A preliminary gender disaggregated rapid scan of the results of local elections in the Beirut and Beqaa indicates: that, in Beirut, out of a total of 114 candidates, 22 were women of whom 3 won municipal council seats (2.6%).  The three women in questions were candidates of the “Byerteh” list supported by former PM Saad el Hariri and the various other dominant political parties.  In the Beqaa, out of a total of 4427 candidates,159 were women of whom 51 won municipal council seats (1.15%) and were distributed as follows per Caza: Zahleh, 914 candidates, 40 women and 6 women winners (0.6%), Rashayya, 562 candidates, 29 women and of 12 winners (2.13%), West Beqaa 827 candidates, 28 women and 15 winners (1.8%). It is to be noted that the winner with the highest number of votes in that caza was a women affiliated to “Muwatinoon wa Muwatinat fi Dawlat”. Baalbaq recorded 1882 candidates, 53 women and 18 winners (0.9%) with the noticeable result that the winning woman candidate in Arsal collected the highest score. For its part, the casa of Hermel recorded 242 candidates, 9 women with no woman winner. It is also to be noted that the numbers of candidates referred to here are those published on April 28th by the Ministry of Interior and Municipalities before the deadline for withdrawing candidacies. Finally, and whilst the lists of candidates for the remaining regions are still in pipeline, it is worth underscoring that of the opposition list of the Popular Nasserite Organisation in Saida which counts 5 women out of a total of 21 candidates. (As Safir – May 10th 2016)

 

The president of La Regie Libanaise Des Tabacs & Tombacs, engineer Nassif Siklawi, stated that the Regie aims to go global through its adoption of a sustainable development strategy similar to its international tobacco counterparts. Siklawi was speaking during a ceremony held on Labor Day which coincided with the 80th anniversary of the state-run establishment, in the presence of administration members, staff union and workers. Reiterating the commitment to continue serving the national economy, Siklawi disclosed the second phase of the plan which he said shall focus on five basic pillars: firstly, excellence in performance through the application of quality management standards in all the administrative, industrial, sales and procurement departments, with the aim to facilitate work and reduce production cost and expenditures. Secondly, the Regie will seek to develop local communities through supporting development projects in cooperation with the municipalities. Thirdly, it will focus on “consumer welfare” by providing high quality, “healthy and safe” products. Finally the institution will aim to respect human rights, by combatting child labor, and securing a productive work environment, and to implement environmental protection measures in order to reduce industrial pollutants, rationalize energy consumption and waste management, etc...

Al Diyar, May 11, 2016

 

Following the call by the President of the Association of Lebanese Industrialists, Fady Gemayel, for the government to extend the period of the LBP 21 billion advance as endorsed by the government to support maritime export of Lebanese products to Arab countries through IDAL, the President  of the latter, Nabil Itani, called on the cabinet to extend the process for an additional year as land export remains blocked and Lebanese exports are still facing similar challenges.  Itani announced yesterday that approval of the Cabinet, during its last meeting of a decision to continue subsidizing maritime exports of Lebanese products until 31st of March 2017.  In a related vein, the Minister of Agriculture, Akram Shehayeb, met yesterday with a delegation of importers and exporters of fruits and greens and discussed problems facing exports and the need to address these.  The delegation discussed the issue of taxation on Lebanese products in Iraqi Kurdistan and Sudan.  Shehayeb reiterated that he will undertake the necessary contacts with authorities in Sudan and will also meet the Sudanese ambassador to discuss this matter.  He also affirmed that contacts are underway with authorities in Erbil for the same purpose.  The delegation who met with the Minister of Agriculture also called for necessary measures to protect Lebanon's fruit produce from exported fruits.  Shehayeb promised to enforce a pre-approved license for importing fruits according to the Lebanon's fruit harvesting calendar. (Al-Diyar May 10 2016)

 

Previous related news: 

 

