News

Despite the current bleak reality in Lebanon and the Arab World, yet several events have taken place to celebrate the International Women’s Day on March 8 particularly the following : 1) a conference entitled “Voices of Arab Women” which was held at the ESCWA House, downtown Beirut, 2) a symposium on the situation of women in Lebanon at the House of the Lawyer, 3) the release of a communiqué following a meeting for the National Commission for Lebanese Women, 4) a conference on women and peace organised at the Holy Spirit University of Kaslik, 5) and finally a conference entitled “Women on the Frontlines” organized in Beirut by May Chidiac Foundation.  The symposium organized at the Order of Attorneys stressed the fact that despite arduous struggles, there were little improvements in the status of women in Lebanon, also highlighting the negative impact of a divided civil society on women. For its part, the National Commission for Lebanese Women appealed to all civil organizations and authorities concerned to unify efforts to promote the rights of women and to implement laws that protect women against abuse, marginalization and violence. The Commission reiterated its demands for gender equality and for women rights, particularly in the area of electoral law and the right to nationality. The plethora of events also included a conference entitled “women and peace” organized by the School of Law at Kaslik University. Participants agreed on the active role of women in society, particularly in the process of building peace and education, and denounced the discriminative treatment and abuse they are subjected to. They underlined the need to engage women in decision making and in political life, as well as empowering them economically, educationally, physically and morally. School of Law Dean, Father Talal Hashem underscored the significance of UN Security Council Law No 1325 and the need to ensure a greater representation of women in conflict prevention and resolution and in peace building. Also observing International Women’s Day, the May Chidiac Foundation held a conference entitled “Women on the Frontlines”, in which US Ambassador David Hale highlighted the importance of gender equality in American foreign policy, and his government’s investment in women and girls around the globe.  Finally, Lama Tammam Salam, who sponsored the event, focused on the issue of protection from domestic violence and granting women married to non-Lebanese the right to pass on the Lebanese nationality to their children. (As Safir, An Nahar, Al Mustaqbal, Al Diyar, 5 March 2015)

On the occasion of Women’s World Day on March 8, the EU-Eurostat published a report which revealed that gender inequality in terms of salaries still prevails in the European Union, while averaging 16.4 % in 2013 among EU member states. According to this report, Estonia showed the biggest gender gap with 29.9%, followed by Austria (23.0 %), the Czech Republic (22.1 %) and Germany (21.6 %). On the opposite side, these differences reached record lows in the following countries: Slovenia (3.2 %), Malta (5.1 %), Poland (6.4 %), Italy (7.3 %) and finally Croatia with 7.4%.  Compared with 2008, Eurostat figures indicated a reduction in the gap in most EU member states. Furthermore, Eurostat Office pointed out that the gender gap is not limited to salaries only, as two thirds of senior management posts in the EU are still male-dominated. (L’Orient Le Jour, March 6 2015)

The coastal area of the northern town of Al Batrun, like other coastal areas in Lebanon, is reputed for its citrus fruits since it boasts the right type of soil and has greatly benefited from the completion of the irrigation project in Nahr Al Jawz. Despite the general decline in citrus farming after the construction of the coastal international highway that cuts through the cultivated land, citrus plantations in Batrun remained the primary source of livelihoods for a great number of families. Farmers from all across the country came to the region in order to invest in citrus orchards. Grieving about their waning production, Batrouni citrus growers now seem pessimistic about the forthcoming season in the aftermath of the devastating blizzards and storms that damaged their trees and seeds. Farmers complain about the losses incurred and the money they paid in vain and which left them largely indebted to pesticide and fertilizers merchants. Farmer Ra2eef Raji informed As Safir newspaper that he owes “300 trees of clementine and affawi fruits that used to yield USD 7000 in profit, unlike this season which will barely bring him USD1000” adding: “Even the twigs and the dried up fruits on the trees have decomposed.” He appealed to the government and the Agriculture Ministry to compensate the farmers, adding this was not the first lost season and that the one of next year will also probably be lost because of damages to trees. Raji went on to say, “The storm has hit and broke citrus trees leaving only naked buds.” Another citrus grower, Samir Moussa, who relocated to Batrun from the mountains in order to invest in a 65 acre of land said, “The hail storm which hit the mandarin trees began early October and was followed with another devastating storm that hit the affawi citrons.” He decried his loss of some 2000 boxes accounting for LBP 30 million, which he used to pay for his dues and cover the farming costs of the forthcoming season. (As Safir, 5 March 2015)

