Women… Bring Back Love!

I thought you would never know my fears… My darkness and those places in between… Battered, rejected, ignored, undeserving of your sight Voiceless, locked under armors of discipline and social politeness Motionless, restrained movements, tied up with dos and don’ts Separated from within: soul, mind, and body Ripped away from the inner self How can […]

Votre persévérance portera ses fruits

Le 8 mars, partout dans le monde, est souvent confondu avec la journée de la femme. En fait, c’est la journée des droits des femmes, car malgré tout un arsenal de lois et de mesures censées assurer l’égalité-hommes dans de nombreux pays, le combat est encore à mener. En France, mon pays, avec la crise, […]

Join the Fight for Legal Equality, Protection and Social Change

“What I admire most about Lebanese women rights’ defenders is their creativity and inventiveness. I hope that more and more women and men will join the fight for legal equality, protection and social change.” [hr] VISIT NIINA’S FACEBOOK PAGE: https://www.facebook.com/aGirlWalkingThroughTheMiddleEast   

Femme, renais de tes cendres!

On t’a nommée : le sexe faible, Puis le beau sexe par euphémisme sournois. On t’a cristallisée On t’a imaginée Sylphide, égérie, mère… Et l’on a oublié que tu étais avant tout Femme ! Femme quand tu te déshabilles pour faire l’amour, Femme quand tu souris pour la vie, Femme quand ton intelligence éclate comme des bourgeons, […]

Every Woman/Human Being Makes a Difference

“International Women’s Day” (March 8) will be celebrated this year in many countries around the world, including Lebanon and Western Asia. This Day recognizes women for their achievements, their struggles and their diversity. It is also an occasion for looking ahead to the untapped potential and opportunities that await future generations of women, while diligently reminding […]

A New Feminist Wave in Lebanon or the Path to Democratization

The study of Feminist/Women’s movements not only contributes to our understanding of women’s experiences of political and social change, but also helps to bridge the gaps between local activism and feminist theory. Feminist claims and organizations in Lebanon and most Western Asian countries are not new, and credit for the growth of new Feminisms must […]

My 10 points to the Lebanese Political ‘Intelligentsia’: This is the Time to wear you Gender Equality Hat!

1-      Lebanon is not “one of the best places for a woman to be” – in fact, it is “one of the worst”. According to the Global Gender Gap Report 2013, Lebanon’s rank is 123 out of 136 countries. Discrimination against women and girls – including gender-based violence, domestic violence, economic (in the labor market, women […]

Oh dear Jackie what have you done?

Let me start by saying that as a Middle Eastern 22-year-old I always take a bit of pride being from a country that is more liberated and open than its counterparts. Some name(d) it the Switzerland of the Middle East, others the Paris of the Middle East. Well, for me, Lebanon is just Lebanon. I […]

Voile (à Shaima Jastaina)

Oh toi, tourbillon insoutenable sous les couches sublimes Que la marque de la bête dessine Autour de tes forces liquides Où la vérité se donne en murmures fous de joie. Ma peau se fait l’histoire de ta folie Qui ébranle leur monde à chaque instant du texte Et étrangle l’Un au pied du logos repris […]

Et si c'était moi Roula Yaacoub…

Et si c’était moi Roula Yaacoub? Et si c’était toi? Ta fille? Ta mère? Ta soeur? Ta cousine? Ta tante?… Battues à mort… Roula Yaacoub était une femme dite ‘ordinaire’, qui vivait dans une maison ‘anodine’ et qui menait une vie simple qu’elle sacrifiait pour le bien-être des ses cinq filles. Evidemment, Roula n’était pas […]