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Government-sponsored local development activities

15-1-2018

House Speaker Nabih Berri represented by agriculture minister, Ghazi Zeiater, sponsored the inauguration of the conference on Sustainable Agricultural Development at Bassel Assad’s Cultural Center in Tyre. Zeiater in his opening address emphasized his support to protect and develop agricultural resources, pointing that the marginalization of agriculture in a developing state like Lebanon, has continued for decades in favor of fostering other industries. To date, Zeiater said, despite efforts to increase subsidies to the sector, these barely reached 1% of the total general budget. Meanwhile, the minister of labor, Mohamad Kabara represented by the ministry’s director general, George Aida, sponsored the completion of three workshops at the National Vocational Training Center in Dekwaneh, implemented by the European Institute for Cooperation and Development and funded jointly by UNHCR and the French Agency for Development. The courses which covered, the installation and maintenance of air conditioners, refrigerators and household electricity grids, as well as different life skills, targeted some 45 Lebanese, Syrian and Iraqi participants, including school dropouts and job seekers. In the same vein, and under the patronage of tourism minister, Avedis Guidanian, the Badr Hassoun Eco Village in Dahr el Ain organized on Saturday the ‘Eco Tourism Wedding’ to mark its placing on Lebanon’s touristic map. On the occasion, Eco Village CEO, Dr. Badr Hassoun, outlined the various stages of construction of the Village which represented his childhood dream, pointing to the planting of about 60,000 square meters of flowers and to the many families working on and benefiting from the project and its products. (Al Diyar, An Nahar, Al Mustaqbal, January, 13, 14, 15, 2018)

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Political system and gender stereotypes impede women political participation

15-1-2018

In her master’s dissertation in Human Rights and Democratization (EMA) at the European Inter-University Centre for Human Rights and Democratization (EIUC) in Italy, Hind Sherif pointed out that the political infrastructure in Lebanon nurtures toxic elements that impede the political involvement of women and the State’s transition into democracy. Sharif said the key factor undermining this involvement is the political family legacy, noting that the Lebanese confessional power-sharing system fosters the dominance of politicians. Lebanese women’s participation in the political life remains sidelined, Sharif indicated, citing the International Parliamentary Union (IPU) figures which ranked Lebanon 185 among 193 countries according to the Women in Parliament Global Index, where female shares roughly reached 31%. On the political engagement of women, the minister of state for women’s affairs, Jean Ogassapian, supported in a tweet the participation of women in elections, asking parties to nominate and strongly and truly back women. On the other hand, UN Women, Abaad organization and Connecting Research to Development (CRD), launched on Friday the findings of the Lebanese iteration of the International Men and Gender Equality Survey in the MENA region. The study which covered 1050 men and 1136 women residents in Lebanon tackled many stereotypes associated with men’s attitudes as well as female viewpoints, in addition to highlighting actions to achieve gender equality. When respondents were asked about their attitudes towards women’s participation in leadership positions, men expressed their backing for women leaders of NGOs rather than supporting females as religious leaders, heads of political parties, heads of state or military officers. (L’Orient Le Jour, January 13, 2018)

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For the first time, Egypt counts six women in its cabinet

15-1-2018

For the first time in Egypt’s history and after the appointment of two new women ministers, women gain six seats in the government, representing nearly 20% of the ministers. In the details, the House of Representatives in an emergency plenary session yesterday, voted for a limited ministerial reshuffle proposed in President El Sisi’s speech to Parliament, including four ministerial portfolios. Accordingly, Rania Mashat replaced minister of tourism Yahia Rashid and Inas Abdel Dayem was chosen as the new culture minister over Helmy Namnam, raising the number of women ministers in prime minister Sharif Ismail’s government from 4 to 6. Two new ministers are added to the previous list which includes, minister of social solidarity, Ghada Wali, minister of investment and cooperation, Sahar Nasr, minister of planning, follow-up and administrative reform, Hala Saeed and the minister of state for immigration affairs, Nabila Makram. (Al Mustaqbal, January 15, 2018)

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Crisis of agriculture to continue amidst government’s indifference

