News

The Ladies European Tour (LET) announced on December 13 that Saudi Arabia will host during 2020 the first ever golf tournament for women with USD one million worth of financial prizes. The tournament to note, is held within the sports resurgence plan in the Saudi Kingdom and follows the inauguration of the Saudi International men’s event this year. The Royal Greens Golf & Country Club in the Jeddah-based King Abdullah Economic City will host the women tournament between March 19 to 22 next year, with the participation of British golfer Carly Booth. “I am looking forward to be part of history through my participation with other women in the tournament,” Booth said. “I have visited the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia on several occasions, and have been fortunate enough to spend some time instructing local women and girls in golf,” Booth added. (An Nahar, December 13, 2019)
 

Spain’s defense ministry announced on December 14 the opening of vacancies, specifically for women, to join its special forces as part of international efforts to fight terrorism. Spanish defense minister, Margarita Robles explained that the UN has called for more women to help in conflict resolution around the world. She stressed that Arabic-speaking women are among those sought for UN or Nato-led missions in conflict areas. Recalling, that Robles has visited the army’s command for special operations where some women have joined elite forces. During her visit, Robles attended a mock offensive on a terrorist center with the aim to collect intelligence information. (Al Diyar, December 16, 2019)
 

As part of support by the Investment Development Authority of Lebanon (IDAL) for information technology in Lebanon to open new markets, IDAL sponsored the Lebanese pavilion at the Arabnet Riyadh exhibition and conference 2019 between December 10 and 11. Lebanon was represented by 18 startups and SMEs in the IT sector. Mazen Sweid, IDAL’s president, held sideline meetings with Saudi officials to discuss potential channels of cooperation, particularly to boost and empower Lebanese SMEs and startups. As a result, several arrangements were reached, notably, the support to IDAL and therefore to Lebanese companies, by the Saudi General Authority for Small and Medium Enterprises (Monshaat). This is achieved through the following: the exchange of information, activating markets and promotion in technical areas; organizing tours that bring together Lebanese and Saudi companies to stimulate investment prospects in a variety of sectors, and organizing sectoral activities to facilitate collaboration between Lebanese firms and Saudi investors interested in capitalizing in joint projects or buying made-in-Lebanon products. (Al Diyar, December 14, 2019)
 

After a meeting with the Gender Committee yesterday, the education minister in the caretaker government, Akram Shehayeb, clarified facts about the circular ordering the termination of service of married female employees. He explained that said directive was issued based on the decision of the Civil Service Council, 5/9/2019 and according to Law No. 22/82 dated 3/8/1982 and Decree No. 58/82. Said laws, he noted, have given the married female civil servant in the educational and administrative departments the right to file a request to terminate her service after marriage if she so wished. Shehayeb maintained that the circular is built around previous legal texts intended to give the married employee the right to choose her career path as she sees fit but never to encourage her to quit work. He pointed out that the Law No. 144/2019 has put on hold the requests for retirement, except in the cases when claimants have reached the legal age of retirement or cases supported by provisions of Article 39 of the Staff Regulations and Amendments Code. The above circular, Shehayeb added, has come to re-claim the right of married female employees to choose. He finally praised the role of women in all areas, expressing his willingness, as a minister and lawmaker, to endorse any draft bill aimed to eliminate gender-based discrimination. (Al Mustaqbal, December 13, 2019)

In support of made in Lebanon products, Oman hosted the Lebanese Products Week under the slogan, ‘Flavors of Lebanon’. The event was held at Carrefour City Center, Muscat, under the patronage of the Lebanese Ambassador to the Sultanate, Albert Samaha, the undersecretary of the Omani Ministry of Trade and Industry, Ahmad Bin Hassan Deeb and a number of ambassadors and the Lebanese expat community. The expo, organized by the Lebanese embassy, embraced an assortment of agri-food goods, veggies, fruits and traditional pies. It aims to promote the sale of domestic products famous for their variety, quality and healthy benefits, on the one hand, and to prop the Lebanese traders living in Oman, on the other.  Noting, the exhibition will run until Sunday December 15 and will include daily tasting of flavors from the outstanding Lebanese cuisine. (December 13, 2019)
 

MP Inaya Ezzedine announced that the strategy set forward by the Parliamentary Woman and Child Committee emanates from a vision based on the principle of commitment to playing an active role in improving the status of women and children and protecting their human rights. Ezzedine, who was speaking after a meeting of the committee to present the action plan for 2019-2020, reiterated the four strategic goals outlined in the plan. They are: 1, a complete awareness of the facts discriminating against women in the Lebanese laws and the requisites to eliminate them to ensure that women enjoy full citizenship on equal par with men; 2, a legislature whose members are cognizant of the importance of issues related to women and children and of the positive effects of furthering their conditions on the sustainable political, economic and human development; 3, an effective parliamentary monitoring of the government’s work in the implementation of laws related to woman and child, and 4, an active and permanent liaison with various groups and categories of the Lebanese society to secure a balanced representation of their interests. In conclusion, Ezzedine stressed that the implementation of above strategy is underway through several draft laws submitted during 2019 aimed to lay the groundwork for a consistent legal system that safeguards the rights women and children. (NNA, December 12, 2019)