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Along the Hasbani River banks, popular stalls are installed each Tuesday morning to mark the famous Souk Al Khan, one of the oldest markets in Lebanon and the Middle East, and established in 1356. Coming from the various social classes, customers of the market are continuously growing in numbers as a result of the economic crisis. Inhabitants of different towns and villages of the districts of Hasbaya, Marje3yoon, West Beqaa and Bint Jbeil, as well as UNIFIL soldiers since 2006, head to the market to purchase what they need. The regular shoppers like to name their market “mall of the poor” or the poor’s market. The market is cut by a tight road connecting the villages of Freidiss, Al Mari and Al Habariyeh with the villages of Kawkaba, Ibl Al Saki and Marje3yoon. Around this road stand small shops and to their sides tents mounted to handle the goods. The market displays various cheap goods such as readymade clothes, carpets, home utensils, fruits, vegetables, sweets, meats, livestock, flowers and various pottery and earthenware, in addition to a special section for fruit tree seedlings. Souk Al Khan entered a new phase of modernization after the municipality of Hasbaya, in cooperation with local and foreign donors, embarked on a project to renovate and rehabilitate the old souk. To this effect, the former Hasbaya mayor, Sheikh Ghassan Khairiddine, said the municipality, with the support of the World Bank, has built dozens of shops roofed with traditional tiles. The WB project was planned to be completed at a later stage with the restoration of the ancient Khan built with old stones, lime and white sand at the time of the Shehaby dynasty. (Al Diyar, 12 March 2015)

Labor Minister Sajaan Azzi discussed with his Liberian counterpart, Nato Zarzarliff, who heads a delegation from the ministries of labor, justice and interior, issues of common interest between the two countries, particularly the issue of Liberian workers in Lebanon. Following the meeting which centered on the bad conditions of Liberian domestic workers, Azzi said, “Liberia hosts some 5,000 Lebanese expatriates who live, work and contribute to building the Liberian economy and at the same time assist their families and communities back home.” He noted that the Liberian minister’s visit to Lebanon comes in the wake of a series of incidents involving Liberian workers in Lebanon, the last one occurred four months ago. As a result, of that last incident the Labor Ministry decided to close two recruitment agencies and the case is now in the hands of justice, according to Azzi. The minister added that several arrests were made and investigation is still underway. Azzi also indicated that the two parties reached an agreement on three points: 1) temporarily stop issuing work permits for Liberian women workers; turn down any applications for migrant workers from Liberia in the massage and other related professions, and, finally prepare a memorandum of understanding on exchange of labor between the two countries. (As Safir, An Nahar 12 March 2015)

Small and medium enterprises (SMEs) constitute the largest part of the private sector in Lebanon which is presently facing serious difficulties in accessing commercial financing. In this respect, Kafalat provides financial assistance to SMEs to start up innovative projects in any of the five targeted economic sectors, namely, industry, tourism, agriculture, high technology and traditional crafts. The institution which is a private company of public interest and is owned by the National Institute for Guarantee of Deposits (75%) and 41 Lebanese banks (25%), provides financial guarantees for loans from banks operating in Lebanon. According to CEO and General Director of Kafalat, Khater Abu Habib, loans guaranteed by Kafalat benefit from a Central Bank exemption of the statutory reserve requirement.  This significantly reduces the lending bank's cost of capital, allowing lending at lower interest rates. Interest rate subsidies are financed by the Lebanese Ministry of Finance and administered by the Central Bank. Regarding the procedures for benefiting from Kafalat, Abu Habib clarified that the approval of loans is based on the submission of a feasibility studies/ business plans that determine the viability of the business to be financed. The company then studies the files sent through the banks and decide accordingly. However, the final decision for granting the loan rests in the hands of the banking institutions, he said. Besides the original lending facility launched in 2000 and which offers loans of LBP 300 million to assist start-ups and existing businesses to develop their ideas or activities, there are new programs that were the outcome of the partnership between the European Union and the Ministry of Economy and Trade. Among these new facilities are the following: loans to ensure the continuity of the existing production and workforce and amounting to LBP 600 million; loans to finance innovative works and inventions at the level of LBP 300 million; loans of up to LBP 650 million for investment in fixed assets and working capital needs, and, finally, loans granted for agriculture-related activities and for investment in efficient energy use and renewable energy. (Al Diyar, 7 March 2015)

