News

In a feature devoted to loofah cultivation in Lebanon, the Daily Star shed the light on this interesting plant that is considered a source of income for many families living in rural areas across the country. The newspaper pointed out that growing a loofah plant does not require much effort, but needs a lot of water, according to farmers, who added that loofah can be planted anywhere in fields, gardens and on house balconies. Despite its very competitive prices, ranging between LBP3 to 5 thousand, local growers of loofah growers are yet complaining from the competition of Egyptian loofah sponges.

Daily Star, November 30, 2015

 

The Ministry of Economy and Trade issued last Tuesday a summary of the achievements of the ‘Quality Programme-Third Phase for 2015’ covering the activities completed by the project. The statement indicated that full technical, operational and training support has been provided to some 30 food establishments observing the food safety management system and tracking system to enhance the quality of their products in compliance with international standards, notably, ISO 22000 and 22005 certificates. The Ministry revealed that 28 out of the 30 food companies have won the above certificates, adding that it has offered consultation and training assistance to incorporate the new quality management systems in six public departments for better productivity and services to citizens. On training, the ministry confirmed it has provided intensive and specialized training for relevant state administrations and food factories to enhance their performance, particularly in the field of food safety management, market monitoring, metrology and tracking systems, in addition to training workshops on the requirements of export to EU countries. (Al Diyar, December 2, 2015)

 

In a feature portraying the olive sector in Lebanon, Al Akhbar daily said some farmers are still hopeful of good marketing prospects that will spare them new losses and stockpiling. The newspaper pointed out that despite the local efforts by various cooperatives and agricultural unions to address the situation, yet these bodies are not to reach out to the needs of all farmers in the absence of official support and relevant laws that protect the Lebanese producer. In fact, foreign competition, particularly from neighboring Syria, accentuates the problem according to that newspaper. On this, the chief of the Directorate of Programs at the Ministry of Agriculture, Majida Meshayk, denied any dumping of the domestic market, stating that Lebanese farmers tend to overplay the issue to justify the high cost of their products. However, she acknowledges the fact that the production costs in the olive sector is among the highest in agriculture, noting that Minister Akram Shehayeb has issued a directive on 18/11/2015 requiring any party who wishes to import olive oil to seek the formal authorisation of the ministry.

In the same vain, L’Orient Le Jour newspaper said that the Lebanese olive sector is among the rare economic sectors that generate surplus in production, while criticizing the present trade agreement between Lebanon and other Arab countries which dumped the local markets with competitive products. The newspaper went on to indicate that one gallon of olive oil from Syria is being sold in the market at USD50 against a USD180 and 99 for the corresponding made-in-Lebanon product. Olive trees, it noted, cover nearly 536 thousand dunums of Lebanese territory, i.e.31% of the total cultivated area. (L’Orient Le Jour, Dec 1, Al Akhbar, November 30, 2015)

 

As part of the Development of Agricultural Exports Program, the Investment Development Authority of Lebanon (IDAL), in cooperation with Bureau Veritas for testing and inspection, organized yesterday a seminar on ‘Food Safety Management Systems’ at the Chamber of Commerce, Industry and Agriculture for Tripoli and the North in the presence of a crowd of exporters and owners of food industries. The Chamber President Toufic Dabbussi stressed that “compliance with quality standards and application of specifications, as well as proper packaging methods that observe with the requirements of global markets need serious attention from production parties.” Dabbussi underscored the importance of cooperation with government and with the various ministries, in a true spirit of partnerships between the private and public sectors, and this in order to boost Lebanese exports. (Al Mustaqbal, Al Diyar, December 2, 2015)

 

 

The National Committee for the Follow-Up of Women’s Issues, in coordination with the Future Movement Women’s Sector organized yesterday a workshop entitled: ‘the participation of women in political life’ which was held at the premises of the Future Coordination Committee for South Lebanon, in the presence of Barja and Shhim mayors and a number of community members and women from Iqlim al Kharoob. The holding of the event is part of the project entitled: ‘Building the Capacities of Parties Promoting Gender Equality’ which is funded by the European Institute for the Mediterranean and the Euro-Mediterranean Women Foundation and targets seven countries of the region, namely Lebanon, Algeria, Egypt, Jordan, Morocco, Palestine and Tunisia. The project director, Nada Makki, outlined its objectives which are as follows: strengthening partnerships between various parties promoting gender equality at the community, national and Euro-Med levels; enhancing general monitoring policies on the issue of equality and finally improving access to the production of knowledge on gender equality. For her part, the head assistant of the Future Movement Women’s Sector, Nawal Modalali, outlined the reality of women and the various ways for improving their participation in political life. (Al Mustaqbal, December 2, 2015)

 

