News

The new Minister of Agriculture, Akram Chayeb, noted during his meeting yesterday with the National Federation of Copperative Organisations in Lebanon that cooperative work is key for developing the agricultural sector in Lebanon and for providing developmental tools for farmers in remote rural areas for Lebanon.  He added that the best way to provide equitable aid to the sector is through cooperatives.  Chayeb also reviewed the current work of cooperatives in Lebanon while noting that 70% of cooperatives are agricultural in nature.

Chayeb had received the visit of a delegation of the Federation of Municipalities in Kaytah Akkar  which asked that the Minister gives due consideration to this area given its agricultural realities. Within the same vein, he noted during his meeting with the holders of feedstock plants that farmers have a priority for support when resources are available.  He noted that all inputs needed by livestock breeders will be allowed for importation in order to combat monopoly.  The Minister also met with a delegation of potato farmers from Akkar and discussed with them the marketing of potato products in the regions as of next April.

Al Mustqbal and Al Diyar 11 March 2014

 

The Lebanese Women’s Council issued last Thursday March 6th the recommendations of its Conference on Human Security and which was held on February 24th and 25th.  The key recommendations including demanding that the media adopts objectivity in portraying women as well as exercise self censorship when publishing material that may incite hatred.  The Council called on the media to play a role in building a public opinion that is immune to the politics of fear adopted by politicians and which lead to dissension and strife.
 
The Council also reiterated the importance of legislating to guarantee the safety of women and girls especially during wars and armed conflict as well as including women in peace negotiations and in all efforts aiming to reconstruction and on implementing international conventions that seek to protect women from violence before, during and after armed conflict.

The Council asked the Cabinet to put in place strategic studies which would allow it to identify risks and develop strategies that will address needs in addition to being committed to comprehensive economic development and maintain civil peace, empower the private sector through providing a competitive environment that is conducive to investment and to attracting labor.  The Council also called for adopting decentralization of production, diversifying the economy and so as to adapt to globalization and to the opening of markets as well as absorbing labor and to strengthen women’s role in the employment market.  Finally, the Council reiterated its support to the welfare role by the state as well as the need to match the supply and demand within the job market.

Al Mustqbal and Annahar 8 and 10 March 2014
 

The issue of violence against women gathered some 4000 persons in an unprecedented march last Saturday March 8th.  The event was called for by Kafa Violence and Exploitation and included a forum theater which was presented in front of the National Museum in Beirut and illustrated the issue of gender based violence.  After the show, participants marched towards the Ministry of Justice and were led by the mothers of Rula Yaakoub and Manal Assi, two women victims who succumbed to domestic violence.  The director of Kafa, Zoya Rouhana criticized the way in which the judiciary is dealing with the issue of domestic violence and called for accountability so that women are not killed twice.  She noted that the struggle will continue until the law to protect women from domestic violence is endorsed by parliament in its integrity and as requested by civil society.  This particular event was characterized by the participation of a large number of children and men in addition to youth and students group.  In addition, activists from other pressure groups took part in this event such as Samira Hamido, an activist in the Nationality Campaign whose personal narrative combines gender based violence and legal violence because of the discriminatory nature of the nationality law and given the fact that she was married to an Iranian.  To be noted also that some 270 activists from the Nationality Campaign participated in this event along with their children and spouses who came from different parts of Lebanon to demand protection from violence and from marital rape.
Also to be noted that the clause of the law proposal which addresses marital rape was given due consideration amongst the marchers who expressed their disapproval with views stating that marital rape cannot be proved easily.   Indeed, Al Akhbar published a report yesterday indicating that marital rape can indeed be proven with well known forensic exams.  This matter was further corroborated by gynecologist Dr. Faysal Kak and another unnamed judicial source.  The report also quotes a number of clergy who condemn domestic violence and especially rape.  A Christian clergy noted that the church refuses any form of coercion for sex which is considered as a form of violence.  On the other hand, Sayyed Ali Fadallah called for establishing a family court to look at conjugal problems.  He added that a spousal relation does not allow husbands to aggress their wives.  He added that he is for a law that protects women from domestic violence on conditions that the law gives primacy to safeguarding family life.

A bouquet of other smaller NGOs/CSOs events took place in commemoration of IWD.  Teachers of the Bahaa Eddine Al-Hariri school in Saida commemorated this event under the slogan: “women against violence.. a society against terrorism”.  They called for an end to all forms of domestic violence including killing and discrimination as well as enacting laws that will stop violence and protect women within their families and societies.  The Lebanese Collective for Family protection also issued a statement highlighting women’s role especially in a society that suffers from several problems including the resurgence of violence especially against women.  The statement calls on decision makers to find effective mechanisms to modernize laws whilst reiterating their commitment to a law which protects women and all family members from violence and noted their agreement with the revisions on the law put in place by the parliamentary commission.

