News

The Beqaa Youth for Development and Free Education organized in Park Hotel, Shtura, a seminar named “the role of educational institutions and societies in helping and guiding students”. In his speech, the General Director of Higher Education in Lebanon who is also member in the Academic Committee in the association, Dr. Ahmad Al Jammal, presented the recently approved strategy and law regulating higher education and the project law for the setting up of the Lebanese Quality Assurance Agency. He praised the achievements made so far to promote the culture of standards, namely, the training of quality experts in universities. Al Jammal noted there are presently some 8 higher education institutions internationally accredited or about to receive accreditation. Director of the School of Health at the Lebanese University- Area 4 and member of Beqaa Youth Academic Committee, Dr. Raed Izzidine, highlighted the significance of vocational orientation, mainly in the identification of student’s potentials, capacities and predispositions through the usage of the following tools: psychological, social and applied assessment exams; introducing the student to the colleges and vocational institutes; to their prerequisites and registration criteria, exams procedures, and, familiarization and exposure of high school students to various professions though visits to universities. For his part, AMIDEAST Beqaa advisor, and Beqaa Youth Vice President, Dr. Khalil Smeidi, highlighted the improvements made in teaching foreign languages in the Beqaa through upgrading skills, adoption of new techniques of active learning. Head Principal of Kamed Loz public high school and Coordinator of the academic committee of the association, Siham Al Ghandour, outlined the activities of the association and the students’ grants procedure, adding that the academic committee of the Association will start receiving grant applicants as of the month of next August, either directly or online through its website:  http://bekaayouth.org. (An Nahar, 2 March 2015)

The Order of Nurses in Lebanon warned, in a statement health, institutions against the employment of nurses from Syrian or other nationalities at the expense of the Lebanese labor force, and in clear violation of Law No. 1655/78 and its amendments as well as the Labor Ministry Law No. 197/1 regulating the profession. The Syndicate expressed its total objection to the employment of foreign nurses, except for Palestinians resident refugees who, by virtue of the same law, are granted the right to work in Lebanon. It called on authorities concerned to act responsibly and put an end to related offenses, notwithstanding the reasons or justifications offered. It also warned of hiring any persons under the pretext of shortage in staff or hiring personnel who are not licensed by the Ministry of Health or are not members in the Order of Nurses. The Order while threatening to prosecute violators, who fail to comply with the laws, stressed that by observing such laws it seeks to ensure the best nursing care services to patients and society at large. (Al Diyar, 26 February 2015)

An event was held at the Grand Serail as part of the program “A Rendezvous in the Serial”, to commemorate the start-up of the youth initiative to motivate students to pursue their job dream. The event which was sponsored by Prime Minister Tamam Salam’s wife, Luma Salam, was attended by Minister of Communications, Butros Harb, and a number of social and political figures. Salam said the event represented an opportunity for the young generation concerned about and fearful of an uncertain future and of unemployment. She described it as an opportunity to meet with associations and local and international NGOs working in the framework of this national initiative which aims to prepare the Lebanese youth to enter the labor market. For his part, Minister Harb hailed the initiative for it helps “promote the spirit of innovation and entrepreneurship among the youth, particularly among the highly talented and skilled students.” He went on to say that the project, seeks to reverse joblessness, supports young people, especially women, and will help them in developing start-up enterprises. He pointed out the the project which requires wide and close partnership with Lebanese universities, the business sector, and civil society, will upgrade the youth's skills to meet international standards in IT and communication. Harb said he hoped that the initiative could turn Lebanon from an IT consuming country to a leader in the IT industry through the setting up of a favorable eco- system for the development of mobile software. (Al Diyar, 27 February, 2015)

