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Breaking gender stereotypes in Lebanon

2-3-2018

Under the patronage of Prime Minister Saad Hariri represented by health minister Ghassan Hasbani, the May Chidiac Foundation (MCF) opened yesterday its ‘Women on the Front Lines WOFL’ annual conference at Phoenicia Hotel in Beirut. Hasbani emphasized the need to liberate women from social constraints, including prejudiced legislations and all forms of violence, and provide women with equal opportunities like men to be able to shape their own destinies. In a related event, the NDU organized a conference yesterday entitled ‘women entrepreneurs in the Lebanese media’, aimed at highlighting the role of women, rectify stereotypes and stress the importance of women’s participation in decision-making. In this respect, the minister of state for women’s affairs, Jean Ogassapian, said women boast aptitudes that enable them to be on top, playing down the notion of the distribution of responsibilities, which flag the tasks allocated to women as separate from those reserved for men. Such stereotypes, he confirmed, should be discarded in a world which puts its faith in faculties and proficiencies. On the other hand, Al Akhbar newspaper mentioned the decision 2 days ago by the minister of interior dismissing Qaim Maqam of Jbeil, Najwa Sweidan Farah, based on a memo by the Central Inspection Bureau which determined violations on her part, and appointing Nathalie Meri’ Khury as acting officer to run the public facility. This action, Al Akhbar wrote, has been denounced by a key component of the Jbeil community, in criticism of the appointment of a “close ally to the New Presidency for the position of qaim maqam, especially that it happened very fast. For the full news: http://www.al-akhbar.com/node/291655. (Al Akhbar, Al Mustaqbal, An Nahar, March 2, 2018)

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2018 elections counter: 87 candidates of whom 15 women

2-3-2018

The latest update on the number of candidates for the 2018 parliamentary elections in its 24th day closed yesterday at 87 nominees, including 15 women. The distribution of women candidates across constituencies rested as follows: Leila Hassan Shhud, (North 1st district, Akkar); Paulette Sirakian Yacobian and Jumana Atallah Sallum, (Beirut 1st district); Dalal Halim Al Rahbani, Hanan Othman, Faten Faysal Zein, Rola Tufic Al Huri and Salwa Ayub Khalil (Beirut 2nd district); Zeina Joseph Kallab, (Mount Lebanon 1st district, Jbeil-Kesrwan); Ghada Ghazi Maruni and Hayat Shafic Wahhab, (Mount Lebanon 2nd district, Shuf-Aley);  Maggy Badi3h Aoun, (Beqaa 2nd district, West Beqaa-Rashayya); Wa3ed Hussein Sukkarieh and Cinderella Elias Methej, (Beqaa 3rd district, Baalbaq-Hermel) and Abir Ghalib Ramadan (South 3rd district, Nabatiyeh-Bint Jbeil). (For the full names of candidates in Arabic, please check: http://bit.ly/2CSyThJ). 
On the subject of women participation in the elections, the British Ambassador Hugho Shorter, after meeting house speaker Nabih Berri yesterday, praised Amal Movement’s inclusion of one woman on its electoral list, describing it as a step forward and hoping that Berri will continue to step up women representation in the Legislative to reach a quota of 30%. In a related vein, Al Akhbar newspaper spotlighted today the nomination of the leftist activist in ‘Bidna Nhassib’ civil society campaign, Neemat Badriddine, who decided to run independently for the South 3rd district. Badriddine, the newspaper wrote, succeeded in challenging the strong Hizbullah-Amal list in the students council at the Lebanese University School of Information. She defied the male-dominated parties when she joined but quickly pulled out of the Lebanese Communist Party for this reason and chose to take her struggle to the streets. Badriddine revealed that she is entitled to run for elections as a right guaranteed by the law, yet victory is unlikely, given her political opposition of the ruling parties. Nevertheless, she stated, paves the way for her participation in future parliamentary elections. (Al Mustaqbal, Al Akhbar, An Nahar, March 2, 2018)
 

Previous related news:
2018 Election counter: 57 candidates of whom only 4 women
Despite promises, political parties fail in backing women nominees
Amal Movement nominates Inaya Ezzedine for upcoming parliamentary elections
Jumana Haddad on Seven’s Party electoral list
 Zoya Ruhana, Hayat Arslan running for Shuf-Aley 2018 elections
 Paula Yacoubian joins 7 party and runs for Parliamentary elections
 

