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Data released by the Ministry of Interior indicate that the candidacy of women in the municipal elections for Beirut and Beqaa areas has not exceeded 4% so far. According to the same source, the number of candidates for the membership of the municipal council in the capital stood at 114 candidates, 92 males against 22 females, i.e. 19.2%. For the position of ‘mukhtar’ (mayor), 226 candidates were recorded, including 216 men against only 10 women. Meanwhile, figures for Beqaa, have pointed out to 4,524 candidates, including 4,268 men against only 159 women candidates, (equivalent to 3.5%). (For more date, kindly visit the following link:  http://bit.ly/1Ti9Q8t)

In the same vein, An Nahar daily highlighted the strong presence of women in the battle for Beirut municipal elections, particularly on the ‘Beirut Madinati’ list. The latter, An Nahar noted, fully adhered to the principle of parity among men and women candidates through the nomination of 12 females coming from diverse professional backgrounds and affiliations. On the other hand, and according to An Nahar, the ‘Bayarti’ list, claims to have favored the professional background of candidates, thus only selecting three women (!?). On the other hand, the ‘Citizens within a State’ (Muwatinoon Wa Muwatinat Fi Dawla) civil and secular campaign decided to nominate only three women for the Baalbaq Municipality. On this subject, Al Akhbar daily interviewed the nominee Hadil Rifai who confirmed her running for elections for two reasons. The first reason is the extent of marginalization of women and their right to take part in public affairs and secondly, because historically Baalbaq was excluded from the development process, hence prompting her to propose a developmentally-oriented electoral program.

An Nahar, Al Diyar, Al Mustaqbal, Al Akhbar, April 29, 30, 2016

 

Previous related news: 

Bold women challenge patriarchal mindsets in municipal elections

http://bit.ly/1UvcYU2

Preliminary observations on women’s participation in 2016 municipal elections

http://bit.ly/1VUkDwH

 

With the end of the deadline for nominations for the municipal elections in Beirut and Beqaa areas, and despite general indifference by political parties, new women candidates have emerged. The Baalbaq electoral list of ‘Muwatinoun Wa Muwatinat fi Dawla’ included 3 women nominees, namely Mirvat Wahbeh, Yumna Tfaili and Hadil Rifai, who have been involved in community projects  implemented by LOST , in collaboration with the German KAS foundation. In the capital of the North, on the other hand, journalist Huda Mohamad Sabagh, disclosed her intention to run for municipal elections in Al Mina. Similarly, the Forum for the Rights of Persons with Disabilities- the North, nominated its member, Rasha Sankari, for Tripoli municipality. In Beirut, 3 women candidates Huda Osta, Matilda Khury and Yusra Siadani, were nominated in the  “Beirutis” list, which was announced by previous Prime Minister Saad Hariri, and which includes a total of 24 names .Meanwhile, in Nabyeh, Mount Lebanon, which has 3 mayors (makhatir), Amal George Bou Hadir, expressed her regret to Al Diyar newspaper over failing to form a mayoral electoral list with 4 other women, who backed down because the “majority in the area does not accept the idea of women in such positions,” as they put it. Regarding civil society actions in this respect, the Association for the Development of Tripoli and Al Mina called for more balanced and quota-sensitive municipal electoral lists that take into consideration the role and participation of women in such elections. Similarly, in the Shuf area, the Social Services Committee for Iqlim Al Kharoub, organized yesterday a meeting entitled ‘the role of women in municipal work and civil society’, during which engineer Sara Abdallah encouraged the nomination of women who make 70% of society, while lamenting their “marginalized role as a result of the dominating male chauvinist mentality.” In the same vein, the United Nations Special Coordinator in Lebanon, Sighrid Kaag disclosed after a meeting with the interior minister that there is a genuine opportunity for women to run for elections and for voters to vote for them.

