NCLW head justifies discriminatory nationality law bill

The head of the National Commission for Lebanese Women NCLW, Claudine Aoun Rukuz, held a press conference yesterday to justify the draft bill prepared by NCLW and referred to the Cabinet recently. Recalling, that the said proposal has provoked anger for promoting discrimination against women https://bit.ly/2WtVDmd). Aoun said the law which draws a line between underage children and adults in terms of their right to get the citizenship does not discriminate between siblings! Instead, it takes into consideration the fears and concerns about state security, she said, adding, that countries experiencing political turmoil should take all necessary measures to find a proper solution to the problem. Aoun said one should differentiate between the natural right of the Lebanese woman to confer nationality to her children based on the principle of equality granted by the Constitution, and naturalization and permanent settlement. It is a matter of acknowledging the right of a mother to give nationality to her children. Justifying the deprivation of Lebanese women married to non-Lebanese from their right to confer citizenship to their children so as to not upset the sectarian balance, is not substantial, Aoun maintained. Figures confirm that the number of Lebanese men who register their marriages to non-Lebanese women largely outweigh the number of Lebanese women married to non-Lebanese, she explained. The current law promotes naturalization through mixed marriages between Lebanese men and non-Lebanese women who eventually receive the Lebanese citizenship, Aoun noted. It is urgent to highlight the important role the mother plays in imparting values, language and culture of her country to her kids. (Al Akhbar, May 30, 2019)

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