The current Minister of Labor navigates the various employment fairs organised by Universities in Lebanon where he predicts doom and loom in unemployment while linking it simplistically the presence of foreigners in the country.  Recently, the Minister inaugurated the employment fair organised by AUST and noted that Lebanon is going through an unprecedented unemployment crisis as a result of the situation of Lebanon and the attempts to destabilise the state's infrastructure, in addition to Lebanon's 72 billion USD debt, the repercussions of the Syrian war and the presence of Palestinian and Lebanese refugees.  Azzi added that whilst Lebanon's population is less than 4 million, Lebanon hosts 1.7 million Syrians and half a million Palestinian refugees in addition to other foreign nationalities.  According to Azzi, when 53% of the population are non-Lebanese, then this will undoubtedly create an unemployment crisis.  Azzi concluded by saying that "350000 young people graduate every year at a time when the job market produces only 4000 jobs annually thus leaving 30000 young people without jobs".  To be noted that the said event included the participation of 120 companies from the tourism, industrial, banking. media, ICT, design, insurance and marketing sectors.  (Al-Diyar May 10 2016)

 

 

Previous related news: 

Azzi lamenting again on foreigners and unemployment in Lebanon

http://www.weeportal-lb.org/news/azzi-lamenting-again-foreigners-and-unemployment-lebanon

Azzi on Labor: Unemployment hiked by 25% but work permits to foreigners only when in shortage

http://www.weeportal-lb.org/spotlight-opportunities/azzi-labor-unemployment-hiked-25-work-permits-foreigners-only-when-shortage

Azzi in BAU: Lebanon suffers from a surplus in traditional professions and qualifications

http://www.weeportal-lb.org/news/azzi-bau-lebanon-suffers-surplus-traditional-professions-and-qualifications

 

On the occasion of the International Day of Nurses (May 12th), the An Nahar issue of today included an interview with the President of the Trade Union of Nurses in Lebanon, Dr. Nuhad Yazbek Dumit to discuss challenges faced by the nursing profession.  According to Dumit, the union includes 13500 nurses of whom 7000 provide nursing care whilst 6500 act as teachers, administrators or employees in insurance companies.  Dumit repeated a statement by the President of the Syndicate of Private hospitals in which he says that there is a need for an additional 17000 nurses.  Dumit added that the real need is above this figure especially since Lebanon counts 12000 hospital beds and each bed requires two nurses.  According to Dumit, there are several factors which deter young people from going into nursing namely the hardship of working in this sector, growing migration, negative societal perception towards nursing and the discouraging messages about nursing that young people receive. (An Nahar, May 10 2016)

 

Students of the the arts workshop affiliated to the Faculty of science at the University of Sciences And Arts in Lebanon organised yesterday at the university campus (located on the old airport road) a seminar with media professional Ghadi Francis.  The event was entitled "Women in the Media and the Challenges of the Trade".  Francis spoke about her own professional journey and the challenges she faced.  She noted that contrary to what is known, women's work in the media is easier than men's. She highlighted her experience in covering the Syrian war and how she realised that women can easily access the most dangerous of locations.  She further added that the main challenge is not in covering the war or in getting arrested a number of time but in remaining independent and not biased to any party.  (Al Mustaqbal, May 10 2016)

 

The American University of Science and Technology, AUST, organized on Friday a seminar on the ‘genetically modified food in Lebanon’ under the sponsorship of the industry minister, Dr. Hussein Haj Hassan. The minister revealed that while the notion of GM foods is still uncommon in the country with the absence of a clear official policy and contradictory views in the US and Europe, there are a number of question marks on the safety and health of those foods. “It is an open scientific debate that has no final answers until now, but it is associated with economic, health, environmental and psychological implications,” explained Haj Hassan. He urged for an objective approach to the subject that raises awareness based on an independent and scientific discussion. “Since the ultimate aim desired from generating the so-called GM crops is to increase productivity and strengthen their potency and adaptation to agricultural mechanization, therefore it is a noble aim,” Haj Hassan said. He concluded by calling for regulating GMOs under clear national legislation which will be in harmony with food safety, the environment, and public health.

