News

The NCLW organised, in collaboration with the UNDP, a workshop on the mitigation of the impact of disasters according to the Hyogo Convention. The workshop extended over two days (August 28th and 29th) and was held at the NCLW training premises in Baabda with the participation of representatives of women organisations and municipalities from Mount Lebanon.
This is the second workshop in a series of events on mitigating the risks of disasters and within the framework of engendering the Hyogo action plan and aiming at raising awareness and readiness amongst women to face risks resulting from natural disasters.  Dr. Fadia Kiwan presented during the first module of day one, the concepts of disaster risk management (DRM) and disaster risk mitigation (DRR) from a gender perspectives.  SAwsan bou Fakhereddine followed while introducing the hyogo conventions.    During the second day, Marilynn Brax reviewed the various natural disasters facing Lebanon and was followed by Charbel Aidamouni who described the various emergency activities carried out by the Lebanese Red Cross in case of emergency, The workshop was concluded by a series of recommendations by the participants on how to implement the XXX convention and the steps to be followed to mitigate the impact of disasters.
Source: Al-Mustaqbal, Al-Nahar 30 August 2013

The ILO and the Ministry of Labour organised yesterday a workshop to discuss the draft of a generic job description for social workers with the participation of social workers from the Ministries of Labour and of Social Affairs in addition to some other social workers active with NGOs in Lebanon.  The job description was drafted by the ILO in anticipation of its endorsement and adoption by the Ministry of Labour (MoL).  According to this document, the social workers are expected to complete training in various subjects such as international human rights convention, ILO standards as well as addressing forced labour, trafficking in humans and the new practices related to control of work conditions, mediation, conflict resolution, etc. According to the designate plan, social workers belonging to MoL are expected to carry out spot checks to follow-up on the conditions of foreign domestic workers, submit reports, receive complaints related to their mental and social state and investigate these complaints.
To be noted that the Ministry of Labour had already appointed six social workers to provide assistance to migrant women domestic workers especially in addressing conflicts with employers but these have yet to take on their role mainly for lack of training.
Source: Al-Akhbar 30 August 2013

The Agriculture Cooperative Association organized an environmental and agricultural day in Sidon – Jezzine, which sought to encourage rural development, natural agriculture, raise awareness on environmental protection and encourage rural inhabitants to remain in their villages.  The event included a number of activities such as purposeful walks in the villages to view local and traditional agricultural products and crafts and a traditional village lunch.  The day was concluded with an artistic performance by 30 artists as well as presentations by experts on apiculture, a specialty of Sidon, the merits of traditional honey as well as advice for growing lavender and Rosemary and for recycling cardboard packages so as to limit environmental pollution.
Rita Khawand, a member of the local cooperative noted that this day is a pilot for setting up the permanent market for local products which will open every Sunday for the villagers who reside in the capital.  The market will be a first step towards creating a network to marketing products outside the village and in Beirut.
Source: Al-Nahar 28 August 2013

The Nahar newspaper published a report about the Women Heart Health Center which is affiliated to the “Yadunah” organization for social and health care that was founded by First Lady Wafa Suleyman in collaboration with the AUB Medical Centre and the Faculty of Medicine of the Saint Joseph University.  The centre which was inaugurated in Baabda last June seeks to improve women’s cardiovascular health and lessen the burden of the disease through prevention, awareness raising and primary care notwithstanding women’s social conditions.
The newspaper report cites various studies which have proven that cardiovascular diseases account for a total of 56% mortality amongst women and 45% of total death.  The report also notes that 64% of women who died suddenly had not exhibited any prior sign of the disease.  Also according to the report, 1 in 3 women carries some form of cardiovascular disease whereas 26% of women over 45 who have had previous heart attacks are likely to die within one year compared to 19% amongst men.
Within the same vein, Nahar interviewed a member of center’s board of trustees, and the cardiovascular specialist, Professor Antoine Sarkis, who noted that cardiovascular diseases amongst women are 7 times more likely to cause death than breast cancer.  He also added that men are likely to have a heart attack at 45 years of age compared to 55 for women.  This difference of 10 years is likely to shrink with age.  Sarkis also described the main services offered by the centre, namely preventive tests for women over 45 years, health diets to control of blood pressure, blood sugar levels, and cholesterol levels in addition to helping women quit smoking.  The centre also organises cultural and awareness raising activities in addition to early diagnosis and treatment including: Coronary Calcium Scores, Chest X-ray, Heart CT Scan, Carotid Artery Ultrasound Screening, Doppler echocardiography to examine the heart’s blood vessels, and Electrocardiography to interpret the electrical activity of the heart
Source: Al-Nahar 28 August 2013