Al Ghabun village is known as the capital of the green houses in the southern part of Mount Lebanon, especially flower growing. That region is a witness to the scale of the disaster resulting from the frost storm that hit the country this winter. The mayor Sheikh Akram Bu Hussein noted that 90% of the inhabitants of the village generate their livelihoods mainly from agriculture. He added: “Losses are greater than the resources at hand; one flower is normally sold at LBP1000 in the winter season, but the bitter cold has not only destroyed flowers but also affected the seedlings”. “This means that the harvest for next year will also be affected,” Bu Hussein added. He stressed the need to carry out an assessment survey of damages, stating that he personally lost at least 50,000 flowers that were grown within 12 green houses valued at some LBP 40 million. Similarly, the recent storm almost completely destroyed the fields of vegetables and seedlings located in the southern plains of Al Mari, Al Majidiyeh, Sarda, Wazzani and Hasbani. Furthermore, snow covered the area for the first time in over 30 years, causing severe damages to seedlings, destroying the green houses of the area, and causing huge financial losses on farmers beyond reparation. The frost particularly hit the harvest of tomato, cucumber, lettuce, green beans, potato and cabbage. The devastated area extends over 8000 acres from Al Wazzani River’s west bank all the way to the fringes of Al Khiyam and Al Mari villages. Commenting on the situation, Al Mari mayor, Youssef Fayyad, said, “What happened is plainly an agricultural disaster that wiped out the summer harvest season and inflicted heavy losses beyond the farmers’ financial capacities”. He appealed to the government for a swift compensation. Meanwhile, and in the eastern part of the country, the blizzard battered the old olive trees of several villages and towns in north Beqaa, affecting some 10,000 to 15,000 acres of cultivated land. It is to be noted that the farmers’ unions, in cooperation with the Agriculture Ministry, are currently assessing the level of damages that hit olive trees, green houses, bee hives, livestock and destroyed farms. Secretary of the Union of Farmers’ Union in Lebanon, Hussein Darwish, described the situations as catastrophic. He also noted that 80% of green houses were destroyed while production losses reached a hike of 95%, that nearly 70 heads of cattle, goats and sheep died and that the olive industry was also badly hit. Regarding the compensations from government, the President of the Union of Flower Growers and Seedlings in Lebanon, Roger Moawwad, clarified that the union appealed to Prime Minister Tamam Salam, and demanded an assessment survey of the losses in the sector. Moawwad added that PM promised to raise the issue during the forthcoming Cabinet meeting. For his part, Agriculture Minister, Akram Chehayeb, asked affected farmers to submit their reports on losses to the related Ministry’s departments located in various districts and regions, according to Moawwad, who voiced his skepticism over the outcome, stating that the real intentions of the government is to merely absorb the resentment of farmers. (As Safir, Al Diyar, 6,7,9 March 2015)

The International Labor Organization, ILO, noted in a report that 126 countries signed in 1995 the Convention C100 on equal remuneration for women and men workers for work of equal value, adding that 122 countries have signed the 1958 Convention No. 111 concerning discrimination in respect of employment and occupation. The ILO report indicated that 20 years later the number of signatory member states to the above two agreements rose to 171 and 172 respectively. However, and according to ILO, at the present very slow rate of progress in bridging the gender gap, equality in pay between men and women will not be achieved until the year 2086. Lebanon is an early signatory of the two fundamental ILO conventions which have become effectual by virtue of the legislative Decree No. 70 in 25/6/1977, but the Lebanese authorities has not indicated commitment to their enforcement. According to a banking sector human resources report published in 2013 by the Association of Banks in Lebanon, the total number of workforce in the said sector reached 18949 employees, including 8803 women who account for 46.5% of the total number of workers. The report indicated that the average salary rate of the female worker is lower by 15.2% than that of their men co-worker as an overall average of all categories of jobs. According to bank sources this disparity can be traced to the fact that women occupy a lower number of managerial positions as compared to men. However, the bank report does confirm that the average salary of a female worker is 10% behind her male colleague even within the same job title. As for senior positions, the average basic monthly salary of an assistant general manager stands at LBP 13,904,000 for a men against a LBP 11,94,000 for a woman of the same grade. The male central director of branches earns around LBP 6,461,000 against only LBP 4,601,000 for his female counterpart. Similarly, the male human resources director earns LBP 8,333,000 against LBP 5, 651,000 for the female co-director. The difference sometimes can exceed twice the salary, as in the case of the average salary of the bank’s organizational development manager which reaches LBP 7,369,000 for men compared to only LBP 3,192,000 for women of the same title. In conclusion, if one calculate on the basis of the average basic salary of all jobs for men which is estimated at LBP 2,657,000 and taking into account the total of 8803 women employees, one can clearly estimate that the banking sector is making an extra monthly profit of 3 billion and 565.215 million Lebanese pounds as a result of the gender pay gap and that is according to the calculations of Al Akhbar. (Al Akhbar, 9 March 2015)

