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English

Druze community leader calls for respecting women committed to the faith

20-2-2018

The Sheikh Akl of the Druze community, Naim Hassan, demanded in a press conference yesterday, the interior minister to follow the mechanism adopted earlier and which observes religious diktat regarding the issuance of identity cards for the Mouahidat (women who are religious devotees). Hassan maintained that the traditions deep-rooted in the religion of Al Mouahidoun require “faith-initiated women to wear a modest attire, including a niqab to cover the head, and this is something that cannot be waived,” as he put it. He warned that, any restrictions to this effect are dubbed an encroachment on women’s rights and freedom and a deprivation of their identity. Noting the unsatisfactory results and failure of the ministry for more than a year to issue said IDs, Hassan appealed to authorities concerned to respect spiritual traditions of the Druze Community and take the necessary measures in observance of the particularities credited by the sheikhdom of akl in order to facilitate the release of their identity cards. (Al Mustaqbal, February 20, 2018)

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‘Mjadra Hamra’, a play depicting dreams, disappointments of a Southern woman

20-2-2018

An Nahar newspaper spotlighted a comedy play ‘Mjadra Hamra’ narrating the dreams and disappointments of the only heroine on stage, Anjou Rihan, who embodied three women from the southern town of Nabatiyeh. The girlfriends, Suad, Maryam and Fatmeh, living in the southern suburbs of the capital, communicate their stories on marriage, divorce, children, food and immigration, and raise the issue of violence against women and the male chauvinist mindset in a fun and easy flair. The dialogue in the show switches from one character to another. Maryam, the educated woman who lived in Paris to become a writer thriving with Parisian liberty, falls in love with and marries Bassem, the Lebanese from the South, but divorces him because she refuses to become a mother. Fatmeh, a widower, interacts with her deceased husband asking him if he approves her re-marrying after 10 years from his death, and at the same time faces rejection from her children who do not want her to wed another man. The third character, Souad, personifies the southern woman crushed under the brutal power of her husband. Constantly battered by her husband, Souad decides to sneak poison into his plate of mjadra hamra, the typical southern dish, reminiscing her mother’s words that the only way to a man’s heart is his stomach. She kills him and liberates herself from his authority and his meal. (An Nahar, February 20, 2018)

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Amal Movement nominates Inaya Ezzedine for upcoming parliamentary elections

19-2-2018

In the framework of activating the participation of women in the political life and after the nomination of a number of women to the upcoming parliamentary elections (: https://goo.gl/ALXCuu), Amal Movement announced that it will nominate minister Inaya Ezzedine, for the upcoming parliamentary elections, to be her party’s first representative in the Legislative. In a related vein, the ministry of state for women’s affairs, jointly with UN Women, UNDP-Lebanese Elections Assistance Project and the EU hosted a media meeting at the Movenpick Hotel to mobilize the media to promote gender equality in the political process and to encourage women participation in parliamentary elections. At the end of the media session, participants agreed to endorse media communication with women candidates, highlight their programs and ideas and effectively contribute to the ongoing advocacy campaign under the motto, ‘Half of Society, Half of Parliament’. Also on the same day, the president of the National Commission for Lebanese Women (NCLW) Claudine Aoun Rukuz, and upon the invitation of the Santa Teresa group, gave a lecture entitled, ‘Women’s rights: law and reality’. During the talk, organized by Dr. Cynthia Gharib, Rukuz gave a detailed presentation of local laws and their economic and social impact on the people of Lebanon, particularly women. Some of the laws she mentioned are: the social security law, protection of women from domestic violence, the labor law, the penal code, protection of underage girls from early marriage, the nationality law, the personal status law and the participation of women in politics. (Al Mustaqbal, An Nahar, February 17, 19. 2018)

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Future movement human rights jurists honor judge Joseline Matta

19-2-2018

A human rights jurists delegation from the Future Movement Liberal Professions’ Sector, visited on Friday investigative judge, Joseline Matta at the Justice Palace in Tripoli and handed her an honorary shield. The delegation passed to the honoree the greetings and gratitude of premier Saad Hiriri and Future Movement Secretary Ahmad Hariri on her unprecedented ruling earlier this month in the case of three Muslim men (aged 16-18 years). To recall, Matta's verdict required that the three young perpetrators who entered the premises of a church and debased the Statute of Virgin Mary memorize Surah Imran from the Quran as a condition for their release so that they know how the Quran honored her and to learn about religious tolerance. (Al Mustaqbal, Al Akhbar, February 19, 2018)

