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..