The Saturday popular souk occupies a 3-acre land on the road connecting the Western Beqaa town of Jib Janin and the village of Kafraya. Vendors rent the land from its owner with the help of the region’s municipality in order to display their goods. The rented space is divided into multiple stands occupied by diverse sellers advertising a variety of cheap agricultural products, fruits, clothes and household utensils that meet the needs of the poor and low-income inhabitants of the area. Abu Ali, a merchant of used European clothing and footwear, says: “I sell my goods at a low price for my customers who are largely poor and low-wage earners.” He went on to say that generally the economic and living means of people have become meagre. “I used to make USD100-200 in a day, but now I buy the supplies and pay transport cost in order to generate only LP50, 000 for the entire day,” Abu Ali said. The origin of displayed goods is both from Lebanese farmers or imported from abroad. One of the famers grieved for not being capable to market his domestic goods as a result of fierce competition from imports, saying “my potato harvest is still unpicked and laying on the ground while Egyptian potato is flooding the local markets”. (Al Diyar, 9 March 2015)

 

Al Diyar daily published an article featuring the popular street markets located in South Lebanon as opposed to ancient souks. The newspaper highlighted some of the popular weekly souks, like the one in Bint Jbail which is held every Thursday since tens of years, and the Nabatieh which is held every Monday. Speaking to one citizen from the South, Ali Bazzi, the newspaper quoted him as saying that the popular markets boast its regular customers and low prices compared to other shops or stores in the city. “People used to look forward to visiting them from week to week”, he said, adding that people moved over the week from one souk to another in the region. Among other famous souks were those of Qana, Haris, Edaysseh, Bazooriyyeh, Juwayya, Abbassiyyeh, Shaqra, etc.. 
“50 years ago, the souk contributed significantly to the overall local economic process,” he adds, drawing a comparison between old and modern marketplaces. “The ancient souks carried everything you can think of from goods and products, even livestock, unlike today where everything has become catalogued and specialized,” Ali said. For his part, Hussein Ismael, from Zawtar said that in the past people went to the markets not only for shopping. When it was lunch time, they ate out at small restaurants before they resumed their errands in the afternoon. Today, however, the visitor comes and leaves quickly,” he said, adding that electric appliances now dominates the stands. Another citizen from the town of Mayfadoon told the newspaper, “Earlier people came to the Nabatieh market to shop carrying a long list of grocery items and products, unlike today where you can find everything you need at the town’s shops and boutiques.” (Al Diyar, 8 March 2015)

Most women throughout the year are denied their basic rights to equality and full citizenship, and live in the shadow of violence and daily life challenges, namely those in low income communities. However, in early March of each year they suddenly become the focus of attention of various activities, television stations and newspapers, in celebration of International Women's Day. Racing to speak on that occasion are senior politicians and sometime businessmen who continuously impede women’s access to positions of leadership and act to obstruct the development of their capacities all throughout the year, seem metamorphosed on Women’s Day, praising their merits and acknowledging their contribution. Rituals commemorating this day vary from the convening of special events, conferences and seminars to awards and honoring ceremonies, whereas regretfully the reality for most women (and for many men) is far different.
Women in the world today occupy leading positions, 10 of them are heads of state and 14 are prime ministers, but not a single women top leader in the Arab World. On the contrary, women in the Arab countries are largely relegated to their domestic or to marginal economic roles. Our region is noticeable for its lowest ranking in the world, in terms of women political and economic participation. Regarding activities on IWD in Lebanon, we have noted more than 10 events since last Friday, namely:

• A celebration in tribute to women activists in public affairs in 2014 organized by the Green Party, Lebanon,

• National forum organized by the National Commission for Lebanese Women to follow-up on legislative reforms aiming at ending discrimination against women in economic and social fields,