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New breakthrough in the Kingdom! Saudi women allowed to start business without "male guardian" consent

19-2-2018

Th Saudi authorities issued a decree last week sanctioning women in the Kingdom to start their own businesses freely benefitting from all government services without the consent of a male guardian, whether a husband, brother or father. The decision comes as part of the ‘No Need’ initiative launched by the ministry of commerce and investment within the framework of the ambitious Vision 2030 aimed at opening a new era in the empowerment of Saudi women through work and improve the Kingdom’s image abroad. According to L’Orient Le Jour newspaper, said vision hopes to increase participation of women in the workforce from 22% to over 30% by the year 2030. On the other hand, the Saudi Customs Authority disclosed on February 12th that it has received some 107 applications for 140 vacancies open for women in the airports and border crossing points. To recall, the new decree came after previous decisions that allowed women to drive, enter football stadiums, be hired at the justice ministry and the public prosecution. (L’Orient Le Jour, February 19, 2018)

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2018 Forum of Opportunities and Capacities in Beirut

19-2-2018

In collaboration with Ora Union, and under the patronage of prime minister Saad Hariri, the head of Labora organization, Father Toni Khadra, inaugurated on Friday the Forum of Opportunities and Capacities 2018 at the Forum de Beyrouth (February 20-25). In his opening address, Khadra said the exhibition is a “meeting point for capacities and available opportunities to create a new dimension of productivity that fosters steadfastness in the country,” stressing the importance of giving edge in recruitment to the Lebanese workforce. For her part, the media officer at Ora Union, Brigitte Abu Antun, pointed out that the first of its kind event covers four different expositions: the job opportunities and employment fair, the Lebanese University Open Doors fair, the Christian Fair and the Agriculture and Craft Production Fair. It also includes the 2nd Edition of the Ora Short Film Festival, the 3rd Edition of the Visual Arts Fair, in addition to various activities, like media and training workshops, music shows, economic lectures, social and agricultural seminars, meetings on media and tourism, honoring of artists, students and professors, a teamwork and leadership training session, village dinner and artisan workshops. (Al Diyar, An Nahar, February 17, 19, 2018)

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World-wide condemnation of the misuse of power, authority by men

16-2-2018

Al Hayat highlighted yesterday an article by Princeton University professor, Joan Scott, which appeared in the French Liberation magazine (January 26) in which it reveals that the Me Too and the case against Weinstein campaigns have caused wide world condemnation of the abuse of power and authority by men, but which had varying impact in the United States and France. In her analysis, Scott said female sexual seduction is not a pillar of the US national identity, as many French think, including legendary actress Cathrine Deneuve who signed a statement defending the liberty of men to hit on women. However, Scott added, what brings the above two campaigns together is their challenge to what Pierre Bourdieu termed as ‘masculine domination’ at the workplace and in politics and family circles. The issue, Scott maintained, is closer to a rebellion against the culture of male chauvinism where men believe everything is justified for them, and this is tantamount to a sexist mindset that relates the humiliation of women to a full-blown masculinity or machismo. “The issue can be understood in the context of this rebellion rather than in women’s relationship with their bodies or emancipation," Scott concluded. (Al Hayat, February 15, 2018) . The article is found on the link below: https://goo.gl/rLjcAz)

Previous related news:
A Moroccan novelist links moral liberalization to women’s emancipation
Group of prominent French women defends men’s flirting
Campaign in Hollywood against sexual harassment 
 

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Directory of services of MWDWs in Lebanon