Ghassan Haddad and Ziad Mabsout, the two ambassadors of the ATF Youth, convened last week an encounter in order to discuss job opportunities for young people in Lebanon.  The event which was held at the headquarters of the Arab Thought Forum in Solidere, included 15 young women and men who shared the challenges they are facing in finding work opportunities in the current sluggish job market namely because of the prevailing security situation, various livelihood challenges, high cost of living and the inability of the state and the public sector to create an atmosphere that is conducive for investments.  The aim of the meeting was to tease out suggestions related to the identified themes and which revolved around the role of private and public sectors, civil society organisations in creating an enabling environment that is conducive for the creation of jobs for the youth and the importance of collaboration between these various sectors.
This meeting is part of a series of preparatory events that are being convened by the ambassadors of ATF Youth, each in their own respective country, in preparation for the annual “Fikr 12” conference which will be held in Dubai in December 2013 and which will focus on creating new work opportunities for the youth in the Arab region.
Source: Al-Hayat, Al-Mustaqbal, Al-Nahar 27 August 2013
 

Hayya Bina organised a cultural and encounter day for its students from Zahleh, Shmestaar, Saida and Kfhar7im.  The event took place in Mount Sannin under the auspices of the cultural attaché at the American embassy in Beirut Ms. Lisa Petzold and within the framework of the extra-curricular activities of the “English for women” project, which is being implemented in around 35 localities in Lebanon.  The cultural and leisure event was supposed to include participants from Zahreyyeh and Jabal Mohsen but this was not possible in view of the security situation in Tripoli.
The event spread over an entire day and included various cultural activities such as an introduction to the different Lebanese regions from which the participants came, viewing a number of short films on conflict resolution and plenary discussions animated by the educational expert, Mohammed al Amine.
Source: Al-Nahar 27 August 2013

The Daily Star published a report about a new pilot new farmers’ market, “Drive to the market” which was launched in August 2013 at the Zico House in collaboration with the Food Heritage Foundation and the Environmental Sustainable Development Unit at the AUB and currently with 8 farmers and producers.

The report highlights a number of stories of farmers and producers such as Hanna and Grace Rizk who tried to replicate a piece of their homeland Kesrwane and move it to the capital where they are exhibiting green peppers, cherry tomato and squash.  Antoinette Yammine and her daughter Rita from Zghorta exhibit jams, syrups, honey and olive oil.  All exhibitors emphasised that their products do not have any preservatives since their production is limited.  For her part, Noha Al-Hayek recently gave up her 18-year job as a cook and is now producing different kinds of mezze plates and salads for the Market.

Dietician Dominique Anid and a founding member of Food Heritage Foundation noted in her interview with the Daily Star that this initiative aims to preserve food heritage in Lebanon while making sure that it is transferred to the coming generations. The project also seeks to support small producers by helping them in finding new markets and share their success stories and difficulties. It is to be noted that the market opens every Wednesday from 11:00 AM to 5:00 PM with plans to having it later on open a daily basis and throughout the year.
Source: The Daily Star 23 August 2013
 

The EU and SIDA funded EU-funded project entitled “Strengthening human rights policies and practices in prisons for women in Lebanon” was recently launched after the approval of the Ministry of Interior and Municipalities and the General Directorate of Internal Security.  The project is implemented by Diakonia in collaboration with Dar al Amal, Caritas Lebanon – Migrants’ Centre and the Rassemblement Democratique des Femmes Libanaises.
Within the framework of this project, a training workshop was launched for 4 women wardens working in the following women prisons of Lebanon: Baabda, Tripoli, Zahleh and Barbar Al-Khazen, and with the participation of social work specialists.  The 4 wardens are expected to receive training kits to help them training thereafter other wardens with the objective of strengthening human rights in these prisons as well as intervene in conflict resolution.
The project includes a number of objectives namely developing training curricula, building the capacities of women working in prisons, offering legal and social awareness sessions for women prisoners, undertaking studies about the situation of prisoners in Lebanon, developing a draft law as well as supporting advocacy campaigns for improving the situations in the Lebanese prisons so as they meet international human rights standards.
Also, and within the framework of this project, a website was initiated in order to shed the light on activities, advocacy initiatives and other efforts aiming towards improving the condition of women prisons in Lebanon and  provide information to all those concerned with this matter. http://www.lebanonprisons.org
Source: Al-Safir 23 August 2013