News

After less than one day on the murder of Maymoona Abu al Aaila by her husband in the ‎Kesrwan town of Kleiat (http://bit.ly/2baCw9f), R. S, another woman victim of domestic ‎violence was successful in fleeing her home in Barja, Iklim al Kharoob in the Shuf area. In the ‎reported details, R.S managed to resort to the local security forces and reported her case, where ‎she spoke of incessant beating and physical abuse by her husband up to shooting in the air from a ‎hunting weapon. Beitiddine Judiciary Police Detachment unit succeeded in locating and arresting ‎the suspect in al Jiyyeh. After police questioning, the husband admitted threatening his wife with ‎a rifle. Over and above, the husband turned out to have a history of acquisition and use of drugs.‎

As Safir, Al Mustaqbal, August 12, 2016‎

 

The LAU Institute for Women’s Studies in the Arab World (IWSAW) launched yesterday the ‎Beirut Appeal for Action at the closure of its international  conference, ‘Towards Prioritizing ‎Women, Peace and Security on the Agenda of the Arab Region”, which comes as part of a larger ‎regional debate on the subject (http://bit.ly/2bl4mxR ). The appeal, released at the end of the ‎conference, urged Arab countries, the UN, the Arab League, civil society, decision makers and ‎policy makers to adopt, act on and comply with its recommendations. The latter pressed for ‎drawing a new analytical approach that seeks to involve women in the making of peace at the ‎regional level and promotes the exchange of expertise and lessons learned to this effect. ‎Participants also called for the development of a new model that inspires peace and the ‎protection of women against violence, underlining the need to document the experiences of ‎women in war and peace. They also drew attention to the importance of exposing the complex of ‎so-termed military masculinity most evident during times of war, and to gender gap in policies ‎related to conflict and peace building, besides methods of engaging men in issues related to ‎women, peace and security issues as allies and advocates of gender justice and equality. ‎Recommendations finally called for supporting multinational partnerships in such they involve ‎conventional and non-conventional parties, including the academic, media, and non-political ‎players, as well as the private sector in order to sustain peace and tolerance. (Al Mustaqbal, ‎August 12, 2016)‎

 

In collaboration with the Ministry of Social Affairs Social Development Center in Tyre, the ‎Italian battalion in the UNIFIL organized an Italian cooking class for some 30 women from the ‎border village of Aita al Shaab, Bint Jbeil. It should be noted, that the two week long theoretical ‎and applied workshop on Italian cuisine, was launched by the Logistics Support Unit of the ‎Italian Battalion in coordination with the Sassari Brigade’s Civil-Military Cooperation Office, ‎and came as part of the communication and cultural exchange activities between Italian ‎peacekeepers and the local community. (Al Mustaqbal, August 12, 2016)‎

 

The minister of tourism Michel Pharaon launched yesterday the Qartaba Tourism Festivals in the ‎presence of a large audience. The minister in his address said that while many towns across the ‎country have planned similar activities for next month, he urged his education counterpart Elias ‎Bu Saab to delay the opening of the academic year from the 15th to the 18th of September in ‎order to support the tourism. Pharaon also pointed out that the occupancy rate in various ‎guesthouses during the period from May till October has reached 100%, hence reflecting a ‎growing demand on rural tourism.  In the same vein, and on the sidelines of the Qubeyat summer ‎festivities, the minister of culture, Raymond Oreiji visited last Saturday a market that showcased ‎the different made-in-Akar agricultural, food and artisan products. Touring the diverse stalls, ‎Oreiji stopped to contemplate the Aidamooni handmade rugs bazaar organized by the committee ‎for the revival of the domestic carpet industry. For his part, Aidamoon mayor Kamal Maksud ‎gave a brief presentation of the history of the industry, highlighting its physical and traditional ‎value. In the same vein, the municipality of Kawkaba arranged on Sunday and in cooperation ‎with Green Steps Lebanon, a sports and environmental activity on the model village implemented ‎and supported by USAID and CARITAS to promote the cultivation of cedar trees. On the ‎occasion, Kawkaba mayor, Elie Abu Ncoul, underlined the significance of similar undertakings in ‎spreading cultural awareness, pledging to keep the pace in order to bring the village natives back ‎to their roots. To be noted that the model Kawkaba tourist village is a pioneering hospitality ‎project which is surrounded by pine trees and includes 7 guesthouses, one of them designed to ‎cater for to people with special needs. (An Nahar, Al Mustaqbal, Al Diyar, August 8, 10, 11, ‎‎2016)‎

 

