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English

A female diplomat requests residency for her partner, Lebanese officials give no answer!

8-8-2018

Al Akhbar daily wrote today that, at a time when a number of countries, including The Vatican, have taken progressive steps on LGBT rights, Lebanon is still far away from this issue. The newspaper, citing informed sources, reported that the Ambassador of Canada to Lebanon, Emmanuelle Lamoureux, asked the foreign ministry to grant her female life partner a residency permit that is usually granted for the wives of diplomats. The foreign ministry, nonetheless, has not taken any decision, Al Akhbar mentioned, since this is the first time it faces such a request. (Al Akhbar, August 8, 2018)

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LF supports women’s full nationality right and draft bill from Democratic Gathering

7-8-2018

In the framework of its visits to political parties to brief them on their amendment proposal, My Nationality Is A Right For Me And My Family Campaign announced in a statement yesterday that it has met with Lebanese Forces Bloc member Antoine Habshi and discussed with him nationality matters and arguments put forward by opponents to said law. Habshi expressed to the Campaign representatives his backing to all the rights of women, including the right to nationality, noting that he will work fully to adjust the law in order to give the Lebanese mothers their rights to grant nationality to their family members, according to the statement. On the other hand, the Democratic Gathering bloc submitted a draft bill to the Legislature concerning the acquisition of nationality following a debate caused by the recent naturalization decree, said MP Hadi Abul Hassan. The proposal, he clarified, seeks to bring about justice and equality among the Lebanese in civil rights, modernize laws related to nationality, realize the right of Lebanese women to confer nationality to their children and settle the case of stateless persons in Lebanon. (For the full text of the draft bill, kindly visit the following link: https://goo.gl/MaJD9m. My Nationality is a Right for me and My Family Campaign praised the stand of the Gathering, stating that it will support the endorsement of either of above proposals, hoping they will not be buried in the Lebanese parliament’s drawers. (Al Akhbar, Al Diyar, Al Mustaqbal, August 7, 2018)

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Lebanon not ready yet to legalize cannabis

7-8-2018

In an article published in Al Akhbar, an agriculture engineer and rural development specialist anticipated that the legalization of cannabis cultivation in Lebanon will contribute to reducing extreme poverty in the Beqaa through the creation of jobs and increasing public finance revenues, yet it should be well prepared through raising public awareness on the risks of personal use of marijuana. This, again, should be accompanied by an increase in living standards, a balanced and equitable distribution of natural resources and poverty control, the expert said. Regarding the medicinal use of hashish, the expert explained that medical research has not finally determined the benefits of the medicinal use of marijuana, stating that in comparison to international experience in this respect, Lebanon’s decision seems to be hasty because the foundation to set off a legalized cultivation and production of cannabis is not complete. The institutional and regulatory body, as well as the governance system in general, suffers structural imbalance which makes it difficult to deal with serious and sensitive matters, like security, judiciary, agriculture, poverty control and income distribution, the expert concluded. Meanwhile, on the front of traditional agriculture in Lebanon, Al Mustaqbal newspaper reported that with the beginning of the harvest of prickly pears, the orchards are gradually recuperating especially after the identification and control of the pest which infected four consecutive seasons of the fruit, destroying nearly 80% of the produce in the areas of Arkoob, Hasbayya and Marjey3oon. Al Mustaqbal wrote that, until recently, prickly pears were planted as a protective fence for cattle, but that now a large number of area residents are growing the crop as a reliable source of livelihood during summer. (Al Mustaqbal, Al Akhbar, August 4, 6, 2018)

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Trans persons rejected by Lebanese society

7-8-2018

L’Orient Le Jour today wrote about the suffering and anguish of trans persons, particularly females, in Lebanon, after a video went viral on social media last week which showed a man beating a transwoman on the street in broad daylight. On this subject, activist Tarek Zeydan, from Helem Association, explained that what the video displayed, regardless of the dispute between the two, uncovers the extent of violence practiced against this category of trans persons, who are still marginalized in society. Norma, a trans woman, said the comments supporting the violence in the video are not unexpected. They reflect the mindset of Lebanese society which refuses anything that is different because of its ignorance of transgender persons, Norma added, noting that these people are constantly battered, demeaned and pigeon-holed as sex workers. She revealed that the majority of these women cannot open a bank account, rent a house or file a grievance in public departments, stating that only civil society organizations welcome them aboard for work. Helem association seeks to protect them from society by helping them find proper jobs, Norma said. Naya, another transwoman, mentioned daily arrests on security checkpoints and bad treatment inside prisons where they are exposed to moral and sexual harassment as well as rape. (L’Orient Le Jour, August 7, 2018)

