President Michel Aoun on Monday stressed the importance of the work accomplished by the National Commission for Lebanese Women Affairs during the past three years in serving Lebanese women affairs, congratulating its head and members on all accomplishments.

“You are in the authority qualified to consolidate Lebanon’s unity, especially if you work to achieve the Personal Status draft law which makes everyone equal. This is my recommendation for you to move forward in this direction. We must unify laws so that Lebanon unites, and I say that after a long experience” President Aoun asserted.

The President also said “What you have tried to  do and what you have achieved also needs to be further developed, committed and respected, especially regarding the protection from family violence” promising to give the matter the necessary follow-up, calling on everyone “To give more in this direction with all who is loyal, and from all sects and affiliations”.

“You have a great burden on you, and I hope you all the best” President Aoun concluded.

The President’s stances came during his reception the Chairwomen of the National Commission for Lebanese Women Affairs, Mrs. Claudine Aoun Roukoz, Vice President, Mrs. Nwar Hassan Diab and members, today at the Presidential Palace, on the occasion of the end of their missions’ term.

“After the end of the mandate of the National Commission for Women’s Affairs, which spanned three years, we came to thank your Excellency for the confidence that you have given us and your support for women’s issues. Among the most remarkable things that have been achieved since three years until today are the following:

-Highlighting the importance of the role of the National Authority as an official institution that constitutes the first reference in the Lebanese state in everything related to women’s issues.

-Preparing necessary and basic suggestions and draft laws to advance the status of women in Lebanon, including amending the law protecting women and other family members from domestic violence, draft amendments to the labor law, the social security law, and the law relating to the crime of sexual harassment, in addition to the law on determining the age of 18 years as a minimum age for marriage, and the law recognizes the right of Lebanese women to transfer their nationality to their children. Today, the ball is in the parliament’s stadium to study and approve these bills, thereby contributing to achieving equality between women and men, in rights as well as in duties.

-Preparing the national action plan to implement Security Council Resolution 1325 on women, peace and security, after its approval by the previous Government, so that it can be implemented in a serious manner.

-Preparing Lebanon’s international reports on women.

-Representing Lebanon abroad, especially with the UN Women’s Status Committees, the League of Arab States, and the Organization of Arab Women, as well as in various international forums.

-Responding in facing the Corona crisis and its repercussions through carrying out effective initiatives and targeted
awareness campaigns that contributed to alleviating the injustice suffered by Lebanese women, by adopting the principle of equality between women and men in the process of evacuating the Lebanese abroad, as well as by adopting extraordinary measures to protect victims of domestic violence that have increased in light of the spread of this epidemic.

-Contributing to changing the stereotype of women, working to empower women and devoting their role at the political, economic and social levels, through awareness-raising programs, activities and campaigns, which recently led to 30% female participation in the current Government.

-Close cooperation and constant partnership with civil society organizations and UN agencies, through targeted and diversified programs that are in the interest of the Lebanese women and contribute to eliminating discrimination against them.

As a result of our experience in the National Authority for Women Affairs, we emphasize the need to expand the organizational structure of the authority, given the importance of the role it plays at both local and international levels.

We wish the members all the success, and we are always ready to support them through our capabilities and expertise, aiming to develop the commission and sustain it programs and projects”.