Her Children are Lebanon’s Children
A Century of Injustice: Banque BEMO & the Embassy of Belgium Open a National Dialogue on Lebanese Mothers’ Right to Pass On Their Nationality to their Children.
Banque BEMO, in partnership with the Embassy of Belgium in Lebanon, held a national conference entitled “Her Children are Lebanon’s Children” at ESA BUSINESS SCHOOL, marking 100 years of the 1925 Nationality Law — a law that remains in force and continues to deny Lebanese mothers the right to pass their nationality to their children.
The event gathered Ambassador Arnout Pauwels, Banque BEMO Chairman & GM Dr Riad Obegi, Minister of Tourism Laura Al-Khazen Lahoud, MPs Paula Yacoubian, Imad Al-Hout and Waddah Sadek, former ministers, representatives of the National Commission for Lebanese Women, leading NGOs, academics and legal experts.
Dr. Riad Obegi stressed that institutions have a duty that goes beyond economics: “Denying a mother her right to transmit nationality is an unspoken exile and a form of discrimination that undermines her dignity. This law deprives Lebanon of half its potential and lacks any economic or human justification.”
Ambassador Arnout Pauwels reaffirmed that the right of mothers to transmit their nationality is a fundamental human right, clearly upheld by CEDAW Article 9.
Mrs. Karima Chebbo, director of the campaign “My Nationality, A Right for Me and My Family”, highlighted the daily reality faced by thousands of women and children, adding: “One woman harmed is enough to make reform a necessity.”
Mrs. Brigitte Chelebian , founder of Justice Without Frontiers, underscored the contradiction between Lebanese law and international conventions, affirming that reform is a legal and ethical obligation.
Moderating the discussion, Mrs. Joelle Abou Farhat , founder of Fifty-Fifty, called for a bold and honest debate to achieve a fair solution that ensures equality without exception.
The conference also featured a short documentary with powerful testimonies from Lebanese women married to non-Lebanese and their children — voices describing a lived injustice that affects education, work, and the sense of belonging.
The message was clear: claiming nationality is not asking for privilege, but for a natural right that allows every child to find their rightful place in their own country.
This event reflects Banque BEMO’s continued commitment to human rights, justice, and societal awareness, and to supporting initiatives that build a more equitable and inclusive Lebanon.
