A Conference on Human Trafficking was held at BAU
In the presence and under the auspices of the Minister of Justice Prof. Ibrahim Najjar, the Faculty of Law and Political Sciences and the Human Rights Center at Beirut Arab University in cooperation with Johns Hopkins University, organized a conference under the title of: “Human Trafficking in Lebanon, Partnership between the State and Civil Society” on the 3rd and the 4th of January 2011 at 9:00 a.m. in Jamal Abdul Nasser Hall in Beirut campus. The event was attended by Mrs. Amal Haddad, President of Beirut Bar Association, Dr. Mohamad Matar, the Executive Director of the Protection Project at Johns Hopkins University, Dr. Mohamad Majzoub, Head of the General International Law Department at Beirut Arab University, Mrs. Ghada Ibrahim representing the President of the Bar Association in Tripoli, Mr. Toufic Houry, Head of the Board of Trustees of Wakf Al Birr and Al Ihsan, Prof. Amr Galal El Adawi, President of Beirut Arab University, Mr. Issam Houri, Secretary General of Beirut Arab University deans of Faculties, staff members in addition to some interested lawyers and Judges. In his speech, Prof. Najjar emphasized the importance of human trafficking as a critical issue stating that this phenomenon is embodied in the different forms of social life especially violence against women. He stated that the Ministry of Justice has been attempting, since May 2010, to make the sanctions against family violence more effective. Mrs. Amal Haddad affirmed that the Lebanese laws have never been an aide in the development of this sector despite the fact that Lebanon signed the United Nations Protocol Agreement to avoid and to suppress human trafficking. She assumed that the main reasons behind this issue are social and economic in addition to the weakness of the legislations and preventive measures. Prof. Amr Galal El Adawi mentioned that this conference is one of a series of conferences intended to be organized at BAU based on the importance of this issue and in keeping with BAU's a mission to spread awareness among individuals in the community. Prof. Hafiza El Haddad, Dean of Faculty of Law and Political Sciences, stated that the Faculty has chosen this issue as it is related to many debates in the field and thereby it has to be highlighted to preserve personal and social welfare. After the opening ceremony, several discussion sessions were held whereby all relevant issues in the field were raised in the presence of specialized professors and interested audience.