Gender Equity bulletin, Issue 2, October 2014

About the newsletter

Why the Gender Equity Newsletter?

This newsletter aims to connect gender actors and practitioners in Lebanon through the exchange expertise, in an attempt to create a space for better collaboration, networking, and equal access to knowledge, research, and information. Each issue will cover the work of actors, their activities, and projects, in addition to recommending relevant resources and tools, as well as information and statistics relevant to gender work in Lebanon.

The gender equity newsletter is a part of the Gender Collaborative Information and Knowledge Network- a project by Lebanon Support in partnership with Diakonia

The Gender Collaborative Information and Knowledge Network is an online collaborative platform. It is part of Lebanon Support’s Civil Society Knowledge Center (CSKC) and brings together civil society organizations, researchers, practitioners, and experts to enhance local and national capacities, improve access to knowledge and its development, and provide evidence-based research, information, and literature on gender issues and concerns.

Editorial: “There is no such thing as a single-issue struggle because we don’t live single-issue lives”Audre Lorde ^[1].

In spite of a long and rich history of women’s organisations and movements in Lebanon, dating back to the 19th century according to most scholars and researchers, and that included different “waves” focusing on a variety of causes – ranging from struggles for national independence, specific women concerns and rights, to the emergence of “radical” movements (for some), to identity-centered types of feminism which tackled issues of sexuality and gender identities for the first time – there still lacks a space for collaboration on common causes, coordination of interventions, and research.

Within this perspective, the Gender Collaborative Information and Knowledge Network (GEN) project stemmed from Lebanon Support’s belief that there is a need to fill this gap. The GEN was envisioned to create a space which enhances the availability of and access to resources related to gender, featuring original evidence-based research and literature, through collaborative information and knowledge sharing that would facilitate coordination mechanisms.

Launching the GEN, back in September 2014, is a crystallization of Lebanon Support’s mission to contribute to the development of a civic voice that can lead towards a comprehensive societal change in Lebanon. Echoing Audre Lorde’s famous words that “there is no such thing as a single-issue struggle because we don’t live single-issue lives”, Bassem Chit and Lebanon Support shared a belief that gender or feminist struggles are part of multidimensional struggles and need to be tackled in ways that address multiple layers of oppression and discrimination faced as: women, citizens, workers, refugees,migrants, women or men with non heteronormative sexual identities, women or men with non-normative societal attitudes etc.

This multidimensional, holistic approach manifests in our theoretical stance but also in practice; it’s a tool for analysis and for understanding contexts but most importantly it’s a means for advocacy and policy development and change. This approach guides our values and praxis and we hope to achieve it in collaboration with gender actors in Lebanon.

--

Lebanon Support, Octobre 2014.

A Tribute to Bassem Chit: “محاولة في قراءة الذكورة وإعادة تعريفها - An attempt at understanding masculinity and redefining it”

This piece was written by Bassem Chit for KAFA^[2] and is republished by Lebanon Support with permission.

ما هي الذكورة وما هي الذكورية؟

السؤال الأوّل الذي طرحته لنفسي عند بداية كتابة هذا المقال هو: "ماهي الذكورة؟ وكيف نصنّف سلوكيات أو أفعال معيّنة كذكورية او أنثوية؟".

المشكلة الأولى التي واجهتني في الإجابة عن هذا السؤال هي أنّ معظم الكلام والتعابير والتعريفات المستخدمة في تعريف هذا النمط السلوكي أو ذاك، مرتبطة بشكل وثيق بإرث تاريخي وسياسي واقتصادي واجتماعي معيّن، وأنه ليس هناك نمط واحد أو محدّد وعابر للتاريخ للذكورة أو الأنوثة. فكلاهما وغيرهما تكوينات اجتماعية، أي أنها ليست مرتبطة بيولوجيًا بالأشخاص أنفسهم، بل هي هويات اجتماعية مكتسَبة ومتغيّرة حسب تغيّر الظروف الاجتماعية والسياسة والاقتصادية ومعها تغيّر الأفكار السائدة في المجتمع.

