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Screening of film & tribute to filmmaker Randa Shahal

9-6-2020

In its issue of June 6, Al Akhbar daily spotlighted “Civilisees” (Civilised People or Al Mutahaddirat) film, written and directed by late film maker, Randa Shahal. The film will be screened on Nadi Lekol Nas website: http://www.nadilekolnas.org/ from June 1-8 as a tribute to the renowned screenwriter, director and producer. The latter, Al Akhbar wrote, has contributed to the creation of a new cinematic awareness presenting works that earmarked the onset of Lebanese experience in reality cinema. Recalling, that the film, which was screened in several international festivals, was heavily censored (45 minutes cut of the original running time) by the Lebanese authorities at the time of its release in 1999 for alleged profanity, bad language and offending scenes. Shahal lambasted the censor revealing that the true reason behind the ban is that the film holds the Lebanese responsible for the civil war. (Al Akhbar, June 6, 2020)

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French support to youth startups

8-6-2020

The French Embassy in Beirut, in collaboration with the French Institute of Lebanon  and “Makesense”, launched last week the“Omdi” program to support youth-based initiatives and startups that focus on resolving social and environmental challenges in Lebanon. (This includes empowerment of youth, the ecosystem, renewable energy and water, expanding job prospects, food security, social equality…). Those who have an idea and need help to develop it or have a project to kickstart are invited to apply through the following website: https://lebanon.makesense.org/events/. According to a statement by the French Embassy, the program includes technical support and training through interactive ideation workshops. Receiving applications continues throughout this month and until July 15, noting that the 2-hour workshops cover team-building activities aimed to enhance communication among participants. In the next phase, beneficiaries will be supported by a team of facilitators to transform their ideas into a potential business. (Al Akhbar, June 6, 2020)
 

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Violence against women doubled since Corona outbreak

8-6-2020

The minister of information, Manal Abdel Samad, stressed on Saturday that women have a crucial role as leaders anywhere in the world. Abdel Samad was speaking during her participation in a high-level online meeting with UN delegation representatives on the impact women leaders have in the fight against Covid-19 pandemic. In her speech, Abdel Samad maintained that the “spotlight is always on female leaders not only to establish and document their achievements, but also to anticipate their possible failure”. Women play a positive and strong role to change the world into a better place, the minister noted. Over the past 5 months, we have noticed a steady rise in cases of violence and domestic abuse against women and children, locally, regionally and globally, she indicated. Citing victims reporting such cases, Abdel Samad said women and girls felt less safe since the Corona-related lockdown in Lebanon. The ISF hotline ‘1745’ dedicated for domestic violence cases, showed that incoming calls nearly doubled between March 2020 and May 2020, reaching up to 97 calls in March compared 161 calls during May, Abdel Samad said. (Al Diyar, June 7, 2020)
 

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Labor ministry seeks to resolve repatriation of Ethiopian MWDWs

5-6-2020

Following the sit-in staged by Ethiopian migrant domestic workers protesting their consulate’s decision forcing them to the quarantine charges (https://bit.ly/370djss), the ministry of labor disclosed in a statement yesterday that, in compliance with an initiative by labor minister, the prime minister and the minister of tourism, the Ethiopian workers, numbering 35, have been transferred to a hotel in Ain Mreiseh, Beirut in the presence of the Ethiopian consul. Recalling, that among the protestors are freelance daily workers or those sacked by their employers. The ministry revealed that it has provided the PCR tests for the workers yesterday morning before their transfer from the assigned hotel to Caritas, saying an investigation is underway to explain what happened. And, that in the event of violations on part of employers, the ministry will take the matter to the courts. The labor ministry also demanded the concerned embassies, associations or international organizations as well as the General Security to share responsibility, noting that the issue is complicated and has many contributing factors. Some of the workers are illegal and are entitled to settle their status before departure, while others voluntarily want to leave the country. Also, there are employers who plan to deport MWDWs in their employ due to the dire economic and financial circumstances, and are, to this effect, willing to pay the cost of travel. The ministry stressed that the current hitch is not the responsibility of the Lebanese government alone, but also that of the labor-sending countries, namely, Ethiopia. (Al Diyar, June 5, 2020)

