News

As Safir newspaper published a report on Carobs production in Iqlim al Kharroub and Nabatieh which has prospered during the mandates of the new municipalities created in the 1990s as the planting of carob trees was given due consideration during the reforestation campaigns which started then.  Carob has become an income generating plant which the municipality is offering to lease through a bidding process.
The report notes that the Carob Molasses factories have started recently in these areas after the creation of the factory in Arab Salim as a result of the efforts of the Agriculture Association with the support of funding agencies.  This factory is now one of its kind in the region in terms of its modern status.  The factory can produce 100 tons of high quality molasses and is sought by many people who plant and process and trade in carobs.  The president of the association, engineer Kassem Hassan, noted that the organization is keen on maximizing benefit from carob seeds in view of its importance in cosmetics production.  He added that the organization also produces carob juices and sugar free carobs biscuits.
In the village of Kharayeb in Zahrani, processing of carobs molasses is considered to be a rural and artisanal craft and a main landmark of this village which has been producing it for 60 years.  The village had two old carobs presses one of which is still operational and is managed by Ali Khalife who noted that this food will remain a main dish in the village.
Source: Al-Safir 8 July 2014

The Daily Star newspaper published a report about the limited participation of Lebanese women in politics, pointing out that while 51 percent of Lebanon’s 3.5 million voters are women, only 20 percent of polling officials are women, according to UNDP’s Lebanese Electoral Assistance Program (LEAP) data, which is working alongside the Interior Ministry to establish more women poll officials for the next Lebanese parliamentary elections scheduled for November 2014.
Richard Chambers, the Chief Technical Adviser at LEAP, said that parties from all across the political spectrum acknowledge the need to include more women in Lebanese politics, but agreeing what steps to take toward that end have proved more difficult. He added that establishing quotas in Lebanon may be a good goal to have, but it is important to work simultaneously toward integrating women in other phases of the electoral process.
For his part, Said Sanadiki, a program adviser for LEAP explained that a number of temporary measures can be implemented to motivate parties to put forward female candidates. Based on that, he pointed out that the his programme is organizing a five-day training course next week, to be attended by representatives from six parties from both political blocs, the March 8 and March 14 groups, in order to address some of these issues, and in order to suggest measures that will be adopted so as to ensure higher female participation in November’s elections.
Source: The Daily Star 8 July 2014

Some 40 business women representing agricultural and handicraft cooperatives as well as women’s committees from various parts of North Lebanon took part in an intensive training workshop on project proposal writing organized by the Rene Moawwad Foundation (RMF).  This activity was held with the framework of a project entitled “improving the living conditions of women in North Lebanon” which is funded by the EU and implemented by RMF, Fair Trade Lebanon, DOT Lebanon, Mada and the NGO Gathering to follow up on women’s issues. The workshop covered a number of subjects namely the project cycle, strategy design, timeframe, systems, programmes, objectives, budgets and others.  The purpose was to build the skills of women in order to assist them in writing proposals to obtain funding for their projects and to allow them to develop comprehensive and sustainable projects. The funding initiative will be launched next Monday with a deadline for presenting proposal for funding by August 8th.
Source: Al-Mustaqbal 7 July 2014

As Safir newspaper published a report on an individual development initiative launched by a young woman, Farah Abdulsater and her sister, May, in Baalbek and which is a novelty in the region.  Farah tells As Safir that the initiative will prepare for the creation of a network which will bring together women holding small enterprises as well as other women who has significant experience as well as the capacity to provide technical and material input.  Both groups will collaborate to create or develop existing small businesses.  
The first project to benefit from this initiative is the Samra Café run by the forty year old woman who is the head of her household and its only provider.  For many years the owner of Samra Café was baking “Manaqeesh” in her wood oven and spoke of her dream to expand her small café which already employs four people.
Farah noted that they do not intend to turn their initiative into an association but would like it to remain within a framework of “woman to woman”.  She added that the support needed is not only financial but also includes building capacities, training and other support.  She added that the financial support which will be provided is unconditional and is not a loan and the supporting party will provide advice and monitoring of projects progress.  Farah added that she intends to create a website for the initiative to play the role of a go-between women project holders and potential supporters.  She also added that this site will be used as a communication tool to suggest projects, provide support or even form volunteer groups through the initiative’s official facebook page.
Source: Al-Safir 7 July 2014

The movement of independent Lebanese women activists issued a statement condemning the continuing discrimination amongst Lebanese women in relation to child custody age.  The statement notes that at a time when civil and rights based campaigns have made headway within a number of religions family courts such as with the Anglican and Greek orthodox churches as well as the Sunni community where steps have been taken to increase child custody age to 12 years, women affiliated to other sects, notably Shiite women, are still suffering in their religious courts who refuse to respond to the campaign for lifting child custody ages within Shiite courts as well as other campaigns seeking equality on this front. The coordinator of this movement, Ruweida Mrooeh called for a positive gesture from the Higher Shia Council to consider lifting child custody age from 8 to 12 years as in the case of other sects especially since the clergy visited by the campaign activists emphasized that Ijtihad is still possible and some texts may be revised so as to secure women’s rights.

