Daily Archives: July 28, 2010

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Council Of Europe Sees Lebanon As Hub For Gender Equality Reform

José Bota of the CE was upbeat about the potential of Beirut as lead-domino for pro-women legislation in the region:

We are hoping to use Lebanon as a hub for stretching out legislation against domestic abuse across the region. If you get just one parliament to agree to approve the law, and to take action, then the region will have to come in line slowly

The good news is: we’re the friendliest place for women in the region. The bad news (emphasis mine):

MP Michel Moussa, president of the Human Rights Committee (HRC), responsible for drafting the potential legislation, conceded that while “all rights are equally important … and the [UN] Charter is one and indivisible,” there was a need to “prioritize” certain areas of human rights, seen as the most urgent. He also reaffirmed the validity of retaining certain cultural “reservations” when adopting international law 

We want “cultural reservations”. You know, the kind of reservations that prevent children of Lebanese women from getting a Lebanese nationality because their father is not Lebanese..

Plus ça change..

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If You Lived In France (Or Africa), You Can't Donate Blood In Lebanon

Clement Nadim Zakhia gives this account:

So there I was at AUH watching the blood flow from my arm into a plastic bag, when a nurse started chatting with me, and asked if I was of French origin. Yes, I proudly declared. Have you lived in France for more than five years since the 1980s, she then asked, her voice turning serious. When I again said yes, she shouted, “We can’t take this blood,” and immediately removed the IV.

The same thing happened with me in 2006 when I wanted to donate blood for the south. I stood in line for at least one hour and then the nurse told me she can’t take my blood because I was raised in Africa.

In both cases, we weren’t warned in advance, but at least I kept my blood.

PS: Clement, they don’t call it AUH anymore. The new official name is AUBMC, and the staff over there will make sure to remind you of that over and over.