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CGTL campaigning against foreign workers

7-8-2018

The head of the General Confederation of Lebanese Workers (CGTL), Bshara Asmar, claimed yesterday that the country is going through an economic and social turmoil that has affected all production sectors and taken its toll on the domestic laborers working in these industries. Asmar who was speaking during a press conference with the theme, ‘To protect the Lebanese labor force’, warned that the slackness of the government in regulating the presence of Syrian refugees and the absence of monitoring and inspection at the various public departments, has made foreign competition hard to manage. Asmar called for tougher applications of laws by relevant ministries to guarantee the priority of work for Lebanese citizens and to punish violating parties by very large fines or by closure of their institutions. Asmar further stressed CGTL readiness to cooperate in order to reach decisions that safeguard the rights of Lebanese workers, preserve the continuity of local establishments and prevent illegal competition. Similarly, the head of Syndicates of Owners of Restaurants in Lebanon, Toni Rami, sustained that the labor law in effect needs updating to adapt to the workers and employers’ needs. On the other hand, MP Ayoub Hmayid, called for setting up an emergency unit headed by the prime minister to this end. (An Nahar, August 7, 2018)

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Tripoli religious educators lament absence of justice

6-8-2018

The anguish of the religious educators at Awkaf Akkar continues, Al Diyar newspaper reported. Some 134 female and male educators who, despite their affiliation with the richest Awkaf charities in the country, live below the poverty line on scant salaries that are barely enough to pay their living expenses, Al Diyar wrote. Amidst harsh economic conditions, nearly half of these teachers are reluctant to teach or sign new contracts, particularly after the UAE suspended their financial grants worth of USD 300 per teacher six months ago, noting that these educators (males and females) depend on said grants for subsistence. Nonetheless, Al Diyar went on to say, the teachers are very hopeful the Mufti of the Republic, Sheikh Abdellatif Deryan, will resolve the impasse. The newspaper quoted the distressed educators as repeatedly criticizing the preferential attitude of the Directorate of Sunni Islamic Awqaf. They cited the assignment of multiple jobs to one sheikh thus bringing his monthly salary to more than LBP 1,500,000, in addition to his receiving a generous benefit package of LBP 15,000,000 annually, the payment of his children's school fees and the last four salaries of his work at Dar al Fatwa. While inconsistently, there are sheikhs whose monthly salaries do not exceed LBP 140,000, Al Diyar wrote, pointing to a general disappointment among sheikhs towards Saudi Arabia’s support to Wahhabi Salafist sheikhs in Lebanon, where each one of them is allocated USD 1,500 a month.(Al Diyar, August 1, 5, 2018)

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Tok Tok vehicles now in Lebanon

6-8-2018

In a special feature on means of transportation in the country, Al Akhbar daily drew attention to the tok tok cars that are widely used in South Asian and other densely populated nations, like Bangladesh, India, Pakistan and Sudan, but that are now up-and-coming in Lebanon’s poor neighborhoods. The motorcycle dealers introduced the tok tok to the Lebanese markets two years ago and they are now seen largely in Beirut’s outskirts of Bir Hassan, Old Airport Road, Ozai, Rihab and Dora, as well as, in Tripoli’s disadvantages areas of Tabbaneh, Old Souk, Haddadin area, Al Akhbar wrote. The newspaper said that this vehicle which largely relates to chaos and deprivation, has developed its presence in these neighborhoods as a source of livelihood to counter unemployment and housing inadequacy. Mohammad, the Kaak vendor in Rehab area of Sabra in Beirut, boasted to Al Akhbar reporter that all what an auto rickshaw require to set off is USD 1,600. Hamed who was fired from work a year ago agreed with Mohammad, recounting that he bought a tok tok and turned it into an express coffee car in the old souk of Tripoli. “It is hassle-free. I make LBP 40,000 a day which is enough to provide for a family of 5 when I could not get another job,” Hamed said. In the southern suburbs of the capital, Al Akhbar said, the tok tok is becoming a new form of transport. It is faster and cheaper by LBP1,000 compared to a regular cab, Sumaya, who uses the rickshaw for her daily shopping, said. Hassan, the tok tok driver, 19 years, while boasting that he makes LBP 40 thousand every day, said he is in constant fear of the security checkpoints, as there is no official classification for this electric vehicle yet. (Al Akhbar, August 4, 2018)

