signed above MoU, are: League for Lebanese Women’s Rights, Association of Parents of Handicapped, the Lebanese Women Council, Musawat Wardah Butros for Women Action association, the Southern Women association, Women of Ras el Matn association, Women of Shuwayfat association, the National Union of Lebanese Women and Lebanese Mothers’ Association.. (Al Mustaqbal, An Nahar, December 10, 2016)