In a step which is surrounded with much skepticism, Prime Minister Tamam Salam sponsored early this week the launching of the roadmap for the national strategy of sustainable development in Lebanon upon the invitation of Environment Minister Mohammad al Mashnuk. Present at the event were a number of Ministers, namely Michel Faroun, Sajaan Azzi, Nabil De Freij, Alan Hakim, and deputies Marwan Hamadeh, Michel Mussa and Kassem Abdel Aziz, as well a representative of MP Sami Gmayyel, and various ambassadors. Also present were, UNDP Resident Representative in Lebanon, Ross Mountain, UNDP Office Director Randa Luqa, Head of the Supreme Judicial Council, Jean Fahd and a number of senior public employees and representatives of municipalities, the private sector, civil society and environmental organizations. Al Mashnuk emphasised that the methodology of the strategy focuses on involving all stakeholders in decision making, particularly private and public sectors and civil society. He added the strategy aims to support the economic, social and administrative reform within a comprehensive plan that will rank national priorities and will promote the concept of sustainability. The Minister noted that sustainable development has many definitions, the most common point out to a development process which is capable of meeting all current needs without compromising the capacity of generations to sustain future needs. Elaborating the concept of sustainable development, Al Mashnuk said it is based on a close correlation between environment, social justice and economy, and therefore, entails that public policies should take all these elements into consideration. The said strategy, as he presented it, will aim at achieving a number of objectives: the development of a high level of human capital and workforce, social cohesion, meeting basic daily life needs, promoting economic growth, preserving cultural and natural heritages, boosting good governance and restoring Lebanon on the Arab, Mediterranean and world maps. For his part, PM Salam described as challenging the Environment Ministry’s endeavor, which is comprehensive, covering the whole nation, targeting all sectors and finally necessitating distinguished and sincere efforts. In concluding the event, Al Mashnuk facilitated the debate with the environmental organizations and civil society representatives around their recommendations and suggestions. Also taking part in that discussion session, were the Environmental Advisor, Manal Msallam, and Director of Governance Program, Lamia Mansour. (As Safir, An Nahar, Al Diyar, 4 March 2015)

Lebanon and the Higher Matn area in particular have witnessed a sharp decline in pine production leading to losses estimated in millions of Lebanese Pounds for investors, workers and farmers. A report by Al Diyyar newspaper said that this sector is considered one of the pillars of Lebanon’s agriculture, whereby the livelihoods of more than 50,000 households depend primarily on income from the sales of pine kernel.  Reports indicated that an insect of American origin which migrated to Europe before reaching the Mediterranean region is at the cause of this misfortune. In this respect, Minister of Agriculture, Akram Chehayeb, confirmed the concerns vis-à-vis this insect, adding that measures would be taken soon to address this situation. While exploring the matter further, Al Diyyar spoke with head of Mount Lebanon Pine Tree workers and Farmers Union, Fakhri Al Masri, who for his part gave a different view explaining that the disease is not caused by a specific insect, but by the scarcity in water which Lebanon experienced in the past two years. In order to double check this, the newspaper sent testing samples to laboratories of the American University of Beirut, Kaslik and Al Fanar. The outcomes were inconclusive. Al Diyyar subsequently visited Chehayeb who expressed willingness to assist in this matter and henceforth sent a team of agricultural engineers from the Food and Agriculture Organization, FAO to check the problem. The Minister, however, rejected FAO’s the recommendations of the report that expressed the need for re-planting. He considered the stated option as neither cost nor time effective. For his part, Dr. Nabil Nemr, forest insect disease specialist who is also Secretary of the School of Agriculture and Nutrition in the University of Kaslik, supported the opinion that the problem dates back to the years 2010-2011 and exacerbated during 2013-2014. Nemr underlined the findings of recent studies which showed the presence of an insect, originally from the United States and referred to a recent report published a few days ago which also confirms the presence of this insect in Lebanon and links it to pine tree decline. This insect, Nemr added, lives in symbiosis with fruitless pine trees and thus does not constitute a menace in US or Europe, unlike Lebanon, where pine tress are fruitful. Therefore he urged strong measures to combat this problem. (Al Diyyar, 3 March 2015)

