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The General Directorate of Technical and Vocational Training signed yesterday a partnership agreement with the European Institute for Cooperation and Development entitled ‘Training and Employment of the More Marginalized Groups’ in an event held at the office of the Directorate in Dekwane, under the patronage of the French Ambassador in Lebanon Emmanuel Bonne. The agreement valued at €5 million aims at creating opportunities for young women and men to enroll in vocational training, while providing technical and material assistance for all vocational and technical training institutes, and at all VT levels, according to Alexi Beigin, the Director General of the European Institute for Cooperation and Development DG DEVCO. For her part, the Regional Director of the French Agency for Development, Marie Elaine Loison, emphasized that this agreement addresses young women and men by providing them with the necessary education in order to build their professional careers. In his turn, the General Director of Technical and Vocational Training, Ahmad Al-Diab, stated that vocational training in Lebanon includes one hundred thousand female and male students, 50% of who are enrolled in governmental vocational training.  Of these, some 35 thousand female and male students in advanced ages are enrolled in vocational and technical training to help them directly access work opportunities. (Al-Mustaqbal, January 25, 2017)

 

The Minister of Information, Melhem Al-Riachi, discussed last Monday, with the Ambassador of Spain, Milagros Hernando Echevarría, media cooperation between the two countries. During the meeting, Echevarría addressed the parliamentary elections in Lebanon where she emphasized the importance of holding it on schedule in order to reinvigorate the life of government institutions. On women’s quota, Echevarría indicated that the participation of women in parliament should become stronger. She also emphasized the need to assist women in claiming their rights through UN development projects or European Union missions. (An-Nahar & Al-Diyar, January, 25, 2017)

 

Following the debate caused by the decision to close Syrian-run businesses in Tripoli (c.f: http://bit.ly/2kmND3S  ) the Minister of Labor issued last Friday, a clarification statement saying that the closures followed a series of warnings addressed to the owners urging them to comply with current laws related to work permits. The Statement went on to say that the intention of the Ministry of Labor is not to undermine livelihoods, but to implement laws in effect concerning foreign labor, adding that the ministry is in favor of legal and honest competition under the rule of law. 

Along the same lines, a number of women, whose identity was not identified, blocked the road of Suq Al Jammal in Shiyah southern suburb of Beirut, yesterday in protest against Syrian labor. According to the ‘Al-Nashra’ website, demonstrators threatened to escalate their action and forcibly evict Syrians if authorities do favorable respond to residents’ demands. (Al-Diyar, January 21 and 24, 2017)

 

Previous related news: 

Ministry inspection campaign targeting foreign labor

http://www.weeportal-lb.org/news/labor-minister-pledges-protect-domestic-workforce-foreign-competition">Labor minister pledges to protect domestic workforce from foreign competition

 

Legal Agenda revealed in a news published last Friday, what happened during the legislative session last week with regards to the legislative proposal entitled ‘Urgent Act aiming at criminalizing sexual harassment and racist abuse”, presented by Member of Parliament Ghassan Mukhaiber on 14/5/2014”. According to the discussions, contempt and patriarchy prevailed and MPs succeeded eventually in postponing approval of the law to a later date. In the details, and when Mukhaiber was presenting his proposal and reasons for regarding it as urgent, stating that it is a serious law and is categorized within acts of violence against women and girls at a time when there is no law in Lebanon that protects [them] with any relevant provisions’, this was accompanied by sarcastic comments and loud laughs. One of the parliamentarians broke those shouts addressing Moukhaiber saying: “I envy you, Ghassan, you have nothing to worry about”. Direct support to the proposed legislation came through the parliamentarians from the bloc ‘wafaa lilmuqawama’, who demanded an amendment to add “abuse based on racist reasons”. Consequently, Berri asked Mukhaiber and Minister of State for Women’s Affairs Jean Ogassapian to deliberate on the side and merge the two proposals and present them to a vote. Amendments [in Arabic] can be reviewed on the following link:http://legal-agenda.com/article.php?id=3408). However, and according to the Legal Agenda, the proposed new law was not to the taste of the parliamentarians who continued to exchange sarcastic comments being such as one saying: “What if a female employee wanted revenge from her manager, and went ahead and filed a complaint against him charging him with sexual harassment?” Another one asked “Does every whatsapp message allow [anyone] to file a complaint for sexual harassment?” In view of the prevailing general atmosphere, the law was finally retracted, and discussions resumed on the mechanism of ascertaining a woman’s allegations.  In conclusion some of the members of parliament suggested the withdrawal of the law proposal and its referral to the committees for further review. The text of the law proposed by Ghassan Mukhaiber can be accessed on the following link: http://bit.ly/2j8AWV9). (Legal Agenda January, 20, 2018)