يمكننا أن نرى عبر التاريخ كيف تغيّرت هذه المفاهيم وتبدلّت. ففي جبل لبنان مثلاً، في القرن التاسع عشر، كان أحد معايير الذكورة مرتكزًا حول ملكية الأرض، حيث رفض معظم الرجال العمل في المصانع التي بدأت تنشأ حينها في جبل لبنان. هذا المعيار "الذكوري" تبدّل فيما بعد، تحديدًا في العشرينات والثلاثينات من القرن العشرين حيث ارتبط أحد معايير الذكورة بالاستقرار الوظيفي أو القدرة على اكتساب الثروة واكتساب المكانة الاجتماعية. هذا التحوّل في المعايير لا يقطع بالضرورة ونهائيًا النمط التقليدي القائم قبل حدوثه، لكنّ الهوية الجديدة تكتسب مساحة أوسع من الثقافة العامة مقارنةً مع التقاليد القديمة التي تبدأ بالاندثار.

إذاً "الذكورة"، كهوية اجتماعية، هي نتاج اجتماعي. بمعنى أنها تعكس التناقضات والاختلالات القائمة في المجتمع، كما أنها تعكس علاقات القوة التي تحكمه. أي أنها ليست انعكاسًا طبيعيًا أو بريئًا للواقع البيولوجي والإنساني المجرّد، بل هي تركيبة إيدولوجية تهدف إلى خدمة علاقات القوة الموجودة أصلاً.

Read more

Featured map: “Mapping of Violence against Women in Lebanon”

Lebanon Support and KAFA (enough) Violence & Exploitation are happy to announce the release of the “Mapping of violence against women in Lebanon”. This map has been developed as part of an active collaboration between both organizations. It aims to collect and map incidents and reports of violence against women in Lebanon.

Research reveals that the phenomenon of gender-based violence (GBV) affects all countries worldwide; it is a blunt violation of human rights whether it takes on a physical, sexual, psychological, or any other form. Girls and women are most frequently targeted, owing to physical, social and/or economic vulnerability.

In Lebanon, GBV constitutes a nationwide problem, as more than two thirds of women suffer some form of domestic violence (UNFPA 2011), and one woman was killed every month as a result of family violence, according to media reports between 2010 and 2011.  

The Lebanese dominant patriarchal ideology combined with a socio-economic and legal system that actively discriminates against women provides “favorable grounds” for the recurrence of violence against women (VAW) and more generally GBV, and moreover the non-persecution of offenders in a lot of cases.

In this context, Lebanon Support and KAFA saw the need to undertake this mapping exercise in order to track gender related violence and discrimination incidents, as well as contribute to make statistical data available and accessible for all gender actors in Lebanon on the one hand, and, on the other, enhance the coordination of responses among civil society actors working on gender in Lebanon.

The “Mapping of violence against women in Lebanon” is part of Lebanon Support's Gender Equity Information and Research Network on the Civil Society Knowledge Center.

Round Table Series around gender issues launched in October 2014

Trans Women’s Navigation of Arrest and Detention in Beirut: A Case Study

The round table discussion will tackle the paper to be published by Lebanon Support, written by Ms Qubbaia and Mr Saleh, looks into detention practices as manifested in the cases of detained trans women in the context of wider policing of gender and sexuality norms, bodies, and behaviors in Beirut.

Discussant: Me Youmna Makhlouf.

The discussion will be held in Arabic.

Follow this link for more info.

Featured resources:

Close The Gap - How To Eliminate Violence Against Women Beyond 2015 (2014)
Publisher(s): Oxfam
This paper is a briefing note published by Oxfam in March 2014. It explains how Violence Against Women is a wide-spread, persistent and global issue, with repercussions on development maintaining that the elimination of VAW is essential not only for realizing women’s rights and gender justice, but for equitable social development. Oxfam is very concerned that efforts to eliminate VAW do not match the scale of the problem, the scourge of violence worldwide points to a huge global gender gap and while there are efforts to end VAW, the mechanisms involved in ending it are insufficient. Read more

Women and Economic Power in Lebanon: The Legal Framework and Challenges to Women’s Economic Empowerment (2010)
Publisher(s): Collective for Research and Training on development – Action (CRTD-A)
This resource is a study prepared by Delphine Torres Tailfer, and published by Collective for Research and Training on development – Action (CRTD-A) in October 2010. It seeks to explain why women remain marginal in the Lebanese economy, deeming it perplexing given the growth of Lebanon’s economy and the high levels of education of Lebanese women as a group, compared to the rest of the region. Read more

