A Century of Injustice: Banque BEMO and the Embassy of Belgium Hold a Conference on Lebanese Mothers’ Right to Pass On Their Nationality to their Children

 Marking the centenary of the 1925 Lebanese Nationality Law - still in force despite the inequalities it perpetuates - Banque BEMO, in partnership with the Embassy of Belgium in Lebanon, organised a national conference entitled “Her Children are Lebanon’s Children” at the École Supérieure des Affaires (ESA). The event aimed to open a national dialogue on a century-old law that continues to deprive Lebanese mothers of the right to pass their nationality to their children, undermining their fundamental rights and those of their families.

The conference was attended by the Ambassador of Belgium to Lebanon, His Excellency Mr Arnout Pauwels; Banque BEMO’s Chairman and General Manager, Dr Riad Obegi; the Minister of Tourism, Her Excellency Mrs Laura Khazen Lahoud; Members of Parliament Paula Yacoubian, Imad Al-Hout and Waddah Sadek; former ministers Nassif Hitti and Ziad Makari; Mrs Jihane Asmar representing MP and Head of Al Kataeb party Sami Gemayel; Mrs Madonna Salameh Ayanian and Mrs Lina Comaty Abou Adal representing the National Commission for Lebanese Women; Mrs Christine Azoury representing the President of the Beirut Bar Mr. Imad Martinos. Also were present representatives from UN Women, UNESCO, and a large number of women’s and social associations, as well as diplomatic, legal, cultural, and educational figures.

Key Remarks

In his address, Dr Riad Obegi affirmed that “the responsibility of institutions extends beyond economics to the very concerns of society,” noting that the nationality law “is not merely an old text from 1925, but a source of suffering for thousands of Lebanese families.”

He stressed that “denying Lebanese women the right to pass on their nationality amounts to an unspoken exile and a form of discrimination that undermines their dignity.”

He added that nationality lies “at the heart of gender equality,” and that maintaining the current law “deprives Lebanon of half of its potential and lacks any economic—or even human—justification.”

Belgian Ambassador Arnout Pauwels emphasised that “a mother’s right to transmit her nationality is a fundamental right, intrinsically linked to human dignity,” recalling that “Article 9 of CEDAW is unequivocally clear.” He noted that “reform is achieved through incentives rather than sanctions, and through open, value-based dialogue,” adding that “conditioning international assistance on nationality-related criteria does not reflect global policy, but underscores the importance of continued discussion.”

Mrs Karima Chabbo, Director of the campaign “My Nationality: A Right for Me and My Family”, stated that “the right to transmit nationality is not merely a legal matter, but a human-rights demand linked to the very notion of citizenship and equality among all Lebanese.” She pointed out that “this reality violates the rights of thousands of women and children who face, every day, the consequences of the existing legal discrimination.” She affirmed that “the violation of the right of even a single woman is enough to make amending the law an urgent legislative, reformist, and national duty that can no longer be delayed,” adding that “when young people are forced to leave Lebanon in search of their right to work, it is not an individual loss, but a loss for the entire nation, which is squandering its potential.” She also emphasized that “the continued feeling among the children of Lebanese mothers that they are not recognized within their own homeland places us before a glaring discrimination that must be ended immediately, in pursuit of justice and equal citizenship.”

Mrs Brigitte Chelebian, founder and director of Justice Without Frontiers, highlighted the “striking contradiction” between Lebanese legislation and international conventions, asserting that reform “is both a legal and ethical obligation.” Equality, she explained, “is not a theoretical concept but a right exercised before the law and through the law.” The accumulation of legal cases, even when not all succeed, “forces the system to acknowledge the problem and move towards change.”

Moderating the discussion, Mrs Joelle Abou Farhat, founder and president of Fifty-Fifty, underlined that “depriving women of their right to transmit their nationality is the core of the issue,” calling for “a bold and honest debate to understand what prevents reform and how to achieve a fair, inclusive solution.”

“This is fundamentally a human issue,” she said, “and both the State and society must shoulder their responsibilities to ensure that no child remains stateless in his or her own country.”

Documentary Screening and Live Testimonies

The event, presented by Mrs Claudine Feghali, Executive Director at Banque BEMO, featured a ten-minute documentary directed by Carole Mansour and showcasing powerful testimonies from Lebanese women married to non-nationals, and from their children. These first-hand accounts shed light on the profound social and legal injustice they endure.

A subsequent open discussion explored the social and legal repercussions of the current law and highlighted lived experiences illustrating its impact on the future of families and young people. Participants proposed avenues for reform aimed at restoring the rights of mothers and their children within a fairer citizenship framework.

The event also featured live testimonies delivered by members of concerned families, who expressed the daily suffering that encapsulates the impact of being denied nationality on education, employment, and belonging.  Myriam Hneineh Maitala, Nathalie Dubot, Nour Fatayerji, and Rodaina Al Najm each spoke, unanimously affirming that “the demand for nationality is not a request for privilege, but a demand for a natural right that grants our children their rightful place in their homeland.” These testimonies reinforced the profound human dimension of the issue, confirming that reform is no longer an individual demand, but a national necessity.

A Lasting Commitment

This event reaffirms Banque BEMO’s ongoing commitment to human rights and social justice, and its dedication to raising national awareness around a century-old law that continues to deny Lebanese mothers a fundamental right. The Bank remains steadfast in supporting initiatives that contribute to building a more just, more conscious and more equitable society, placing human rights at the core of its vision for the future.