Lebanese women have 'basic rights’

A leading broadcaster has said that women in Lebanon are “making do with basic rights.” During the Women on the Front Lines conference held in Beirut on Monday, the organiser of the event, broadcaster May Chidiac said more needed to be done to tackle violence against women in Lebanon. Chidiac referred to "political and sectarian considerations" which she said "deprive women from their rights and permit their abuse." She also rejected religious justifications by clerics who permit violence against women. "Who said religion supports injustice and discrimination? Our problem in Lebanon is that we make do with accepting basic rights for women," Chidiac said. The broadcaster, who founded the May Chidiac Foundaition – the Media Institute, also criticised laws that prevent women from passing on their nationalities to their children. The one-day conference was attended by a raft of ministers, MPs, diplomats and other public figures. The most note-worthy figure included Waafa Michel Sleiman, the wife of the Lebanese president, who praised “activist women” and hoped for the future of country to represent women more accurately "and acknowledge their struggle for a more knowledgeable, humane and fair society." She also insisted she was working hard as a part of the National Committee for Lebanese Women's Affairs to change key issues affecting women. "I haven’t forgotten women's right to pass their nationality on to their children and the need to face up to domestic violence and secure a women's quote in parliament. I also didn't hesitate to endorse those who backed elective civil marriage, so that people from different sects can get legally married," she said. Meanwhile other high profile guest at this year’s conference included broadcast journalist Tony Harris from Al Jazeera English, Ruth Sherlock British newspaper The Daily Telegraph, Arwa Damon from CNN, and Rania Abouzeid from Time Magazine who all talked about their experiences covering wars and conflicts.