Adding to the recent snow storm and blizzard that hit the country, disease is still ravaging the prickly pears orchards since last year, thus threatening the forthcoming season which extends from mid-July to early September and taking away farmers’ last hopes in saving what is left of their production. One prickly pears grower from Hasbaya, Hassan Melhem Hadifa said that farmers have, albeit unsuccessfully, tried to use different kinds of pesticides in a bid to exterminate the disease. However, he added, that the disease was only part of a bigger menace resulting from frost and snow, which destroyed some 60-70% of the orchards. Hadifa appealed to the Ministry of Agriculture, the municipalities and agriculture cooperatives and all other concerned parties to intervene and to provide the needed insecticides and fertilizers to reverse the calamity.  He also called for the assistance of some 500 households that depend mainly on prickly pears for their living, noting that the total size of production is expected to drop considerably from 30000 to barely 2000 boxes this year. He concluded that the overall cost of land rehabilitation and fruit tree treatment of plants will thus exceed total revenues from the projected production. For his part, Sheikh Samih Al Bahri, described all growing areas of prickly pears trees situated 800m above sea level as disaster areas. He noted that in one 20 acre parcel he owns more than some 100 truck loads of destroyed trees were accounted. Finally, he indicated that farmers have sought help from local research centers which promised to start countering the disease early next spring on an experimental level. (Al Diyar, 4 March 2015)

In its last Friday’s edition, L’Orient Le Jour daily published an interview with Ahmad Gharbi, a student who took the lead in setting up a club on women issues, last November at the Lebanese University campus. Strongly in favor of the vital role of youth in making change, Ahmad sought to promote awareness among students of both sexes on the importance of respecting and protecting the rights of women. Ahmad, who is a chemistry graduate student from the southern port city of Saida, cited the difficulties he faced while attempting to get the approval for forming the club, adding that he was asked to select a “more relevant cause”. He also criticized the recent move to cancel an activity planned to take place at the university campus and focusing on the issue of political participation of women. “Protecting the rights of women,” Ahmad went on to say that “promoting women’s rights cannot be approached without the participation of their men partners”. He seeks to orient his fellow student young generation, in such matters as choosing the right partner, particularly women, who he emphasised, should be well educated and have a clear career orientation so that both parties can cooperate in their livelihoods. He also noted that many women students are themselves not aware of their rights. It is to be noted that the Women’s Club presently consists of 22 students of both sexes and from different religious and political affiliations. (L’Orient Le Jour, 27 February 2015)

President of the Association for the Development of Tripoli and the Port, Robert Alfred Habib, stressed that the establishment of a special economic zone at the Northern port is an urgent need that will help create jobs in the city. Habib who is also a board member in the  Arab Sea Ports Federation Board said that Tripoli has been expecting this USD 24 million investment since 2008, adding that the results of tenders to start land fill works will be announced on March 11th. He urged the swift approval of a decree to appoint a president and board member for the said zone, stating that decrees regulating such works have already been enacted and thousands of square meters zoned. In a similar note, Habib indicated that the parking project in the city will solve the problem of traffic jam especially that it occupies 4-storey underground area, each stretching at 4000 cubic meters, and accommodating nearly 600 vehicles, with another 2500 cubic meters green area on the upper level. Habib added that the Council for Development and Construction, CDR, suggested the building of 4 additional floors above ground to house a culture and conference palace. In reviewing the on-going development projects, he also referred to the proposed railway link between the port area and the Syrian border. While noting that the Lebanese Government has allocated a budget of USD 20 million for this project, Habib said it will not be implemented before 2016. The lack of adequate funding, he added, impedes the realization of balanced development in the area and therefore slows down the advancement of the city. He concluded by formulating the following demands: the development of the Rashid Karameh International Fair Trade Exhibition by allocating additional funds; the appointment of a new board of directors for the Tripoli Port Authority; the setting up of a new slaughterhouse that observes health standards; and the setting up a school of health at the Lebanese University-Tripoli branch. Finally, Habib also emphasised the importance of developing the City’s oil refinery which can provide over 2000 new jobs and can contribute to lowering fuel prices in the country. (Al Diyar, 2 March 2015)

