BEIRUT: Social Affairs Minister Wael Abu Faour is hoping that more incidents of family violence or denial of access to health care to the disabled will come to the government’s attention with the launch Thursday of a hotline at the ministry.
Abu Faour explained during a news conference at the ministry that the hotline, which is accessible from land lines and mobile phones by dialing 1714, was created as the ministry seeks to become a “suitable [central authority] to handle all social issues in Lebanon,” be “in direct contact with people” and allow them to share “comments, complaints and suggestions.”
He said the case of Ibrahim, 8, who lives in Taamir outside the Ain al-Hilweh Palestinian refugee camp, and who was recently tortured severely by his apparent foster father, prompted the ministry to set up the hotline.
Abu Faour believes there are “many other similar cases across Lebanon … that no one informs us of,” and he encouraged people hearing about such incidents to inform the ministry so it may take action. He also noted that calls to the hotline were confidential.
Abu Faour said the idea was also motivated by the issue of disabled people’s access to health care. According to the law on the disabled and as the ministry reiterated recently, people suffering from disabilities should be granted free access to health care in hospitals, but many have complained the decision wasn’t implemented properly.
Abu Faour acknowledged a “lack of commitment and respect” for the law in this matter, and urged the disabled to use the hotline to report hospitals not abiding by the decision, vowing to follow up on the issue. “We will give the disabled the right to health care,” he insisted.
“I know there are many social demands and needs the people have not been able to inform the ministry about,” he continued, adding he wanted to give a “national dimension” to these priority issues.
The hotline, running from “early morning to 10 p.m.” will transfer complaints and comments to the relevant ministry departments.
On a different topic, Abu Faour expressed his disappointment that the question of Syrian refugees in the country was being addressed as a political issue and not as a humanitarian one.
“The Lebanese state has a duty toward these Syrians, [and should deal with them] without any political considerations,” he said.
He added his ministry had no authority in the matter and hadn’t been tasked with any role by the Cabinet, which delegated the United Nations High Commission for Refugees to provide assistance to some 3,500 refugees currently residing in the country.
“We can’t give them aspirin … but we can give them moral support,” he said, adding that some of the ministry’s employees worked with UNHCR, but under its authority.
He hoped “things will get back to normal” in Syria and move toward “national unity, democracy and reforms.”
Abu Faour explained during a news conference at the ministry that the hotline, which is accessible from land lines and mobile phones by dialing 1714, was created as the ministry seeks to become a “suitable [central authority] to handle all social issues in Lebanon,” be “in direct contact with people” and allow them to share “comments, complaints and suggestions.”
He said the case of Ibrahim, 8, who lives in Taamir outside the Ain al-Hilweh Palestinian refugee camp, and who was recently tortured severely by his apparent foster father, prompted the ministry to set up the hotline.
Abu Faour believes there are “many other similar cases across Lebanon … that no one informs us of,” and he encouraged people hearing about such incidents to inform the ministry so it may take action. He also noted that calls to the hotline were confidential.
Abu Faour said the idea was also motivated by the issue of disabled people’s access to health care. According to the law on the disabled and as the ministry reiterated recently, people suffering from disabilities should be granted free access to health care in hospitals, but many have complained the decision wasn’t implemented properly.
Abu Faour acknowledged a “lack of commitment and respect” for the law in this matter, and urged the disabled to use the hotline to report hospitals not abiding by the decision, vowing to follow up on the issue. “We will give the disabled the right to health care,” he insisted.
“I know there are many social demands and needs the people have not been able to inform the ministry about,” he continued, adding he wanted to give a “national dimension” to these priority issues.
The hotline, running from “early morning to 10 p.m.” will transfer complaints and comments to the relevant ministry departments.
On a different topic, Abu Faour expressed his disappointment that the question of Syrian refugees in the country was being addressed as a political issue and not as a humanitarian one.
“The Lebanese state has a duty toward these Syrians, [and should deal with them] without any political considerations,” he said.
He added his ministry had no authority in the matter and hadn’t been tasked with any role by the Cabinet, which delegated the United Nations High Commission for Refugees to provide assistance to some 3,500 refugees currently residing in the country.
“We can’t give them aspirin … but we can give them moral support,” he said, adding that some of the ministry’s employees worked with UNHCR, but under its authority.
He hoped “things will get back to normal” in Syria and move toward “national unity, democracy and reforms.”
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