12-1-2018

Everyone agreed that last year was a bad year for agriculture. Furthermore, An Nahar newspaper drew attention yesterday to the major losses of local potato growers, particularly in the Beqaa region. Many factors are involved, the newspaper analyzed, while listing the following: government’s ending of subsidies to refrigerated trucks that transfer goods and supplies to the markets as well as to supporting RoRo ships; weak marketing drive, Jordan’s decision to close its markets to Lebanese agricultural products. This, An Nahar wrote, has exacerbated the losses on farmers (estimated at over USD 3 million). On he other side, the article cited the director-general of agriculture, Louis La7hud, as reiterating the prime minister’s commitment to compensating potato farmers in response to Jordan’s decision. La7hud revealed that meetings will be held in the coming days to review and modify the support mechanism implemented by IDAL to this end, noting the importance of economic diplomacy in alleviating the marketing quandary. It is to be noted that the minister of agriculture, Ghazi Zeiater left the Cabinet meeting yesterday before it was adjourned for “unduly omitting agricultural items on its agenda”, as he said, while lamenting: “Why should this sector have to suffer for 40 years? (An Nahar, Al Diyar, Al Mustaqbal, January, 11 and 12, 2018)
 

Previous related news: 
2017, yet another bad year for agriculture in Lebanon

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Smooth transition of family business

12-1-2018

In collaboration with HEC Paris Alumni Association, the Chamber of Commerce, Industry and Agriculture for Beirut and Mount Lebanon organized yesterday a seminar on ‘Preparations and procedures for ensuring a smooth transition of ownership’. The event saw the presence of a large group of economic leaderships and family business owners. On the occasion, Chamber vice president, Dr. Nabil Fahd, underlined the importance of family-run businesses in the local and global economies, which represent according to him, more than 80% of enterprises, noting that the majority of giant companies are family-owned. Fahd also stressed that such meetings help to learn about participants’ experience and how to address challenges and opportunities inside family businesses. The president of HEC Paris Alumni Association, Nicola Bou Khater, disclosed for his part, that over 85% of succession planning fails due to a lack of trust and communication or lack of competent governance or more because of the lack of a capable heir. In Lebanon, Bou Khater said, family-owned businesses play a major role in creating employment prospects and stimulating economic development, contributing about 80% of the GDP. Likewise, the international expert on family business, Reg Athawal, elaborated the various procedures and arrangements required to ensure a smooth transition. (Al Mustaqbal, January 12, 2018)

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Seminars on impact of politico-economic changes on women and on political representation

12-1-2018

In partnership with UN Women- Entity for Gender Equality and Women’s Empowerment, the Lebanese Council of Women (LCW) is organizing on Friday, January 19, a conference on the ‘Impact of political, economic and social changes on the reality of women in Lebanon’. The event will be held under the patronage of premier Saad Hariri at the Chamber’s premises in Beirut. Meanwhile, the ministry of social affairs jointly with UN Women will hold a conference entitled, ‘Enhancing the role of political parties in promoting representation of women in the upcoming elections 2018’. January 17, 11:30 – 3:30 pm, Hotel Kempinsky, Samarland, Beirut. (AL Mustaqbal, January 12, 2018)

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Group of prominent French women defends men’s flirting

11-1-2018

Following the large TIME’S UP campaign in Hollywood against sexual harassment involving the scandal of American producer Harvey Weinstein, (https://goo.gl/FqFAW1), around 100 influential French women volunteered to defend the liberty of men to hit on women, saying this act stimulates sexual freedom. Women signatories, among which were actresses, writers, researchers and journalists, wrote an article published by Le Monde reading, “Rape is a crime, but persistent and cack-handed seduction is not a felon, nor is men flirting a sexual macho assault.” The text was co-edited by writer Catherine Millet and signed by legendry actress, Catherine Deneuve, among other women who have distanced themselves from the recent wave of accusations targeting Weinstein. They voiced their concern over the revival of puritanism and the rise of a feminist male-hater movement. The above article prompted immediate denunciation, notably by former minister for women’s rights, Laurence Rossignol, who regretted in a tweet what she called as an unfounded concern about a possible weakened presence of a woman without a man to covet or desire which drove smart women to write silly stuff. The article, Rossignol said in a radio interview, is an intentional slap in the face to all women who publicly denounce and report cases of sexual harassment and assaults. For their part, a group of feminist activists condemned the ineptness of women in their defense of the right of men to catcall women. (An Nahar, January 11, 2018)

