Mauj: Providing Arab Women with the Tools to Reclaim One’s Body & Self
Note from the team: Ever since we were little girls, we were made to understand – both directly and indirectly- that our bodies were not necessarily ours. They were society’s to judge and control; a vessel determining our worth and our family’s reputation. The term female sexual health was a foreign term, and the concept […]
Omgyno: Making sexual and reproductive health more accessible for women in Lebanon and beyond
Note from the team: In the past few years, many activists, collectives, and organizations have risen to fight for access to sexual and reproductive health services, previously considered as taboo topics in various parts of the world. Omgyno, a social enterprise that follows a holistic approach to facilitate the provision of menstrual, sexual, and […]
The Sisyphean March to Arab Freedom
A young protester carries a placard that reads, “The future of our children is not more important than our future,” during the October 2019 Revolution in Lebanon. This strong message calls out the government’s incompetence and the critical need for transformative change in the country. October 20, 2019. Photo courtesy of Cynthia Ghoussoub. If we […]
Closing the Funding Gap: Challenges Faced by Female STEM Researchers
Sliman Mansour, The Immigrant, oil on canvas, 2017. As I embarked on my undergraduate degree in mechanical engineering at Birzeit University in 2014, I was struck by the under-representation of women in my field. In a class of over 70 students, I was one of just four women. I faced persistent stereotypes and dismissive comments […]
Married Women & Registry Records in Lebanon: A Tale of Forced Submission
Feature photo credits: Photo Courtesy of Emma Jowdy I was always seeking love. I followed it the way a sunflower followed the sun. When I found it, I held it tight, the way a toddler hangs to his mother’s skirt. I fought all odds for it and to live a life true to myself. […]
Can Lebanon’s Winds of Change Extend to Prison Reform?: A Discussion with “Second Wind” Directors Nessim Stevenson and Tariq Keblaoui
Foreword: In a fabric of collapsing infrastructures, the daily challenges endured by former prison inmates in Lebanon often go untold. Many inmates charged with nonviolent crimes are indiscriminately housed in overcrowded prisons across the country for durations that far exceed their sentences due to significant delays to the tribunal process. Even after their release, former […]
Women’s Rights and Gender Equality in Lebanon: Denying the Basic Right of Nationality
The inability of Lebanese women to confer their nationality to their spouses and children not only denies them their basic human rights, but also deprives their families, who are subsequently left without citizenship rights. These include the right to education, healthcare, property, and employment, often leading to psychological consequences and a possible dismantling of the family unit.
Pride Month in Lebanon: Celebrating, Mourning, and Remembering
Author’s note: In honor of June being Pride Month, I (virtually) sat down with Karim Nammour, Lary BS, Sasha Elijah, and Sinine Nakhle to discuss the challenges, issues, and successes faced by the LGBTQ+ community in Lebanon on both an individual and community level. They come from different backgrounds and careers, ranging from legal experts […]
Women’s Rights and Gender Equality in Lebanon: An Introduction
Feature photo credits: Hundreds of women and men march together to mark International Women’s Day, in Beirut, March 8, 2020. Cynthia Maria Aramouni Credits: The viral screengrab of “Kick Queen” Malak Alawiye striking the armed bodyguard of former Education Minister Akram Chehayeb during the first few days following the anti-government protests that erupted on October […]
The Elephant in the Room: Confronting Lebanon’s Relationship with Migrant Workers
Author’s note: Growing up in a family that has immigrated teaches you wonderful things about the world from a very young age. I’d like to share a memory from my childhood. When I was a young boy, maybe 8 or 9, my mother would often take me with her to her workplace. Her supervisor at […]