Al Diyar, May 8, 2016

 

In its follow up of the human trafficking case uncovered recently during the raid of the so-called Chez Maurice night club east of Beirut, L’Orient Le Jour highlighted the role and responsibility of customers and clients of these places who remain untouched and unaffected. In this respect, the newspaper interviewed the head of the Exploitation and Trafficking in Women department at KAFA Enough Violence organization, Ghada Jabbour, who stressed that the high demand for prostitution justifies women abuse. Pointing out to the outcomes of a survey conducted by the organization and involving 55 men of different age groups and social affiliations, Jabbour revealed a connection between all the respondents, which is that everyone of them has paid for sex at least once in their lifetime. Nearly 71% of those men have expressed that their favorite spots to meet sex workers were nightclubs, against 53% who said they opted for bars. The study also indicated that while a number of respondents said sexual services in Lebanon were easy, accessible and suit different budgets, others noted that chasing prostitutes saves them the toil of a steady and official relationship. Asked about the exploitation and violence against women associated with prostitution, about 40% of respondents indicated that women prostitutes do their job knowingly of the associated risks in exchange for money. Meanwhile, 10% of the men interviewed admitted that they have noticed the marks of physical abuse on the bodies of the women they contacted. According to the same study, a large number of respondents outspokenly admitted that had it not been for the ease of access to sexual services in Lebanon, the phenomenon of harassment would have drastically proliferated. KAFA officer underlined the need to place sex customers accountable as well.

L’Orient Le Jour, May 6, 2016

 

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75 Syrian girls freed from a Lebanese human trafficking mafia located in Jounieh

Women demonstrate in Beirut in solidarity with human trafficking Syrian women victims

 

In a special feature published last week, Al Mustaqbal daily underscored the role of the Ministry of Social Affairs in targeting and supporting the most vulnerable refugee hosting communities in Lebanon, particularly women, with the aim to promote their economic empowerment. The newspaper highlighted the said ‘economic empowerment and community mobilization of women affected by the Sryian crisis in Lebanon project’. The project, which we highlighted the completion of its firs phase, aims at building the capacities of marginalized women living in the host communities through specialized training workshops on the various artisan, craft and food industries. According to the newspaper the program is implemented by UN Women, in partnership with the above ministry and is funded by the Japanese government. On this, Suheir Ghali, coordinator of the project, pointed out that the second phase of the program is being executed this current month and is expected to benefit about 1000 women from across Lebanon. Al Mustaqbal concluded with the success story of Yusra Sabah, from Takrit, in Akkar who provides for her family after her husband became physically impaired. After learning the trade of soapmaking, Yusra now works from the comfort of her home and sells, as a first  step, to her neighbors and the vicinity.

For more on the first phase achievements, kindly visit the following link: http://bit.ly/1Wc2x94  (Al Mustaqbal, April 30, 2016)

 

In coordination with its Orientation and Guidance Office, the University of Arts, Sciences and Technology in Lebanon AUL, School of Tourism and Hospitality, organized yesterday its 16th job fair under the title, ‘AUL, Your Second Home for Communication’. Held at AUL Beirut campus, the exhibition was sponsored by president of the university, Adnan Hamzeh in the presence of more than 65 financial, banking and hospitality institutions, in addition to local and international eateries. On the occasion, the dean of the school of tourism, Bashir Mizher, stressed the importance of such events in maintaining a continued connection between students and the local labor market. AUL, he said, has for years run similar undertakings to facilitate vocational training, and then, the recruitment of its graduate students at companies in need of the various talents. Hamzeh, for his part, considered Lebanon to be a hub for promising youth skills which unfortunately are lost due to emigration. Job fairs like this, Hamzeh noted, enable students to communicate and collaborate with job generating establishments after graduation. (Al Diyar, May 6, 2016)