With the support of the Right to Play Foundation, the Center for Education and Psychosocial Support held an open day on the occasion of World Refugee Day in Ain el-Hilweh camp.
The activity included a theatrical show inspired by the occasion – artistic links – poetry, in addition to the presentation of popular dishes.
With the support of the Right to Play Organization, Association Najdeh organized the Peace Child Center in collaboration with the Child Protection Network in Burj Al Shamali camp, in cooperation with the network’s institutions.
The activity included national activities inspired by the occasion and symbolic gifts were distributed to children.
A sit-in in commemoration of the 70th anniversary of the Nakba and rejection of UNRWA’s decrees, and in response to the UNRWA policy and policies that reflected negatively on the human and social security of the Palestinian refugees, including UNRWA staff, the Open Forum Committee of NGOs organized a sit-in in front of the UNRWA headquarters, in the presence of representatives of Palestinian NGOs, committees, unions and parties.
A speech on the behalf of the Open Forum Committee of NGOs was delivered by Mr. Samer Manna’a, assured on reviving the commemoration of the 70th anniversary of the Nakba is an international witness of the continuation of the tragedy of the Palestinian refugees and the inability of the international community to redress our right to return to our homes and villages that we were displaced since 70 years. The International Agency is the living expression of the international legal and moral commitment to the right of return and Resolution 194 as well as the refugee’s tragedy.
The right of return is one of the pillars of the Palestinian national cause, which the US administration is trying to cancel through a series of steps and by halting the payment of approximately $ 25 million of US obligations to the fund. UNRWA, on the way to resolving or redrafting its mandate and the limits of its responsibilities, both geographically and programmatically, and by draining its resources, thus paving the way for the cancellation of the Palestinian refugee cause or in resolving the cause by turning it from a ” Right of return to homeland” to the cause of” permanent housing for refugees “, and outside the homes and properties from which the owners have been forcedly displaced since 1948, and away the relevant resolution 194.
Mr. Manna’a declared that they should stick to UNRWA and call on it to stop the process of reducing and decreasing services and instead to increase services in quantity and quality. At the end of the sit-in, the Open Forum Committee of NGOs handed a memorandum to the Commissioner-General of UNRWA, Mr. Pierre Krahenbuhl, through the Director General of the Agency in Lebanon, Mr. Claudio Cordone.
In commemoration of the 70th anniversary of the Palestinian Nakba, and in support of the return marches in Gaza, and in solidarity with the standing Palestinian people, the Nahr Al-Bared Advocacy committee conducted a mass march, the participation of the parties, the Popular Committee and the civil organizations and NGOs operating in the camp.
A speech by the coordinator of the advocacy committee, Ms. Nawal Al-Hassan, assured on the necessity to unite the struggle against the Deal of the century, and stressed the need to keep UNRWA as a living witness to the tragedy of our people to continue their services towards our people.
The march was marked by the launching of balloons holding the colors of the Palestinian flag and inside the names of Palestinian villages and cities.
Association Najdeh (Beqa’a branch) participated in an exhibition to commemorate the Nakba, held by the Lebanese International University (Riaq branch) in the occasion of the 70th anniversary of the Palestinian Nakba
The Women’s Rights Program At Association Najdeh, with funding from Un Trust Fund and in partnership with kivvena till kivvena, conducted a three-day leadership training workshop at Rotana Arjaan Hotel, it targeted Najdeh staff, in coordination with the Research and Training for Development Action and Women’s Solidarity for Learning Group, about participatory leadership, communication and respect for others for joint action and how to set common goals and an Action Plan.