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Workshops on food security and food processing in Baalbaq

6-8-2018

In cooperation with the Canadian Mennonite Central Committee (MCC), the Lebanese Organization of Studies and Training (LOST) organized on Saturday an honoring ceremony for women who completed a training workshop as part of the “Food Security for Vulnerable Beqaa Families through Sheep Farming” initiative. During the event, LOST founder Rami Lakiss, pointed out that the initiative carries diverse dimensions and effects, including the creation of jobs through the development of agriculture and livestock. The Canadian Ambassador to Lebanon, Emmanuelle Lamoureux, said her government has been collaborating with LOST since 2013 targeting social integration and the enhancement of women’s capacities. She stated that Canada places great importance on the role of women in social development and conflict mitigation and lauded Lebanon’s great hospitality towards Syrian refugees. MCC director in Lebanon outlined the project’s significance, goals, stages and outcomes reflected in an increase by 25% in the income of nearly 87% of households. He also underlined the impact of the project on the individual, economic and psychological conditions of women beneficiaries and their spouses. On the other hand, Jihad al Binaa development association and the Union of Beqaa Farmers’ Syndicate, in cooperation with Atayib el Rif (Rural Delights Cooperative) association, organized a workshop on Friday entitled, ‘Food processing through the use of Lebanese mooneh ingredients’. The event took place at the commercial market hall in Baalbaq and included the preparation and serving of traditional Lebanese dishes to visitors. (Al Mustaqbal, Al Diyar, August 5, 2018)

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Marijuana dealers ask government to hand them management, sale of the crop!?

3-8-2018

After the Speaker of the House Nabih Berri commissioned a committee of experts to prepare a draft law to regulate the cultivation of marijuana, (c.f:https://bit.ly/2vw5wjS), the Maronite bishops Council warned in a statement on Wednesday of the social and ethical dangers of said measure. They said it requires a thorough and objective study to assess the negative and positive impact of cannabis and to determine if the Lebanese State is really capable of managing this file without harming!citizens. In a special feature on the subject, An Nahar daily reported that land proprietors in Yamooneh boast huge profits generated form this agriculture, especially after the failure of all attempts by the government over the years to annihilate it. The newspaper cited concerns by Yamooneh residents over the projected mechanism of implementation, stating that selling to dealers to make drugs is something and selling for medicinal purposes and according to specific criteria and in assigned areas is another thing. Deputy mayor of Yamooneh, Hussein Sherif, told AFP: “We are all under the law… we are generally against this cultivation, though we were not successful at any other kind of agriculture.” “The ordinary farmer should be the primary beneficiary from the legalization of cannabis and hence should make profits not less than what he used to make from smuggling the marijuana,” Cherif added. For his part, Yamooneh mukhtar, Jamal Sherif, said he was pessimistic about the anticipated legalization of hashish amidst the rampant corruption in the public administration and institutions. “They looted the country. All we have left is the cannabis, and they want to plunder it" Sherif lamented. “If you are willing to legitimize marijuana literally, let me plant and export the crop…. Marijuana traffickers are able to pay off the national debt in one year.” (An Nahar, August 2, 2018)

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France criminalizes sexual harassment on streets

3-8-2018

The French Parliament unanimously approved a bill yesterday against sexist and sexual violence, with 92 votes in favor and the abstention of 8 others), hence making catcalling a crime punished with an immediate fine of up to 750 euros. The new legislation emphasized the campaigns combating rape and other forms of sexual assaults against minors, and extending the law of limitation for some sex offences over the years when perpetrated against underage children. The bill also stepped up sanctions against sexual and moral harassment and facilitated provisions of rape accusation, as such: ‘A sexual relation between an adult and a child under age 15 can be considered rape if the victim lacked the ability to consent’. For her part, the minister for gender equality, architect of the new bill, Marlene Schiappa, pointed out that street harassment was not punishable in the past, but from now on, it is considered an offence, stressing the need to criminalize hostile acts of humiliation or intimidation of women in public places. The ratification of above law came days after a woman, Marie Laguerre, 22, was harassed and hit by a man on the street as seen in a footage released and posted by the victim on her Facebook account, provoking a wave of outrage across the country. Lagurre, who said, the attacker approached her and insulted her while she was walking on the street, has taken to social media to relate her experience and created a website that allows other victims of harassment to share their stories. (Al Akhbar, August 3, 2018)

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