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In preparation for the municipal and mayoral elections in Akkar, the North, on May 29, the Akkar Network for Development (AND) organized last Friday a public workshop at the Municipality of Halba to train candidates and their teams on the voting and vote counting procedures. Some 60 participants coming from various Akkar villages, including tens of women nominees and their electoral team workers were present. On the occasion, AND president, Nadine Saba, outlined the different stages of the complete electoral process with the accompanying instructions and tips related to the specific tasks of electoral delegates in the protection of the rights of both voters and candidates. This activity comes as part of a program implemented by the AND in partnership with the National Democratic Institute (NDI) aimed at promoting the participation of women in political life and supporting them to reach decision making positions. According to official sources, the total number of candidates in Akkar reached 3684 persons, of who 212 were women the latter category distributed as follows: 190 candidates for municipal councils, 11 candidates for mayoral positions and 11 women candidates for mayoral councils.  (Al Diyar, May 28, 2016)

 

The percentage of women who won municipal seats in Mount Lebanon has risen slightly to reach 3.5% compared to 2% for Beirut and the Bekaa.  An initial review of results of the elections which were held on May 15th reveals a higher participation rate of women in the Metn reaching 10% of whom 50.4% won compared to 5.2% win for both women and men.  These results were by far the best amongst the 6 cazas of Mount Lebanon.  According to data of the official municipal elections website affiliated to the Ministry of Interior and Municipalities (elections.gov.lb) the total number of candidates in Mount Lebanon was 6827 of whom 496 were women.  Of the latter, 240 women won in the elections and thus occupying 3.5% of total seats.  Winning women were distributed per caza as follows: Metn, 1169 candidates, 121 women and 61 women winners (5.2%), Aley,1088 candidates, 68 women and 40 women winners (3.6%), Baabda, 982 candidates, 72 women and 36 women winners (3.6%), Jbeil, 821 candidates, 64 women and 27 women winners (3.2%), Keserwan, 1139 candidates, 82 women and 33 women winners (2.8%), and Shuf, 1628 candidates, 89 women and 43 women winners (2.6%). 

 

Notwithstanding the continuous pressures against their participation in municipal elections in the country, women remain resolute in nominating themselves within lists or independently. In this context, the women of Hasbaya defied the religious ban imposed by the clergy on their candidacy (see the news http://www.lkdg.org/ar/node/15123). Four women, Faten Sabek, Ghada Kakhi, Samiha Sharouf and Samiha Abu Dihn, united and ran under the common electoral list ‘Khiyarak Lil Taghyir’(your option for change) albeit not successfully. Similarly, Josephin Zgheib from Kfarzebian sough to stand up against the dominant local political forces through running for elections under the list ‘Kfarzebian Ailitna’ with the support of the ‘Citizens Within a State’ campaign and against the government backed list. Zgheib who won with a large margin of votes, also ran for parliamentary elections back in 2010 on the list of five members, who succeeded in breaching the opposing list of former MP Jean Akiki. In the south, on the other hand, A7hlam Hassan has been preparing since 2008 to run for municipal elections in her hometown of Maaraka, Tyre. She tried but failed to convince a group of women to join the fight and finally decided to run independently. In this respect, A7hlam, who did not win this time, stressed to As Safir newspaper the importance of participation of women in public affairs. Meanwhile, unprecedentedly since 1998, the Association for Women’s Advancement in Nabatiyeh in the South, nominated one of its members, Salam Sabbah, for the challenge of representing women and civil activists of the town and to overcome exclusion. Sabah, who was also not successful, told As Safir that pressures were exerted on her to withdraw. In North Lebanon, editor of the weekly Al Tamadun magazine, Rasha Sankari, known for her long contribution in public life, was nominated on ‘Li Tarablus’ (For Tripoli) collation list of dominant political forces. Sankari, to be noted, is a member, and vice president, of the Forum for the Rights of Disabled in North Lebanon and a strong supporter of environmental groups. (As Safir, Al Mustaqbal, Al Akhbar, May 21, 22, 23, 2016)

 

The Audiovisual Regulatory Workshop held its closing session last Tuesday which was called on by the National Media Council, in collaboration with the European Union, MedMedia for Euro-Mediterranean Media Cooperation and the Italian Communications Regulatory Authority. One of the axis of the above workshop which focused on ‘discrimination against women’ saw the participation of the deputy board head of the Croatian Regulatory Authority, and interventions from Dr. Nahawand Qadri, Mona Fares and Dr Antoine Matta. Recommendations were issued at the end of the session which called for the following: 1) develop a mechanism to monitor violations against the dignity of women and infringements on her rights as a human being through a close follow-up of the media performance, 2) readdress the provisions of the media law to the effect of protecting women and banning any exploitation of their  image, 3) establish binding legal provisions that prevent any publicity or media material that are demeaning to women, particularly advertisements that portray her as a sex object, and finally, 4) enhance the contribution of the media in combatting domestic violence and endorsing women’s participation in public life, with special emphasis on the municipal and parliamentary women representation quota. (Al Mustaqbal, May 25, 2016)

 

