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In the latest child abuse incidents, the national media aired today news of a newborn baby girl thrown in a garbage dump in the town of Rumyeh north of Beirut. Security forces arrived at the scene for investigation while a civil defense team transferred the baby to the Baabda State Hospital for treatment. (An Nahar, L’Orient Le Jour, February 17, 2017)

 

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Domestic violence and poverty result in the death of a two year old girl

 

Agriculture minister see no future to the sector without cooperation with the private sector 

Amidst ongoing Lebanese farmers protest against the official neglect of the agriculture sector which enjoys only 1% of the state budget, newly-appointed minister of agriculture, Ghazi Zu3ayter confirmed that the budget allocated to his ministry does not exceed LBP 67 billion (equivalent to USD 44.6 million), out of which LBP 60 billion (USD 40 million) are used up in salaries and rent. The remaining amount, he said, barely covers projects planned for the sector, “which is unquestionably unfair” as he put it. Zu3ayter was speaking during a meeting convened by the Federation of the Chambers of Commerce, Industry and Agriculture in Lebanon, led by Mohammad Shukair, on conditions of agriculture in the country, where he emphasized a number of unavoidable solutions to invigorate the sector, which include: boosting cooperation between the private and public sectors; increasing the budget of the ministry developing a clear-cut strategy;, and accelerating government reimbursement through the state-run agency, IDAL. The minister also called attention to a draft law he is seeking to endorse, which allows the establishment of an agricultural disaster risk insurance, to be funded by involved stakeholders. For his part, Shukair made clear that the agricultural sector represents an important pillar of the economic, social and food security sectors in the country, and advised focusing on key topics. These are: the protection of national production from illicit foreign competition; organizing training courses for farmers in cooperation with the ministry and the agricultural coops in order to improve the quality and increase the capacity of production; the renewal of crop diversity and increase of agriculture budget. (Al Diyar, Al Mustaqbal, L’Orient Le Jour, February 17, 2017)

 

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After the abolishing on Wednesday by the Parliamentary Commission for Administration and Justice of the Penal Code Article 522 that allowed for rapists to escape prosecution by marrying their victims ( http://bit.ly/2lS1lfD), L’Orient Le Jour newspaper spoke to concerned NGOs to know where they stand on the matter. From Kafa Enough Violence and Exploitation, lawyer Leila Awada expressed her objection to a legislation that holds onto traditional considerations, warning that the organization shall not keep quiet vis-a-vis the compromise reached. Awada also disapproved the exceptions to the law, basically inherent in cases related to consensual intercourse with an under-aged between 15 and 18 years of age should the aggressor decide to marry his victim. She criticized a law that views a sexual activity with a minor as an offence, if it was committed outside marriage, describing that as a flagrant concession by the Lebanese State to underage marriage as supported by the personal status laws governing sects in Lebanon. On the other hand, lawyer Danielle Howayek representing Abaad Resource Center for Gender Equality, told L’Orient Le Jour that, while the formula adopted had its unfavorable challenges, yet it was the best so far, boasting that her organization’s campaign achieved its goals to this effect. Howayek made clear that Abaad will continue its struggle until the law is ratified by the Parliament, urging sister NGOs to carry out awareness campaigns to educate the youth on their sexual rights and the consequences of marriage decisions. (L’Orient Le Jour, February 17, 2017)

 

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Sub-committee abolish legal clause condoning the marriage of rapist to his victim

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In its issue of today, L’orient le Jour published an interview with Rima Saliba, 37 year old from Zghorta, who is one of the four women elected on February 5th into the leadership council of the Progressive Socialist Party (PSP).  Saliba spoke about how she first got to know the PSP and that is through her humanitarian work in Bab el Tebbaneh in Tripoli.  According to Saliba, she was searching for a meaning for social justice and humanity when she witnessed poverty and tragedy in the area where she was working.  As such, socialist ideals influenced her notably the precepts of Kamal Jumblat thus prompting her to join the PSP in late 2006.  Following that, she moved forward in her position within the party to reach its leadership council.  Saliba clarified that the presence of the party is very limited in Zghorta but she reiterated that her aim as member of the leadership council is to increase the outreach of her party across Lebanon in addition to reinforcing the ideal of redistribution of wealth and resources and bringing in a fair taxation system and having balanced development across the various regions of the country.  Saliba also spoke about the challenges she faced notably vis-à-vis her neighbors and friends who found her decision odd and who continuously asked her “what are you doing amongst those people”.  To this question, Saliba would continuously answer “I found myself amongst them”.  Saliba concluded that she will work with her women colleagues on the leadership council to further the participation of women in political life. (Daily Star, February 16th, 2017)

