News

The Lebanese Observatory for the Rights of Workers released during a press conference organised last Friday the 5th of April 2013, its first annual report for 2012 entitled “protests and workers’ issues in Lebanon in 2012: the year of strengthening the public sector and shaming the general workers’ union”.
The report was produced with the financial support of Diakonia and included a detailed monitoring of key issues that were addressed by the workers’ struggles including the different forms of protests that took place in 2012, their timeframe, sectors and demands raised by workers and employees.
The report allocates a significant space to two key actions that overwhelmed the workers’ and trade unions scene in 2012 namely the 94 days strikes of the daily contractual workers in the Electricity Board and the protests of the workers in Spinneys supermarket chain who demanded the application of the governmental salaries raise.  The report considers that the General Workers’ Union has by and large colluded with the employers so as to grant workers a minimal raise on salaries.  The report further describes the general union of trade unions as a confederation of confessions and sects.
The report is laudable in its description of the Workers Coordination Committee and applauds its role in forming a distinctive national trade union leadership.  Finally, the report also applauds the National Labour Trade Union League for deciding to withdraw from the General Workers’ Union.
For a full copy of the report, contact The Lebanese Observatory for the Rights of Workers on 01-425783
Source: Al-Safir, al-Nahar, Al-Diyar, Al-Akhbar, Al-Mustaqbal 6 April 2013

“Opportunities Association inaugurated in Zgortha last week the 2013 jobs fair of North Lebanon in collaboration with the Spanish Agency for International Development Cooperation (AECID) and Rene Moawad Foundation.  The event was attended by the Spanish ambassador to Lebanon Ms. Milagros Hernando in addition to the director of AECID Irena Caprera.  This is the second consecutive job fair organised by the group in North Lebanon which aims at assisting young women and men in finding jobs in rural areas, and supporting women’s economic empowerment by preparing them to become pioneers in their communities.  The Rene Moawad Foundation is working for its part on a number of projects to support women namely a project known as “Pioneers” which seeks to build women’s economic capacities.

Hernando noted in her speech that the Spanish embassy is concerned in building women’s ability to effect change through supporting initiatives which seek to a) enable women to secure employment that provide economic security and stability, b) peace building which is the cornerstone for building a nation and creating good living conditions, c) increasing women’s public participation and developing their capacity to produce change.

The job fair included a number of lectures on finding jobs on the local market, the importance of youth participation in the public sector, the importance of choosing one’s university specialty in a way that it matches market needs as well as one’s aspirations and skills.  The event included participations of specialists from different sectors including agriculture, engineering and teachers all of whom spoke about encountered challenges and how they chose specialties that reflected their aspirations and capacities.  

A number of organisations took part in this event namely Labora Association, BIAT business incubator, IMKAN financial association and Ehden country Club.

Source: Al-Mustaqbal, Al-Nahar, Al-Mustaqbal 8 April 2013

Selim Sfeir, CEO of Bank of Beirut, signed last week with the President of Caritas Lebanon Father Simon Faddoul two memoranda of understanding within the framework of the on-going collaboration between the two institutions.  The 2 MoUs were signed at the headquarters of Caritas’ central administration in Sin el Fil and seek to support the work of Caritas Lebanon.  The MoUs will make available a battery of banking products including the launching of the Caritas Affinity Card, part of the profits of which will serve to support Caritas’ humanitarian work, educational loans for vocational training students and loans for small business.  
Source: Al-Mustaqbal 8 April 2013

Gender inequality remains a main feature in Lebanon who is only 1001 day away from the date set for realizing the MDGs.  The United Nations resident coordinator Robert Watkins noted in an interview with the Daily Star that Lebanon faces serious obstacles in achieving the millennium development goals pointing out to the need for consistent efforts to be put in place before 2015 namely in realizing gender quality as well as creating employment opportunities for young women and men graduates.  Watkins also pointed out to women’s poor participation in politics as women’s representation in parliament does not exceed 3.1% and the fact that 53% women reach secondary education compared to 55.4% for men while only 22% of women are in the job market compounded by the limited presence of women in the higher echelons of the private and the public sector.
Watkins also shared his concern with the poor employment opportunities available to young graduates which pushes them to emigrate thus negatively impacting Lebanon at both the social and economic levels.
Watkins concluded by noting that much work is still needed in Lebanon quoting the latest statistics of the 2013 which indicate an increase of a 6.2% of the age expectancy at birth as well as an increase of the average number of years of schooling by 2.9 percent. The main positive changes noted appear to be in the increased awareness amongst the Lebanese of the need for change and for finding practical solutions to endemic problems.
Source: The Daily Star, L’Orient Le Jour 4 April 2013

DOT-Lebanon organised last week a graduation ceremony in Saida for women participants who completed its IT and social media training as part of its Reach Up programme implemented in partnership with Intel, Easy Steps Intel and DPNA and in cooperation with the Saida municipality.  The graduation ceremony was also held under the auspices of the Canadian Ambassador, Ms. Hilary Childs.  The training programme extended over two months and included 2 training sessions that sought to provide NGOs including women NGOs with IT and daily living skills including protection, advocacy and commercial skills through using the Reach Up programme which includes several practical applications and another program operated by Intel.
During the ceremony, Ambassador Childs emphasized the importance of social interaction via technological advances and the usage of social media which will eventually help in expanding the horizons of local communities and their connections. The event was concluded with the distribution of certificates to trainees.

Source: Al-Mustaqbal 30 March 2013

Justice without Frontiers organized this week a workshop within the framework of its Men’s Forum aiming to include men in campaigns supporting women.  The event was attended by activists of different backgrounds including lawyers, clergy, media, and members of political parties.  The workshop focused on a number of subjects namely providing men with communication and mobilization skills to support advocacy as well as familiarizing men with women’s issues including women’s position within the Lebanese laws as well as the objectives of the project.

The workshop extended over three days and was concluded yesterday.  It was implemented as part of the organisation’s programme which seeks to support women victims of violence and exploitation especially through awareness raising campaigns and conferences in addition to legal aid.  The project is supported by Oxfam GB and funded by Swedish SIDA.

The organization had focused during the first phase of the project on women of the Catholic faith and had issued a guide on the Catholic family code so that women know about rulings related to marriage, divorce and other related family matters in addition to ways in which they can be protected from corruption and financial exploitation.  The organization also set up a hotline (70-800820) to receive complaints from women victims of violence and who have no access to legal support.

Source: Al-Hayat 28 March 2013

The Contemporary Islamic Thought institution jointly organised with the Mabarrat Charitable Organisation a seminar entitled: “what did work give to women and what did it take away from them?”  The event included several interventions namely the Director of the Islamic Thought Mr. Najib Noureldine who considered that women’s work should address the needs of society. Fadia Diab who represented the women committee of Al Mabarrat highlighted the important role that women play in raising future generation and in preventing conflicts.  These two interventions were followed by a short documentary which presented testimonials of working women.  Izza Sharara then noted that some may have reservations about women’s work because they fear that financial independence may allow women to free themselves from men’s control.  At the end of the event, Amira Borghol spoke about the experience of women working within Islamic institutions.  Finally, Ayat Noureldine highlighted that it is only natural for laws regulating women’s work to have a comprehensive view which is not limited to work and productivity but which also takes into consideration social values and norms.
Source: Al-Mustaqbal 28 March 2013