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International legislation threatens tobacco industry, a major source of income to the Lebanese treasury

2-3-2018

The CEO of Regie Libanaise des Tabacs et Tombacs, Nassif Siklawi, warned during the third meeting of the National Tobacco Institutions in Cairo yesterday, that international decisions are threating the sector along with the economies of participating countries, namely, Tunisia, Egypt, Lebaon and Iraq. The most hazardous of these resolutions, Siklawi said, are the discussions taking place in the eighth meeting of the Conference of the Parties to the Stockholm Convention (COP 8) and which considered the cultivation of tobacco as a climate menace. Such decisions without trying to find alternative resolutions to the problem will definitely affect the fate of the industry’s workforce, Siklawi cautioned, noting that the main concern among Cairo meeting participants now is protecting the sector in the face of such challenges. The tobacco industry in Lebanon, Siklawi said, is one of the chief support pillars and the 5th source of backup for the state treasury, making 7.5% of its total revenues (Regie proceeds in 2017 reached USD 444 million). He expressed pride that the company has become one of the most advanced tobacco manufacturing centers in the MENA region, scoring the highest point in terms of ISO 90001 standards. Furthermore, the Regie’s importance is not limited to its production of 9 national tobacco brands, but it extends to supporting more than 25,000 tobacco growers across Lebanon, besides its many development-related projects in over 170 towns and villages. (An Nahar, Al Mustaqbal, Al Diyar, March 2, 2018)

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Dialogue on women participation in elections

1-3-2018

The Diane Foundation for civic awareness and eco-sustainable development organized a debate yesterday around the topic of women’s participation in the parliamentary elections. The session was moderated by the minister of state for women’s affairs, Jean Ogassapian, and Joele Rizkallah from Women in Front association. Rizkallah said that while the new electoral law did not observe or include the women representation quota, her association has put forward an alternate scheme to back and encourage women wishing to run for elections, and hence developed a list of potential names, including, media figure May Shidiac, entrepreneur Wafaa Saab and activist Nayla Geagea. In her speech, Rizkallah asked Ogassapian to adopt measures that inspire women to enter the race for elections, suggesting for example, that the ministry of interior allows a woman to nominate herself under her husband’s family name, especially if she is known under this name. She also demanded the adoption of a bill that exempts women candidates from the required registration fees, noting that the draft, according to Ogassapian, has been discussed in the Legislative but was not approved after being faced with opposition from Hizbullah MPs. She expressed hope that the political parties take bulls by the horns and reserve a space for women on their lists. In his turn, Ogassapian maintained that asking for a fair representation for women is not a matter of numbers or diversity in parliament seats, it is an urgency to stop brain drain in Lebanon brought about to a great extent by marginalizing women capacities. (L’Orient Le Jour, March 1, 2018)
 

Previous related news:
2018 Election counter: 57 candidates of whom only 4 women
Despite promises, political parties fail in backing women nominees
Amal Movement nominates Inaya Ezzedine for upcoming parliamentary elections
Jumana Haddad on Seven’s Party electoral list
 Zoya Ruhana, Hayat Arsalan running for Shuf-Aley 2018 elections
 Paula Yacubian joins 7 party and runs for Parliamentary elections
 

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Saradar Bank organizes women’s race on April 22nd

1-3-2018

The Beirut Marathon Association announced in a press conference yesterday its upcoming Saradar Bank Women’s Race to be held on April 22 at the Beirut waterfront area under the slogan, ‘Draw Your Path’. On the occasion, Saradar Bank representative, Zeina Kiriakos, stressed in her message that women’s cause has become a key current issue in Lebanon and in the world. “We support women and their rights, and believe in their capabilities and their essential role in society,” Kiriakos said, adding, “this is demonstrated by the successful achievements and the senior positions they have reached”. For her part, the President of the National Commission for Lebanese Women (NCLW), Claudine Aoun Rukuz, pointed out that the slogan of the projected race holds one of NCLW’s main goals promoting women’s participation in political life. “Our appeal to all the women of Lebanon stems from an urgent need to break psychological barriers, rise above fears and challenges, uncover potentials and keep moving forward,” Rukuz maintained. )Al Mustaqbal, March 1, 2018(

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Women soldiers graduates in Presidential Guard Brigade