The Notre Dame de Secours University Hospital in Byblos organised a health event on breast cancer under the auspices of the Minister of the Displaced, Judge Alice Chabtini who reiterated the need to speed up the process of modernizing laws as well as enact laws to protect women and safeguard their rights.  On the environmental front, the Women Development Office in Kfarzebian organized a tree planting event in the region which carried the slogan “women plant trees on IWD”.  The event was organized in collaboration with Save Energy Plant Trees SEPT association and CRI which is implemented by the United States Forest Service USFS with funding from USAID.
Source: Al-Mustaqbal, Al-Akhbar, Al-Mustaqbal, Al-Nahar, Al-Mustaqbal, Al-Safir, Al-Mustaqbal, Al-Diyar, Al-Mustaqbal, Al-Nahar, 8,9,10 March 2014
Video: women stories about GBV and discrimination by LBCI
Video: Kafa’s March coverage by OTV

The Rene Moawwad Foundation organized last week in Halba a certificates distribution ceremony for 508 women from 17 neighboring villages in Akkar and Dennyeh who participated in the project to improve the living conditions of women in North Lebanon which is implemented by the RMF in coordination with MADA and the NGO Committee for the follow-up of women’s issues.  The project is funded by the European Union and seeks to promote women’s participation in economic development in North Lebanon with a view to improve their livelihoods.  The project includes a number of phases the first of which was implemented by 14 trainers who conducted training session on ICT and women’s economic rights.  The second stage will involve selecting and implementing 14 small projects amongst those proposed by the women beneficiaries of the project.
Source: Al-Nahar 10 March 2014

On the occasion of International Women’s Day, the Bassel Fleihan Institute organized last week a round table discussion entitled “in appreciation of the role of women in the public sphere”.  The event was attended by former Minister Wafa Dika Hamzeh, former Director General Niemat Kanaan and General Security Brigadier general Dalal Rahbani.  In her address, Wafa Dika noted that women’s participation in the public sector is mostly concentrated in category 4 posts.  According to her, women are stuck in this glass ceiling because of the lack of political commitment to women’s issue.  She also added that according to the statistics released by CAS, 31% of public sector employees are women whilst 69% are men.  Dika added that the administrative systems are outdated and do not provide opportunities for advancement of women staff thus many leave after getting married or pregnant especially given the absence of child care services which would help working mothers in the public sector.  Niemat Kanaan noted for her part that knowledge and empowerment are key so that women are aware of their rights and responsibilities hence the importance of training so that omen advance in their careers in the public sector.  She also added that the appointment of a handful of women in decision making positions was a mere tokenism as it was done via family connections.  Rahbani spoke of her own experience in General Security which included both administrative and political responsibilities.  She added that women are capable to take critical and difficult responsibilities whilst exercising professionalism and discretion.
Source: Al-Mustaqbal 9 March 2014

The Information International Company organized a seminar on early marriage from the points of view of religion and law. The seminar included interventions by members of the clergy as well as Judge John Azzi who insisted on the need to develop the laws in relation to early marriage and set the early marriage age at 18.  He also presented a number of suggestions namely the creation of a Ministry for Family Affairs, a family court as well as a public prosecution specialized for family matters.  Sheikh Youssef Sbeity of the legal office of Sayyed Mohammed Hussein Fadlallah noted that Islam does not allow the kidnapping of minor girls and then contracting a marriage under the guise that she has reached puberty and has married with her free will without the presence of her guardian.  Father Abdo Raad of the Basilian Salvatorian Church considered that the minimum marriage age in Christian communities is 18.  He asked for stiff penalization of anybody who performs a marriage underage girl no matter what his confession is. Sheikh Mahdi Shalak, the retired judge of the Sunni court, indicated that marriage in Islam is in fact a civil contract and adults and children who are considered to have reached puberty can marry themselves without the guardian’s consent however, he considered that girls under the age of 9 cannot be married and, in any case, girls should not marry before the age of 14.

In a related vein, and following the media coverage of the declaration made by Ms, Randa Berri during the NCLW event to launch the campaign to protect girls from early marriage, and in which she stated her position against the criminalization of marital rape, NCLW issued a clarification statement noting that it supports the full demands of civil society organizations, notably Kafa, in their demand for the criminalization and penalization of marital rape.  NCLW added that Berri’s statement was simply to highlight the complexity of the proof of guilt in this case although she is one of the principal supporters of this law.

