News

MP Walid Jumblat recently tweeted calling for the legalization of marijuana cultivation.  Jumblatt’s tweet did not go unnoticed among marijuana farmers in the Beqaa and notably in Baalbaq.  Al-Nahar newspaper met with a number of farmers who emphasised that the only solution is in legalizing this plant.  They considered that Jumblatt spoke on the behalf of all poor farmers in his tweet especially that these farmers were abandoned by the state who failed to support alternative farming such as wheat, potato and vegetables.  A big farmer in the region urged the state to legalise marijuana before its planting season in April.
To be noted that marijuana planting started in Baalbaq – Hermel region in the thirties of the previous century albeit on a limited scale.  Marijuana planting then expanded after 1975 with the beginning of the war as state control over the region faded.  According to Al- Nahar, authorities have yet to find a solution for this illicit farming which know-how has been transmitted from one generation to the other. Failures to combat it can be traced back to 1991 when the decision was taken by former MP Selim Hoss and with international support to prohibit marijuana, a support which was endorsed by the parliament.  These efforts were also to no avail as recorded by the failure of UNDP project to introduce alternative farming in that area.
(Source: Annahar 22 December 2014)

 

The Legal Agenda organized its last seminar for 2014 and which was devoted to monitoring the performance of the judiciary in dealing with the most marginalized groups in Lebanon namely women, refugees, migrant workers, LGBT and people with substance abuse problems.
Speakers amongst the Legal Agenda team referred to a number of progressive court verdicts issued by judges in the courts of urgent matters, criminal and administrative justices and which resorted to out-of-the-box interpretations which are likely to bring justice to vulnerable groups.  This exercise showed how important it is for the judiciary to liberate itself from age old mindsets and engage in progressive interpretations as well as abide by international human rights treaties signed and ratified by Lebanon.
Lawyer Ghida Frangieh spoke during the session on the problematic of clause 534 of the penal code which speaks about “unnatural intercourse” which is punishable by 1 year in prison.  She noted a progressive verdict by Judge Naji Dahdah in which he exonerated a transsexual by saying that the penal code should be based on independent interpretations and that sexual intercourse is not only for the purpose of procreation. Lawyer Yumna Makhluf spoke about a verdict related to domestic violence and which was rendered in 2014 and which the extent to which the judiciary could overcome reservations simply by using its prerogatives.  Makhluf spoke about a number of pioneer verdicts which were taken prior to the endorsement of the domestic violence bill notably that of Judge Antoine Tohme who forbade a man from returning home where his wife and daughter lives despite the fact that he owns it as the judge gave primacy to the safety and security of the wife and daughter.
Researcher Sara Wansa spoke for her part on the ways in which judges dealt in a progressive ways with cases involving refugees and migrant workers as Judge Jad Maaluf ruled, based on the primacy of protecting migrant workers, for compelling an employer to return the passport to her domestic worker whose right to change her job was endorsed by the same judge despite the sponsorship system currently in force.
(Source: As-Safir 20 December 2014)

 

The Public Authority for Consumer Markets” (PACM) inaugurated last Saturday a new popular market located in Karantina area near the Beirut port.  The event was attended by a representative of Prime Minister Tammam Salam, Mr. Nihad Mira, who is the state commissioner within PACM, in addition to general directors and representatives of a number of Ministries.  The president and general director of the Cooperative Association, Yasser Thebian, clarified that this market was first inaugurated in 1996 only to be closed after 4 years of operations.  It is now reopened as an initiative in support of public interest and in order to spread popular markets across Lebanon.  To be noted that this market will include 100 shops of 15 square meters each to be rented at a monthly rate of LBP 286,000, a price which includes the cost of utilities and security.  The bylaws of the institution requires users to be Lebanese and to submit identity papers and a request for police clearance for all those who will be using the facility.  The principle role of that public institution is to monitor the quality of all goods without interfering in  pricing which the prerogative of shops holders.
 (Source: As-Safir 22 December 2014)

 

The North of Lebanon University Courses Center affiliated to the Saint Joseph University and headed by Fadia al Alam organized a round table discussion on gender equality in education on December 12th.  The event was organized in the North and was attended by students from the area.  It aimed at raising awareness on the importance of education as a means to attain women’s rights.
Yara Arja, journalist from An Nahar and founder of the Women’s Rights Club kicked off the discussion by presenting the current situation of women in Lebanon who fight daily for their rights and in order to educate their children and notably their daughters.  Women in Lebanon also strive for social and political participation and for gender equality. Arja also spoke about obstacles women face such as early and various societal hurdles to girls’ education due to patriarchal mindsets.
Zaher Zakour, a third year dentistry student at the USJ and a member of the Women’s Rights Club, highlighted the importance of mainstreaming gender equality in educational curricula.
Source: L’Orient Le Jour 19 December 2014

A number of civil, women, human rights, and development organizations from Lebanon, Egypt, Jordan, Palestine, Tunisia, and Morocco, met in Beirut between 15th and 17th December upon the invitation of the Collective for Research and Training on Development – Action (CRTD.A) and within the framework of the “Sustainable Economic Opportunities for Women” project to review the current political situation in the Arab region and its implications on the rights of women.
The 19 participating organizations launched an appeal in which it reviewed the current situation and areas of concern and highlighted obstacles and challenges affecting liberties and women’s rights in Lebanon notably the deterioration of the security situation, the rise of terrorist operations and armed conflict and the risk these pose on the process of democratic transitions, the various forms of moral and physical violence against women which has reached slavery and murder, the deterioration of social and economic conditions and its negative repercussion on women, as well as the deterioration of liberties notably the right to organize thus impeding the work of CSOs and democratic forces, and finally the rise of various forms of political Islam notably fundamentalist forces which are a threat to human rights and to the rights of women and minorities.
Organisations participating in the Beirut appeal called on governments to adopt public policies which mainstream gender at all level especially in terms of economic and social rights, and which focus on employment and social protection, in addition to ensuring equality between women and men in their access to resources as well as in the enjoyment of rights and to include CSOs in policy dialogue ad formulation.
Source: Al-Nahar 18 December 2014

The Beirut Association for Social Development launched the 13th edition of the Afkart exhibition with the slogan “we create together”.  The event kicked off yesterday at the Biel compound under the auspices of former PM Saad Hariri represented by the President of the Parliamentary Commission for education, MP Bahia al Hariri who considered that the main objective of this exhibition is to ensure the participation of organizations from across Lebanon in addition to individual initiatives which are a main feature of Lebanon and which pave the way for creativity amongst the youth.  The exhibition included 150 pavilions this year and was an outlet for Lebanese artisans who are provided with support to protect and maintain Lebanese heritage and traditions through their traditional crafts.  130 pavilions are dedicated this year to artists, sculptors and fashion designers. The remaining 20 pavilions are dedicated to traditional food.  To be noted that the exhibition will continue until the 21st of December and is open from 3pm to 9pm today and tomorrow and will also be open from 12 noon till 9 pm on December 20th and 21st.
Source: Al-Mustaqbal 18 December 2014

The National Council for Lebanese Woman (NCLW) organized yesterday in collaboration with UNFPA, a consultative meeting with 52 representatives of organizations working on gender equality as well as with representatives of a number of Ministries.  The aim of the meeting was to discuss the development of an action plan for the reform of discriminatory laws which have an impact on women’s social and economic conditions.  Participants agreed on the need to follow-up on these reforms especially in what concerns the NSSF and in order to realize full gender equality in health coverage, maternity, and family benefits. Discussions also included concerns vis-à-vis the labor law which needs to be reformed to include farmers and domestic workers.
Source: Al-Nahar 18 December 2014