Bound by religion and tradition, the odds are stacked against Lebanese women – but there’s no holding back the director of KAFA (Enough Violence and Exploitation).
‘I can’t recall a time when there wasn’t discrimination against women in Lebanon,’ says human rights activist Zoya Rouhana. ‘As a little girl growing up in Beirut I remember that boys were treated differently. They were allowed to play outside and go to the cinema while the girls looked out the window. Boys were always given opportunities and made to feel special, while neighbours cried in disappointment when a girl was born into the family – as if it was a tragedy.’