 

Al Hayat issue of today published a report on Syrian women refugees from the Al Zaatari camp in Jordan who are demonstrating creativity in manufacturing goods for their families by recycling surplus or perishable goods.  The report notes that these women have very few resources yet are able to transform whatever is made available to them.  For instance, Syrian refugee women use the large container bags to make clothes or underwear for their children especially when these are white.  Overused bed sheets are recycled into warm jackets whilst other women use various scraps to produce artwork.  To be noted that, according to the newspaper, many of these women are graduates of vocational and art schools and also work in fabrics workshops or produce oriental artifacts.  Many of them were also trained on handiwork by the Jasmine Association.  The newspaper interviewed one of these women, a mother of four, who noted that she has resorted to these means in order to secure the needs of her children and especially since the aid she receives is no sufficient. (Al Hayat, February 16th, 2017)

The Parliamentary Commission for Administration and Justice completed yesterday the review of the law petition submitted by MP Elie Keyruz and which seeks to abolish clause 522 of the penal code.  The said clause protects rapists from prosecution in case they marry their victim.  Upon the end of the session, the president of the commission, MP Robert Ghanem declared that 522 has been abolished and revisions were made to clauses 503 and 521 which relate to violation of modesty.  The said clause now distinguish between the age category of victims (less than 15 years of age, between 15 and 18, and more than 18).  Revisions were made in instating a minimum sentencing which cannot be overlooked by judges.  According to Ghanem, these clauses are now more “realistic”  and due considerations were given to Lebanese customs and traditions and all that distinguishes the Lebanese society notably in the cases of tribes and clans which remain attach to cultural traditions that are different from everybody else’s!.  However, and according to L’Orient de Jour who stated parliamentary sources, clause 522 remain in force in the case of sexual crimes namely in the case of consensual intercourse with an under-aged between 15 to 18 years of age and in case intercourse followed a promise of marriage.  In both cases, criminal prosecution of rapist may not take place.  In such cases, the file is referred to a psychologist and marriage has to be approved by the victim and her family. (L’Orient le Jour, February 16th 2017)

My Nationality is A Right For Me and My Family Campaign met on February 2 with the newly appointed minister for women affairs, Jean Ogassapian, and handed him a draft of the amended the Lebanese Nationality Law that guarantees full equality between men and women in granting nationality to family members. While reiterating his personal conviction of the right of women in this issue, Ogassapian revealed that since he publicly declared his support to the above right, he received nonstop calls from spiritual circles condemning his stand. He told My Nationality delegation that conditions are not ripe to raise the issue at the present, promising to work during his 6-month term on draft laws that are deliverable and feasible. For her part, Lina Abu Habib, the executive director of the Collective for Research and Training on Development (CRTDA), described to Lebanon Debate the serious statement by the minister, who modified his stand from allegedly supportive to totally unsupportive of the just cause. What is most alarming, Abu Habib said, is that the minister changed his viewpoint under pressure from religious leaders. She questioned the credibility of a minister who, while authorized to implement the Constitution, including equality, shies away under the influence of religion. Ogassapian’s declaration, Abu Habib noted, prepares the ground for indefinite imbalance and unjustness as far as women’s rights and equality are concerned, including their right to abortion and bequeathing, and putting them under the jurisdiction of clerics who, we all know, are completely against. Abu Habib sarcastically suggested changing the name of a ‘ministry for women’s affairs’ into a ‘ministry for women’s affairs as seen by religious leaders’