On the other hand, Future Movement MP Ziad Kaderi, spoke yesterday on the occasion of International Women’s Day and reiterated the support of his party towards the law to protect women from domestic violence whilst assuring that the Future Movement will vote for this law.  He also called for a consensus around the right of Lebanese women married to non-nationals to transmit their nationality to their children and the need to discuss this matter cool headedly and away from political bickering.
Sources:  Al-Mustaqbal, Al-Akhbar, Al-Nahar, Al-Mustaqbal, Al-Nahar 7 March 2014

The President of the Farmers’ Association, Antoine Hoayek, addressed the presidents of the Phalanges and PSP parties and demanded that they state their position regarding the commitments they have signed at the Lebanese Forum on Social and Economic Development and which organized in Beirut in 2008 and 2009.  He called on the two parties to convene a meeting with his association in order to identify the best ways implementing the recommendations that were endorsed politically.
Howayek noted that the Ministers of Health and Agriculture are members of the PSP party whilst the Ministers of Economy and Labor are members of the Phalanges Party. All these ministries have the remit to oversee the implementation of the Forum’s recommendations and which include the creation of a unified and comprehensive health coverage system for all the Lebanese and which is managed by the NSSF and for which financing is allocated in the national Budget.  Other recommendations include: the creation of a unified pension plan, the modernization and application of protection mechanisms for agricultural products, creating an insurance fund for natural disasters and climate change, reinstating the law to create a national bank to support agricultural development and separating the Chamber of Agriculture from the Chamber of Commerce and Industry and setting up a mechanism for registering agricultural land parcels.
Source: Al-Diyar, Al-Safir 7 March 2014

For more information about the recommendations of the Lebanese Forum on Social and Economic Development, please review the following news:
The Association of Farmers: The problems of the agricultural sector persist and the Ministry of Agriculture has failed to play its role, on 3/1/2014
Big challenges to agricultural sector and food security in Lebanon because of government neglect, on 21/2/2014
A proposal to set up an autonomous Chamber for Agriculture frozen since 2003, on 5/3/2014

As Safir newspaper published a report on the numerous cases of sexual harassment and rape of Syrian displaced women by either their relatives or by the host communities and sometimes even by humanitarian aid workers and those entrusted with distributing aid to the displaced.  The report pointed out to these abuses which are leaving psychological sequel on many women.  Indeed, a number of suicide attempts have been recorded in addition to severe psychological disorders exacerbated by the taboo of silence.

The report also sheds the lights on the ways in which these women are trying to cope with their new realities, especially after their failed attempts at suicide, recording their fears from a society that does not accept such disturbances, and in the absence of any protection.

In a related vein, Al Mustaqbal newspaper quoted a statement dated 1 March 2014 by the Internal Security Forces, notably the vice squad and which refers to the arrest of 2 Syrian men who were charged with facilitating prostitution and human trafficking.  One of the perpetrators confessed that they have an acolyte, who would provide them with women coming from Syria.  This person was later arrested when he came to one of the houses of the detainees to “deliver” two women, whom he confessed having tricked into leading them to believe that they were coming to do domestic work whereas in fact they were being channeled into prostitution.
Source: Al-Safir, Al-Mustaqbal 6 March 2014

A second court ruling was issued considering a transsexual defendant to be innocent after the person was charged with having sexual relations with men.  According to Nizar Sagieh who spoke with L’Orint le Jour, this ruling is of key importance not only in terms of the ways in which the law deals with transsexuals but also in terms of defining clause 534 of the penal code and which penalizes “abnormal sexual intercourse” and which was often use to criminalise homosexuality.
Saghieh notes that Judge Dahdah raised a specific question about the definition of “abnormal sexual intercourse”.  He noted that even of people are different to the norm, they have nevertheless come to life normally.  He also reminded that abnormality basically means not complying with normative behavior of the majority.  Saghieh also remind readers that this court ruling is reminiscent with that of Judge Mounir Suleiman in 2/12/2009, who ruled for the innocence of two homosexuals.  The ruling literally said that “ humans are part of nature and one of its component.  Thus, no human behavior can be considered abnormal or against nature even if it was a criminal conduct as this is part of human norms”.
Saghieh concludes that Judge Dahdah’s ruling which stipulates that the definitions of the penal code are independent from those of monolithic religions as well as his adoption of secular criteria can be considered as jurisprudence.  Saghieh hoped that this will eventually lead to the annulment of clause 534 of the penal code.
Source: L’Orient Le Jour 6 March 2014

To be noted that the Legal Agenda had published a report on this verdict in issue 14th of their newsletter, this can be accessed via the following link.

L’Orient le Jour newspaper published an interview with 64 year old Yvette whose livelihood depends on a small sewing workshop which she runs along with a relative.  Yvette bitterly acknowledged that the art and craft of sewing is disappearing as most of what she does nowadays is alterations of readymade garments.  She also notes that there was a time when sewing was more prosperous as she used to work up until the wee hours of dawn.  For now, Yvette uses her income to settle her routine bills pertaining to the workshop and is left with an amount of USD 800 to 1000, in addition to USD 350 that her only son sends her, and which are hardly enough to cover rent and basic living expenses.
Source: L’Orient Le Jour 6 March 2014