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History of women’s interpretation of the Gospel

5-6-2020

In its issue of June 3, Al Akhbar spotlighted the book, “The Gospel According to Eve: A History of Women’s Interpretation of Genesis” by Amanda W. Benckhuvsen, professor of Old Testament at Calvin Theological Seminary. The main theme of the book, according to Al Akhbar, is the male interpretations of biblical texts and a tracing of the history of alternative readings of the Bible reflecting the voices of women and their contribution to Genesis. The newspaper wrote that the book echoes the voices of women from the past while keeping the history of men’s views about eve through the interpretations by women. Some of the interesting points in the book is that many women biblical interpreters use Genesis 1 in affirming women’s full humanity and equal worth like men as God created them in his image. Speaking about her book, Benckhuvsen said the publication suggests that in the history of the Christian Church there have always been reactions against the traditional interpretations of eve and a disagreement or resistance by women (and men) to ideas of female inferiority. She pointed out that her book explains how social status and personal experience influence the way readers select scriptures and their interpretation, what they see in the text and what they choose to disregard. More on the book on the following link: https://bit.ly/2Y7feHs. (Al Akhbar, June 3, 2020)

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Ethiopian Consulate: MWDW to bear the cost of quarantine after repatriation !

4-6-2020

After the disruption of negotiations with the Ethiopian consulate on the repatriation of migrant workers (https://bit.ly/2A35PsD), a number of Ethiopian MWDWs staged a sit-in in front of their embassy in Hazmieh, Beirut. Demonstrators, including freelance daily workers or those ditched by their employers after failing to pay their salaries, lied down on the street in protest against the consulate’s decision forcing them to pay for the 14-day quarantine in Addis Ababa hotels (USD 770 in total). The amount, according to Al Akhbar daily, is equivalent to a 5-month pay for hard work. Meanwhile, the Ethiopian embassy yesterday suspended work and closed its premises with the assistance of security forces. Recalling, that the consulate relinquished its responsibility after agreeing earlier to pay for the quarantine charges, claiming that Ethiopian authorities could not accommodate the large number of repatriated nationals arriving from abroad. On the subject, the minister of labor, Lamia Yammin, tweeted saying, that, in compliance with an initiative by the labor minister, in coordination the prime minister and the minister of tourism, a hotel has been reserved for Ethiopian MWDWs protesting at the embassy, deploring the scene. On the subject, the head of the Owners of Recruitment Offices, Ali Amin, described the status-quo as disastrous, especially that 90% of the protestors are self-employed and have have lost their jobs to Corona and the economic downturn. Hundreds of workers with similar status, Amin said, are stranded in the homes of their employers awaiting the situation to ease down. He revealed that the majority of employers have reached a settlement with the migrant workers to either cut their wages or pay them in installments. On the other hand, the Directorate General of General Security announced yesterday that Arab nationals or foreigners of the 2nd, 3rd and 4th categories whose residency cards have expired and wish to renew them, can do that through the sponsor or legal representative, pursuant to the measures of reducing overcrowding. The Directorate also said, that it will accept, and exceptionally until 30/6/2020, all concessions and pledges relating to the request of transfer of prearranged kafala (sponsorship). (Al Akhbar, Al Diyar, June 4, 2020)

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Finding prospects for youth, inspiring independent work