 

Following last week visit to the president of the Democratic Gathering, MP Walid Jumblat, and in the framework of visits conducted by women NGOs of the Druze Unitarian Sect to the political parties, in order to ask for support in adopting a legislative proposal that aims at amending several articles of the Personal Status Law of the Druze Unitarian Sect, especially those pertaining to family relations (c.f: http://bit.ly/2kcbjVj ), the women delegation, visited on Saturday,  the president of the “Democratic Lebanese Party”, Minister of the Displaced Talal Arslan, to inform him of these demands. During the meeting, Arslan noted that such an activity implemented by women’s organizations and women [activists] of the Druze Sect, is a social, educational, and cultural action to develop and contribute to the growth of the Druze family, which is seriously in need of diligent work to preserve children and their future. Arslan added that ‘it is true that we have to maintain customs, traditions, and norms that distinguished the Druze Sect across its history in raising their children, but we have to keep up with the times and their developments’. Arslan also stated that he familiarized himself with the Law [proposal] noting that he does not have comments and there is no substitute to that system. He concluded by saying:’’from this place, I tell you that if you have had now the final draft of the law now, I would have signed it this instant”. (Al Diyar January 22, 2017

 

The Association “Nisaa Raedat” [Pioneer Women], in cooperation with the United Nations Program- Lebanese Electoral Assistance Program [LEAP], organised last Friday the first of a series of awareness raising workshops entitled “ Become a Candidate - Parliament 2017”, at Issam Faris Hall at the municipality building of Halba. The workshop addressed the importance of running for elections, while focusing on the self assessment of candidates, the various logistical steps of the process, and finally the importance of supporting women candidacy and of networking. It is noteworthy that the project is expected to extend for a period of six months and consists of several awareness raising workshops that aim at encouraging women to run for the parliamentary elections of spring 2017. During the awareness raising workshop, the head of the municipality of Halba, Abdel Hamid el Halabi, underscored the importance of project while the representative of the United Nations program, Nora Murad, addressed several topics such as:  women’s participation in political life temporary special measures such as the representation quota, the international and Arab ranking of Lebanon regarding women’s participation in political life, ways to increase the number of women and support them during the election process. For her part, trainer Vicky Zuwayn explained how to prepare for the candidacy, assess the various phases, as well as run within electoral lists. (Al Mustaqbal January, 22, 2017)

 

 

New in the case of the victim Manal Assi,  Mohammad Al Nu7haili, the husband accused of the murder, was present yesterday to appear before the Criminal Court of Cassation presided by Judge Suhair Al Harakeh, noting that this is the first time he appears before that court since the date the murder was committed on February 2014. Al Nu7haili repeated the same preliminary statement he gave at the internal security forces platoon center in ‘Tareek Jdeedeh’ and at the Criminal Court in Beirut, about how the crime was committed, that is, when he discovered that his wife has a relationship with another man, he ‘hit her three or four slaps’ before he went to his work then to went her house to transport her to the hospital where she drew her last breath, Al Nu7haili insisted on denying what was revealed by the coroner who spoke about ‘several bruises visible on her body in addition to wounds’, and repeated the statement that he did not kick her or beat her with any sharp instrument, also that he did not lock the door of the house when leaving, where he left her with her mother and her brother who came upon a call he made, insisting that when he left she did not suffer from anything. Based on that, the court decided to adjourn till the second of next March, to hear witnesses including the two daughters of the accused, noting that the victim’s family has dropped personal charges against the accused and the statements of her mother and her brother will be heard as witnesses. It is worth noting that by next November Al Nu7haili would have finished his first sentence of five years and will be released even if the Court of Cassation did not finish his trial.  (Annahar, Al Mustaqbal, January 20, 2017)