Al Iktissad Wal Aamal Group and Al Hasnaa Magazine opened the 7th annual Arab Women Forum on February 27 at the Four Seasons Hotel, Beirut. The event was held under the patronage of MP Bahiya Hariri and Minister of Social Affairs, Rashid Derbas, in the presence of 400 participants from the Arab region and beyond, including former First Lady, Wafaa Michel Suleiman and former Minister Nayla Mouwad. The Forum was structured around four sessions; the first traced the history of women entrepreneurship, the second focused on financing, the third on innovation and the last on women success stories.
In her opening speech, Hariri highlighted the need for adopting innovation as a lifestyle and a pattern of thinking, and called for stepping up efforts and productivity to achieve this end. Hariri also pointed out that the Arab world “is presently losing enormous potential”, and bluntly said she wished “all this money and capacities that are spent on the destruction of man be spent in his service”. For his part, Minister Derbas said that “the most beautiful of women are dynamic women and those active in social work”, warning of what he described as a “serious menace threatening his country as a result of the Syrian refugee crisis”, adding “now is the time to act independently and not wait for outside solutions”. He called for mobilization and preparedness on the domestic front to deal with the refugee problem, otherwise, he said, “Lebanon would prey on outside solutions”. He spelled out his faith in the civil society which he described as “the hidden pillars for Lebanon’s endurance and steadfastness.” Also speaking at the conference was former Minister Maurice Sahnawi who noted that the loans allocated for women entrepreneurs have grown by 69% in three years. For her part, editor of Al Hasnaa magazine, who is also the CEO of NAWF, Nadine Abu Zaki, said that the empowerment of a new generation of pioneer women entrepreneurs has become an “urge and a fundamental economic concern, and not just a subject of equality between the sexes”, as she put it. (An Nahar, Al Mustaqbal, 27 February, 2015)

Al Diyar published a feature which ranked the Lebanese Bank for Commerce as the first bank in Lebanon and the Middle East to aim at becoming a financial and banking reference for women. The newspaper reported that BLC was the first bank to join the Global Banking Alliance for Women (GBA) and to sign the agreement issued by the United Nations, UN Women and UN Global Impact. This showcases the bank’s commitment to support and empower women and enhance their role and in their capacity as a strategic partner representing half the society. BLC, it will be recalled, has kicked off a project termed “We-Initiative” three years ago under the banner of empowering women. This initiative provides women with the support they need to enhance their financial autonomy and ultimately promote the concept of equal opportunity between men and women. In this respect, CEO of BLC, Maurice Sahnawi, stressed the vital role of women in the economy and the need to equip them with the right tools that help build their capacities and therefore, contribute to their advancement in the world of business, finance and entrepreneurships. In a practical step, BLC launched a new website dedicated to women and characterized by its independent content which acts as a platform for social communication and exchange of ideas and experiences between women: http://we-initiative.com/ . The website also offers suggestions for practical solutions to various professional problems which women face, as well as showcases the experience of business women. The bank also organises various events to honor pioneer women such as granting, under the supervision of an independent jury, an annual banking award for the best project run by a women in Lebanon. (Al Diyar, 27 February, 2015)

In the midst of economic difficulties that faced Lebanon last year as a result of the precarious regional situation, the year 2015 seems to be wavering, and reporting both positive and negative economic swings. From the positive side, the total number of tourists entering the country grew by 22.6% in last January compared to the same month in 2014. According to the Research and Studies Department statistics, some 90,784 visitors entered Lebanon last month, compared to 74,000 tourists for the same month of the past year. On the other hand, the weekly economic report issued by Credit Libanais on MENA job index and the Lebanon market, showed that 27% of surveyed employers said they were optimistic about prospects for recruitment in the next three month period, which is the same rate as for the previous survey. Furthermore, companies intending to recruit during the period from February 2015 to February 2016 accounted for 31% against 24% indicated in the past survey. The entrepreneurship sector is also apparently keen on recruiting where 27% of respondents are on the lookout for fresh graduates in the field of business administration, 23% for engineers and 22% for graduates in commerce.
On the negative side, the balance of trade for the first month of 2015, has recorded a deficit of USD one billion and 91 million, according to foreign trade statistics. This apparently resulted from the large imbalance between the imports bill of January 2015 which stood at USD one billion and 341 million and the USD 250 million in exports. As such, the total value of imports dropped 28% from USD one billion and 873 million in January 2014 with total exports slightly increasing by 3% from USD 244 million. The inflow of foreign remittances and capital on the other hand witnessed a huge decline in 2014. This notwithstanding, the Association of Banks in Lebanon said that there was no need for panic despite instable forecasts. (Al Hayat, Al Diyar, As Safir, 24 February 2014)

