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A number of human rights organizations signed last Friday a petition to ‘halt the deportation of Sujana and Rosie’, two Nepalese migrant domestic workers detained since last week and without due process at the Directorate General of General Security in Beirut. The signatories of the petition are: The Anti-Racist Movement, Legal Agenda, Kafa Enough Violence and Exploitation, the National Federation of Workers and Employee Trade Unions in Lebanon, Frontiers Rights and the Regional Alliance for Women Human Rights Defenders in the MENA region. According to the petition, the two migrant workers have been staunch advocates of the rights of MWDWs in Lebanon, and have, to this effect, systematically documented and exposed abuses and violations against the rights of workers brought in through the sponsorship or Kafala system. Moreover, Sujana and Rosie are well known as unionists in the syndicate of MWDWs in the country, which could be probably the reason behind their arrest, as suggested by the above groups. It should be noted, that Sujana is threatened with deportation while the whereabouts of her colleague Rosie are still unknown. Stating that the arrested migrant workers have legal residence papers and work permits, the petition expressed concern over the speedy issuance of the arrest and deportation requests with no judicial warrant, particularly that the two MWDWs were not allowed to use their right to have a lawyer. The human rights organizations asked the General Security to freeze the deportation order to give Sujana and Rosie enough time to hire a competent attorney and receive a fair trial in line with relevant legal provisos. (Al Akhbar, December 10, 2016)

 

On the Human Rights Day, December 10, women groups under the umbrella of the Arab Regional Center for the Global Women Democratic Union held a meeting last Friday during which they signed and put forward two respective petitions to Lebanese Parliament Speaker, Nabih Berri, and UN Director General. The first petition called for, primarily, lifting the reservations on the Convention for the Elimination of all Forms of Discrimination (CEDAW) and secondly, adjustment of the Nationality Law, particularly, the First Paragraph of the First Article, as such it becomes, “Every person born from a Lebanese father or a Lebanese mother is a Lebanese citizen”, in addition to enactment of a civil personal status law that unites all citizens. The second petition stressed the need to lift the reservations on the CEDAW, readdress the freedom of choice in application of said Convention with its attendant Optional Protocol. It also pressed for giving no longer than 2-year grace period for the amendment of pertinent laws related to personal status towards the realization of a civil law that guarantees equal rights of women on parity with men. Additionally, it appealed to all CEDAW member states to commit to the recommendations of the Beijing Platform of Action in relation to women’s representation quota in political decision-making positions in preparation for realizing equality to this effect. The associations which signed above MoU, are: League for Lebanese Women’s Rights, Association of Parents of Handicapped, the Lebanese Women Council, Musawat Wardah Butros for Women Action association, the Southern Women association, Women of Ras el Matn association, Women of Shuwayfat association, the National Union of Lebanese Women and Lebanese Mothers’ Association.. (Al Mustaqbal, An Nahar, December 10, 2016)

 

The director general of La Regie Libanaise Des Tabacs et Tombacs, Nassif Siqlawi, disclosed that cigarettes production of the state-run institution for the year 2016 has risen by 76% from last year, standing at 400 thousand boxes. Siqlawi, who was speaking during the Board’s annual gala dinner, announced that 2017 will see a 4th line of production and a conclusion of an agreement for the manufacture of international brands of Imperial Tobacco Stock. On the commercial front, Siqlawi said, this year’s sales have recorded nearly USD 675 million at an 11% increase and 5% increase in profits, noting a drop in smuggling activity from 30% to 22% throughout 2015. On efforts to support agriculture and farmers, the Regie DG, pointed out that the agency has recently received the harvest of the South and North areas and has completed some 27 development undertakings in the regions of Akkar, the South and Beqaa. On the occasion, Elias Layoon, speaking on behalf of authorized sales dealers in Lebanon, reminded that the Regie has in the past year exceptionally marketed new brands of Cedar cigarettes which, he stated, have seen remarkable demand from consumers that exceed the existing supply. Layoon said such brands have helped cut the smuggling activity which, otherwise, could have reached 40% prompted by the absence of border control and the dire economic conditions of the Lebanese consumer. (An Nahar, Al Diyar, December 10, 2016)

 

