The Lebanese Women:Reality and Aspirations
The reality of the Lebanese woman is reflected in the active forces of development within society. The division of work and the fundamental values of Lebanese society all impact on the kind of opportunities women have at the different stages of their lives and define the role and responsibilities they must assume.
The civil war and the recurrent Israeli aggressions have led to deep-rooted changes in the social, economic and political structure of Lebanese society and have impacted on the advancement of Lebanese women in all these fields. Moreover, the painful events have caused deterioration in all sectors, and this negative impact has led to a wider gap in Lebanese society in the area of education and the productive capacity of women and men. In turn, the outcome has been a negative impact on all development programs and activities.
In terms of economic activity, the labor participation of Lebanese women remains very low and women still tend to be regarded as the secondary breadwinner. This is compounded by the limited labor opportunities, especially for women; the possible exploitive work conditions; and the lack of opportunities for promotion and advancement, all create barriers to the full and effective participation of Lebanese women in the local economy, and decision-making and planning spheres.
In the early 1970s, many women who chose to enter the paid labor force were mainly found in the following professions: teaching, administrative work, nursing, handicrafts, sewing and textile industry, various services, as well as working in the agricultural and trading fields.
Meanwhile, between the 1970s and the 1990s, we are witnesses to positive progress and a noticeable movement of women into new and less traditional sectors. The proportion of women working in liberal professions - lawyers, engineers, physicians, pharmacists, judges, bank managers, media figures, university teachers, and researchers in the areas of literature, art and science - has increased considerably.
The reality of education in Lebanon reveals an increase in the enrollment rates at all levels of education: primary, secondary and post-secondary. And while Lebanon has witnessed an almost equal enrollment rate for women and men, and despite the positive trends outlined above, this equality of opportunity has not translated into a more diverse choice of specialization for women. In effect, the enrollment rate of girls in vocational education remains low, and their enrollment in the faculties of mathematics, physics, sciences and chemistry is still minor compared to their male counterparts. Furthermore, some girls continue to be influenced by prevalent values and customs that do not encourage or support women's role as an economic agent or as a primary breadwinner. In fact, these values and traditions are more influential then some of the laws related to the promotion of gender equality.
There is also a growing trend that higher education for women is regarded as a means to obtain a personal education, that is, studying to get a university degree is a period paving the way for marriage, rather than a preparatory step towards a professional career. The gap between higher education and specialization obtained, and the translation of that degree into a profession and full-time employment is still most evident. Needless to say, this reality also limits the women's competitiveness vis-à-vis men in the labor market.
Furthermore, for those women who do enter the labor force, many women find it difficult to balance and fulfill both professional and domestic responsibilities due to the lack of much needed social services. As a result, women are compelled to accept part-time and nominal jobs that have restricted hours, and often limited intellectual and physical requirements. This trend is clearly reflected in women's predominant presence in the administrative and general service professions.
There are also other difficulties that persist - the traditional attitude of parents and the society at large towards women's work; the pressure on women to marry early and not to work after marriage; the dedication of domestic chores to young girls; the low level of vocational rehabilitation and training for working women; the current high level of unemployment; and finally, the prejudiced laws that don't ensure women's equal opportunities in work, wages, and promotion. As a result, the Lebanese women do not have a real chance to access executive, legal and judicial decision-making spheres.
Some statistics cited in the National Report about the Situation of Women in Lebanon for the Year 2000 demonstrates women's limited participation in decision-making at different levels:
Members of Parliament: 3 women out of 128 MPs Ambassadors: 2 women out of 53 Ambassadors Director General: 3 women out of 22 Directors Generals Dean in the Lebanese University: one woman out of 13 Deans Members of the Municipal Council: 139 women out of 1022 members Mayors: 2 women The Teachers' Union: one woman out of 12 board members The Secondary Teachers' Union: 2 women out of 18 board members - The Engineers Union: no woman in the union's board
- The Physicians Order: no woman in the union's board
- The Pharmacists Order: one woman was twice elected as its President
- The Dentists Order: one woman was once elected as its President
- The Bar Association: 2 women in the board
- Judge in the State Consultative Council: 6 women out of 365 judges
- Judge in the Judicial Court: 18% of the 365 judges
The Lebanese woman has also suffered enormously during the recent aggressions in South Lebanon, and was The Lebanese woman has also suffered enormously during the recent aggressions in South Lebanon, and was often the victim. Many women have also endured displacement and/or lost their husbands and therefore, become the sole breadwinner for their families. Most of the women have suffered tremendous sacrifices before and after the civil war. Nevertheless, the woman remains the fundamental factor in the preservation of the family unit and its solidarity. She enriches Lebanon's heritage and history with her heroism, martyrdom, struggle and courage in defending her land and nation.
