Advocating for Women’s Rights in Lebanon: The Journey of Lina Abou-Habib

Lina Abou-Habib is an advocate for women’s rights in Lebanon, focused on reforming discriminatory laws related to custody and nationality. She highlights the challenges women face, including violence and legal barriers. Through her leadership at the Asfari Institute, she promotes social justice initiatives and aims to shift societal views on gender roles. Her activism has led to significant policy changes, benefiting women and children in Lebanon and beyond.

Lina Abou-Habib, a prominent advocate for women’s rights in Lebanon, is tirelessly addressing gender inequality and aiming to reform laws that penalize women in matters of child custody and residency. Throughout her upbringing in Beirut, she perceived significant discrimination against women, asserting that laws in Lebanon, despite its modern image, are largely unfavorable to women. This situation is particularly evident in custody disputes during divorce, which are typically biased in favor of fathers, leaving mothers in abusive situations fearful of losing their children.

With a commitment to transform unjust laws, Abou-Habib is actively campaigning against the 1925 nationality law that denies Lebanese mothers the ability to pass their citizenship to their children if their partners are foreign. This discriminatory legislation results in their children being treated as aliens in their mother’s country, without access to essential rights like education and professional opportunities. Ms. Abou-Habib has personally experienced this injustice, as her daughter, born in Beirut to a foreign husband, will not acquire Lebanese citizenship.

As director of the Asfari Institute for Civil Society and Citizenship at the American University of Beirut, Abou-Habib promotes social justice initiatives across the Middle East, collaborating with organizations such as U.N. Women on relevant projects. For instance, on International Women’s Day, the institute aimed to host a global conference encouraging women in the medical profession, illustrating Abou-Habib’s commitment to empowering women through education and professional development.

In an interview, Abou-Habib emphasized that the pressing issues women face today in Lebanon and the broader Arab region include violence and societal acceptance of harassment. She called for societal shifts regarding gender perceptions and urged for legal reforms to ensure the dignity and autonomy of women in personal choices such as marriage and motherhood.

To realize these changes, Abou-Habib believes that it is crucial to alter societal mindsets and educational content. Notably, she highlights the stereotypical representation of women in school curricula, which often limits their roles. By showcasing women in diverse professions, she asserts that societal views on women’s capabilities can be transformed.

Abou-Habib’s public activism began in 2000, catalyzing widespread attention on nationality laws through organized demonstrations. The mobilization of media coverage allowed activists to hold politicians accountable, turning a personal grievance into a broader movement for equality. She notes that confronting gender inequality requires breaking the culture of silence and victim-blaming that perpetuates such issues.

Her advocacy has led to significant policy changes, notably the directive that provides residency for children of Lebanese mothers married to non-Lebanese men. This 2010 policy enabled legal residency for these children in Lebanon, reflecting the broader impact of her campaign. Abou-Habib’s efforts have also inspired legislative changes across the region, benefitting women in Egypt, Algeria, and Morocco.

Lina Abou-Habib is at the forefront of advocating for women’s rights in Lebanon and the broader Arab region. Her dedication to reforming discriminatory laws surrounding custody and nationality reflects a profound commitment to empowering women. Through activism and dialogue, she aims to challenge societal perceptions and drive legislative change, ensuring that women are afforded the rights and dignity they deserve.

Original Source: www.nytimes.com