‘The National Card’ campaign for children of Lebanese mothers married to foreigners

The Individual Initiative association launched yesterday a new campaign for the creation of a special national identity card for children of Lebanese women married to foreigners. This special ID will assist children in obtaining various medical, social and educational services. The initiative was launched during a press conference organized with the participation of NGO representatives as well as women married to foreigners and lawyers. The legal responsible at the organization, Zeina al Masri noted that the current nationality law dates back to 1920 whereas the Constitution states that international conventions take primacy over local laws. She also added that Lebanese mothers cannot be bound by political and confessional dissentions. The president of the organization, Mustapha Shaar called for adopting this card which would allow children of Lebanese mothers to travel freely from and to Lebanon and work in all sectors. He also noted that the amendment of the nationality law was put forward during the Mikati mandate and was supported by all the parliamentary blocks except the Free Patriotic Movement. He also added that there are some 100000 stateless in Lebanon whose conditions have not been resolved to date. (National News Agency, 20 April 2015)