News

The Saint Joseph University organised a two days seminar in preparation to the launching of the employment and skills observatory which is being set up in collaboration and partnership with the Strasbourg University in France, the Lebanese University, Bassel Fuleihan finance and economy Institute, the Chamber of Commerce, Industry and Agriculture in Beirut and the Directorate General of Higher Education.
The observatory is part of the Tempus programme which is funded by the European Union and aims at improving professional orientation of young graduates as well as bridging the gap between supply and demand of the job market on the short and medium terms.  The observatory will seek to link academic education with the job market through orienting students towards needed specialties.
Source: L’Orient Le Jour 10 June 2013

Within the framework of collaboration framework between the village of Rashaya al-Fakhaar in Lebanon and the French municipality of Eloise known for the same trade, a delegation of “Pottery producing and marketing cooperative” visited the city of Bouffet for a full month for the purpose of learning how to develop pottery making and supporting local heritage.

Source: Al-Nahar 10 June 2013

"My Nationality is a Right for me and my Family Campaign" called in a statement issued yesterday, the United Nations Human Rights Council to exert pressure on Lebanon to commit to women’s citizenship rights and cease maneuvers that aim at excluding women and maintaining them in subordinate positions and in a situation of inequality. This statement was issued in response to the report of the United Nations High Commissioner for Human Rights regarding ‘Discrimination against women in matters related to nationality’ in Lebanon which quoted a statement made by Lebanon's permanent representative at the Human Rights Council. The campaign pointed out the importance of addressing the issue of women's rights to nationality but considered that the report made by Lebanon's representative included misleading and partial information especially with regards to the ministerial committee that was appointed by the Lebanese Prime Minister in March 2012 presided by Minister Samir Moqbel with the membership of the ministers of interior, foreign affairs, labor, media, justice and social affairs as members, and which did not start working on its assignment until July 2012.
The campaign elaborated in its statement the following points: ‘ the committee met with a delegation of the campaign in December 2012 and committed itself in front of the Campaign delegation to study all available options with the aim of reforming the nationality law in a fair and equitable way; however, the Nationality campaign was surprised and so were Lebanese women afterwards with the issuing of an unprecedented set of recommendations that affirmed that gender equality is not a binding principle if it threatened higher national interests, and this despite the fact that equality between men and women is enshrined in the Lebanese constitution. For the same considerations, the committee also reaffirmed that Lebanon is not bound to implement international conventions and agreements pertaining to human rights’.
The Nationality campaign renewed in its statement ‘its call to the Government of Lebanon to honor its commitments to the International Human Rights Convention and to the Convention on the Elimination of all Forms of Discrimination Against Women, and to proceed forward without any hesitation to amend the discriminatory nationality law of 1925 so as to align it with the international women and human rights instruments.
Source: Al-Akhbar, Al-Safir 6 June 2013

The Sanad fund for financing micro, small, and medium enterprises signed with the Lebanese Association for Development (Al Majmoo3a), a USD two millions loan agreement to support the plans of the latter organisation and aiming at strengthening and broadening the scope of its work in support of micro-enterprises. The executive director of Al Majmoo3a, Youssef Fawwaz, stressed in a speech delivered on the occasion that this agreement highlights the important role that his micro-finance organisation plays in the sustainable development of Lebanon, through empowering individuals with limited income, particularly owners of small enterprises and women, while providing them with financial and non-financial services which otherwise they are unable to directly access from the banking system.
Source: Al-Safir, National News Agency 6 June 2013
 

The Danish Refugee Council indicated during the weekly briefing to the UNHCR that there was an increase in the reported cases of the number of Syrian women refugees who have suffered from gender based violence.  According to the DRC, the contributing factor include psychological trauma and difficult living conditions.  The report adds that women who come to Lebanon without their husbands feel more vulnerable.  Humanitarian agencies have started to distribute hygiene kits for women, scarves, torch lights and personal hygiene items so as to help women feel more secure and to strengthen their sense of dignity.  During the month of May, organisations have reportedly stepped up their action to encourage women victims of violence to speak out and seek help.
The UNHCR noted in the same report that the number of Syrian displaced in Lebanon has now reached around half a million people of whom 418,000 people have been registered and are receiving support from UNHCR and its partners.  The registered displaced population is distributed as follows: 159000 refugees in North Lebanon, 144000 refugees in Bekaa, 68000 refugees in Beirut and Mount Lebanon, and 47000 refugees in South Lebanon.
Source: Al-Nahar, Al-Mustaqbal 4 June 2013