Source: Al-Mustaqbal, Al-Nahar 7 July 2014

The Makhzumi Foundation organized for the second year running its Ramadaniat festival at the Biel venue under the auspices of Ms. Randa Nabih Berri and Ms. Lama Tammam Salam.  The bazaar included a number of art work and handcrafts by Lebanese artists and artisans and with the [participation of a large number of pavilions for embassies as well as social organizations. In her opening address, Mai Makhzoumi highlighted that this event aims at helping to forget the latest dramatic events and encourage dialogue and interaction amongst the Lebanese of various religious and social backgrounds through gathering them in the same place and celebrating the Ramadan spirit.  She confirmed that Makhzoumi Foundation will persevere with its social and humanitarian mission.
Ms. Berri also gave a keynote address commending the Makhzoumi Foundation for its efforts to unite the Lebanese in general, and Muslim in particular in a spirit of joy and love.  She also commended the bazaar as a social and cultural experiment and added that the Makhzoumi Foundation offered a space for joint work during these difficult times.

Source: Al-Nahar, Al-Diyar 7 July 2014

To mark the occasion of the month of Ramadan, Zamanona Association organized an exhibition entitled “an idea and a gift” the benefits of which will be used for social, health and education support to some 120 Lebanese families.  The event was held last week under the auspices of the vice president of the Walid bin Talal Foundation, former Minister Leila Solh 7hmadeh. Within a related vein, former Minister al Solh also inaugurated the annual Ramadan exhibition of the Ajialouna organization and which was entitled “be one of Ajialouna”.  The event was held at the Ajialouna boutique in Solidere in downtown Beirut and included various Ramadan art shows.  The exhibition features the products of the association’s workshop including embroidery and painting made especially for the occasion include a large number of handmade Ramadan gifts.
Source: Al-Nahar 7 July 2014

A delegation of the Ministry of Agriculture including a representative of Minister Chehayeb, and the Ministry DG, Louis Lahhoud, visited the Centre International de Hautes Études Agronomiques Méditerranéennes (CIHEAM) in Montpellier to discuss collaboration between the two parties.  The visit which lasted for two days came within the framework of preparations for the launching of the second phase of the ENPARD project which aims at building capacities and implementing projects in the agricultural sector. During the visit the Lebanese delegation presented its vision of the various components that should be included in the project’s second phase.  These recommendations were much appreciated by CIHEAM and included a) support to the olive oil sector with new technology to adhere more to standards and increase exports, b) train beekeepers and set up a laboratory to test honey, c) supporting apple growers through introducing new species and setting up an apple refrigerator, and d) organizing training workshops to forest rangers and bringing in equipments to protect forest especially within natural reserves. Finally, the Delegation also discussed with CIHEAM the possibility of increasing the number of scholarships to agriculture students in Lebanese universities in addition to strengthening the role of agricultural cooperatives and providing them with various forms of support.
Source: Al-Mustaqbal 4 July 2014

Kferselwan hosted over one week an exhibition of 10 development projects designed by students of the Lebanese Amercican University.  These ten projects were graduation projects prepared under the supervision of engineer Hala Younes.  The projects address the problematic of the relation between urbanization and the changing space in Mount Lebanon through a study of the village of Kfarselwan in the upper Metn.  These projects were designed in such a way that they are in harmony with the local rural environment and its environmental characteristics.  The project are based on the intersections of the mountain scenery, the historical genesis of the place and its social and economic conditions with emphasis on agricultural transformation, construction and the proximity of forests and the rampant quarries.
Source: Al-Nahar 4 July 2014

RDFL organized in collaboration with the Lebanese Forces women branch a training workshop on strengthening women’s political participation.  The training was held in Meerab and extended over two days and was attended by women from various political parties.  The event included an encounter with the head of the Lebanese Forces, Mr. Samir Geagea who spoke about women’s rights and the importance of women in Lebanese society.  Geagea said that the most important support for women are women themselves, their persistence, their decision making and their initiatives rather than wait on men to give them their rights.  Geagea affirmed the need to support women to enter politics and making more efforts to highlight women’s position and their potentials to take on leading political roles.
Source: Al-Mustaqbal 4 July 2014