4-6-2020

The minister of labor, Lamia Yammin, yesterday discussed with ESCWA Executive Secretary, Rola Dashti, labor matters and possibilities to create jobs for the youth to counter the alarming rate of unemployment caused by the worsening economic situation coupled with the Covid-19 pandemic. To this effect, Dashti said discussions covered several topics, including, frameworks of cooperation on the strategy of the labor sector in Lebanon; bridging the educational sector and labor market needs, and the rehabilitation and training of university graduates for future jobs. Many jobs, require specific skills that are not supported in current curricula, Dashti maintained, stressing the need to reorient and train the young generation and fresh graduates to qualify for the most-in-demand jobs. Dashti said talks with the labor minister also tackled the labor law which is currently being upgraded to contribute to the economic recovery, as well as serve the private sector and the small enterprises that prop jobs for the youth and encourage them to work independently. (Al Diyar, June 4, 2020)

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“Woman” magazine arbitrary dismiss employees

4-6-2020

In its issue of today, Al Akhbar revealed that “Sayidaty” magazine, Saudi Research and Publishing Company, founded in 1981, has clandestinely and arbitrarily fired six long-time employees asking them to stop work the next day given alleged budgetary constraints. According to Al Akhbar, the magazine’s administration managed to intimidate and blackmail its employees threatening their livelihoods, offering them a two-month salary compensation and a three-month disbursement for arbitrary dismissal, inconsistent with their years of service. They reportedly had two options, either to waive their right and accept a reparation that is less than half their entitlements, or resort to law, which eventually forced them to sign a clearance declaration statement since the court procedures exhaust both time and money. Over and above, the sacked employees do not have another source of income given the dire economic conditions the country is experiencing. For more on the subject, Al Akhbar spoke to the Beirut Office manager, Katia Dabaghi, who clarified that the decision has been taken months ago in agreement with the labor ministry. Sacked employees, she explained, could covertly turn to the ministry, the court or the Press Editors Syndicate to resolve their case, alleging that publishing this in the media could have detrimental effects on the employees themselves! Asking her on other possible ways to constrict the budget and spending, like for example, salary cuts or reduction of the salaries of senior staff, Dabaghi replied, she is not responsible for the magazine’s decision which she claimed has been reached at a regional level. (Al Akhbar, June 4, 2020)

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163 thousand Lebanese families under food poverty line

3-6-2020

Citing a report recently published by the World Food Program (WFP), Al Akhbar newspaper revealed today that the poverty rate in Lebanon is expected to increase from 37% in 2019 to nearly 45% in 2020. About 22% of the population is likely to be hit by extreme poverty and food insecurity as compared to 16% during 2019. The newspaper went on to say, that these rates, based on World Bank studies, have produced shocking estimates that will become a reality to mark the exceptional year of 2020 with around 335,000 poor Lebanese households, including 163,000 families under the food poverty line, equivalent to some one million persons in a country of four million population. (Al Akhbar, June 2, 3, 2020)
 

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Local initiatives in Bisri to develop farming 

3-6-2020

Following PSP leader Walid Jumblat’s alleged confirmation that the Bisri Dam project is now behind us, a number of environmental activists formed so-called “Ahl al Ard” (people of earth) committee to restore life to Marj Bisri, Al Akhbar daily reported. They launched individual initiatives to invest in the neglected lands either by its direct proprietors or authorized parties in coordination with mayors and makhateers of the towns of Bisri, Midan, Aray, Banawati, Al Harf al Ghbatiyeh and Bhanin Banawati. On the subject, Al Akhbar spoke to Karim Kenaan, activist in “The people of Marj Bisri Committee” who explained that similar projects reflect a return to land and roots. They seek to secure food through local agricultural production after most jobs came to an abrupt halt due to the Corona pandemic and the unprecedented economic crisis in the country. These initiatives, Kenaan maintained, could develop into a cooperative for organizing, the distribution of and the sale of production. It will initially consist of farmers and makhateer of involved towns and villages, Kenaan said, pointing out that some 150 dunums of lands will be invested by new people. Most likely, they will grow wheat to meet the needs of Bisri and the environs at symbolic prices. (Al Akhbar, June 3, 2020)
 

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