News

Liban Post honoured last week Ms. Anissa Najjar, a pioneer women’s right defender celebrating her 101st anniversary.  The event was held at the Liban Post head offices in Riad al Solh under the auspices of the Minister of Communication, Boutros Harb.  Liban Post announced that it has issued a special stamp to honour Ms. Najjar in recognition of her contributions including her global concern with world peace, security, freedom and humanity and the fact that she went beyond the boundaries of her Lebanese and Arab environment.  Harb also spoke of Ms. Najjar’s exceptional journey and her emancipation from the past century’s conservative environment and the ways in which she challenged patriarchy and contributed to a process of renaissance.
For his part, Liban Post’s CEO and ED Khalil Daoud said that Najjar challenged social norms and called for women’s emancipation through education especially in rural areas.  He added that Najjar was a pioneer in her call for women’s freedom and is a role model for generations to come.

Source: Al-Nahar 24 June 2014

The NGOs gathering in Sabra-Chatila organized last Friday an awareness event which targeted 100 mother and 400 children on the occasion of the international day to combat child labor.  The event was organized within the framework of the programme to combat trafficking in children and which is implemented by Dar al Amal in partnership with Diakonia and SIDA.  The event included film viewing for mothers on the different forms of trafficking in children and its implications on children followed by the testimony of a mother whose children suffered from child labor.  The event then moved to a discussion between women and the organizers.  The event also included another documentary on trafficking in children, self protect as well as a testimonial from a child who left his school to work.  Palestinian Aid for Relief and Development (PARD) then presented a Muppet show followed by a number of activities.
Source: Al-Nahar, Al-Diyar 24 June 2014

The European Union representative in Lebanon, Angelina Eichhorst, inaugurated a number of projects in the area of Akkar starting with water and sanitation project in 2andkit, an ICT training centre in Hisheh, and a the launch of a mobile clinic and an emergency room run by Al Makassed association in 2amayer.
Eichhorst indicated that the European Union has launched a strategic plan for the development of Akkar in collaboration with municipalities, mayors and citizens.  The first intervention was the large scale water and sanitation project with a total cost of some EURO 80000.  Eichhorst also reminded the audience that the EU has financed the programme to support local development in North Lebanon which is being implemented by the CDR and which has thus far rehabilitated 9 kilometers of irrigation canals and 21 kilometers of roads in the Bqay2a plain.  She added that the Economic and Social Fund has contributed through financial support in implementing a number of projects in Wadi Khaled namely a mobile clinic run in coordination with the Ministry of Social Affairs, equipping an emergency room for a health care centre run by Al Makassed as well as school support for more than 400 students.
Eichhorst concluded her tour in Akroom where she held a meeting in which she spoke about the projects which will be implemented there namely a centre for agricultural extension, an olive press and a project to secure drinking water.
Source: Al-Mustaqbal 20 June 2014

The Collective for Research and Training on Development Action convened on June 18 and 19th the Core Group Meeting of civil society and women organizations partners in the sustainable economic opportunities regional project.  The regional meeting was attended by 11 organisations from Egypt, Morocco, Yemen, Libya, Palestine, Jordan and Lebanon, which reviewed and discussed the current situation of women in the Arab region since 2011 and how to push the work of their organisations forward at the level of strengthening women's economic rights.  The participating organisations expressed their concern regarding the growing status of violence and internal division within and amongst Arab countries and the continuous degradation of overall economic situation.
The meeting concluded that high hopes placed on the civil movements in some Arab countries did not bring in an improvement in individual and general freedoms, failed in addressing needs of the population, in advancing the rights of women and in achieving inclusive citizenship and equality.  Discussions during the regional meeting also emphasized the need to come up with new political and economic alternatives which will go beyond the current duality in the regional and the limited choice between conservative fundamentalist powers and the old totalitarian systems.  The participating groups also agreed to press on with the implementation of their common work plan for the remainder of the year while focusing on strengthening the role of women in re-drafting Arab constitutions and legislations and highlighting the importance of women's work in general, and women's informal work in particular. (CRTD.A 20 June 2014)
Source: NNA, Al-Safir, Al-Diyar, 23 June 2014

Future movement in Joomeh organised last week a new event in Akkar on women and family violence. The event was held at the Halba municipality and included a lecture by the responsible of organisational matters of the Future Movement Nawal Medallali and was attended by representatives of CSOs as well as women in the region.  
Medallali outlined the various stages of the domestic violence protection bill since its inception in 2007 to date. The lecture also focused on the mobilisations during that period all the way up until the referral of the law to the Cabinet after its revisions by the Parliamentary Commissions and the subsequent change in its name to the "law to protect women and family members from family violence".  Medallali also spoke of the campaign entitled "if you are threatened, do not hesitate" which was recently launched by Kafa and detailed the various memoranda issued by the general directorate of the ISF and the Public Prosecution with regards to the procedure for dealing with women victims of violence and their complaints.   
Source: Al-Mustaqbal 23 June 2014

The Daily Star newspaper published today an interview with Nidal Achkar, the woman credited with pioneering the modern theater movement in Lebanon back in the 1960s. Achkar is also the woman behind the Beirut Theater Workshop, the Arab Actors theater company and the cultural institute Masrah al-Madina.
Achkar attributed her radical approach to her upbringing, saying that she was lucky because her parents were very open and believed that girls and boys were the same. She indicated that upbringing has a big effect on a young girl’s morale, self-confidence, and ambition, adding that: “All that has to do with the future become different when your parents encourage you”.
As for the fate of women in Lebanon, Achkar admitted that she is not entirely positive about it, saying that: “Lebanese women’s situation is difficult”, adding that as long as women continue to live in a closed society in which their lives are dictated for them, it will be difficult to change the situation. She also stressed the need for the introduction of civil laws that would protect women, and that women should come out of their shells, leave behind their confessional bias and their political allegiances, and venture out on their own, saying: “I imposed myself on the Arab world. Nobody was able to deter me, not in the arts, not in politics, not in anything.”
Source: The Daily Star 23 June 2014

