Libya: Violating women’s right to freedom of movement is an insult to Libyan women and a contravention of the constitution and law

In Arab Countries, International Advocacy Program by CIHRS

We, the undersigned activists and civil society organizations, express our strong condemnation of the discriminatory measures imposed by the Internal Security Agency of Libya’s National Unity Government on women’s freedom of movement.

These discriminatory measures mean that every Libyan woman traveling alone is required to complete an official declaration providing: her reasons for travel, an explanation of why she is traveling alone, and details of her travel history.

This procedure constitutes a violation of women’s constitutional right to freedom of movement.

As we look forward to the effective participation of Libyan women in the upcoming national elections, this regressive policy represents policymaking based on discrimination, violence, and persecution against women, reinforcing the dominance and repression of the security system over the country.

This discriminatory measure violates the principle of equality enshrined in the Temporary Constitutional Declaration of 2011 (Article 6, Article 14) and Article 31 of the Political Agreement. It is also in conflict with Libyan legislation that guarantees women’s right to movement and travel as full citizens with all the guarantees of citizenship. Moreover, this measure constitutes a grave violation of all international covenants and agreements on human and women’s rights that Libya has ratified, including the Universal Declaration of Human Rights, the International Covenant on Civil and Political Rights, the Convention on the Elimination of All Forms of Discrimination against Women, the African Charter on Human and Peoples’ Rights, and other binding international standards protecting the rights of “equality, freedom of movement, residence, and travel.”

In this context, we signatories condemn the specious arguments put forward by some female members of the House of Representatives in written statements justifying the measures in terms of supposed vulnerability and susceptibility of women to becoming victims of fraud and the exceptional circumstances the country is going through. As the country prepares for an upcoming election under delicate circumstances, there is an urgent need to create suitable conditions for free and fair elections, ensuring the basic rights of all individuals, including the right to freedom of movement, travel, and peaceful assembly. This is to renew political legitimacy, achieve the desired stability, and begin building a state of institutions and the law, based on the rights of citizenship and non-discrimination.

We demand that the National Unity government immediately repeal this discriminatory decision, which humiliates Libyan women and represents a regression and violation of the basic rights and freedoms guaranteed constitutionally, legally, and internationally, and ensure the adoption of measures that preserve national security and safeguard the dignity of Libyan women.

Signatories:

  1. The Libyan Women’s Platform for Peace
  2. Adala for All Organization
  3. Libya Future Center for Media and Culture
  4. Defender Center for Human Rights
  5. WASHM Organization
  6. Nawazi Organization for Gender Studies
  7. Cairo Institute for Human Rights Studies
  8. Aman Against Discrimination
  9. Karama International Organization
  10. Tafarud Empowerment Organization
  11. Amazonat Organization
  12. Solidarity Organization to advocate for Women’s Issues

Individuals:

  1. Zahra’ Langhi, Co-founder & CEO of the Libyan Women’s Platform for Peace, member of the Political Dialogue Forum
  2. Umm Al-Ezz Al-Farsi, a member of the Political Dialogue Forum, a faculty member at the University of Benghazi
  3. Salah Al-Marghani, human rights activist and former Minister of Justice
  4. Hassan Al-Amin, editor-in-chief of Libya Al-Mustaqbal
  5. Bashir Zoabieh, editor-in-chief of Al-Wasat
  6. Amal Al-Obaidi, a university professor
  7. Ikram Bash Imam, President of the Libyan Women Engineers Association and former Minister of Tourism
  8. Wafia Saif Al-Nasr, member of the Political Dialogue Forum
  9. Fayrouz Abd al-Rahim al-Naas, politician and academic
  10. Aida Salem Al-Kibti, writer and the first female anchor on Libyan television during the independence period)
  11. Razan Naim al-Maghrabi, writer
  12. Farida Al-Allaqi, human rights activist and former Libyan ambassador to the European Union
  13. Naima Jibril, former head of the Benghazi Court and a member of the Political Dialogue Committee in Skhirat
  14. Amina Al-Maghirbi, an academic and former member of the General National Congress (GNC)
  15. Ibtisam Bahih, an academic and member of the Constitutional Drafting Assembly
  16. Fatima Shanib, a lawyer at the Public Defender’s Department in Benghazi
  17. Hala Ahmed Al-Atrash, a faculty member at the Faculty of Law, University of Benghazi
  18. Lamia Sharaf Al-Din, a faculty member at the University of Tripoli
  19. Fatima Ghandoura, a university professor and media personality
  20. Hanan Saad Yaqa, a human rights activist and president of the Tawergha Women’s Union
  21. Farida Muhammad Al-Zalitani, a human rights activist
  22. Jazia Shaiter, a legal and human rights activist
  23. Abeer Amnina, academic and head of WASHM organization
  24. Marwa Salem, a feminist activist
  25. Ahmed Al-Jahani, an international economist and legal expert, former Minister of Stability in the Executive Office
  26. Muhammad Buisir, a politician interested in public affairs
  27. Zahi al-Maghirbi, academic
  28. Najeeb Al-Hasadi, academic
  29. Nujood Langhi, a researcher and human rights activist, founding member at LWPP
  30. Enas, Sodouh, a civil activist
  31. Israa, a professional researcher
  32. Hala Salem Al-Misrati, a human rights activist, Solidarity Organization for the Advocacy of Women’s Issues
  33. Tahani Farhat Darbi, a journalist
  34. Ali Al-Abani, an artist
  35. Khaled Mutawa, a Libyan poet and writer
  36. Reem Jibril, an artist
  37. Hadia Kana, an artist
  38. Ehda Ibrahim Makraz, media activist and faculty member at the University of Benghazi
  39. Asmaa Sriba, a former representative of the General National Congress
  40. Jamila Falaq, a civil activist and former Minister of Women’s Affairs
  41. Mabrouka Al-Mismari, a media activist and a founding member of the Libyan Women’s Platform for Peace
  42. Zakia Muhammad al-Ta’eb, a women’s rights activist
  43. Hajar Al-Hunaid, a scout leader
  44. Asmaa Dikna – a human rights activist
  45. Maysoon Saleh, media activist
  46. ​​Hind Saleh Al-Bishari, President and founder of Tafarud Empowerment Organization
  47. Lam’an Muhammad Buisir, media activist
  48. Ayat Amneena, a civil activist
  49. Haneen Bouchoucha, a feminist activist
  50. Nahla Al-Mahdi Al-Misawi, journalist
  51. Khadija Al-Baseikri, a poet and activist in the field of women’s rights
  52. Fatima Omar Hawass, a human rights activist
  53. Basma Al-Werfalli, a civil activist
  54. Mansour Ati, journalist and civil society activist.
  55. Khadija Ramadan Al-Amami, a journalist.
  56. Iman Ben Younes, a legal expert and former state minister for institutional restructuring
  57. Azza Omar Bugendoura, an academic
  58. Libya Idris Al-Mismari, media activist
  59. Hala Awad Lanqi, an academic
  60. Hanan Al-Maqoub, a civil and media activist
  61. Amal Al-Dilawi, an entrepreneur
  62. Rima Saleh Al-Juraidi, an academic
  63. Al-Sharif Al-Wafi Muhammad Ali, former General National Congress (GNC) member and a Presidential Candidate
  64. Asaad Mohsin Zhiyu, presidential candidate
  65. Fathallah al-Senussi al-Mahdi al-Jadi, writer and diplomat
  66. Ahmed Al-Abbar, former member of the National Transitional Council
  67. Ahmed Al-Sharkasi, member of the Political Dialogue Forum
  68. Malak Al-Hannushi, a civil activist
  69. Hana Shalouf, a civil activist and a member of the Peacemakers team
  70. Mabrouka Jibril, a civil activist and scout leader
  71. Nada Al-Sharif, a member of the scout team and the girls’ team at the Libyan Women’s Platform for Peace
  72. Mason Tuger, an economist
  73. Wajd Al-Saedi, a civil activist
  74. Khalil Al-Hassi, a media activist
  75. Hazem Al-Ferjani, Chairman of the Board of Directors of the Barah Cultural Organization
  76. Nouran Al-Arabi, human rights activist – Executive Director of the Libyan Debating Club
  77. Tazeer Al-Omrani, media activist and human rights activist
  78. Hind Al-Hunaid, a civil activist and scout leader
  79. Areej Khattab, a faculty member at the University of Al-Bayda
  80. Rima Ateeqa, a civil activist
  81. Ahmed Wanis al-Makki, writer and political activist
  82. Haitham Al-Keeb, former UN/ESCWA advisor
  83. Ashour Hamad Burashid, Libyan politician and former Representative of Libya at the League of Arab States
  84. Ahmed Mohamed Faraj Amtir, an employee at the Diplomatic Institute / Benghazi
  85. Basma Faraj Al-Tawati, a civil activist
  86. Thuraya Muhammad Ali, a civil activist
  87. Haifa Salem Al-Baili, media personality
  88. d. Ali Maasdnah Idriss, a medical doctor and former ambassador
  89. Abdul Wahab Qringo, writer and journalist
  90. Rabih al-Jiyash, a human rights activist
  91. Abdullah Zaqoub, a writer
  92. Moatasem Muhammad Dakhil, a civil activist and a member of the Revolutionary Youth Commission
  93. Rehab Shanib, poet and civil activist
  94. Amani Khattab, faculty member
  95. Sabreen Hussein Muhammad, a civil activist
  96. Rania Al-Issawi, a civil activist
  97. Bushra Atluba, civil activist and trainer
  98. Suad Al-Shuwaidi, an artist and civil activist
  99. Muhammad al-Majbari, researcher and civil activist
  100. Sari Al-Fitouri, head of Tajard Organization for Architecture and Arts
  101. Farida Al-Farsi, a civil activist
  102. Huda Khashim, writer
  103. Nafie Al-Tashani, translator
  104. Dalila Al-Zoghbi, human rights activist – Amnesty International
  105. Heba Al-Raz, Executive Director of Atfaluna Organization
  106. Manal Al-Hamshari, journalist 107. Enas Daou, a feminist activist
  107. Sama Al-Boaishi, civil activist, Maken Foundation
  108. Alaa Harib, a civil activist
  109. Iman Ben Amer, journalist and photographer
  110. Maryam Al-Abani, artist
  111. Hajar Halab, human rights activist – TALSA Organization
  112. Omar El-Haddad, content manager at Alwasat
  113. Abdul Hafiz Ghoga, lawyer, former vice president of the National Transitional Council
  114. Amina Khairallah Al-Hassih, Chairman of the Board of Directors of the Change Forum
  115. Naji Shuaib Al-Obeidi, member of the Faculty of Engineering, University of Benghazi
  116. Suad Ibrahim bin Khalifa, civil society activist and trainer at the Libyan Korean Center
  117. Mona Abdel Razek Zoghbiyeh, lawyer and parliamentary candidate
  118. Marwan Al-Tashani, human rights activist and researcher

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