16-2-2018

In its issue of today, Al Akhbar newspaper uncovered the conditions in which migrant women domestic workers (MWDWs) live in the country, focusing on the 2012 directory of services for domestic workers prepared jointly by the labor ministry and ILO and funded by the EU. The directory, published on the labor ministry’s website, fails to include scores of MWDWs and their exposure to gross violations of their rights, as admitted the ministry itself, Al Akhbar reported. While the said directory explicitly acknowledges the existence of such violations workers put up with as soon as they arrive in Lebanon, it does not provide any deterrent guarantees that help them reclaim and preserve her rights. The directory contains tips advising dialogue with the employer in the event of disputes or resorting to the ministry of labor, or alerting them of the risks of running away, however, it does not mention the many cases of suicide by MWDWs. In its address to the female migrant domestic worker, Al Akhbar went on to say, the directory makes clear that her legal recruitment can only be conducted through a ‘kafeel’ (sponsor). It did not, however, note that the kafala (sponsorship) system can lead to the imprisonment of the worker, increasing her work to the level of servitude or slavery to her employer or make her marriage, in case she decided to wed, an extremely complex issue, Al Akhbar said. A study issued jointly by the American University of Beirut and Kafa organization in 2016, has shown that 40% of Lebanese employers do not pay their employees regularly and that 94% keep their passports, while the total number of renewed permits in the domestic service in Lebanon for 2017 stood at around 120,362 permits, according to labor ministry figures. ( Al Akhbar February 16, 2018) To check the directory services for domestic workers, please visit: http://www.labor.gov.lb/_layouts/MOL_Application/Cur/arabic_informal.pdf To check full article in Al-Akhbar newspaper, please check: http://www.al-akhbar.com/node/290901

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Morocco approves law protecting women from violence

16-2-2018

The Moroccan Parliament adopted with a majority vote on Wednesday a new law to fight violence against women. On the occasion, the minister for women and family affairs, Bassima Hakkawi, posted on her Facebook account: “This law, our newborn, came to life after a difficult and costly gestation… This legislation has a story that goes back to 15 years when the idea was first generated but did not find the proper context and climate to develop and move forward until after the conditions matured and were met with determination,” Hakkawi maintained. Similarly, the Federation of the Democratic League for Women’s Rights said that despite its positivity, the legislation did not go far enough to include some basic features that define violence as a form of discrimination against women and a violation of their rights nor did it contemplate protection, prevention and reparation issues. For her part, Leila Emily, advocate for women’s rights and the president of White Hand Association, told BBC Trending program that the human rights lawyers and activists view this new step as positive but have their observations to improve the text further. To recall, the Tunisian Parliament has approved in July a comprehensive law to eliminate violence against women. (Al Diyar, February 16, 2018)


Previous related news: 
Morocco to develop a strategy to combat violence against women
Tunisian Parliament approves law ending violence against women

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Female Genital Mutilation still prevailing in Egypt despite stricter sanctioning

15-2-2018

In its issue of today, Al Hayat drew attention to the topic of female genital mutilation (FGM) which is usually discussed by Egyptians around this time of the year, February 6, the International Day of Zero Tolerance for Female Genital Mutilation. In Egypt, the newspaper wrote, where women and girls represent the highest global rate of FGM, the National Strategy for the Empowerment of Egyptian Women 2030 is consistent with the goals to eradicate genital cutting as an extreme form of violence and discrimination against women and girls. However, Al Hayat went on to say, there is a wide gap between the strategy, the letter of the law and what is disseminated in the media on the one hand, and what is actually happening behind closed doors. That which has been deep-rooted in culture and traditions, and furthered by religious extremists, is difficult to erase from the collective consciousness of a society. Citing a study by UNICEF (2014), Al Hayat indicated that 87% of women and girls aged between 15-49 years, have undergone genital cutting, which shows that the majority of women and girls in the North African state have been subjected to this form of physical abuse masked under the cover of purity and religiosity. On the subject, Al Hayat spoke with the professor of public health at the Cairo University School of Medicine, Maisa Shawky, who stated that despite tightening the punishment against cases of FGM from an offence to a felony conviction in 2016, yet there remains too much secrecy surrounding the crime. Overall FGM prevalence did not vary from the year 2014, Shawky revealed. She demanded a tough application of the law, the inclusion of the notion in the curriculum and an ongoing, not just seasonal, coverage by the media of the subject. The article can be found on the following link: : https://goo.gl/V98b4N. (Al Hayat, February 15, 2018)

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