A seminar on women’s rights and Nationality at the Human Rights Centre of the Beirut Arab University

The Human Rights Centre are the Beirut Arab University organised yesterday a seminar on opportunities and challenges for gender equality in Lebanon, in collaboration with the EU delegation in Lebanon, and with the participation of the EU ambassador, Angelina Eichhorst, and 250 students from different faculties.  The President of the BAU, Amr Jalal Al-Adaoui, highlighted in his keynote address the role that BAU is playing in supporting human rights and women’s rights especially via the University’s human rights centre, the establishment of a women’s studies diploma and the legal unit where students provide support to vulnerable groups in defending their rights.
The director of the BAU human rights centre, Omar Houry, spoke of women’s rights to grant their nationality according to the Lebanese Constitution.  He noted that there are some 18,000 Lebanese women married to non-nationals but there are no exact statistics about the number of their children.  He also pointed out to the injustice facing these families especially in relation to their right to education, health, employment and other aspects of life.  The seminar also included speeches by the Austrian ambassador to Lebanon, Ms. Ursula Fahringer and Lawyer Leila Awada representing Kafa association.
Source: Al-Mustaqbal 5 December 2013