أوضاع النساء اللبنانيات المتزوجات من غير لبنانيين (2009)
Publisher(s): United Nations Development Program (UNDP)
أنجزت الدكتورة فهميّة شرف الدين هذه الدراسة الميدانية التحليليّة، بالتعاون مع برنامج اللأمم المتحدة الإنمائي(مشروع حقوق المر أة اللبنانية وقانون الجنسية) واللجنة الاهلية لمتابعة قضايا المرأة، في 2009. وتهدف هذه الدراسة الى تبيان عدد النساء اللبنانيات المتزوجات من غير لبنانيين و أولادهن و أماكن توزّعهن من وجهة رقمية إحصائية. كما انها تهدف إلى التعرّف على أوضاع النساء الاجتماعية والاقتصادية و أزواجهن وجنسياتهم، وأبرز المشاكل التي تعترض حياة أسرهن وخاصة المشاكل التي تواجه أولادهن.
الدراسة متوفرة باللغة الانجليزية.
Read more

In Focus: Association Najdeh

Najeh was founded in 1976 and registered as an independent, social and non-governmental Lebanese organization in 1978. Najdeh aims to empower women with the necessary tools so as to have a more prominent role in their communities. Najdeh believes that sustainable development cannot be achieved unless women’s basic human rights are respected. Therefore, gender equality constitutes a major and substantial element in all the social programs and projects of Najdeh. In addition, the association seeks to support Palestinian refugees to achieve their human rights in Lebanon, and launched a special program between 1997 and 1999 on Palestinian women’s rights in Lebanon. After conducting a series of studies on the discrimination and violence against Palestinian women refugees, Najdeh started a training initiative,  a community awareness program on women's rights issues, and set up, as of 2003, the first listening center for the Palestinian community in Lebanon. Ever since, Najdeh is expanding its work on coordination, networking and advocacy on women’s rights and lobbying towards the implementation of international Conventions. Today, Najdeh Association is considered a regional feminist reference.

On another level, since its creation, the association plays a leading role in responding to the needs of the Palestinian refugees communities with a focus on the Palestinians fleeing from Syria since 2011.

Strategy and approaches

Women in Lebanon (i.e. all women living on the Lebanese territory), suffer from legal, social and cultural discrimination. This discrimination and inequality is rooted in the Lebanese society and in its various laws, although some progress has been made on this level over the past few years due to the increased lobbying of women organizations.

Najdeh strongly believes that social progress of women’s status in any area of the world constitutes a progress for all women and contributes to the attainment of their rights and full equality. In parallel, Najdeh believes that discrimination and inequality in the laws, rights, and opportunities against Lebanese and non Lebanese women living on the Lebanese soil affect marginalized groups of women, such as refugees, twice as much. Thus, all women residing in Lebanese territory should unite for the abolition of discrimination and inequality between women and men in Lebanon. Therefore, Najdeh tries to coordinate and get involved with all human rights and women organizations and coalitions which call for equality between men and women in Lebanon, and work towards the abolition of gender discrimination.

Taking into consideration that change is not easy, but is a cumulative process, Najdeh focuses on :

1. Conducting studies, research and analysis in various fields so as to get a better understanding of contexts and gaps ;
2. Setting appropriate projects based on the needs revealed in the studies and developing initiatives and interventions taking them into account ;
3. Training staff, volunteers and beneficiaries so they acquire the skills and knowledge necessary for the implementation of the programs ;
4. Conducting awareness campaigns and advocating for women's rights ;
5. Coordinating and networking with other organizations working on these themes in order to concert the efforts and reach solidarity.

More generally, Najdeh focuses on integrating social and gender equality components in all its programmes and projects; mobilizing and advocating so as to achieve change at all levels and finally providing direct services to Palestinian refugee women in Lebanon.

The final aim of Najdeh Association is to achieve social justice for Palestinian refugees in Lebanon. And in a context where Palestinian refugee women are doubly affected by social, economic, cultural and political discrimination, until achieving full equality, Najdeh adopts a temporary proactive positive discrimination strategy that favors women in it’s programmes.

Challenges

All women in Lebanon suffer from violence and discrimination as a result of discriminatory laws perpetuating patriarchal roles and preserving gender inequality in the economical, social, political, and cultural fields. The main challenges can be summarized as following:

• The absence of civil law in Lebanon;
• The existence of discriminatory laws that deny women their economical, social, political, cultural rights;
• The perpetuation of traditional perceptions of women's role in the family and society, which lead to her exclusion from decision-making positions and political participation at the leadership level;
• The prevalence of the anti-democratic sectarian system.