The USAID-funded Lebanon Industry Value Chain Development Project organized a closing workshop for the mechanical olive harvesting program held at West Hall Symposium, in the eastern Beirut suburb of Sin El Fil. The program aimed to improve the productivity of olive harvesting while decreasing costs for some 1000 olive oil producers across Lebanon. Representatives from 18 agricultural cooperatives and 60 olive producers from the North, South, Bekaa and Mount Lebanon participated in the event.
The Program Director, Rouland Andari, highlighted the significance of the project which aims at reducing the cost by 50%, saves time and effort and protects olives trees from damages resulting from traditional harvesting methods. Speaking to As Safir newspaper, Andari said that the program which began in 2012 is expected to be completed by 2017. The program stared by targeting some 250 beneficiaries last season, reaching 1000 farmers this year, 2000 next year, and 3000 beneficiaries in 2017. He added that the organizers have conducted training sessions on how to use the new technology for directors and heads of cooperatives. These are now transferring the knowledge to other olive farmers. The said project encourages the participation of youth and women. Out of 1000 farmers, some150 women have taken part in the project which has generated 73 jobs in rural areas of Lebanon. Some of the most significant outcomes of the 5-year Lebanon Industry Value Chain Development Project which has a total budget of $41.7 million are: increasing in the productivity of olive orchards through protecting the trees; a reduction in harvest cost by 40%, which provides farmers with more flexibility in price setting. Moreover, statistics covering 18 cooperatives using the battery-operated harvesters have indicated that harvest cost has decreased to $0.24 from $0.40 for one kg, resulting in a total saving of $212000. Furthermore, the overall production from using 123 mechanical harvesters has reached 1325 tons, while total revenues have exceeded $80000 for all partner cooperatives. This latest figure is expected to rise by 20% in the next season. (As Safir, Feb 25, 2015)

In cooperation with Save the Children and under the patronage of Minister of Social Affairs, Rashid Derbas, the Resource Center for Gender Equality, ABAAD, yesterday launched a handbook on engaging men in parenting roles. The booklet, edited by Anita Nassar, is divided into three sections. The first section targets social workers in the health care sector while the second targets fathers and includes guidelines, instructions and proposed activities for prenatal medical visits, family planning, children’s rights and needs and on ways for constructive fatherhood. The third section covers international experiences on the subject and proposes ways of involving the local community in promoting the concept of positive fatherhood. According to ABAAD Gender Program Manager, Rola Masri, the handbook seeks to break the cultural and social patterns by persuading men of their role within the family without infringing on the issue of manhood and masculinity. Similarly, Save the Children Director in Lebanon, Ayan Rodgers, noted that owing to women’s increasing role in the economy, societies are witnessing a change in family roles. “Positive fatherhood helps in the healthy upbringing of children and supports them to become more capable of taking the right decisions and follow up their education, as well as overcome problems of adolescence and face life challenges,” he said. To this end, ABAAD and Save the Children Lebanon will be involving all stakeholders and will conduct trainings of local and international partner organizations operating in the country on how to use the handbook and engage with parents in order to boost positive fatherhood in the Lebanese society. (As Safir, 26 February, 2015)

Agriculture Minister Akram Shehayeb agreed to lower the price of 1L of milk to LBP1000 instead of LBP 1100, thus succumbing to pressures from the milk processing factories. Shehayeb was speaking after meeting with President of the National Council of Milk and Dairy Manufacturers and producers, Jack Kallas, and head of the Cooperative of Dreyb, in Akkar, Joseph Abdallah, in the presence of Ministry’s General Director, Louis Lahoud and his consultants. Kallas claimed that the “problem comes from a lack of trust in the Lebanese products and from dumping the market with foreign produce> He added that price of milk in Lebanon is high compared to LBP 400 to 500 in all other countries pf the world. The price of imported milk, powdered, labneh or cheese, even with a 100% custom added fees, he said, remains cheaper. For his part, Minister Shehayeb pointed out that agreement has been reached on a number of issues: “First, the ISO mark should be printed on the labneh or cheese product to help the consumer differentiate between the dry or fresh milk made labneh,” adding that he will send a letter to the Minister of Economy to this end. Shehayeb also disclosed that “some 127 milk factories are not licensed and therefore severely undermine the industry. As such, they are now required to settle their situation with the Ministries of Industry and Economy respectively; otherwise, they will be forced to close. Secondly, action will be undertaken to ensure the pre-registration of white cheese factories in Lebanon, in order to be thoroughly monitored.  Pre-registration of imported white cheeses will also be required. Finally and referring to tariff barriers and Arab Trade Facilitation Agreements, Shehayeb concluded by acknowledging the dumping of milk products through Arab countries thus sticking a severe blow to the sector.
(An Nahar, Al Mustaqbal, Al Diyar, 25 February 2015)

Minister of Labor, Sajaan Azzi, issued Tuesday a new decision to close 12 agencies across Lebanon that recruit migrant women domestic workers (MWDW). The move comes as part of the Ministry’s on-going efforts to regulate and organize the work of these agencies and follows a series of complaints of bribery and mishandling of funds. (As Safir, 24 February 2015)