Draft law for protecting women ok’d by Lebanon panel

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violence against women bannerA draft law protecting women from domestic violence was approved Monday by a Lebanese parliamentary panel, after years of campaigning by rights groups who welcomed the move as a step forward.

The parliamentary committee’s approval comes less than two weeks after 33-year-old Rula Yaaqub was beaten to death by her husband in northern Lebanon.

The killing of Yaaqub, mother of five girls, triggered an outpour of criticism by the media and civil society.

Lebanon is a country deemed more liberal than other Arab societies, but is still very patriarchal.

The bill has faced fierce resistance by Lebanon’s Muslim religious authorities, in a country where there is no unified civil law on personal status.

The draft was approved by cabinet in 2010, but in Lebanon’s parliamentary system it must be voted in by MPs.

Women’s rights groups welcomed Monday’s decision as a step forward, but said more needs to be done.

Titled “Draft law for the protection of women and all members of the family from domestic violence”, the text “does not specifically protect women’s rights,” said Faten Abou Chacra of the KAFA campaign.

“Most cases of abuse concern women, according to studies by local and international experts, so this category must be given specific protection,” said Abou Chacra, whose group’s name means Enough in Arabic, and which has campaigned since 2008.

The draft law, however, recognises the existence of marital rape, which has been a bone of contention pitting rights groups against the religious authorities.

But marital rape is not classed as a crime. The draft law deems it an offence.

“According to the text, only assault and battery are considered a crime,” said Abou Chacra.

Lebanon’s highest Sunni authority had previously slammed the idea of criminalising marital rape as “a Western heresy”.

The Shiite Hezbollah movement, meanwhile, said the bill “interfered in the affairs of husband and wife”.

Abou Chacra said women’s protection groups will continue in their struggle until parliament convenes again — though it is unclear when that will happen.

Lebanon’s legal system remains conservative overall.

In Lebanon, a rapist who marries his victim is exempt from punishment, while mothers cannot pass on their nationality to their children.

Fear of stigma and scandal are also to blame for silence on violence against women, activists say.

But thanks to lobbying efforts by civil society groups, parliament cancelled in 2011 the extenuating circumstances that had been used to give cover for honour crimes, or the killing of women who had “dishonoured” their families.

As in other Arab countries, few women dare to file complaints about harassment or domestic violence, as the police will usually just deride them and send them home.

France 24

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8 responses to “Draft law for protecting women ok’d by Lebanon panel”

  1. 5thDrawer Avatar
    5thDrawer

    Not much more to say … women (and equal rights) still have a LONG way to go.

  2. 5thDrawer Avatar
    5thDrawer

    Not much more to say … women (and equal rights) still have a LONG way to go.

  3. “in Lebanon, a rapist who marries his victim is exempt from punishment” ????
    Perhaps this explains syrias justification in trying to keep lebanon after it to raped it for 30 years !

    Is there any good stories to ever report ?

    1. 5thDrawer Avatar
      5thDrawer

      Geo … a good one. They painted pedestrian-walk lines on Tripoli roads … and coloured some hydro poles … to give it a ‘lived-in’ look, and an air of festivity. 😉

  4. “in Lebanon, a rapist who marries his victim is exempt from punishment” ????
    Perhaps this explains syrias justification in trying to keep lebanon after it to raped it for 30 years !

    Is there any good stories to ever report ?

    1. 5thDrawer Avatar
      5thDrawer

      They painted pedestrian-walk lines on Tripoli roads … and coloured some hydro poles … to give it a ‘lived-in’ look, and an air of festivity. 😉

  5. Leborigine Avatar
    Leborigine

    Most men in these countries are pigs, and any man who raises his hand to hit a women is a low life scumbag and should be bolted on the back of the neck like cattle!

    HA said the bill “interfered in the affairs of husband and wife”, so if I shoot my wife then no one should interfere!! Do these people have rocks for brains. Then you have the other extreme- Lebanon’s highest Sunni authority had previously slammed the idea of criminalising marital rape as “a Western heresy”; I would like to see this high authority watching on while his daughter is being raped by her husband, what a POS MF!!

    في
    كلب مكتئب :

    اخدوه على باريس .. ما انبسط

    اخدوه على نيويورك .. زهق

    اخدوه على هاواي .. قرف عيشته

    اخدوه على اسبانيا .. طق

    قامو اخدوه علبنان .. عيد من كتر الفرحة وقالن اي هيدي عيشة كلاب

  6. Leborigine Avatar
    Leborigine

    Most men in these countries are pigs, and any man who raises his hand to hit a women is a low life scumbag and should be bolted on the back of the neck like cattle!

    HA said the bill “interfered in the affairs of husband and wife”, so if I shoot my wife then no one should interfere!! Do these people have rocks for brains. Then you have the other extreme- Lebanon’s highest Sunni authority had previously slammed the idea of criminalising marital rape as “a Western heresy”; I would like to see this high authority watching on while his daughter is being raped by her husband, what a POS MF!!

    في
    كلب مكتئب :

    اخدوه على باريس .. ما انبسط

    اخدوه على نيويورك .. زهق

    اخدوه على هاواي .. قرف عيشته

    اخدوه على اسبانيا .. طق

    قامو اخدوه علبنان .. عيد من كتر الفرحة وقالن اي هيدي عيشة كلاب

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