Navigating Cultural Norms and Gender Barriers in Lebanon and the MENA Region
The cultural landscape of Lebanon, like much of the MENA region, is deeply rooted in traditions that define women’s roles both in society and the workplace. Despite global conversations around gender equality and women’s empowerment, traditional patriarchal beliefs continue to pose significant challenges to women’s personal and professional growth. These norms often act as an invisible hand that hinders women’s potential, justifying or even intensifying violence and discrimination when women attempt to break through the ‘glass ceilings’ imposed upon them.
A Complex Social Fabric: Lebanon’s Patriarchal Structure
In Lebanon, patriarchal views are reinforced by media narratives, legal frameworks, and sectarian divides, making it challenging for women to advance. Lebanon’s Personal Status laws, for example, contribute to the reinforcement of women’s subordination, while the country’s political and religious leadership structures uphold traditional hierarchies. This context is further exacerbated by global economic sanctions and regional conflicts, which have heightened the prevalence of patriarchal roles and increased both social and workplace violence against women and girls.
The situation varies across Lebanon’s urban and rural settings, where sectarianism and local cultural dynamics shape women’s experiences. In rural areas, traditional values are often stricter, with less space for reform and progressive attitudes. Conversely, in urban settings like Beirut, where exposure to diverse ideologies is more common, there’s a slight easing of norms, though this doesn’t imply an absence of patriarchal constraints.
Evolving Perceptions and Persistent Challenges
The perception of women in Lebanon has evolved incrementally over the years, with more women entering various professional fields. However, this progress is often marred by resistance to reforms perceived as ‘Western-influenced.’ Calls for gender reforms and rights for non-heteronormative gender identities face strong backlash, suggesting that while there’s a surface-level acceptance of change, deep-rooted biases remain.
One of the most significant barriers to women’s professional advancement is the enduring perception of gender roles. Economic instability, geopolitical tension, and regional conflicts contribute to narratives that normalize violence against women or deprioritize their rights in the face of ‘more pressing’ national issues. This delicate balance between advancing gender equality and navigating a hostile socio-political landscape means that progress is slow and often fragile.
ABAAD: A Culturally Informed Approach to Gender Equality
Addressing entrenched norms requires a nuanced and culturally sensitive approach. This is where ABAAD, a Lebanon-based NGO focused on gender equality, plays a transformative role. By using a Third World Intersectional Feminist framework, ABAAD has designed holistic programming that is both inspirational and empirically validated. The organization operates as an entity that is inherently part of the cultural fabric, allowing it to challenge patriarchal norms without being dismissed as a foreign influence.
ABAAD’s strategies include interactive programming with beneficiaries and key stakeholders, alongside collaborative efforts with governmental bodies and religious leaders. Campaigns like the groundbreaking “Undress 522 Law” exemplify how ABAAD has successfully influenced legal reforms that protect women. This campaign resulted in the repeal of a law that allowed rapists to escape punishment by marrying their victims—a significant victory for women’s rights in Lebanon.
Cultural Barriers in the Workplace
Even with these successes, significant cultural barriers remain. Historical patriarchal norms still define women’s roles within households and workplaces. Many women face a ‘double shift,’ balancing uncompensated domestic responsibilities with professional roles. This reality is further complicated by Lebanon’s dire economic situation, where the necessity of multiple income-generating households has, by default, pushed more women into the workforce. However, this economic shift is often not accompanied by a change in the underlying power dynamics, leading to hostile and sometimes violent environments that women must navigate to sustain their newfound economic roles.
In this complex environment, silence in the face of harassment is common, as speaking out could jeopardize the limited professional opportunities available. This silence is often a matter of survival, with women risking retaliation from male colleagues, supervisors, or even family members. Such a precarious position is even more pronounced for refugee and displaced women, who face compounded vulnerabilities due to their socio-economic status.
Creating Change: The Role of NGOs in Shaping Gender Equality
In the absence of functional, non-corrupt governance structures, NGOs like ABAAD have become the torchbearers of cultural change. Their role is not just to provide services and support for victims of gender-based violence but also to advocate for systemic and structural reforms. By leveraging their local identities and cultural knowledge, these organizations can effectively counter narratives that frame gender equality as a foreign agenda.
ABAAD’s culturally informed strategies allow it to propose an alternative vision for a gender-equal Lebanon—one that is rooted in the country’s own traditions and social norms but reimagined through a feminist lens. This unique positionality enables ABAAD to navigate Lebanon’s complex political and religious landscape, engaging with stakeholders across the spectrum, from religious leaders to governmental officials.
Positive Cultural Shifts: A Double-Edged Sword
There have been some positive shifts in the cultural acceptance of women in professional roles, driven by necessity rather than ideology. For instance, Lebanon’s economic crisis has forced many families to rely on women’s incomes, creating a temporary acceptance of women’s employment. Yet, these shifts are often seen as temporary adjustments rather than lasting changes in societal attitudes. As a result, women may gain economic power without fundamentally altering the patriarchal structure that governs family and social life.
This duality is particularly evident in sectors like healthcare, education, and NGOs, where women are more readily accepted in professional roles but still face discrimination and harassment. Despite the challenges, ABAAD’s efforts, such as engaging with male allies and training employers on gender sensitivity, are slowly but steadily changing the narrative.
Towards a Gender-Equal Lebanon: A Long Road Ahead
While Lebanon’s journey towards gender equality is fraught with obstacles, the role of organizations like ABAAD cannot be understated. They are not just responding to immediate needs but are actively shaping the discourse and creating a foundation for future reforms. By balancing cultural sensitivities with progressive feminist ideals, ABAAD offers a model for how local NGOs can drive meaningful change in patriarchal societies.
Ultimately, the path to gender equality in Lebanon and the broader MENA region is a long one, requiring persistence, resilience, and a deep understanding of the cultural context. But with organizations like ABAAD leading the way, there is hope that the next generation of women will inherit a society where their rights and roles are not dictated by tradition, but by choice.