The representative of the National Commission for Lebanese Women (NCLW), Dr. Fadia Kiwan, stressed that one should not accept any excuse, argument or political maneuver that blocks the adoption of a minimum quota for women of 30% in parliamentary elections, in addition to any other special preferential arrangement that can boost women’s chances of winning equally with men candidates. Kiwan was speaking at the National Conference held yesterday under the title, ‘Special Transitional Measures promoting the Representation of Women through Electoral Legislations’, which was organized by the Parliament’s Secretariat, in collaboration with UNDP, NCLW and the Alliance of Lebanese Women in Parliament. In this respect, UN special coordinator in Lebanon, Sigrid Kaag pressed for the adoption of a women’s quota, noting that the parliamentary representation of women in the country (3%) is the worst in the MENA region; compared to 31% in Algeria for example. For his part, the Lebanese Interior Minister, Nuhad Mashnook said that the new electoral law should include a women quota of not less than 15% and that this rate should increase progressively. Yasin Jaber, representing Speaker Nabih Berri, explained that the complex political system in Lebanon and the existence of various personal status laws work to subjugate women to the sectarian-governed patriarchal authority. Jaber concluded by calling for the endorsement and adoption of the quota law in order to raise the political representation of women and as the only practical means to achieve this. (As Safir, An Nahar Al Mustaqbal, December 2, 2015)

 

As part of the 16 Days of Activism Against Gender Violence Campaign, entitled ‘An archaic law is not a serious law’, and which Kafa launched last week (please refer to….) Kafa pressed on with a new sub-campaign for changing the archaic patriarchal legislations and personal status laws and their replacement by civil laws based on gender equality. The slogan of this new campaign: ‘the personal status system is dissonant” clearly highlights the major original flaws in the texts of present family laws that were developed by patriarchal mindset, while emphasizing the need to reform the majority of these texts that are incompatible with women’s and children’s rights, and that are grossly discriminatory against both. In the same vein, Kafa referred to one of its most recent publication entitled: ‘Zalfa’s questions and answers about the personal status law’, which offers simple information concerning personal status laws and related key legal facts. Kafa also strongly criticized the recent decision by the Grand Jury to release suspect Mohamad Munzer who murdered his wife Ruqaya on the eve of Mothers’ Day in 2014 after subjecting her to years of domestic violence, and this despite an earlier criminal accusation. )As Safir, December 1, 2015(

 

The Center for Employment Promotion and Social Protection for Palestinian refugees living in Lebanon organized last November 26 a seminar entitled “Five Years after the Amendment of the Labor and Social Security Law in 2010: Text and Reality’ which criticized the non-implementation of the new law amendments that also contained a number of contradictory clauses. Former Ambassador Samir Khury, chair of the center, pointed out that modifications introduced by the Parliamentary Administration and Justice Committee back in 2010 on the social security and labor laws in terms of the treatment of Palestinian refugees legally residing in the country on par with the Lebanese citizen as per the emergency of work and end of service compensation were inconsistent and not up to expectations. He added that the necessary implementation decrees were never passed by the cabinet. Furthermore, he noted that Palestinians are still the subject of discrimination by laws regulating the self-employed professions where some sectors still ban non-Lebanese residents from practicing such professions. He also criticized the discriminatory nature of social security law by virtue of which Palestinians are required to pay the equivalent of 23% of their salaries, yet they are only eligible to benefit from the end of service indemnity. At the end of the seminar, participants reiterated the demands for the full recognition of rights guaranteed to Palestinians under international laws and those conventions signed by Lebanon. (Daily Star, November 27, 2015)

 

Figures released by the Lebanese Center for Agricultural Research and Studies have shown that the overall agricultural production in Lebanon has reached USD 2.15 billion in 2014, with crops production making nearly 57.8% of the total, while animal production representing 42%. According to the same data, the overall agricultural production has increased by 7.1% during 2014 compared to 9.9% in 2013, 4.8% in 2012 and 10.4% in 2011; thus agricultural production grew by a high annual average rate of 8% between 2010 and 2014. Total crop production recorded in 2014 a growth rate of only 1.5%, increasing to USD 1.24 billion compared to a 8.8% in 2013, 5.2% in 2012 and 15.4% in 2011, or by an average of 7.6% for the period of 2010 and 2014. In parallel, total animal production rose in 2014 by 15.9% to USD increasing to USD 908.6 million in compared to a growth rate of 11.5% recorded in 2013, 4% in 2012 and 3.3% in 2011. (An Nahar, L’Orient Le Jour, November 27, 2015)

 

Quoting World Bank sources, Al Hayat daily reported in a feature published last week that nearly 70% of the Lebanese population earn less than USD10 thousand a year or USD 833 a month, which is low compared to the relatively high cost of living standards of the country at large. The newspapers revealed that in light of low wages, citizens are forced to look for additional sources of income by taking a second or sometimes a third job and working over 16 hours a day to secure their minimum income to cover family needs. Al Hayat went on to say that such difficult work conditions are not limited to certain segments of society but affect the skilled professionals and similarly to unskilled laborers. It concluded by saying that the present situation has become intolerable amidst stagnating levels of income, generally, while families face steady increases in their level of spending as a result of upward trend in prices. (Al Hayat, November 26, 2015)