Al Diyar newspaper published an article highlighting the socio-economic significance of eco-tourism, and chose for that purpose Jabal Mussa natural reserve (APJM) which is located in Kesrwan-Jbail area. Speaking to the newspaper, Media and Eco-tourism Officer of the Jabal Mussa association, Christel Abu Chabake Al Hawa, outlined the three-tier program of the reserve which consists of eco-tourism, reviving and preserving the environmental heritage and a program targeting local communities and aiming at building their capacities, increasing their income and enhancing their welfare. Al Hawa described some of the projects carried out by APJM, mainly the agricultural nurseries located in nearby villages of Mashati, Kuhmoz and Yahshoush. The association, she maintained, rents land from the locals and employ them in the planting of seeds and other agricultural activities. Moreover, APJM assisted in the creation of additional jobs, like for example, forest and tour guides, who are trained in tourism workshops. Al Hawa added that the organisation all seeks to revive the concept of guesthouses and cafes in order to financially benefit inhabitants of nearby villages. Guesthouses, for example, provide accommodation and meals as well as tour bookings to visitors at a set price. Another project launched by APJM is a socio-economic initiative involving more than 50 women who are active in the production of traditional Lebanese food, Mooneh, like thyme (zaatar), kishk (dried labneh), jams, as well as handicrafts. For that purpose it has established a local production unit in the town of Gebalah, in cooperation with Al Habal Bila Danas nunnery. APJM is responsible for marketing the agro-food and handicraft items with profits being returned to the working women. As to the role of public institutions in supporting the Reserve, Al Hawa revealed that it was almost nil, aside from that of the Ministry of Tourism who assists the association through promoting APJM website, and inviting it to participate in various marketing exhibitions. (Al Diyar, 2 March 2015)

Al Mustaqbal newspaper published a feature about Ahluna Association which aims at empowering women economically and helping disadvantaged families in the southern port city of Saida. The article outlined the various projects undertaken by the association, namely its agro-food production unit which provides work opportunities to socially and economically marginalized women. Ahluna, it noted, established the factory after training some 50 women who work there now producing a variety of specialty cookies, jams and Lebanese popular cuisine. The association also trained some 100 underprivileged women in professional household care services aimed at creating job opportunity for them. As far as educational projects, Ahluna launched its university loan program which presently touches some 307 students of both sexes. The psychological support program  works with beneficiaries who need help in overcoming social and learning problems or need psychological treatment. One of its sub-programs is the “Dream Center” which consists of organising summer camps where stress-relief psychodrama method in music and theatre are applied by specialists for the benefit of some 60 children. Ahluna also runs an interactive learning program for family orientation which targets drop-out students so as to help them to either reintegrate schools or guide them towards vocational education. As a result, some 53 beneficiaries are currently enrolled in courses in mechanics, electricity, makeup and hairstyling, kindergarten and business administration. The group also targets orphans through its orphan sponsorship program which benefits about 144 persons. Furthermore, it supports 44 disabled children and 40 widows by organizing psychological, health, rehabilitation and awareness workshops as well as field recreational trips.  Another 50 men and women elders benefit from regular home visits. Furthermore, the association is an active member in the Women Economic Empowerment Resources Center, which was established in 2012 and is closing this year, and to which it has channeled some 100 women. Ss for in-kind aid assistance, Ahluna distributes Mooneh food parcels every three months to some 1210 registered households and every two months to 248 families suffering form acute poverty. In terms of financial resources, the association depends on community donations, grants from Arab and international embassies and organizations as well as the surplus income from its food production unit which is now financially self-sufficient. (Al Mustaqbal, 2 March 2015)