The minister of industry, Dr. Hussein Haj Hassan, reiterated the need to revise the signed trade agreements with the European Union and the inter-Arab Agreement for the Facilitation and Promotion of Trade in order to help Lebanon boost its exports from USD 3 billion to USD 5 billion primarily destined to EU, China, Turkey and US markets and from USD 300 million to USD one billion to the EU alone. Haj Hassan, speaking to Al Diyar newspaper on August 8, mentioned an imbalance in trade relations during the past 14 years, which is clearly seen in the rise of EU exports to Lebanon from USD 2 billion to USD 8.5 billion against a slight increase of Lebanese exports to the EU to USD 300 million. The minister attributed this to unfair conditions stipulated in relevant international trade agreements. Indeed, and according to said arrangements, customs tariffs between member countries are lifted completely, contrary to what is the case with Lebanon, where customs were only reduced and all forms of protection annihilated. When Lebanon entered the EU or its corresponding Arab agreements, “we expected to get access to some 500 million European and some 300 million Arab consumers,” Haj Hassan clarified, adding, “exports have barely reached USD 3 billion, why?” On the other hand, the Lebanese minister categorically denied the existence of any political disagreement with the EU, “but as you know, a friend in need, is a friend indeed, why don’t they show up.” When asked about the fierce competition to domestic industries from the Syrian neighbor, Haj Hassan played down the argument which lays the blame for the present economic crisis on completion form Syria. “The total size of Syrian goods entering Lebanon does not exceed USD 200 to 300 million, while the majority of our imports come from EU states (nearly USD 8.5 billion), China (USD 3.5 billion), Turkey (USD one billion) and the US (USD one billion).” The minister finally disclosed that preparations are underway to kick off serious talks with the EU on this matter, as he puts it. (Al Diyar, August 8, 2016)

 

In collaboration with UN ESCWA Center for Women and the Danish Center for Research on Women and Gender, the LAU Institute for Women’s Studies in the Arab World (IWSAW) opened on Monday an international conference entitled ‘Towards Prioritizing Women, Peace and Security on the Arab Agenda’. The purpose of the 3-day event was to enrich and expand the ongoing debate on issues related to women, peace and security in the Arab region, with focus on the role of institutions to this effect. In this respect, and during the opening session, LAU president, Joseph Jabra, noted that the principles of gender equality have started to gather momentum since 2000, especially with the adoption of the highly relevant UN Security Council Resolution No. 1325 promoting participation, prevention and protection. Jabra pointed out that gender sensitivity has reached the Arab countries after the request by the UN Council to comply and implement similar decisions. In the same spirit, IWSAW director, Lina Abi Rafeh, maintained that the participation of women in the making of peace and security is an essential component of human rights, noting that the Arab world has a historic opportunity to demonstrate this now, and calling for an end to normalization of violence in all its forms and everywhere. Deputy director of the ESCWA center for women, Mahrinaz Awadi, drew attention to three lessons she learned after 15 years of work in the Arab region. “Firstly, we cannot accomplish much through investment in a prevention scheme; secondly, the presence of women in leadership positions is very vital to achieve peace, and thirdly, the development of national work plans is at the core of the agenda for women, peace and security,” Awadi explained. (Al Mustaqbal, An Nahar, August 6 and 10, 2016)

 

 

In collaboration with the German Friedrich Eibert- Stiftung FES, Nahar al Shabab association launched last May the third phase of the ‘Young leaders of tomorrow in Lebanon’ project (Lylot 3) aimed at promoting the participation of youth in social, political and economic life of the country. The initiative, kicked off back in 2012 and has achieved in its first stage a project for solar energy lighting in the public park of the northern town of Rashana, and organized during the second phase eight conflict resolution related workshops targeting some 100 beneficiaries. The coordinator of Nahar al Shabab, Ayad Wakim, told An Nahar newspaper that the third phase will be completed by the end of summer 2017 and will shortlist 35 out of 60 young men and women from five private universities outside the capital and from the state-run Lebanese University based on a test and evaluation by a competent jury. Wakim stressed that the selection of participants is very complicated as it has to take into consideration territorial and sectarian diversity. Similarly, FES director of programs, Pierre Saadeh, expressed hope in changing the mentality of the young generation in terms of respect and understanding of the ‘other’, emphasizing the impact of training to achieve this aim, especially amongst those affiliated with political parties. Saadeh noted that through the implementation of such projects one can clearly identity the levels of development of youth skills and capacities based on the review of the suggested priorities and needs. He disclosed that a committee formed from the two sides will choose the best two out of five or six ventures to be implemented, provided the cost of each project does not exceed USD 6 thousand. (An Nahar, August 9, 2016)

 

The peaceful town of Akkar al 3ateeqa won the title of the best Lebanese village for the year 2016 organized by L’Orient Le Jour daily newspaper, in collaboration with the Ministry of Tourism and with sponsorship of Fransabank (c.f.http://bit.ly/2b31SWg). The competition it should be said was heated between the contesting towns of Dhur el Shuwayr, Duma, Hammana, Jezzine, Kfardebian, Rashayya al Wadi, Sarafand and Yamooneh. Extending along 40 square kilometers, Akkar al Ateeqa is located in North Lebanon within the district of Akkar and embraces nearly 17000 inhabitants. The village, some 135 km away from the capital, Beirut, boasts archeological castles, traditional houses and historic mosques, besides its breathtaking nature, spring falls and the caves of Zebud going back to the Canaanite Era.The results of the votes came as follows:

Akkar al 3ateeqa: 57,158 (46.9%), Ehden 47 480 (39%), Kfardebian 8830 (7.3%), Duma 2919 (2.4%), Hammana in 1471 (1.2%), Jezzine 1049 (0, 9%), Rashaya al Wadi 994 (0.8%), Dhur el-Shuwayr 909 (0.7%), Sarafand 644 (0.5%), and Yamooneh 305 (0.3%), noting that the total number of voters reached 121 579 votes. (Al Diyar, An Nahar, August 9, 2016)