Al Diyar, Al Akhbar, Al Mustaqbal, April 28, 2016

 

Related news:

Preliminary observations on women’s participation in 2016 municipal elections
http://bit.ly/1VUkDwH

The Lebanese capital, Beirut, will host on May 11, the eighth edition of the Arab Women Forum for Entrepreneurs under the title, ‘Empowering a new generation of Arab women entrepreneurs’. Over 400 participants from the business, entrepreneurship, government and financial circles will partake, in addition to capital investors and representatives of business incubators and accelerators. The event which is jointly organized by Al Hasnaa magazine and Al Iktissad Wal Aamal Group will include interactive sessions, workshops, as well as networking and communication meetings. The event will also highlight the achievements of innovators and entrepreneurs from different countries and generations, and is expected to address ways of women empowerment to promote women’s work and businesses. The last session of the Forum will be devoted to presentations of success stories by women pioneers. (An Nahar, April 28, 2016)

 

 

The Progressive Women Union of the Progressive Socialist Party (PSP) organized last Monday a joint seminar with the Arab Women Network for Gender Balance (Thaira) which focused on ways of ensuring the participation of women in decision making structures of political parties in order to boost equality within these parties. While the Network’s coordinator, Khatun Haidar, underlined the importance of this issue, the President of PWU, Wafa Abed, emphasized the association between women’s political participation and daily participation in community matters. “It is an unending evolution and infinite struggle to cope with fast changes in a world where change has become its only constant feature,” Abed explained. For his part, Zafer Nasser, PSP general secretary, noted that the “women’s participation is an issue that concerns both women and men,” adding that the anticipated role of women has yet a long way to go. He also emphasized the importance given to this matter by Party and its leadership, which, he claimed, is demonstrated in various current initiatives that are being undertaken in preparations for the forthcoming municipal elections.

Al Mustaqbal, April 26, 2016

 

In its issue of today, Al Akhbar daily shed light on the so-called ‘milking cow loan’ program launched last week by the BML bank as part of its empowerment initiative to assist farmers in remote areas across Lebanon. The said program supports farmers aged between 21 and 66, and that is including retiree farmers,  in starting up agricultural enterprises that provide them with additional income. The newspaper also pointed out that the imported ‘Holstein’ breed of impregnated milking cows is expected to enter the country, each with an attached ‘passport’ including all the required info about its type, breed history and condition. The price of each cow, Al Akhbar reported, stands at LBP4 million, pointing out that the loan could reach some LBP20 million, which is equivalent to five heads of cattle, at about 20% interest rate. The newspaper talked to a number of cow breeders in the Bekaa area who complained about the high price of the imported cow as compared to the domestic market price which, they stressed, does not exceed LBP2.5 million. This, they explained, includes the necessary vaccines, adding, that the local cows produce an equal amount of milk daily. Likewise, BML general manager, Fadi Daouk, said the high interest cost is largely because of the small size of the loan, while underscoring the low repayment package which will stand at a maximum of LBP115 thousand, including veterinary checkup twice a month.

Al Akhbar, April 27, 2016

 

Previous related news: 

BML launches the milking cow program

http://www.weeportal-lb.org/news/bml-launches-milking-cow-program

In its issue of today, As Safir daily newspaper portrayed the unending suffering of migrant women domestic workers (MWDW) in Lebanon who are subjected to harsh work conditions and extremely low wages. This, As Safir noted, forces them to escape leaving behind their permits and passports while continuing to live in the country illegally. Speaking up to the newspaper, one Bangladeshi national said that her working day starts at 5 am and ends after midnight. This, she grieved, includes cleaning the houses of relatives of her employer and surviving on half a loaf of bread throughout the day. She pointed out to being regularly beaten by her employers which drove her to flee the house without her residency papers but to continue to support herself through other sources and send money to her family in Bangladesh. On the subject, As Safir interviewed activist and lawyer, Manar Zeaiter, who underlined the right of Bangladeshi MWDWs to challenge their improper and unacceptable working conditions and seek better income generating work. Zeaiter, on the other hand, stressed the right of the government and the labor ministry to regulate the status of foreign nationals working on Lebanese territory. The illegal residence of those workers, Zeaiter maintained, “will contribute to the emergence of a new exploitation system that will be run by human trafficking networks that will replace recruitment agencies.” She proposed a solution to the problem which starts from understanding and tackling the causes of escape of MWDWs in difficult situations, including the adjustment of relevant legislations. This, Zeaiiter sustained, begins with Lebanon’s commitment to international labor conventions that are based on the principles of justice, equality and humanitarian working conditions. “All outlawed MWDWs have experienced inappropriate living and working conditions, which should prompt us to readdress the present situation,” Zeaiter concluded. (As Safir, April 27, 2016)

 

