Laure Moghaizel: An outstanding activist and women’s rights advocate

As an influential figure in the Lebanese feminist movement, Laure Moghaizel’s accomplishments and contributions are countless. She was a founding member of many associations and organisations concerned with women’s rights and freedoms, including the Executive Committee for Women’s Associations, the Lebanese Council for Women (1953), and the Lebanese Association of Women Researchers (tajamo’ al-Bahithat al-Lobnaneyat). She campaigned for the reform of family laws and citizenship laws for women, as well as for the elimination of legal punishment for the use of contraceptives, among others causes. She promoted the legal rights of women in Lebanon in local, regional, and international conferences, including as the preparatory meetings for both the Nairobi and Beijing conferences in 1985 and 1995, respectively(1)Musleh al-Habahibah, وجوه نسائية من لبنان, Lebanon, 1998, p. 118-119. . As a witness to Moghaizel’s activism, Jean Said Makdisi, a feminist writer, said:

“She was a sharp woman; she was well-read; she knew the laws. While others spent time formulating their thoughts, she readily expressed her ideas. When she spoke at meetings, others did not speak much after her.”(2)Rita Stephan, “Couple’s Activism in Lebanon: The Legacy of Laure Moghaizel,” Women’s Studies International Forum, Vol. 33 (6), 2010, p. 538.