1-3-2018

Yesterday saw the graduation of women soldiers in the Presidential Guard after their completion of the required basic training. Brigadier General Salim Feghali, representing the Army Commander, said during the ceremony, that recruiting women within the ranks of the Military, reflects a deep belief in the effective role of women in building society and state institutions. “It is a clear indication”, Feghali added, “of the Army leadership’s respect for women’s natural right to productive work, and a statement the Military makes as a national model that embraces the various Lebanese sects, affiliations and regions without discrimination”. ( Al Mustaqbal, Al Diyar, March 1, 2018)

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Educational orientation for school students in Biel

28-2-2018

Promofair, the company specializing in events and exhibitions, announced the launch of EDEX Education & Orientation Expo 2018 (Biel, March 1-4 under the patronage of Prime Minister Saad Hariri. According to Promofair managing director, Nabil Baz, the event is the first in Lebanon in terms of the size of participants (some 55 local and international universities and 100 exhibitors). The pavilions bring together the different branches of the Lebanese University, private universities and a number of French and British academic institutions, in addition to technology giants like Apple, Microsoft and Huawei companies. The exhibition, Baz stressed, offers students an opportunity to learn about future careers and possible studies in an innovative and comprehensive approach. The event extend guidance and orientation to students through hooking them up with specialists in the fields who listen to their questions and help them discover their professional tendencies, and eventually learn about the appropriate and most wanted competence in the labor market. (An Nahar, February 28, 2018)

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2018 Election counter: 57 candidates of whom only 4 women

28-2-2018

The latest update on the number of candidates for the upcoming parliamentary elections as received by the General Directorate for interior ministry, is 57 candidates, the National News Agency (NNA) reported. After 22 days from the onset of the candidacy procedure, NNA said only 4 women have been enlisted, and they are, Gilbert Zwein (Keserwan), Sitrida Elias Tawk (Besharri), Rana Mohamad Samir Shmaitelli (Beirut 2nd District) and Nada Khattar Gharib (Mount Lebanon). Al Hayat newspaper pointed out yesterday to the failure of political parties in recruiting female candidates on their electoral lists, concluding that in light of the publicly announced or leaked names, women candidates are few. (c.f: http://bit.ly/2HUf6Cw). (Al Mustaqbal, February 28, 2018)
 

Previous related news:
Despite promises, political parties fail in backing women nominees
 

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MOSA women economic empowerment in Ghazir

28-2-2018

The minister of social affairs, Pierre Abu Assi, sponsored yesterday a ceremony held by the ministry affiliated-Center for Development Services in Ghazir to distribute certificates to women who completed the third phase of ‘promoting women empowerment and protection of women and youth in host communities’ project. The latter, to recall, is implemented by MoSA and UN Women-Gender Equality and Women Empowerment and funded by the Japanese Government. Pointing to the training courses provided by the Center in cooking, sewing and embroidery, Bu Assi stressed that vocational training does not only secure work opportunities for women, but also presents them with a source of livelihood, freedom and dignity. For his part, the Japanese Ambassador to Lebanon emphasized that the Ghazir Center has furnished women with skills to find adequate opportunities that help them move forward in their lives. Likewise, the Special Representative of the UN Women Regional Director said the project has ensured training in the private sector for both women and youth in order to boost their contribution to the local social and economic development, through specialized training and awareness on the rights of women and their protection from all forms of violence and abuse. ( Al Mustaqbal, February 28, 2018)

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Media awareness on early marriage

28-2-2018

The Parliamentary Administrative and Justice Committee resumed on Monday its study of the draft bills regulating the marriage of underage children and protection of children from early marriages. The committee reviewed the report of the sub-committee charged with finding a compromise between the two proposals, and the viewpoints of the justice ministry, the National Commission for Lebanese women and the Lebanese Women Democratic Gathering. However, and due to lack of time, the meeting was adjourned. To note, the Committee has on January 24 decided to merge the three draft legislations, where MP Ghassan Mkheiber pointed out that the final draft will set the minimum age of marriage at 16 years (c.f: http://bit.ly/2HQuaRq). In a related vein, the LWDG held a workshop yesterday devoted to journalists and media representatives on the topic of early marriage in Lebanon, with focus on a number of points: the legal side, the absence of a deterrent legislative system as a result of the absence of civil laws and the different confessional laws fostering the marriage of minors, in addition to standardizing the coverage and handling of similar issues by the media. (Al Akhbar, February 27, 28, 2018)

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