Beirut, Lebanon – June 13, 2024 – The Asfari Institute for Civil Society and Citizenship at the American University of Beirut (AUB) recently kicked off a research project on anti-rights movement and backlash in the MENA region, entitled “Upholding Rights in the MENA Region Amid Global Backlash: Strategies in MENA.” The launch event was attended by distinguished guests, including Her Excellency Stephanie McCollum, Ambassador of Canada to Lebanon, and Ms. Roula El-Rifai, Senior Programme Specialist at the International Development Research Center (IDRC).
In her opening remarks, Lina Abou-Habib, Director of the Asfari Institute, underscored the multifaceted challenges in the region, including conflicts, economic crises, and well-coordinated anti-rights movements. She emphasized the importance of understanding and addressing these overlapping crises, stating, “The complexity of challenges in the region, the ways in which they overlap, and the impact of these crises on the well-being of this region are crucial. Our aim is to study and understand these movements and effectively push back.”
The opening remarks were followed by three keynote speeches. H.E. Ambassador McCollum reiterated Canada’s unwavering commitment to human rights, gender equality, and inclusive governance both in Lebanon and globally. She highlighted the significant efforts and initiatives that Canada supports to promote these values, stating, “This research is crucial in mapping the reality of the situation in the region, away from propaganda and disinformation, and therefore laying the groundwork for evidence-based decision-making and effective actions.”
Dr. Fida Afiouni, Associate Provost at AUB, noted the rise of anti-rights movements in the region and the increasing importance of feminist movements. According to Dr. Afiouni, “With the increase of online harassment and smear campaigns, it is important to fight the forces of repression. This project addresses the pressing issue of targeted harassment faced by NGOs, CSOs, and others working on human rights.”
In her speech, Ms. Roula El-Rifai stated, “Our intended outcome is for vulnerable people and communities to benefit from more inclusive, accountable, and transparent governance. This way, they will be better able to shape the policies and practices that affect their lives by exercising their democratic rights and freedoms, even in contexts of democratic transition and displacement.” She also highlighted IDRC’s commitment to investing significant resources in knowledge coordination and translation for this specific cohort, promoting cross-regional learning, and connecting this work to other efforts aimed at enlarging civic spaces and enhancing freedom of expression.
The keynote speeches were followed by commentary from civil society activists. Ms. Layal Sakr, Co-Founder and Executive Director of SEEDS, highlighted that “the Lebanese constitution outlines the importance of political pluralism and the right to freedom of expression, but these rights are not being respected. There is a clear violation of freedom in Lebanon and continuous marginalization of feminist groups and LGBTQI+ people, despite the neutrality of the constitution.” Ms. Sakr stressed that it is crucial to counter this violent narrative by creating safe spaces in Lebanon that would enhance the protection of civil liberties.
Dr. Rabie Nasser, Co-Founder of the Syrian Center for Policy Research, then emphasized the urgent need for this project. He spoke about the degradation of rights and the significant failure of the Arab Uprisings, noting that oppressive regimes have had a substantial spillover effect across the region. Dr. Nasser highlighted the detrimental impact of identity politics, which has led to societal degradation and the expansion of oppressive political regimes.
To conclude, Dr. Fouad M. Fouad, IDRC Research Chair of the Forced Displacement Program at AUB, discussed the chronic crises affecting the MENA region. He highlighted the severe inequality faced by marginalized populations, including women, LGBTQI+ individuals, refugees, internally displaced persons (IDPs), and stateless people. Dr. Fouad argued that addressing the global anti-rights movement requires extensive and ethical research, focusing on mutual learning and localization. He concluded by highlighting the rising hate speech against marginalized groups and lamenting the degradation of optimism about the future compared to previous decades.
Stay tuned for updates on the project’s progress.
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