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Iraq: Amending the discriminatory personal status law

11-1-2018

Following the Iraqi Parliament’s preliminary vote last November on a draft amendment to the personal status law and the angry feminist reactions it provoked (:c.f http://bit.ly/2qSoToa), MP for Muttahidoon bloc, Jamila Obeidi, submitted a new amendment sanctioning a man to have another wife, who is a widow, without the approval of his first wife, while noting that Article 3 of the present personal status law prohibits a man from marrying another woman without the official consent of his first wife. The law also criminalizes the marriage of minors granting men and women close to equal rights on the level of separation. On the subject, Al Hayat newspaper described the matter today as a ‘heavy joke’. An anonymous MP all of a sudden is all over the screens defending her bill and alleging that it cuts the growing number of widows and divorcees in the regions recently liberated from ISIS, Al Hayat wrote. But, what started as a joke, the newspaper went on to say, has become reality after the Iraqi House Speaker Salim Jabouri referred the law for voting. In conclusion, Al Hayat made a point that the ‘the marriage of widows and divorcees’ draft legislation cannot in fact be passed, pointing out that the mere inclusion of the draft on the Parliament’s agenda is a violation of the constitution itself, not for its detrimental effect on the human dignity of Iraqi women, but also because of the ‘associated costs’ it incurs on the State budget. Hence, it should be treated and formulated within the structure and context of the budget before it is submitted to the Parliament for adoption. (Al Hayat, January 11, 2018)

 

Previous related news:
Conservative amendments of Iraqi personal status law draw feminist criticisms
UN urges Iraq to safeguard women’s rights
The feminization of Iraq through renaming public spaces
 

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Shaden Fakih promotes women’s rights through comedy

11-1-2018

L’Orient Le Jour spotlighted today the career path of graphic designer and comedian Shaden Fakih who uses the stage to promote women’s rights and freedom of expression. Despite her passion for acting, Fakih said she studied graphic design at the Lebanese American University (LAU) before casting in plays performed at the university theatre. Fakih said after receiving recognition for her acting, she now divides her time between her job at GWT advertising agency and the plays she publishes on social media networks. The topics she chooses focus on the following areas: the societal role of women who are still denied their fundamental rights; parent-child relationships, as well as taboo issues, like sexual relations and LGBTQ rights. Fakih described comedy as the perfect vehicle for delivering humanitarian messages, stating that she takes on the smooth and easy way far from vulgar profanity, particularly in subjects related to women’s rights, marriage and violence against women. (L’Orient Le Jour, January 11, 2018)

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Saudi women into sports stadiums

10-1-2018

Following King Salman’s historic decision last September allowing women to drive (c.f: http://bit.ly/2mghV6N), the Kingdom announced last October 30  that it will lift the ban on women to enter three sports stadiums as of early 2018. The said stadiums are, King Fahd Stadium in Riyadh, King Abdullah Sport City in Jeddah and Prince Mohamad Bin Fahd Stadium in Damman. The Saudi ministry of information said earlier on Monday that the authorities have chosen three stadiums within the Saudi Professional League scheduled for this month where women spectators are allowed to attend alongside men. As of this Friday, January 12, the statement added, the said stadiums will start implementing the above Saudi directive. For its part, the General Sport Authority, the country’s governing body for sports, clarified that the three identified stadiums that will accommodate families will enjoy complete privacy from the entrance until the terraces. A women industrial security team will be there for inspection, in addition to female janitors and special ticket booths for families, female-only cafeteria and restrooms. (Al Hayat, January 9, 2018)

Previous related:
Coming up next: Saudi women as taxi drivers
It is never too late: Women in Saudia allowed to drive!
 

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