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Speaking Secular, Acting Sectarian. Lebanese Women’s Rights beyond the Constitution


The aim of this paper is to show that, despite the constitutional provisions that sanction the equality of all Lebanese, women’s rights in Lebanon are subject to different (social, religious and political) constraints. In a system characterised by a complex and often perverse interweaving of state norms, religious tribunal norms, society structure and politics, women’s rights have received little to no attention or protection. This is the result, we argue, of the institutionalisation of the communities in the 1900s that has created, over the years, a system of power that has increasingly aimed to exclude state sovereignty from specific areas. The creation of autonomous spaces of power exempt from constitutional dictates and state laws has given religious leaders enormous decision-making (and contractual) power that has contributed to creating systems parallel to the state to manage individuals’ lives. This has had major consequences, especially for women.