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After the completion of the first phase of the ‘Economic Empowerment of Women Breadwinners and Young Women in the Lebanese Host Communities’ project, certificates were distributed yesterdayto  some 300 women trainees from the first group of 780 of total participants. The above project, launched in April 2016, was implemented jointly by ABAAD non-government organization, Safadi Foundation, Ministry of Social Affairs and UN Women to support women wage-earners and empower them economically through provision of administrative and vocational skills to help them secure a livelihoods. A documentary was screened during the ceremony presenting the different stages beneficiaries went through in the process. On the occasion, the director of the Development Services Center in Tariq el Jadida, Beirut, Sanaa Kurdi, described the project as a development training program covering training on various professions and industries leading to social and economic empowerment of women. For his part, the Regional Director for UN Women, Dr. Mohammad Naciri, underlined in his address, the project’s special focus on the young generation of both men and women to build up their participation in the local development process and promote the concept of gender equality. Naciri also added that the project has trained around 250 young men and women on issues relating to fighting all forms of violence against women and raising awareness on the subject. (Al Diyar, December 9, 2016)

 

 

For the fifth consecutive year, BLC Bank organized last week the annual Brilliant Lebanese Awards ceremony in honor of owners of Lebanese establishments. The event comes as part of the BLC’s commitment to support pioneer initiatives, by women and small and medium enterprises, in particular. Zeina Khoury Daoud won for best woman of 2016 initiative on her ‘Le Potager’ agricultural project in Ammiq, West Beqaa, which involves organic farming and delivery to customers of vegetables and fruits she grows. Jamil Haddad won for his ‘Colonel Pierre’ restaurant in Batroon where he brews his own beer. Each winner received a cash prize of USD 30 thousand, while Rita Abbud, received USD 5 thousand for the category of audience favorites for the ‘Bebes Calins’ preschool she runs. On the occasion, BLC CEO, Maurice Sahnawi, expressed his faith in “supporting women and promoting their economic role as strategic partners representing half the society.” Sahnawi pointed out to the latest research which has shown that a reduced gap resulting from lesser exploitation of women’s capacities could increase by 25% the GDP in the MENA region. (L’Orient Le Jour, Al Mustaqbal, As Safir, December 9, 2016)

The student of International Relations at the American University of Science and Technology (AUST), Mireille Maddah, received the Sustainable Industrial Development Programs for 2013 award from the UN Industrial Development Organization (UNIDO). Maddah was the only one from the Middle East and the Arab region amongst 4 other world contesters to win the prize for a research paper expounding her vision on development of the fourth generation of modern industries based on the proposed UNIDO plan for the year 2030. To this effect, the international organization held a ceremony at the Vienna Municipality’s historic reception hall in the presence of a Lebanese delegation led by industry minister, Hussein Hajj Hassan. The latter considered Maddah’s achievement a model of Lebanese excellence and innovations accomplished by Lebanon’s youth at global platforms. (An Nahar, December 6, 2016)

 

 

 

In a special analysis today, Al Akhbar newspaper highlighted two axes of a recently published UNDP report, ‘Arab Human Development for 2016: Youth and Prospects for Human Development in a Changing Reality’. The first part, involved the significance of religion in the daily lives of young people in Lebanon, and the second tackled challenges in general in the country. According to the report, based on Gallup International data in 2015, over 80% of the Lebanese youth considered religion to be an important part of their everyday life. The report has also shown that during the years 2006 and 2007, nearly 88% of respondents said yes to a question on the relevance of religion. What is remarkable, the newspaper wrote, is that the responses of the young people have not changed much during 7 years retaining their high rates (above 80%). On the other hand, the UNDP report, based on the Arab Barometer research project data in 2014 regarding challenges facing Lebanon, indicated that 60% of young respondents considered the economic situation to be the most prominent, 24.4% pointed out to financial and administrative corruption, 7.1% stability and internal security, and 3.5% the boosting of democracy. For the full report, please visit the following link: (http://bit.ly/2gndwgE). (Al Akhbar, December 8, 201)

 