• Training workshop on dealing with problems related to the marriage of minors organized by the Lebanese Council of Women, in collaboration with the Higher Council for Childhood at the Institute for Women's Studies in the Arab world, the Lebanese American University,

• A film entitled "By the law" featuring true stories of women subjected to domestic violence and found refuge in the Law No. 293 issued by Kafa Association,

• A seminar around the subject of unified personal status law organized by “Association for Equality – Warde Butros for Women's Action” held in cooperation with "Vlama" Spanish Association at the UNESCO Palace

• A ceremony honoring lawyer Sonia Ibrahim Attia during the Lebanese festival in Antelias,

• A popular march in Ain al-Helweh camp organized by the General Union of Palestinian Women in Lebanon and Palestinian women's committees,

• A ceremony organized by the Young Women Christian Association honoring woman activist and campaigner, Linda Matar,

• The launch event of a project entitled: Women's Access to Justice in the Middle East and North Africa, organised by the Lebanese Council to Resist Violence against Women, and funded by the Finnish Foreign Ministry in partnership with "Oxfam",

• Distribution of flowers to working women in public institutions and shopping centers in the southern port city of Saida, carried out by young men and women from the Literature and Culture Association.

Al Diyar newspaper featured the cultivation of thyme in Lebanon, while interviewing President of Green Hand association, Agricultural Engineer, Zaher Radwan, in Mount Lebanon town of Aley, members and President of Beekeepers Cooperative of Higher Matn Area, Engineer Saad Hilal and Abdel Nasser Masri, respectively. Radwan noted that thyme growing is considered a profitable alternative agriculture generating surplus revenues for land owners, adding that thyme yields considerable proceeds from the first year, unlike other trees such as pine trees that start paying off after 15 years from cultivation. He added: “One acre of land can accommodate some 4000 thyme seedlings with production reaching approximately 120 kgs in the first year, 270 kgs in the following year and 500 kgs in the third year while remaining at that level of production for the next seven consecutive years. He pointed out that thyme planting is a very good source of income for growers. “The wholesale price of one kilogram stands at LBP 15000 and may even reaches LBP 35000 without added blends, and as high as LBP 50000 LP with special added blends. Moreover, this crop which is known for its resistance to diseases, does not need much care or to be treated with pesticides. Hilal, on his part, explained that the cultivation of thyme started after that special vegetation for roaming bees became scarce and particularly after Lebanese thyme gained notoriety around the globe. “Data indicates that Lebanon exports nearly 60 tons of thyme each year,” Hilal said, adding, “that no matter how big the size of production there will always be sufficient demand for thyme. For his part, Masri concluded by saying: “Besides its medicinal and nutritional values, beekeepers consider the thyme crop as a valuable product because of it is edible for both man and bees.” (Al Diyar, 7 March 2015)

Coinciding with the International Women’s Day, and as part of the development of a feminist agenda which constitute a roadmap for boosting woman’s role in public life, the women sector in the Future Movement (FM) concluded the round of general assemblies which it held in the different regions and provinces across Lebanon in order to review the current situation and identify priorities accordingly. Following the two assemblies which targeted the Movement’s women sector in the areas of Beirut, South Mount Lebanon, Hasbaya-Marjeyoon, Tripolo, Akkar, Al Koura, Al Minyeh, Al Dinneyeh and Byblos-Batroun-Zgharta, the last one of the round was organized in Central Beqaa with participation of FM women coordinators and members of the coordination committees of Central, Western Beqaa as well as of Baalbaq and 3rsaal. The General Coordinator of the women’s sector, Afifa Al Sayyed, outlined the primary objectives of the agenda which are as follows: end all discrimination against women in laws and rights and also in practices and behavior; develop a vision which is in line with the liberal orientation of the Future Movement; while highlighting women-related issues that will improve women’s conditions and positions. The General Coordinator of Central Beqaa, Ayyoob Qaz3oun, outlined the central role of women in March 14 Movement back in 2005 and their active and outstanding participation in those events. Qaz3oun also noted that the feminist agenda is part of an overall drive to mobilize women, promote their participation and support them at all levels. For his part, Ahmad Rabah from the organizing committee said that the main objective of the proposed agenda is to help women of Lebanon break isolation and take a more active part in society at large. (Al Mustaqbal, 9 March 2015)