BEIRUT — A prominent rights group Wednesday called on Lebanese authorities to amend a nearly 100-year-old law that discriminates against Lebanese women married to foreigners, denying their children citizenship. But the work permits for professions reserved for Lebanese citizens are discretionary and Lebanese children have priority in enrolling in schools. In 2015, the government passed a law granting citizenship to members of the Lebanese diaspora, again excluding the descendants of Lebanese women. “When she was asked (as a winner) where she was from, she said she was Swedish but loves Lebanon,” Atmeh said. Other countries in the region, including Algeria, Egypt and Yemen, provide equal citizenship rights to the children of both men and women.

Source: National Post October 03, 2018 17:03 UTC