The President of the Beirut Engineering Association (BEA), Khaled Chehab, warned against the useless number of graduate engineers who are flooding the local and international markets, underlying the significance of specialization in disciplines that represent an added value to those markets. Chehab, who was speaking yesterday at the American University of Beirut upon an invitation by students of the AUB Faculty of Agriculture, said “we lack the skills of professionals that fine-tune the execution of engineering projects.” He disclosed that similar to global orders of engineers, the BEA is seriously studying putting into use the test of merit for its membership as a routine to pinpoint the qualified and competent engineers. This decision, Chehab said, was taken after deliberation with deans of the schools of engineering in Lebanon and with academic and professional experts, and after the number of members in Beirut and Tripoli reached a peak of 60 thousand. He said it is time to curb the overwhelming number of students graduating from colleges that offer replicas of programs of foreign institutes. Finally, Chehab advised students to develop their knowledge and partake in seminars and training workshops in the various specialties. He asked them to visit the BEA website regularly for the latest announcements. (Al Mustaqbal, April 26, 2016)

 

With the impending municipal elections, calls have risen to step up women’s participation in the said elections as well as for the endorsement of the women’s quota.  The latter of is significant importance given that the rate of participation of women in municipal action still lags behind, despite its increase from 3% to 6% in the wake of the 2010 elections. To this effect, and just one day before the deadline of submission of nominations for the Beirut and Beqaa areas, preliminary indications show that the number of women generally remains low. Some women candidates chose to be on civil society electoral lists, while others chose to run as independent. Another feature is that women candidates tend to describe themselves as activists or professionals. One other clear and important observation is that political party lists have yet to include women candidates, notwithstanding past pledges and public statements by parties in favor of increasing women representation in the upcoming elections. A good illustration of women candidature is the Beirut Madinati list which is unprecedentedly and equally divided among men and women nominees, with a noticeable inclination in selection towards competence and proficiency. Of women candidates, we noted so prominent names such engineers Mona H7allak and Nada Dughan, film director Nadine Labaki, as well as Maria Manok, Carol Chebli Touini, Nada Sahnaoui, Rita Maaluf, Farah Kobeisi, Rana Khoury, Amal Cherif, Iman Hassan Ghandour and May Omar Daook. Also, remarkably, and for the first time in its history, the town of A3rsaal in the Beqaa, have filed a number of women candidates. These include civil society and women activists Rima Krombi and Fatmeh Bo7hlok. Meanwhile, in the Metn village of Khreibe, woman journalist Haifa Banna stressed in her interview with As Safir daily that she has run independently to face the monopoly of the very few. Heading south, and specifically to Zawtar al Sharqia in Nabatiyeh, the newspaper  highlighted the nomination of young woman journalist Zainab Ismail, who vowed to end the marginalization of women in the upcoming municipal elections. (As Safir, Al Mustaqbal, April 19 and 26, 2016)

 

During its annual convention, the Future Movement Women Sector launched last Friday its feminist agenda in cooperation with the Friedrich Naumann Foundation for Freedom. The agenda aims at promoting awareness on women’s issues to gradually elevate the standard of their political participation and management of public affairs, as well as their effective engagement in planning and implementing the general policies of the Future Movement through the application of the women’s quota. In addition, the agenda, seeks to eradicate marginalization and legal discrimination against women and to pressure the various political parties and parliamentary blocs to do the same on the electoral level. The recommendation issued at the end of the conference, called for the following: form a women’s coalition to support women in decision making and networking, and help break down economic, social and political barriers, and all forms of violence. It also underscored the need for the all political parties to launch educational, awareness-raising and capacity building initiatives supportive of women active participation in elections. (Al Mustaqbal, April, 24, 2016)

 

The Office of Alumni Relations jointly with the Office of the Dean for Students Affairs at the Lebanese American University (LAU) organized last Friday a broad professional meeting under the title, ‘LAU Annual Business Network Ceremony’. For its tenth consecutive year, the event saw the participation of some 100 institutions and companies, with the aim to introduce the labor sector to the talents presented by the university and at the same time, familiarize the students with the labor market requirements.  

Meanwhile, the vocational and university faculties at Al Kafaat Foundation in Ain Saadeh-Fanar, Metn area, held an extensive orientation week for intermediate and high school students which attracted over 2500 guests and visitors. The foundation has set its action plan based on the goals expressed by Lebanese youth and with the aim of guiding them in selecting the appropriate disciplines available in the market, and given the variety of offered academic disciplines, which largely creates confusion among students. (An Nahar, Al Diyar, April 23 and 24, 2016)