The national roundtable “Following up on the 4th UfM Ministerial Meeting on Women’s Rights”, under the patronage of Minister of State for Women’s Affairs H.E. Jean Ogasapian, and with the support of the European Union, took place on 27th of April 2018 at Hotel Riviera. It was organized by the Euromed Feminist Initiative and its members in Lebanon, the Lebanese Women’s Democratic Gathering, and Association Najdeh. The one day event gathered representatives from women’s and human rights organizations and local stakeholders and discussed the Ministerial Declaration from the 4th UfM ministerial meeting on women’s rights (27/11/2017, Cairo) and the Declarations of Civil Society Conference (23-24/11/2017, Cairo) with policy recommendations to be implemented before the 5 th UfM Ministerial Meeting. The event initiated a discussion on mechanisms to follow up the implementation of the Ministerial commitments as a part of the regional process to follow up the 4th UfM Ministerial Declaration, organized by Euromed Feminist Initiative and supported by the EU. H.E.
Jean Ogasapian, Minister of State for Women’s Affairs, underlined that “Gender equality can’t be achieved without the full participation of all members of society. It is important that both women and men participate in discussions, policy-making, and implementation of measures to ensure women’s effective participation for equality”. The Minister further emphasized the responsibility men have in removing barriers, changing patriarchal attitudes, and preparing the ground for full gender equality. He expressed his expectation that this dialogue would contribute to the process of transforming the recommendations into practical measures during the coming roundtable dialogue between CSOs and stakeholders and on May 23rd.
Mr. Ogasapian insisted that the priority is to take “Concrete steps towards ending violence against women and enhancing women’s political participation.”
Mr. Rein Nieland, representing the EU Delegation, emphasized the importance of the roundtable in exchanging experiences and ideas and ensuring that all recommendations and declarations are translated into concrete actions to strengthen the place and role of women in the region, notably in Lebanon. He underlined that: “Gender equality is a principle, an objective and a mission for the EU in Lebanon. Advancing women’s leadership and economic empowerment is an absolute priority for us.”
Ms. Roula Zaiter, Euromed Feminist Initiative, reminded the milestones of the process of developing the Gender Regional Platform in preparation for the 4th UfM Ministerial Meeting and stressed the important role of the women’s rights organisations in leading a dialogue with decision makers and stakeholders in order to support the development and implementation of policies through specific mechanisms and indicators.
The speakers of the first panel presented the two Declarations. Ms. Leila El Ali, Euromed Feminist Initiative Co-President presented the Civil Society Conference Declaration focusing on the five policy recommendations and the mechanisms for the implementation of the gender equality in the region, while Ms. Mrs. Hayat Mershad, the founder of F-male underlined the areas of 4th UfM Ministerial Declaration on improving women’s role in society and addressed the implementation recommendations.
The discussion during the second session tackled the issue of mechanisms for the implementation of gender equality through the ministerial process. Attorney Mrs. Brigitte Chelebian, founding director of Justice without Frontiers (JWF), presented some ideas on follow up mechanisms at a national and institutional level that could contribute to concrete actions for the improvement of women’s rights in the identified priority areas, after which an open discussion followed. The participants emphasized that holistic, comprehensive and inclusive methodologies and approaches must be prioritized to ensure sustainable gender equality implementation strategies, policies, and actions. They underlined the importance to reinforce the link between all international and legal women’s rights agreements and instruments, in particular, CEDAW, UNSCR 1325, SDGs in a common frame. Participants highlighted the necessity of reaffirming the international and regional legal and institutional commitments by Lebanon to ensure the recognition and implementation of the women’s rights in consultation and participation with the women’s rights agencies, associations, and experts.
Some of the recommendations urge for forming a permanent coordination and consultation body of women’s rights CSOs and national institutions and Stakeholders for supporting and following up gender equality strategies and policies. Annual national report on the implementation of the Ministerial Declaration with the participation of the CSOs was also seen as highly relevant. Furthermore, a common database from national bodies, ministries, and service centers on violence against women and girls was seen as a necessity in order to reveal the situation of women. It was as well recommended to support the establishment of relevant governmental bodies on women’s rights, as well as an inter-ministerial committee as an observatory body to ensure an inclusive and comprehensive cooperation on gender equality. The participants agreed to submit their recommendations to the national stakeholders and relevant ministries during the national dialogue with them scheduled for 23rd of May.