Undoubtedly, the difficult circumstances that Lebanon underwent present notable barriers to women's advancement in the various sectors and fields. Sex discrimination still constitutes a violation of the principle of equality in rights and the respect of the human dignity. However, still today discrimination impedes the Lebanese woman from taking full part in her country's life; hampers the prosperity and development of the family; and complicates her empowerment in the service of her country and its development.
On the level of civil action, the Lebanese women have demonstrated their presence and offered many important services. Since the beginning of the twentieth century, the women's movement has mobilized and gathered its experience and expertise in the interest of social development, as well as achieving just and balanced gender equality.
The 1990s have been characterized by the preparation of the Beijing Fourth World Conference on Women in 1995 that represented a substantial and global change in the interest of women's affairs not only on the feminist level, but also in the cultural, social and educational bodies and unions. A firm conviction emerged and confirmed the necessity and inevitability of change, especially in the attitude of society, in order to transform the prevailing thoughts and behavior patterns that are based on stereotypes as to the image, distribution of roles and responsibilities of women and men.
After the preparation and participation in the Fourth World Conference on Women, the official and civil committees formulated the Lebanese Women's National Strategy in 1996, in the light of the Beijing Platform for Action. The main objective of the strategy was to reflect and synthesize the main concerns of Lebanese women and their future advancement in various areas, and to link these efforts to the international development process.
It is also worth noting the creative role of women in the different artistic fields. Women writers address great issues such as freedom, love and nationhood (its geographical and human dimensions). In the various literary fields, women are particularly active and have had numerous prosaic and poetic publications. These publications highlight the situation of Lebanese women and promote their development through future visions that confirm and safeguard the human being and its entity. One should not forget the theater and the many plays that were written, acted and/or directed by women. In addition to literature, women participate in painting, music and singing through expositions and theater performances. On the whole, they make significant contributions to the promotion of life and the refinement of the public awareness and taste.
In the area of manual skills, women are active in the organization of exhibitions for handicraft arts. As a result, women have achieved a number of important goals: the esthetical goal; the creation of job opportunities; the revival of the patrimony; the marketing of their products; the activation of the local economy; and the revival of selected industries (some of them being tied to the heritage).
In the beginning of the twentieth century, the aspirations and ambitions of the Lebanese women are numerous. Through official and civil institutions, women are seeking to include their cause in the public interest sphere of civil society, and to place it in the framework of comprehensive and integrated development, tied to human rights. The vision of reform and progress can be built only on the basis of the inter-linkages between women and men in all areas of life, and in facing their common destiny together.
Some of the most important aspirations Lebanese women are pursuing are as follows: - To achieve important policies and measures for women and their families where the dignity of the family and motherhood requires balanced rights and obligations.
- To empowering women and promote their potentials through education, training, rehabilitation and literacy. The Lebanese women have many ambitions, the most important being to enlarge the scope of education; to improve its levels; to implement compulsory and free education; and to encourage girls to enroll in technical, industrial, and agricultural fields. Once these ambitions are achieved, women will benefit from a greater equality of opportunities in work and production.
- To activate her participation in political decision-making. The real participation takes shape through mutual conviction - between men and women - in joint and integrated action; contributing to political decision-making; and influencing the decision-making centers at all levels.
- To formulate a media strategy to increase awareness of issues and priorities related to women's advancement and empowerment. The media participation and advocacy in the service of national development and the promotion of the women's role is a national cause and should be placed at the core of the educational, cultural and economic policies.
- To review legislation related to women and the family amending laws that continue to discriminate. It is necessary to amend some prejudiced laws, and reality confirms the profound gap prevailing among the various texts and legislation, and the effective practices vis-à-vis women. Generally, men and women are not adequately aware of women's rights stipulated in the legislation, laws and international agreements. It is thus necessary to follow-up with legal education and awareness in order to amend existing laws and make new ones, as well as to change the traditional mentality.
- To enable women to protect the environment and manage environmental resources.
- To achieve gender equality in the economic sphere, especially as related to access to credit opportunities; benefiting from social funds; and creating a mechanism to face economic challenges and globalization's effects.
- To establish and promote efficient institutional mechanisms and social awareness in order to find a solution to violence against women.
- To enhance the tenacity of the Lebanese woman; to strengthen her belief in her country in facing the Israeli occupation and aggression; to support her belief in a just peace that respects the human-being and the right to live with dignity and security. Prepared by Dr. Aman Kabbara Chaarani Head of the Planning and Studies Committee of the National Commission.
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