News

My Nationality is a Right for me and My Family Campaign renewed its demands for equality in the rights of women to transmit nationality as well as for equality in the laws during a national sit in organised yesterday at the Riad Solh Plaza on the 70th occasion of Lebanon’s independence.  More than 1000 persons took part in this event including concerned women and their families, fellow activists, media representatives, representatives of sister organisations and supporters of the campaign.  This particular event was organised on the occasion of the 70th Independence and in commemoration of 70 years of exclusion and marginalization of women in Lebanon.  The campaign coordinator noted that that it is high time for local politicians to take on their responsibilities towards women and to address key issues such as the right to nationality, to political quota, to protection from violence and to a civil family law.  She added that as long as the system in Lebanon is confessional and gives primacy to confessional rights over citizen’s rights, women will remain hostage in a country where politicians are more interested in dividing resources and power amongst themselves and in spreading confessional hatred.
The Campaign noted that this event is to remind politicians of their responsibilities and to remind public opinion to unite and demand full citizen’s rights to both women and men.  Guest speakers included the president of the Lebanese Women’s Council, Ms. Jamal Ghebril, Mada Erslan, Kafa as well as a representative of the Nationality Campaign General Assembly, Mariam Ghazal.
Media reports of the sit in highlighted the next steps of the Campaign and that is to consider ways and means to take up this issue at the international level and to hold Lebanon accountable for failing to secure women’s citizenship rights.
Source: Al-Mustaqbal, Al-Nahar, Al-Akhbar, Al-Safir 25 November 2013

The Lebanese League for Women’s Rights celebrated last Saturday its sixty-sixth anniversary with the participation of former Minister Mona Ofeiche, the President of the press Syndicate, Mohammed Baalbaki, the Head of the Secondary Teachers Union, Hanna Gharib, and various representatives of political parties, trade unions, social, educational, human rights and women organisations from various parts of Lebanon.
The president of the LLWR, Ezza Mrooweh, noted in her speech that the struggle for the rights for women is linked to the national struggle for independence, as well as to social and economic development.  She listed the various discriminatory laws that the LLWR is still working towards changing namely the nationality law, protection of women from violence, the adoption of a civil family law, the amendment of a number of discriminatory clauses in the penal code, in the National Social Security Fund whilst ensuring that mechanisms for their implementation are put in place.
Finally, Mrooweh saluted on behalf of all the sections of the League pioneer Linda Matar who was given with an inscription in recognition of her lifelong achievements.  The event was concluded by the signing of Matar’s biography.
Source: Al-Mustaqbal, Al-Nahar, Al-Akhbar, Al-Safir 25 November 2013

The Safadi Foundation organised two new workshop in their women academy in Tripoli -Dahr el-Mgharr, which were attended by 10 women with ages ranging between 30 and 60 years, and aiming to help women in undertaking a quick identification of problems and needs in their neighborhoods through using direct and organised observation to help them deduce possible solutions.  The first workshop was facilitated by the director of the social development department at the Safadi Foundation, Samira Baghdadi, whilst the second workshop was facilitated by Dr. Maha Kyal, a researcher in sociology and anthropology.
Source: L’Orient Le Jour 25 November 2013

Minister of Agriculture, Dr. Hussein Hage Hassan, inaugurated, last week, a new milk processing center located in the village of Bazalieh, in Northern Beqaa in the presence of the director of the rehabilitation of animal production sector at the FAO, Dr. Shazli Kayyouli and the head of the agriculture directorate in the Bekaa, Ali Raad.
In his keynote address, Hassan noted that this project is part of a series of projects initiated in different localities such as Zahleh and the Western Bekaa in order to produce milk and dairy products with higher quality specifications so as to ensure, as a result, better yields and profits for farmers.  The Minister also noted that his Ministry has been working for the past 4 years on vaccination campaigns in order to protect milk production and cows. He added that these centres are equipped to carry out lab tests prior to milk production and so as to increase trust in the products and set the right prices.
Source: Al-Nahar 25 November 2013

The YWCA organised earlier this month a training workshop on gender equality targeting young women from four Euro-Mediterranean countries.  The workshop was entitled "Be Brave: Express Yourself" and was implemented in collaboration with the Ministry of Youth and Sports and with the support of the European Union.  The workshop aimed at addressing issues related to gender equality, and freedom of expression as a fundamental component of human rights, and included a discussion on the concept of democracy drawing on the current realities of each of the participants' countries whilst focusing on challenges and difficulties facing women and how these can be addressed.
The workshop extended from 16 to 21 November and was concluded with a ceremony held under the auspices of the Minister of Youth and Sports, Mr. Faysal Karameh.  The workshop was held at the YWCA premises in Ain Mreisseh and included field visits to the Youth and Cultural centre in Zouk Mikhael and to Samir Kassir Foundation in Beirut. Finally, some 20 participants took part in this workshop representing youth groups from Italy, Hungary, Egypt and Lebanon.  The trainers were experts working for the Youth Euro-Mediterranean program
Source: Al-Mustaqbal, Al-Nahar 22 November 2013

The UN Media Centre organized in collaboration with “Say No to Violence” a training workshop on monitoring violations of women’s rights and documenting these on video.  The workshop which was organized at the STEPS learning centre in Saida and was attended by 22 activists, is part of a series of such events which are due to be organized in different parts of Lebanon in commemoration of the international day to combat violence against women and which is celebrated by the United Nations on November 25 of every year.
Theses workshops seek to support the campaign launched in 2008 by the UN Secretary General and entitled “Unite to End Violence Against Women”, whilst aiming to build the capacities and skills of participants in challenging violence against women in Lebanon as well as monitor it and minimize it.  The workshops also will contribute to strengthening the “Sexual Harassment Watch” monitoring site, and which is affiliated to Say No to Violence through providing it with documented cases of sexual harassment and other forms of violence against women.
Source: Al-Nahar 21 November 2013

