Discriminatory decision of Lebanese Rectorate sparks outrage: “Everyone should be equal”
The Lebanese Rectorate and Ministry of Education and Higher Education decided to demand foreign currency from foreign students studying in Lebanon. According to the decision, Lebanese women, who cannot obtain Lebanese nationality because they are married to a foreign national, will have to give foreign currency to the state. The decision sparks outrage in the country and a campaign has been launched in the country against the decision with the motto, “Everyone should be equal.”
CAROLINE BAZZI
Beirut – If you are a woman married to a foreign national in Lebanon, you cannot obtain Lebanese nationality. You also face much other discrimination. If your children want to study at universities in Lebanon, you will have to pay the school fees in foreign currency because you are married to a foreign national. According to the latest decision taken by the Lebanese Rectorate and signed by the Ministry of Education and Higher Education, foreign students, including students having a foreign father, studying in Lebanon have to pay their school fees in foreign currency. The decision sparks outrage in the country and a campaign has been launched in the country against the decision with the motto, “Everyone should be equal.” Karima Shabo, one of the campaigners, spoke to our news agency about the decision.
“Equality should be ensured for everyone”
All decisions made by the political authority affect women negatively; Karima Shabo said that the decision taken by the rectorate and signed by the ministry did not surprise them. “We are against this unfair decision. We don’t accept any kind of discrimination. Equality should be ensured for everyone,” she told us.
“Rights are violated”
The decision will affect foreign students studying in Lebanon, Karima Shabo said, “The students having a foreign father will also affect this decision since Lebanese women married to a foreign national cannot obtain Lebanese nationality. Lebanese students pay 250,000 Lebanese pounds, while a student born to a Lebanese mother and foreign father pays more than a million Lebanese pounds. This is discrimination and the rights of students are violated. The decision taken by the rectorate and signed by the ministry has further increased the violations of students’ rights.”
“We launched a campaign”
Karima Shabo told us they launched a campaign against this discrimination, “Right after the announcement of the decision, we launched a campaign to tell people how the decision discriminates the rights. Lebanese women married to a foreign national demand a new decision to be taken in order to put their children in the same category as other Lebanese children. The authorities are unconcerned with the situation. The ruling party continues to practice its discriminatory policies against women.”