Al Akhbar newspaper published earlier this week a report on the revision of Clause 14 which is related to ensuring equality amongst spouses thus allowing the spouses of employed women to benefit from the provision of the NSSF.  This revision was intended to ensure access to the NSSF to those excluded.  The report criticises the ways in which the Parliamentary Commission for Women and Children's Rights dealt with the issue and notes that the said Commission did not ensure equality amongst spouses and failed to show who is actually targeted with this reform.
The report traces back the process that led to the demand for this reform which originated in an initial consensus between the National Commission for Lebanese Women, the Lebanese Women Council and a number of women NGOs to address the gaps in Clause 14 including the revision of article G which stipulates that only spouses of employed women who reach 60 years of age or beyond and who are unable to secure their livelihoods because of a physical or mental disability are entitled to benefit from their wife's NSSF entitlements.  NCLW and its coalition request that this be changed to become "any spouse who does not benefit from any other form of social security.  The Parliamentary Commission distorted the revision and introduced a condition for its preliminary approval namely that the husband may benefit only if he is not engaged in paid work and if he is living in the same house as his wife.  The revision will benefit unemployed and self employed men but will leave many others beyond the remit of this revision. Mary Debs from the National Gathering to Lift All Forms of Discrimination Against Women noted that this revision is problematic in view of the nebulous definition of "engaged in paid work".  She insisted that there is a need to review this revision so that it includes working and non working spouses as well as non Lebanese spouses.
For his part, the member of the Parliamentary Commission for Administration and Justice, Ghassan Moukhaiber, indicated in an interview in Al Akhbar newspaper that the issue is not that of equality but rather one that is related to social services and that the solution lies in addressing the overall problem with the current social security system.
Source: Al-Akhbar 4 June 2013

The House of Parliament organised in collaboration with the UNDP a discussion session on the role of the House pf Parliament in creating new job opportunities for young women and men.  The event was held on Tuesday 4 June and aimed at including stakeholders in discussions around this subject and teasing out their views and suggestions so as to come out with practical suggestions within the framework of the implementation of the youth strategy paper which was adopted by the cabinet in 2012.
The head of the youth and sports parliamentary commission, Simon Abi Ramya, emphasized in his address the importance of strengthening the role of the National Employment Office.  He also discussed the overall circumstances facing youth employment and pointed out that he submitted two law petitions, the first seeking to increasing the minimum employment age so as to protect young people and the second aiming at waiving taxation on university scholarships in order to encourage the private sectors top provide such scholarships.
Source: Al-Nahar 5 June 2013

As Safir newspaper published a report about the sport compound which was recently erected in Ain el Helweh. This facility was established so as to offer an outlet for the local Palestinian community who is constantly living in a situation of fear, insecurity, and poverty.  The project was funded and implemented thanks to handsome financial contribution form Palestinian refugees living in Germany, Sweden and Denmark.
The project seeks to bring together young people from different political affiliation and to encourage conviviality and tolerance.  It also seeks to protect up to tens of thousands of Ain Helweh residents and more than 3000 children suffering from diabetes and bed wetting from the constant terror of armed violence in the camp.  The sport compound includes different facilities for several kinds of activities including a swimming pool, two football courts, basket ball courts, ping pong rooms and others.  It also includes a parking, a fast food restaurant and a ball room, and has provided 300 new work opportunities for camp residents and Syrian displaced people.
Source: Al-Safir 5 June 2013

A number of medical students at the Saint Joseph medical school organised, with the support of Mada association, an awareness-raising day on the concept of solidarity tourism in Lebanon.  The activity was undertaken with the participation of the Deir al-Ahmar Women’s League – Bekaa who used this opportunity to promote their products.
In an interview with L'Orient le Jour, Cynthia Abou Zeid, one of the event's organisers, noted that solidarity tourism is a behavior and is an alternative to traditional tourism which excludes rural areas and their residents and does not take environment into consideration.  Abou Zeid had herself attended a training course organised by Mada and which extended over 12 sessions focusing on the importance of environmental preservation and the concept of sustainable development.  Christian Abi Nader noted for his part that environmental tourism builds bridges amongst all communities in Lebanon and supports rural communities and encourages them to stay in rural areas. Jihan Jomaa noted that these training workshops have provided an opportunity to get to know women from Deir al-Ahmar who were able to set up eco-lodges and who are producing traditional food products so as to contribute to the local economy.

Source: L’Orient Le Jour 3 June 2013