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The head of the Parliamentary Administration and Justice Committee, MP Robert Ghanem, buoyantly declared an initial agreement on the abolition of Article 522 of the Penal Code which provides for the end of all prosecution against a rapist should he decide to marry his victim. The announcement came after the sixth meeting of the committee assigned to study the adjustment of the first chapter of Section 7 of the Penal Code related to violation of 'women's honor'. However, Al Akhbar newspaper citing Ghanem denied the news of a final eradication of the article, stating that until yesterday the committee has introduced amendments to Articles 503 through 510, and has yet to finalize the remaining ones up till Article 522 before submitting a detailed report to the Parliament’s General Assembly. Ghanem told the newspaper that he expected the amendments to pass, because, he said, “the matter has been thoroughly and objectively tackled since last September with no pressure from any party.” On details of the debate, Al Akhbar mentioned a provision endorsed yesterday which gives the competent judge the right to decide the punishment in certain articles, drawing attention to the risks involved, as explained by MP Elie Kayrouz. The latter, mastermind behind the amendment of Article 522, has revealed to the newspaper that the committee will eventually identify the felonies that should not apply to the subject article and the crimes that can benefit from it. This means, Al Akhbar analyzed, that Article 522 has been cancelled as a separate article, but shall be integrated in other pertinent articles. This is what Kafa Enough Violence and Exploitation organization feared from the beginning, that the declared compromise did not in fact cover all the crimes and retained the exemption part through a proposal to amend selective articles. In this respect, Al Akhbar quoted MP Nawar Saheli as saying that “the suggested article to take in Article 522 is specifically the Second Paragraph of Article 505 which states that he who has sexual penetration with a minor who completed 15 years of age but is not yet 18 is punished with 2 months up to 2 years in prison.” Saheli pointed out that the debate within the committee focused on religious texts that sanction the marriage of an underage girl who is close to completing her 18th year. In its first reaction to the news, ABAAD congratulated all girls and women across Lebanon and so did Prime Minister-designate Saad Hariri and MP Sami Gemayel. (L’Orient Le Jour, An Nahar, Al Diyar, Al Akhbar, As Safir, Al Mustaqbal, The Daily Star, December 8, 2016)

 

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On the eve of discussion by the Parliamentary Administration and Justice Committee headed by MP Robert Ghanem of a request by civil and women groups to repeal Article 522 of the Penal Code which provides for the end of all prosecution against a sexual assaulter if he marries his victim, ABAAD organization staged a sit-in to this effect in Riyad el Solh. During the protest, ABAAD’s executive director, Gida Anani, pressed the need to abolish and not to amend the discriminatory article, as it encroaches on, and strips the victim from her right to freely choose her spouse. On the same subject, As Safir newspaper cited informed sources as reporting that a number of members of above Committee are studying the option of adjustment of Article 522 for the benefit of distinguishing between the rape victims based on age. Accordingly, if the victim is under 15, this does not exempt the perpetrator from punishment if he marries his victim, but pardons him if the victim has completed her 15 years. As Safir considered that these positions serve to safeguard confessional system and the various current confessional personal status laws which consent to the marriage of minors from 9 years on, depending on the sect of the underage girl. Meanwhile, KAFA Enough Violence and Expectation organization released a new review book which provides a full account of all legal decisions related to the ‘protection of women and family members against domestic violence’ law following its adoption two years ago. The implementation of the protection law, the book indicated, was largely incomplete in the majority of legal cases. Court decisions mainly addressed the physical dimension of protection, while disregarding the financial one notably issues such as alimony or the protection of minor children. (for more on the subject, visit the following link: (http://www.al-akhbar.com/node/269001). (Assafir, Al-Akhbar, Daily Star, Orient le Jour 6,7 December 2016)

 

 

The caretaker minister of tourism, Michel Pharaon, inaugurated yesterday the Third National Forum on Rural Tourism in Lebanon targeting a ‘developed rural tourism strategy’. The event, held at Dbayeh Royal Hotel, east of the capital, was jointly organized by Beyond Beirut non-government organization and the Lebanon Industry Value Chain Development (LIVCD) project funded by USAID. Present, were USAID mission in Lebanon director, Ann Paterson, and over 100 experts and owners of enterprises in the rural tourism sector. On the occasion, Paterson pressed the need to “boost rural tourism as an essential key to rural economic development, which helps in the creation of jobs for rural inhabitants and in the building of women and youth capacities.” For his part, Pharaon outlined a number of touristic undertakings accomplished during 2015 and 2016. The summer of 2015, Pharaon noted, saw more than 120 rural activities and 70 festivals, followed by over 250 rural events and 132 musical concerts in 2016. Pharaon stressed that the rural tourism initiative also helps in preserving natural, cultural, religious and agricultural resources, food and historical heritage of rural areas, as well as in the boosting the activities of guesthouses. (Al Diyar, December 7, 2016)