MESA Banner
Activism for Women's Rights in Lebanon
Abstract by Dr. Rita Stephan On Session 057  (Mapping Arab Women's Movements)

On Friday, November 19 at 02:00 pm

2010 Annual Meeting

Abstract
Women's organizations in Lebanon have indirectly made a breakthrough in the strong triangular alliance between the state, religion and the family. Acting as political agents of social change, they followed nonconfrontational, although not passive, strategies to mobilize immanently within the traditional social structures. Using personal interviews with representatives from fourteen women advocacy groups, participant observations of meetings and campaigns, and content analysis of organizational reports and activists' publications, I examine in this paper the strategies that Lebanese activists apply in advocating for women's rights and recognitions. I first highlight the socio-historical context within which women's rights organizations set their goals, agendas and strategies. Then, I offer a historical overview of women's activism in Lebanon and the development of advocacy groups from charitable activities. Third, I present a typology of the various current organizations with a discussion of their issues and goals. I finally explore how women's rights organizations have bridged socio-cultural differences to build coalitions with other social actors in Lebanon and to construct their movement's identity as a democratic movement for gender justice internationally.
Discipline
Sociology
Geographic Area
Lebanon
Sub Area
Gender/Women's Studies