To know more about Najdeh:

Check out their website following this link,

and their Daleel Madani profile following this link.

Gender actors’ activities/updates

20 September 2014
RDFL: ورشة تدربية لمدة يومين بموضوع مشاركة المراة بالحياة العامة 
1 October 2014
LECORVAW: دورات تدريب مهني معجل - مجموعات دعم نفسي واجتماعي 
3 October 2014
LGBTI: Legal and Psychosocial interventions | المثليين (المممم): التدخلات القانونية والنفس اجتماعية 
13 October 2014
LECORVAW: جلسة توعية مع مجموعة من السيدات السوريات 
16 October 2014
RDFL: "إطلاق دراسة "إحتياجات تنظيمية لتعزيز مشاركة النساء في الأحزاب والنقابات في لبنان 
20 October 2014
LECORVAW: جلسة توعية مع مجموعة من السيدات السوريات 
21 October 2014
LECORVAW: جلسة توعية مع مجموعة من السيدات السوريات 
27 October 2014
LECORVAW: جلسة توعية مع مجموعة من السيدات السورياتRDFL: مؤتمر صحفي لاعلان حملة المدافعةRDFL: ورشة تدربية لمدة يوم واحد لمحامين ومحاميات حول اتفاقية السيداو 
28 October 2014
LECORVAW: جلسة توعية مع مجموعة من السيدات السوريات

30 October 2014
Lebanon Support: Round Table - Transwomen’s Navigation of Arrest and Detention in Beirut: A Case Study
Gender Actors' Activities & Updates are featured on a calendar on the Gender Equity Information & Research Network online platform, and can always be viewed there.
Organizations wishing to include their activities and planned events relevant to gender issues are kindly invited to contact us on daleel-madani@lebanon-support.org, or lea@lebanon-support.org.

News from Lebanon

- The law proposal to regulate child marriage by making the approval of a juvenile judge a necessary condition has been criticized for upholding religious laws, and was rejected by the NGO Kafa.

- A new 'National Plan to Safeguard Children and Women in Lebanon,' was launched Wednesday 1st of October, following a memorandum of understanding between Social Affairs Minister Rashid Derbas and UNICEF Representative in Lebanon Ms. Annamaria Laurini.

- Lebanese LGBT organization Helem celebrated its tenth anniversary on the 24th of September. On that occasion, Al Akhbar English published a report in two parts on the organization’s history, impact and approach, and the criticism it faced from activists. Read part 1 and part 2, as well as Helem’s response in defense of its legacy

- Another sad case of Gender Based Violence against women: a man shot and seriously injured his niece in Tyr.

Around the world

- Actress and UN Women Good Will Ambassador, Emma Watson, launched the HeForShe campaign, calling on men to get involved in ending gender inequality. While her speech was well received, some pointed out flaws in its discourse and its lack of inclusion of people outside the gender binary.

- UN passes a resolution against anti-LGBT and sexual orientation based violence, it is seen as a symbolic move calling for reports on LGBT rights abuses but still is a welcomed one given that it’s one of the few times the UN Human Rights Council has referred to LGBT rights as human rights.

- “The Sleeper and The Spindle”, Neil Gaiman’s newly published children’s book illustrated by Chris Riddel, retells the story of Sleeping Beauty but features the princess being woken up by a kiss from the queen, and depicts the same-sex kiss even though it’s not really a love story between both.

- A Danish law that makes it possible for trans people to change their gender legally without medical intervention came into effect during September. It is based on the self-determination of individuals and makes legal recognition much easier, but it is criticized because its minimum age requirement is 18 years old, while trans people are coming out at an increasingly young age.

- New legislation adopted by the state of California requires verbal consent before sexual activity by students on college campuses, as an attempt to address the growing problem of college rape and rape culture in the USA.

If your organization is involved in Gender issues and would like to join the Gender Equity Network, please contact Lebanon Support at contact@lebanon-support.org

*The Gender Equity Newsletter is published by Lebanon Support with support from Diakonia and the Swedish development cooperation. The views expressed in this newsletter are solely those of the author(s), and do not necessarily reflect the views of Lebanon Support, Diakonia or the Swedish development cooperation.

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