The Gaza War Resurges and Attempts to Silence Independent Media in Lebanon
March in Lebanon witnessed the most violent attacks on some independent media outlets, particularly on two platforms that are partners of the Qarib program: Daraj Media and Megaphone. This was based on the reports filed against them, which were based on the files the two platforms are working to open regarding corruption cases in Lebanon and the continued dilution of financial reform by proposing the names of some high-ranking positions that announced their intention to write off the deposits of Lebanese citizens, rather than confirming their protection. This is an issue that affects hundreds of thousands of Lebanese.
Statements of solidarity with the two platforms were issued, particularly from many media outlets and institutions in the Arab world.
The Return of War in Gaza
“The ceasefire in the Gaza Strip had barely 57 days passed before we returned to the nightmare of war. We returned once again to dangerous conditions, evacuation, and displacement. All of this is accompanied by a lack of protection and safe shelters, in addition to the collapse of all services, including internet, energy, and fuel.
Working in this environment poses significant risks. On the one hand, it does not guarantee journalists the necessary protection to work in a dangerous conflict zone, where dozens of journalists have been killed and injured, and others arrested, amid enormous challenges.
In light of the dominance and tyranny of the political approach to the course of the war and its repercussions, solutions related to the marginalized groups of civilians who pay a heavy price in this war are fading. Therefore, journalistic work for us at “Akher Qissa” becomes, above all, a moral responsibility to preserve the voices of vulnerable groups and defend their rights, especially women, children, people with disabilities, and the elderly, including the right to life, security, stability, housing, health, equality, and social justice, in addition to civil and political rights.
International Women’s Day
March is also Women’s and Mothers’ Month. This month, specifically on March 8, the world celebrates International Women’s Day, an occasion to affirm women’s right to equality and justice in the law, free from any discrimination or exclusion.
To mark the occasion, the Qareeb program organized a dialogue within “Qareeb Talks” entitled
How have developments in the region affected the reality of women? What is the role of independent media? Participating in the discussion were:
· Hayat Mershad, Editor-in-Chief of the “Shareka Wa Lakin” platform Feminism in Lebanon
Tala Al Sharif, Founder of the “Chimera Women” Platform in Palestine
Lina Al Shawaf, Executive Director of Rozana Media, Syria
Marwa Abed, Lawyer and Activist from Iraq
Nour Rodan from the “Sada Podcast” Platform, Jordan
The session addressed the status of women in countries experiencing wars and political crises and how these developments have led to a significant decline in the reality of women, especially in refugee camps, in addition to the continued maintenance of personal status laws that deprive women of their most basic rights without any amendments despite all attempts.
From the “Daraj Media” platform, this podcast discusses how the status of women has declined year after year, the continuation of discrimination against them, and how society continues to associate women with men, whether brothers, fathers, or Coming soon…
And about Mother’s Day, this story by the Chimera women about the suffering of Palestinian mothers at Israeli checkpoints in the West Bank, especially when they are accompanied by their children The fear that grips mothers and children alike in the face of a daily danger that threatens everyone who passes through these checkpoints…
In the West Bank, settler attacks on residents of Palestinian villages and cities continued, and the Palestine News Network platform excelled in covering these developments, including this report from Hebron about the experience of popular resistance by young men from villages south of Hebron to secure residents’ rights to their lands.
From Jordan, the “Habr” platform followed up on the topic of rebuilding what was destroyed by the Israeli war on Lebanon through an article about the absence of the Lebanese state, which opened the way for individual initiatives.
The topic of reconstruction was also covered by the Manateq Net platform in Lebanon through an in-depth article on this topic that looks back at the experience of previous wars in Lebanon.
In Iraq, our partners continued The Ezidi 24 platform produces content related to individual women’s initiatives, including this illustrated story about a virgin from the village of Batnaya in Nineveh Governorate and an individual initiative aimed at enhancing the reality of her village.
Also from Iraq and from the “Awina” platform, there is an inspiring story about the end of female circumcision, which was previously a major concern in Dohuk Governorate, as a result of increased cultural awareness and the application of Anti-violence laws in the Kurdistan Region.