A Saudi women delegation arrived to Lebanon last week to encourage gulf citizens and Arabs in general to visit Lebanon and spend the summer there.  MP Bahia al Hariri greeted the delegation and expressed her appreciation vis-à-vis the role that Saudi Arabia is playing in Lebanon in the most difficult circumstances.  The Lebanese Consul in Jeddah, Ziad Atallah, emphasized the importance of this visit which highlights the active role of women in KSA.
MP Hariri also organised a dinner upon the invitation of former MP Saad Hariri to welcome the delegation.  The dinner was attended by the PM's wife, Lama Tammam Salam as well as the former PM's wife, Huda Siniora and Minister Alice Shabtini and wives of ministers, MPs and Arab ambassadors as well as women representatives of the media and CSOs. It is to be noted that Saudi women delegation had done a number of visits to various Lebanese locations and met with several ministers, MPs and key figures.
Source: Al-Mustaqbal 23 June 2014

The Beirut Association for Social Development inaugurated in Zaitunay Bay yesterday the 12th edition of its handicrafts production Afkart under the auspices of ex PM Saad al Hariri represented by MP Mohammed Kabbani.  The exhibition seeks to encourage the creativity of Lebanese artisans as the association believes in the importance of supporting this sector which preserves heritage and contributes to developing special and high quality Lebanese production, while improving the livelihoods of artists and artisans through marketing their products in Lebanon and beyond.
The coordinator of the women sector in the Future Movement, Afifeh al Sayyed, noted that this exhibition is important for small artisans as it helps them to market their products and encourages women to participate in economic life and improve the livelihoods of their families. The Afkart project benefits some 70 men and women artisans from different parts of Lebanon and includes various pavilions which reflect Lebanon’s culture and heritage.  The pavilions exhibit handicrafts and other products namely furniture, accessories, jewelry, garments, embroidery, handbags, household items, greeting cards, as well as paintings of textile, awareness raising material, soap, candles, and paintings with various media. To be reminded that the exhibition will be open for 5 days until next Sunday and it will convene again during Christmas.

Source: Al-Mustaqbal 20 June 2014

The Goguikian Foundation opened yesterday its Extraordinary Art Exhibition, which was organized within the framework of its recycling campaign launched in Burj Hammoud and aiming at drawing attention to Lebanon’s solid waste problem. Rather than organizing a conference or lecture series, the foundation decided that an interactive and creative approach to environmental action would spark more meaningful responses from the public. The materials used in the compositions are largely inorganic plastics and metals which do not break down easily and take up space in Lebanon’s increasingly overburdened landfills.
Suheila Hayek, executive director of the foundation, told the Daily Star Newspaper that Lebanon is in desperate need of a national dialogue on solid waste, recycling and resource usage, adding that the exhibition offered the 40 participating artists the chance to lend their voices to the conversation, through making something out of what others might consider waste.
Hayek also indicated that Lebanon now is in trouble with its landfills that are oversaturated.This, she believes, is a matter of concern to all but; nevertheless, people tend to assume that politicians are the sole responsible for resolving this crisis.
Source: The Daily Star 20 June 2014

The “Youth Sexual and Reproductive Health Working Group” at the Faculty of Health Sciences at the American University of Beirut organised the day before yesterday a workshop for the media entitled “Engaging media in raising awareness about reproductive and sexual health for young people in Lebanon”.  According to Al Akhbar newspaper that covered the workshop, participants agreed that women face much more societal constraints which restrict their sexual practices. The newspaper noted that sexuality and everything directly or indirectly related to it remain one of the major taboos related to "moral norms”.  As a result, the public may find it difficult to accept the result of studies that indicated that 8% of the youth acknowledge having sex whilst 50% say that they do not have a problem with sex before marriage.
Dr. Faysal Kak from AUB noted that these figures are indicative of the changes taking place in society and which need to be addressed rather than denied.  Kak added that research findings should be translated into policies which the media could contribute in implementing and disseminating.  However, Kak further adds that generally the way in which the media approaches sexual health lacks appropriate understanding of a proper conceptual framework as well as knowledge of global transformations and the understanding of the linkage between gender and sexual health.
Kak added that the increase in the average age of marriage (from 24 years for men and 20 years for women in 1970, to 33 years and 29 years in 2012, respectively) has led to an increasing gap between puberty age 15 years and marriage age 30 years which has had dangerous repercussions namely sexual coercion, STDs, abortion, unwanted pregnancies and other problems.  He highlighted that awareness raising on sexual and reproductive health needs to target all of society and not just women.  According to Kak, women need to become more reconciled with their bodies both in terms of physical and mental health as this will lower the levels of problems and diseases caused by lack of awareness.
Participants in this event spoke of a number of media-related problems namely the treatment by the media of sexuality which tends to be vulgar.  This leads to a fierce reaction within society and especially from religious officials who tend to defend their interests as men in restraining women's sexuality.  Participants concluded that awareness interventions should go beyond the mainstream media channels.  They added that the communication of true information is likely to change behavior and would ground the idea that sexual rights should be enjoyed by both women and men.
Source: Al-Akhbar, Al-Safir 19 June 2014