Lebanon

77,400 men and women negatively affected by the current Lebanese nationality law

18,000 Lebanese women were married to non-Lebanese men during 14 years (between 1995 – 2008). 41,400 individuals are children of a Lebanese mother. Around 77,400 men and women negatively affected by the current nationality law. The Lebanese law prohibits the Lebanese women from granting their nationality to their spouses and kids in case of marriage to a foreigner. 

These striking figures are some of the results mentioned in the “Predicament of Lebanese Women Married to Non- Lebanese”. This study done jointly by the United Nations Development Programme and the National Committee for the Follow Up on Women’s Issue, was launched on Tuesday 26th of January 2010 at the Phoenicia Hotel under the patronage and in the presence of H.E Me. Ziad Baroud. 

During the same event, the Media Campaign “Towards Amending the Nationality Law in Lebanon” was brought to light to promote the nationality law reform and raise awareness on this discriminatory law. In form of audiovisual and print media, this campaign shows a hand-cuffed baby with the following message: “He’s got the color of his mother’s eyes, her smile, her tenderness…He’s got everything except her nationality”. 

Mr. George Kurdahi, the spokesman of the Nationality campaign also appeared in the TV spot advocating for Women’s right to nationality. “I don’t think that there is any excuse that prohibits the Lebanese women from giving her nationality to her husband and her children. This is one of the fundamental human rights” he said. 

According to Hana Darwish, a Lebanese woman married to a non-Lebanese man, this campaign sheds the light on this issue. “So many women do not know about this subject”. 

A short documentary was also displayed based on testimonies of women and children concerned by the nationality subject, who explained the various problems that they are facing due to the nationality law.

“The problem is essentially political, that’s why the solution should be political” insisted Me Ziad Baroud in his speech. “This subject is the right of all Lebanese”, he added,” they should not only discuss it in the media, but also with political institutions.” 

As for Ms. Marta Ruedas, UNDP Resident Representative, “the Nationality law in Lebanon does not grant women the right to pass their nationality to their husbands and children. This disparity is a fundamental violation of a woman’s rights: of her right to choose, her right to dignity, and, above all, of her right to equality with men”. She added that the study highlights the number of Lebanese women married to non-Lebanese, their children, and their distribution across Lebanon. It also sheds light on the social and economic conditions of women and their husbands, and details the nationalities of the husbands. 

Presenting the major results of the study, chief researcher Dr.Fahima Charaffedine explained that the figures mentioned in the study are available between 1995 and 2008 based on 31 sources of information, namely Ministry of Interior and Municipalities as well as the Islamic and Christian religious courts concerned with civil status in Lebanon and in marriage records. 

“A deliberate sample of households was selected, based on geographical, confessional, social criterions and on the spouses’ nationality” she added. For example: 8.2 % of Muslim women and 2% of Christian women are married to non-Lebanese men. Around 87.5% of the marriage contracts between Lebanese women and non Lebanese men are registered with respect to the Muslims and 12.5% are registered with respect to the Christians. 

Dr. Aman Kabbara Chaarani, president of the National Committee for the Follow up on Women’s Issues, talked about the numerous problems, obstacles and fears that faced Lebanese women married to non Lebanese men. She also believed that nongovernmental organizations, women organizations, media, parliamentarians and ministers should come together and join efforts to make a change concerning the nationality law. 

“My dream and my wish is that my son will be fully granted his rights as a Lebanese citizen”, said Mr. Zuhair El Hakim, a non-Lebanese men married to a Lebanese women. Zuhair and a number of non-Lebanese men and Lebanese women interviewed for the study, participated in the event, and expressed their hopes of granting the Lebanese nationality to their children. 

At the end of the ceremony, participants signed a petition calling Lebanese government to reform the legislative decree No. 15 of January 19, 1925 (Nationality Law) towards equality between men and women. According to this legislative decree, “the government is authorized to adhere to the Convention on the Elimination of All Forms of Discrimination against Women adopted by the United Nations General Assembly on December 18, 1979 provided that Lebanon enters a reservation that it is not bound by Article 9 (2) relating granting women equal rights with men with respect to the nationality of their children.” 

Until date, around 2,628 supporters have signed the petition which can be found online on the following website
http://www.lwrnl.org/index.php?page=supporters and can be also be accessed through the UNDP website.