I stand before you today, humbled by the warm welcome you have given me.
I stand before you today, touched by this initiative to honor me.
I stand before you today, and I feel that no distance can separate you from Lebanon.
Today, I come to you from the country that we all love, even if differently.
I come to you from an everyday filled with struggles and fights, big and small, collective and personal.
I come to you from a country that no hardship could defeat, that no war could bring down, that no bad omen could tear apart… And we should always remember that.
Honoring me today by this vibrant Lebanese community is in fact a recognition for all the women and men who lead different struggles, all aimed at achieving a just and inclusive society where differences are celebrated and where the rule of law prevails.
We, Lebanese women, are no different than women all over the world, and we have a major role to play at all levels: social, economic, and political. As head of the National Commission for Lebanese Women, the NCLW, I have taken upon myself the challenge of making a difference, of affecting positive change, in a society yearning for equality and justice.
Numerous were and are the areas that need an overhaul: from laws, to the enforcement of laws, to education, to women participation in politics and the economy, in addition to a radical change in the stereotyped image of women in a patriarchal community …
We suffer from obsolete laws that consecrate discrimination and encourage practices that are radically opposed to any form of human rights, let alone women’s rights. As such, and after a long struggle, the NCLW was able to pass new laws, to modernize existing ones, and even to abolish others, with the aim of fighting all kinds of discrimination against women, of guaranteeing equality and protection of women against all manifestations of violence.
To name but a few: we extended maternity leave, we amended tax exemption laws and end of service indemnities, we abolished laws that granted protection for rapists if they married their victims. And after 7 years of hard work, we were able to pass a law against domestic violence and we are pursuing efforts for its full implementation, in addition to the creation of a support system for victims of domestic abuse, which includes well-trained security personnel and host facilities.
The NCLW has also drafted a law that allows Lebanese mothers to pass on their nationality to their children within a framework that respects the Lebanese Constitution and provides guarantees for the parties who have fears with this regards.
From new laws against sexual harassment especially in the workplace to preparing a draft law prohibiting the marriage of minors- young girls, the NCLW has ambitious goals that go beyond social issues to reach the economic and political sectors. As such, we have worked on collaborative public and private initiatives to encourage women in business as part of a five-year plan to increase by 5% the percentage of women active in the economy with far-reaching positions in economic decision-making. The financial independence of women is equally important as the basic rights of women for agency at all levels.
At the political level, the NCLW encouraged the participation of women in politics through modernization of candidacy laws in municipal elections, and fully supports the establishment of a transitional quota system allowing women to reach parliament, and play an active role in the Lebanese democracy, the oldest democracy in the Middle East. So far the number of women in parliament and in the cabinet is still shy despite some progress that we have witnessed lately. Yet, we are hopeful that we will reach a respectable level of women engagement and active participation in national politics.
Along with representatives from the civil society and the public administration, we have finished setting up a plan for the implementation of the Security Council resolution 1325 pertaining to women, peace and security. The resolution reaffirms the important role of women in the prevention of conflicts, their protection during conflicts and role in post-conflict reconstruction including peace negotiations, peace-building, peacekeeping, and humanitarian response. We are hopeful that the recently-formed Cabinet will approve this plan and give it full support.
At the social level, all the activities undertaken by the NCLW are accompanied by public awareness campaigns and initiatives that reach schools and universities, because we know that the most important weapon we can ever have is education and only education.
It is my firm belief that the role of women is inclusive and should tackle all the components of the social fabric and all walks of life. At the personal level, and as a Special Assistant to the President of the Republic, I have taken the lead in providing wide support for initiatives undertaken by the Presidency and pertaining to social and environmental issues. As such, I provided support for an initiative aiming at the inclusion of those with special needs in society including educational institutions, the workplace etc. We are working on turning the International Day of Persons with Disabilities held every December 3rd, into the “National Inclusion Day”.
We also turned our attention to the rampant drug use among youngsters, an issue that requires the collaboration of all Lebanese actors, and we drafted a law for the prevention of drug use.
Last but not least, we have undertaken numerous initiatives to tackle an issue that is close to my heart, the environment: our country’s nature that is withering away in front of our eyes with every passing day.
Under the patronage of the First Lady, two massive reforestation campaigns were carried out aiming to link the forests of Lebanon into a breathing lung that we called “green corridor”. On April 30th, we are celebrating, alongside the US Ambassador Elizabeth Richards, the plantation of one million trees, a project funded by USAID. And I would like to thank USAID for their support. Another initiative of great significance is the establishment by the civil society of the “Lebanon Mountain Trail”, a hiking trail from border to border that we need to protect and safeguard.
We also started the regulation and enforcement of the hunting laws and for the protection of migrating birds, in addition to numerous initiatives such as setting up bee hives in the gardens of the Presidential Palace, cleaning beaches and seashores, collecting empty shells from woods, in addition to public cleanliness. The Presidential Palace is also part of an initiative entitled “Recycle for a cause” where an NGO collects waste, recycles them, and makes hearing devices for the hearing-impaired.
From providing support to the Karentina Children’s Hospital and providing potable water to the Women’s Baabda Prison, to nationwide breast cancer awareness campaigns, the NCLW has seen the fruits of its endeavor with the solidarity and dedication of the women and men it partners with.
It would take me more than a few minutes to give you a full account of what we have achieved and what still needs to be done. In fact, we are still at the beginning of our journey. We inherited a rogue system ailing under the burden of long years of war, occupation, political upheavals and corruption.
But I can assure you that we are not close to giving up. We are not close to saying we are too tired to continue the struggle. We will fight on. And we will continue to make small victories, and one day, we will wake up to the big breakthrough that we have achieved.
Finally, all our efforts will be in vain if we don’t give our full support to our educational system. Universities is where personalities are forged, causes revived, and battles fought. And the wealth of Lebanon remains the young women and men that graduate every year. This is a sector to safeguard with every beat of our heart.
I stand before you today in respect of what you have achieved yourselves here, of your struggles and your success stories!
Half way across the globe, you made me feel at home. And it is not without a great sense of pride in our Diaspora that I will leave the US.
I see Lebanon in the eyes and souls of each and every one of you, and quoting the President of the Republic General Michel Aoun, I tell you: continue to be the face of Lebanon, continue to be the Lebanese dimension in the world. You make us proud.
Thank you