 

The vice president of the UAE Gender Balance Council, Mona al Mari, revealed that over 23 thousand Emirati women are running USD 45 billion to USD 50 billion worth of businesses. Mari was speaking in her opening address of the Global Forum on Gender Statistics held last Wednesday in Dubai and attended by UN women economic empowerment officials. Mari made clear that Emirati women currently represent 43% of the workforce, with nearly 66% as state employees, 30% in leadership posts and 15% in technical occupations. It should be noted that the UAE Council of Ministers has set up in 2015 the Gender Balance Council with the aim to reduce the gender gap at the workplace, achieve a gender balance in decision making positions and promote the role of women in all fields as crucial contributors to building the future of the country. Since its inception, the said Council has launched the gender balance indicator in government institutions, aimed at setting clear-cut mechanisms and benchmarks to monitor progress according to plans adopted by the Council. On the occasion, the Under-Secretary General of the United Nations, Executive Director of UN Women, Phumzile Mlambo-Ngcuka, said that increasing women’s effective representation and participation in the labor market and at various levels, would have its positive, collective and indiscriminate impact on the global economy and on all components of society. “We should be assured that the findings and recommendations contained in the report to be submitted to the Secretary General will undoubtedly enforce sustainable change in the conditions of women and girls around the world, and for the better,” Mlambo maintained. (Al Hayat, February 9, 2017)

 

In a special feature published yesterday, The Daily Star highlighted the challenges facing Lebanese farmers for a number of reasons, mainly, the closure of the borders with Syria and Jordan, the rigorous competition of foreign goods and the absence of government protection to agriculture. The Lebanese State allocates a miniscule fraction (hardly 1%) to a sector that supports the livelihoods of thousands of households, The Daily Star wrote. On the subject, the head of the Farmers’ Association in Besharreh, reiterated his criticism of the government which resorts to incomplete solutions to resolve endemic problems. The newspaper also brought to mind the drawback in exporting which, it said, exacerbated with the closure of crossings in response to a decision last September by then agriculture minister Akram Shehayeb’s in his bid to control the flow of Syrian goods into the country. This impasse prompted Lebanon’s state-run agency, IDAL, to launch the famous maritime bridge export program, which led to a fall in Lebanese exports from 533.18 tons in 2014 to 364.75 tons in 2015 down till 360.76 tons in 2016, according to Lebanese Customs figures. Citing informed sources, The Daily Star disclosed the presence of some 50 illegal crossings along the Baalbek-Hermel borders alone. It recalled the president of the Beqaa Farmers’ Association, Ibrahim Tarshishi’s criticism of the above program which, as he said, supported big producers rather than small farmers who were inflicted with substantial losses due to the high sea shipping costs. On the subject, Nasser Lama, the technical director of the USAID-funded Lebanon Industry Value Chain Development Project (LIVCD), proposed a number of solutions to alleviate the situation. It begins with improving the quality of agricultural products and adding varieties that are wanted in the external markets, and the rationalization of the use of pesticides. (The Daily Star, February 14, 2017)

 

 

The Lebanese Forces (LF) Syndicates Department created an employment office targeting the youth with the aim to reinforce their steadfastness to their land. Created under the title, ‘Recruit a Lebanese’, the office serves as a liaison between young job seekers and employers and allows applicants and employers to post their respective resumes and vacancies on the following website:  https:/www.facebook.com/LFS.jobs/. Similarly, the LF department issued a statement on Monday cautioning against widespread joblessness, particularly among the young generation, as a result of escalating illegal competition from foreign labor force. The department underscored the role of the National Employment Office (NEO) established by the Lebanese government in line with Decree No. 77/80, and supervised by the Labor Ministry, with the aim of providing jobs and upgrading the skill of workers through offering accelerated training. The statement concluded by saying that with the reinvigoration of state-run institutions, the work of NEO has picked up speed, urging all job seekers to apply through the NEO e-portal (http://www.neo.gov.lb/home.aspx).(Al Diyar, February 14, 2017)