Daily Star - Kafa Scrutinizes Cabinet's Domestic Violence Draft Law

BEIRUT: Two days after Cabinet approved the draft law to protect women from domestic violence, the organization KAFA Enough Violence and Exploitation held a news conference Thursday to explain the results of the approval. It also met with Justice Minister Ibrahim Najjar for the same purpose. The news conference was held at the Press Federation office and aimed at clarifying the consequences of approving the draft law and discussing future steps for it to be adopted by Parliament. KAFA director Zoya Rouhana spoke in the name of the National Coalition for Legislating the Protection of Women and said the approval of the draft law was the “dream” of abused women. She then praised the efforts of all those who fought for the draft law to be approved, including the Cabinet which “showed sincerity in committing to the 22nd paragraph of its policy statement and to enhancing women’s role in public life.” However, Rouhana stressed that more efforts were needed to abolish domestic violence. Rouhana mentioned the need for national strategies and various policies on several levels including the educational, cultural and health levels.She then addressed the Parliament and hoped it would adopt the draft law as it adopted international treaties. Rouhana referred to Speaker Nabih Berri’s appointment speech in which he stressed the Parliament’s duty to adopt all legislations that guarantee the full participation of women in public life, their protection from violence, and the amendment of all discriminatory laws in Lebanon. Rouhana commented during the meeting on the controversy raised by the draft law. “This draft law puts an end to problems related to the penal code but not linked to personal status laws,” she said. As for Najjar, he emphasized the priority of the draft law and said that he would follow up on its voting in Parliament. “Approving the draft law to protect women from domestic violence faced many challenges but the Cabinet fulfilled its duty,” Najjar said. – The Daily Star