MONA TOUKA

 Libya- Libyan women married to foreign nationals face obstacles in enjoying their citizenship rights. In March 2013, Sheikh Sadiq Al-Ghariani, Libya’s top religious authority, issued a fatwa prohibiting Libyan women from marrying foreign men. In April 2013, the Libyan Ministry of Social Affairs suspended issuing marriage licenses for Libyan women marrying foreigners after Sheikh Sadiq Al-Ghariani called on the government to ban women from marrying foreigners.

Their children forced into complicated procedures to get citizenship

“The children of Libyan women married to non-Libyans may be granted Libyan nationality,” says Article 11 of Law No. (24) of 2010 on provisions of Libyan nationality. However, children of Libyan women are forced into complicated procedures that often lead to statelessness, unless they acquire the nationality of their father. There are about 15,000 Libyan women married to foreign nationals in Libya, according to the data of the government.

Consequently, Libyan women married to foreign nationals and their children face discrimination. International human rights organizations such as Human Rights Watch stress that this practice is discriminatory and deprives children of their education, health care, the right to nationality, or any civil or political rights.

Fatima Abd AL-Celilin faces many challenges since she married a Tunisian man.  “Foreigners must first go through a bureaucratic procedure to marry Libyans. They have to fulfill some official documents. They have to follow this procedure to register their children and get an ID card for their children.”

 ‘We are subjected to bullying in society’

 Fatima Abd AL-Celilin told us that they were subjected to injustice and bullying in society. “We face challenges at hospitals and schools. We and our children are deprived of our rights. Women married to foreign nationals are deprived of their right to health. My children deserve to have rights to health and education.”

Salama Kamis Farac is married to a Sudanese man and has been living in the city of Sabha for 30 years. “My children were given a registration number. They have no ID cards. They are deprived of their right to travel, education, health care and other services.”

‘All people should be equal regardless of their nationality’

Underlining that they face discrimination in all facets of life, she said, “We should be given the opportunity to receive treatment at health centers without discrimination. Libyan Law should be amended so that our children enjoy their rights. All people should be equal regardless of their nationality. Children of Libyan women married to foreign nationals must be granted the right to Libyan nationality.”