On the International Girls in ICT Day, on April 28 of each year, celebrations continued across various regions of Lebanon. Following the ceremony last week by the Chamber of Commerce, Industry and Agriculture for Tripoli and the North, (see http://bit.ly/1XyO7ix), the leading mobile operator in the country, Alpha, managed by Orascom Telecom, organized interactive sessions aimed at promoting young girls’ engagement in IT and communications sector. The event, which was held as part of the global initiative by the International Telecommunications Union, hosted a number of activities and tours of the company offices, as well as contests among girl students from different local schools.  On the occasion, Alpha CEO General Director, Marwan Hayek, said the event in its fourth year is aimed to inspire girls to contribute effectively in forming the future through engaging in the resourceful and rapidly growing IT sector. “Women play an active role in Alpha, representing nearly 41% of the workforce, and we are constantly working to enhance the participation in all sectors within the company, particularly the technology bound departments,” maintained Hayek. (Al Diyar, May 25, 2016)

 

The head of the General Board Committee of the Tripoli Special Economic Zone (SZE) Management Authority, Raya Hassan, underlined last week the zone’s expected contribution to the reconstruction of Syria after war and its motivation of the economic life in north Lebanon through the provision of hundreds of jobs for young people. Hassan was speaking during a meeting at the Order of Engineers in Tripoli on the first anniversary of the official appointment of the Zone Authority by the Cabinet which was convened under the banner ‘Opportunities and Challenges of the Special Economic Zone in Tripoli-2016. Hassan revealed that the current stage is witnessing a progress in construction work of removing the seawater embankments by the contracted company. However, she expressed reservations on the creation of new SEZ in other parts of the country. This, she explained, can have negative impacts on the main purpose of the construction of the Tripoli special zone. She also added that if other zones are established, the Lebanese government should design a unified policy to regulate them in order to prevent unwanted conflict of goals. Hassan said she expects the government to make available for the project the necessary budget that can help it counter competition from similar zones in the Arab region and the world. (As Safir, Al Mustaqbal, Al Diyar, May 25, 2016)

 

The President of the Regie Libanaise Des Tabacs & Tombacs, Engineer Nassif Siqlawi, expressed high hopes on the future of the Regie in becoming a globally established and sustainable tobacco producer. Siqlawi, who was speaking to As Safir newspaper on the  ‘future vision’ of the state-run company, boasted that the administration supports the growth of the domestic economy through its contribution to the social development of local communities. Siqlawi revealed more on the sustainable development program adopted by the Regie (http://bit.ly/1sNFPbG), Siqlawi said it targets farmers, sales directors, employees, municipalities, tobacco enterprises and concerned ministries. He explained that the Regie has conducted in-depth research and field surveys covering nearly 50% of stakeholders in order to identify priorities and factors controlling development. Respondents included 15 consultants, 18 ministries and public departments, 25 thousand tobacco growers, 70 tobacco companies, 700 sales directors, 1000 employees, 900 suppliers and 450 municipalities. On the contribution of the Regie to society and economy, Siqlawi pointed out that the company channels some LBP 350 billion (USD 230 million) to the government each year in the form of fees and taxes; provides one thousand steady jobs across the country; pays an annual compensation of LBP 50 billion in form of salaries and social benefits to its employees, and over and above donates LBP 13 billion worth of endowments to national institutions, namely, the Lebanese Army, the General Directorate of Public Security and Bassil Fleihan Finance and Economy Institute. The Regie CEO underlined the role of the company in supporting health-related causes, including for example, “observation of the health and safety management system, investment in health activities and provision of medical services, investment in public health research aimed at diminishing smoking-related diseases and, finally, investment in tobacco related studies. (As Safir, May 24, 2016)

 

Previous related news: 

“The Regie” aims to go global and to support sustainable development

http://bit.ly/27R730T

 

In collaboration with the Forum for the Rights of Persons with Disabilities, and the Lebanese Council of Disabled People, the National Association for the Rights of Disabled People in Lebanon (NARD) held last Thursday a national seminar entitled the ‘Role of the Ministry of Social Affairs (MoSA) in Activating Law No. 220/2000 and Facts on Women with Disabilities in Lebanon Between the Rights of Persons with Disabilities and the Law 220/2000’. During the seminar, NARD President Dr. Nawaf Kabbara gave an analytical study examining “the reality of disabled persons in the country and the role of the above ministry in securing their rights following the endorsement by Parliament of said law and the adoption by the UN of the Convention on the Rights of People with Disabilities.” Kabbara made a number of recommendations, notably: increase the allocations for MoSA rights program to better cover the required technical assistance and equipment for all forms of handicaps; press MoSA for more support, particularly for early intervention, home care and special transport services; the implementation of the official 3% quota in the recruitment of handicapped persons in the public and private sectors and their integration in sports programs as well as their political and civil participation. For their part, Jahda Abu Khalil and Geryis Khury presented a comparative study on stipulations of both the above law and the convention on the rights of disabled persons. The study showed that the majority of handicapped women still are deprived from education and work and therefore from independent living, and from the ability to defy violence and exploitation. In conclusion, the study urged the integration of handicapped women in relevant legislations and the improvement of their general conditions. (Al Mustaqbal, May 24, 2016)

 

 

The health committee at the Baalbaq municipality and the Islamic Health Association jointly distributed certificates of appreciation to food establishments that complied with international food safety specifications as part of the food safety campaign launched by the Ministry of Public Health. The celebration was held under the sponsorship of the city’s mayor, Hamad Hassan and in the presence of owners of eateries and food enterprises, in addition to health and economic stakeholders. Commending such move, Baalbaq Municipality member, Antoine Aluf, said this shall “enhance the performance of food catering institutions”. Likewise, Hassan praised the cooperation between the involved parties which contributed to the above campaign’s success. The Islamic health association President, Malek Hamzeh, for his part, pledged to continue work in order to realize more positive results, calling on similar institutions to follow in footsteps. )Al Diyar, May 21, 2016)