With the support of the Right to Play organization, a training workshop was organized for the staff of the North: Baddawi-Nahr el-Bared KGS on a number of topics: the stages of child development, the policy of protection and gender, and how to organize children’s play sessions.
The Lebanese-Palestinian coalition for the right to work for Palestinian refugees in Lebanon conducted an activity under the title of “We want to live in dignity”, on the occasion of Labor Day and in the sequence of the Return Back marches.
This activity was at the Arab Palestinian Center in Borj El Barajneh, in the presence of representatives of Palestinian and Lebanese parties, local NGOs, cultural and educational clubs in the camps.
The celebration was opened by a welcome speech and greetings to the workers, objectives and planned activities.
Mrs. Fadia Kharbiti stressed the need to strengthen the resilience of the Palestinian refugees in Lebanon and strengthen their commitment to the right to return to their lands in accordance with Resolution 194 by granting them the right to work which will improve their economic and social conditions.
There were speeches by Haj al-Atallah Hamoud, deputy head of the Palestinian file in Hezbollah, a word for the Murabitun movement delivered by Dr. Ola Fakher, and a speech by the Palestine Workers ‘Union delivered by Mr. Abumadat Shatila, an administrative official at the Beirut Workers’ Bureau. Children of the psychosocial support program at the Shatila and Burj Al Barajneh of Association Najdeh centers performed dancing folklore and Dabkeh, along with the children of the Ashria’a Return Center.
The Lebanese-Palestinian coalition for the right to work for Palestinian refugees in Lebanon conducted an activity under the title of “We want to live in dignity”, on the occasion of Labor Day and in the sequence of the Return Back marches.
This activity was in the presence of representatives of Palestinian and Lebanese parties, local NGOs, cultural and educational clubs in the camps.
A speech on behalf of the coalition was given by Ms. Sana’a Noah, that assured on working to strengthen the resilience of the Palestinian refugees in Lebanon, and to strengthen the right of Return to their lands according to the UN resolution 194, and this can be done through giving them the right to work, that will contribute to enhancing their economic and social situation.
Also, Ms. Leila Mousa, the coordinator of the campaign in Tyr, assured that the rights of the Palestinian refugees are holistic and indivisible. Ms. Mousa called the Lebanese government to give the Palestinian refugees the right to work, especially in the field of trade unions, because Lebanese Labor Law, in addition to the Syndicates Law, forbids Palestinian refugees from working.
Ms. Mousa indicated that Palestinian refugees are committed to UN resolution 194 and the right to return, and they are not in favor of normalization.
The coalition had several demands from the Lebanese government as follows:
1-To work on solving the mysterious idioms and gaps of the Labor Law especially in implementing laws 128 & 129 – 2010
2-Invite the specialized Lebanese authorities to take necessary measures to lift the restrictions and discriminative measures of the laws 128 & 129/2010
3-Empowering the registered resident Palestinian refugees of attaining a free permanent work permit, according to the official refuge ID; this is as a positive preliminary step towards cancellation of work permits for Palestinian refugees.
4-Giving Palestinian refugees the opportunity to benefit from the national social security fund in return for submission to all complete fees
5-Amend the internal regulations of the free trade unions in order to exclude the Palestinian refugees in Lebanon from the implementation of the principle of reciprocity, or the requirement of obtaining the Lebanese citizenship, and giving the competent and qualified persons the rights granted by international conventions ratified by Lebanon.
5- The Government’s consistency and commitment to the Ministerial declaration Policies of successive governments since 2005 to improve the economic and social conditions of the Palestinian refugees in Lebanon and to meet Lebanon’s international obligations towards the International Convention of Human Rights and the agreements signed by the Lebanese State, which include conditions to respect human rights.
