Few weeks after the Lebanese parliamentarian elections, the United Nations Development Programme (UNDP) and the Council of Development and Reconstruction (CDR) launched the National Human Development Report for Lebanon (NHDR) entitled “Toward a Citizen’s State”. The launching ceremony, which took place on Tuesday 30 June 2009 at the Phoenicia Hotel, brought together an important number of ministers and parliamentarians including H.E Ibrahim Shamseddine, representing the President of the Republic General Michel Sleiman under whose auspices the ceremony was held. Members of diplomatic community, civil society organizations and experts were also present at the ceremony.
“The launch of this report is particularly timely, since Lebanon is still searching for the appropriate formula for national reconciliation and has been living through continuous dialogue sessions in search of agreements that would reinforce partnership, participation, co –existence and political stability” said Ms. Ruedas, adding that the United Nations organizations will also work to support Lebanon’s governmental institutions to implement the national statistical master plan in the coming few years so as to make available credible statistical information in all fields, economic, social and others.”
The information mentioned in this report complements previous surveys that have been conducted until 2004, as the Mapping of Living Conditions (1998), Changes in the Map OF Living Conditions between 1995-2004 (1997) and the Map of Poverty and Living Conditions Survey in Lebanon, 2004 that were produced in 2008 by UNDP in partnership with the Ministry of Social Affairs and the Central Administration of Statistics.
H.E Minister Shamseddine said that this report is an important resource to understand economic, social and political development. “The citizen’s state needs a real reform plan that brings together all the Lebanese.”
H.E Minister Hariri stressed the major and important role of Non governmental organizations and institutions in the civic development.
Presenting new statistical information, this report shapes debate on the citizenship in its political, socio-economic and cultural perspectives shedding the light on the different roles of the state, civil society and the private sector.
Citizenship is the primary them of this report which addresses citizenship and the sectarian state, and the relationship of the state, its institutions, its constitution including personal status laws to citizen.
It also focuses on socio-economic citizenship rights and considers social policies from the view-points of citizenship rights and comprehensive social development. In addition to that, the report looks into citizenship, culture, education and communal identities.
After the opening ceremony, the panel that included Dr. Ahmad Baydon, Dr. Kamal Hamdan, Mr. Abbas Beydoun, MP Dr. Ali Fayad and Ministers Baroud and Mitri discussed different mechanisms that that define citizenship and democracy in Lebanon ranging from the role of the state, poverty, social problems to cultural, political and socio-economic concepts of citizenship.
Insisting on the importance of this report, and the way it approaches sectarianism, Me Baroud, explained that it doesn’t present a magic solution but it works on joining many concepts and values shared by the Lebanese community.”
H.E Minister Mitri shared opinions with Me. Baroud, emphasizing on the shared common values and the cultural differences between the Lebanese. “The cultural citizenship is a set of principles and values that draws a framework for dealing with different kinds of conflicts”
It is worth mentioning that this fourth National Human Development Report is the result of a three years participatory approach that joined together 150 academics, experts and policy makers in different fields over roundtables discussions and brainstorming sessions.