 

Previous related news: 

Judiciary delays ruling in murder cases of Manal Assi and Ella Tannus child

http://www.weeportal-lb.org/news/judiciary-delays-ruling-murder-cases-manal-assi-and-ella-tannus-child

Public Prosecutor appeals decision of mitigated sentence to killer of wife Manal Assi

http://www.weeportal-lb.org/news/public-prosecutor-appeals-decision-mitigated-sentence-killer-wife-manal-assi

Court of Cassation repeals decision in the case of Manal Assi

http://www.weeportal-lb.org/news/court-cassation-repeals-decision-case-manal-assi

Justice fails Manal Assi while last hope resides in the Discriminatory Prosecution

http://www.weeportal-lb.org/news/justice-fails-manal-assi-while-last-hope-resides-discriminatory-prosecution

 

The ‘Berytech’ incubator launched yesterday a program to establish an ‘Agrytech’ center which is an innovation center specialized in agri-food in Lebanon, with joint financing from the Embassy of Netherlands and ‘Berytech’ worth USD 3.3 million. The new program aims at including the best emerging companies that own the latest innovations in the agri-food sector, while providing them with relevant technical and business resources in addition to social support. The program called on small and medium businesses that own creative solutions that are specific to the value chain in the agri-food sector to register in that sector. The program will also provide grants up to USD 40 thousand, and support for a period up to one year to each of the emerging companies, according to the deputy general manager in Berytech, Rami Abu Jawdeh. Furthermore, Jawdeh added, the center will provide the opportunity for 30 emerging companies per year to receive support and to develop their business concept.  Following that, 15 companies will be selected to implement the project, and 8 companies only will be supported until the end of project implementation. Along the same lines, the Charge D’Affaires of the Dutch Embassy Han-Mauritz Skhaifeld, focused in his speech on the ‘importance of economic growth and creation of job opportunities in achieving increased stability and prosperity in Lebanon, adding that this program is a part of a larger contribution of EURO 86 million targeting Lebanon. (Al Mustaqbal, The Daily Star, L’Orient le Jour, January 20, 2017)

 

Ministry inspection campaign targeting foreign labor

Labor minister pledges to protect domestic workforce from foreign competition

 

The Annahar newspaper in its issue of January 14, published an interview with the The director general of La Regie Libanaise Des Tabacs et Tombacs (REGIE), Nassif Siqlawi, to examine the success of this institution, especially after agreements with international companies were signed, and to find out if the regional ambition of “REGIE” contradicts with its policy of support for local products. In this context Siqlawi pointed out that the agreement with “Imperial Tobacco” the owner of Gitanne and Gauloise  and other, is an introduction to agreements with other international companies, emphasizing that manufacturing foreign products as it is the case with local  products is part of the exclusive mandate of REGIE. Siqlawi added that the manufacturing process is achieved through exclusive mandate of the REGIE, this situation will result in increase of profits of “REGIE” and allows it to continue to support the Lebanese tobacco. When the newspaper asked about the right of REGIE to dispense with treasury money for community support within the framework of its social responsibility, and do the social security or electricity administration have the right to conduct a similar action, Siqlawi clarified that “REGIE” has become one of the most important public institution in Lebanon that are profitable and supportive of the general treasury (7.5% of total treasury revenues come from REGIE), consequently its legal status differs from that of the Electricity of Lebanon and the Social Security; Siqlawi continued by pointing out that a wide review by the agency on legislation as well as a consultation of the Ministry of Justice gave the “REGIE” the right to “provide grants to philanthropic institutions and to government administration. It is noteworthy that during the last five years, “the REGIE” contributed to government treasury with 75.5 % of the revenue from the tobacco sector which amounted to USD 2,666 billion. (Annahar January, 14, 2017)