The Minister of Industry, Mr. Freij Saboonjian, expressed his full trust in the Lebanese agro-food industry and its capacity to expand in outreach to many external markets.  He invited industrialists to take part in the New York Food Exhibition especially since the USA represents a large market which is potentially ready to absorb Lebanese products.  Saboonjian’s declarations were made during a meeting he held yesterday with the new president of Syndicate of Lebanese Food Industries (SLFI), Mr. Munir Bsat.
For his part, Bsat complained about the protracted requests made by the electricity company and addressed to industrialists who have defaulted on the payment of their electricity bills.  Bsat claims that these requests for payment do not take into consideration the lower fees granted to industrialists although these industries are officially registered at the Ministry of Industry and have an industrial permit. Finally, Bsat called on the Ministry to effectively support the participation of Lebanese industrialists in international exhibitions including Gulf Food Exhibition in Dubai, Jebbah Exhibition in April 2014 and SIAL French Food Exhibition in France.
Source: Al-Diyar, Al-Safir, Al-Nahar 21 November 2013

Lebanon is celebrating this year the 70th anniversary of its Independence amidst a general political, social, and economic crisis and a lack of clarity regarding the future of its citizens who are increasingly bearing the brunt of insecurity as well as abysmal living conditions.
Dominant political forces continue their confessional bickering whilst being totally oblivious of the interests of citizens who should be their prime concern.
For 70 years now, women in Lebanon have been marginalized, denied the right to play a full public role and are excluded from their full right to citizenship and unable to transmit their nationality.
On this occasion, Lebanese women and civil society activists, engaged in My Nationality is a Right for me and my Family Campaign, are coming together from various parts of Lebanon and will gather on the Ryad Solh Square on Sunday November 24th at 12:00 noon, to claim women’s right to nationality and to call on politicians to assume their full responsibilities vis-à-vis women and men citizens.  Concerned women, their families and activists will all reconfirm their commitment to continue the struggle despite all hurdles and challenges and until they achieve their demands.
The continued struggle to achieve women’s right to nationality is only one step towards honoring the spirit and the letter of the Constitution and upholding the principle of equality between all citizens and particularly between women and men as well as adhering to the international conventions ratified by Lebanon, namely the Convention to Eliminate all Forms of Discrimination Against Women.
On this solemn occasion, we gather to say that Lebanon shall enjoy no real Independence so long as the confessional political forces remain in power and consider themselves as the sole rights holders.  Lebanon shall enjoy no Independence until it guarantees full equality to all its citizens and between women and men.

Source: Nationality is a Right for Me and My Family Campaign

As Safir newspaper published a report, yesterday, on the current economic vulnerability of low income families in Lebanon and stating that the average monthly expenditures of families often exceeds LBP 3 million whilst the minimum wage is set at 675000 monthly only.  The report refers to a study done earlier by the newspaper in an attempt to uncover the realities of families throughout Lebanon.  As Safir also shares the results of a small survey covering 10 families and which indicated that most families need a basic minimum of LBP 3 million to cover basic food costs as well as normal bills.  According to the findings of As Safir, a family of four people needs every month an average of 20 packs of bread (LBP 30,000), a bottle of olive oil (LBP 8,000), a variety of grains and additives including beans, lentils, rice, sugar and salt (at least LBP 50,000), some 4 to 5 kilograms of red meat (LBP30,000 per kilo for veal and LBP 15,000 for beef) in addition to fruits and vegetables (at least LBP 100,000), and two kilograms of dairy products (LBP 7 to 8,000 per kilo).  The cost of the preceding necessities gives an average total of LBP 300,000 in addition to electricity bills (LBP75,000), subscription in private generator (LBP150,000), water (LBP45,000), rent (LBP450,000), school tuition fees and supplies (LBP500,000). As Safir also points put to the disastrous price of heating as the price of a plate of diesel reaches up to LBP 27,000, and firewood costs LBP 300,000 per ton which are not included in the previously mentioned total.
As Safir wonders how families with a middle income can survive.  The newspaper shares the story of Walid who has two children and is in charge of his elderly father.  Walid has not been able to pay tuition fees for his children for the past two years and is unable to provide medicines for his father who suffers from diabetes and high blood pressure, and this despite the fact that he holds two jobs (a waiter during the day and a concierge during the night).  Samer, a father to four children, is forced to pay for the cost of wood and fuel as well as other consumables in installments, especially since he has now become unemployed after that his employer resorted to lower paid foreign worker.  Layal, mother of three, who works at a company that sells computers receives the minimum wage of LBP 675000 whilst her husband’s income from his own repair shop exceeds LBP 2 million, says that their combined income can hardly suffice for half of the month although she admits that she is in a much better position than many other households.  She wonders; how can families survive with only one salary?
Source: Al-Safir 19 November 2013

The Parliamentary Commission for Administration and Justice headed by MP Robert Ghanem, endorsed, last Monday the 18th of November 2013, the law for the creation of the mandatory syndicate for nurses in Lebanon after introducing a few technical changes to the text. The amended clauses of the text deal with the mechanism for calling for a general assembly, its needed quorum, ways in which board members, the president and the members of the disciplinary council should be elected.  The revisions also addressed ways to fill vacant seats as well as calling for specialized assemblies in addition to the specialized committees.  The new text also determines the grievance procedure as well as the mechanisms for appealing the decisions of the disciplinary council.  The new law also stipulates the imposition of a new tax of LBP 5000 to be added to each hospital bill. Revenues from this special will be used to garnish the pension fund of the Syndicate.
Source: Al-Mustaqbal, Al-Nahar 19 November 2013