Overview

Established in 1973 at the Lebanese American University (LAU) in Beirut, the Arab Institute for Women (AiW) is one of the first institutes of its kind in the Arab region – and among the first worldwide – dedicated to advancing women’s equality and gender justice. Created in tribute to LAU’s origins as the first educational institution for women in the Arab region, the AiW has been working at the intersection of academia and activism for more than five decades.

The AiW advances its mission nationally, regionally, and globally through education, research, development programs, and outreach. The Institute integrates gender issues across the LAU community, conducts pioneering research on women in the Arab region, and translates knowledge into practice through development initiatives that promote women’s rights and gender justice.

At its core, the AiW champions interdisciplinary education and research with a view to driving both social and policy change in the Arab region and beyond.

Through its work, the AiW:

• Creates and shares knowledge on women and gender issues in the Arab region.
• Builds partnerships and strategic collaborations to address gender justice concerns.
• Provides capacity-building and continuing education on women and gender.
• Connects academics, practitioners, policymakers, and activists to foster dialogue and advance shared agendas.
• Engages in global conversations to amplify Arab women’s voices and mobilize action to advance gender rights.
• Raises the profile of gender as a cross-cutting issue by engaging students, faculty, and staff to integrate gender issues across all programs of study.

Mission

The AiW is committed to advancing gender equality and women’s rights in the Arab region and across the world by engaging in a unique combination of education, research, development programs, and outreach, with a focus on issues affecting Arab women.

Five Pillars

I. Education: Establishing and supporting high-quality education programs on gender to encourage interest and build capacity at the undergraduate, graduate, and mid-career levels:

1. M.A. in Interdisciplinary Gender Studies & Minor in Gender Studies
   The AiW lobbied for and succeeded in the development of an undergraduate minor in Gender Studies and a master’s degree in Interdisciplinary Gender Studies, which are both housed by the Department of Social and Education Sciences in the School of Arts and Sciences.
    
2. Gender in Development and Humanitarian Assistance Associate Diploma (GDHA)
   The Associate Diploma, offered in collaboration with LAU’s Academy of Continuing Education, aims to develop a pool of professionals with market-relevant skills in gender integration in development and humanitarian programming, including the women, peace, and security agenda and gender-based violence prevention and response. The AiW also seeks grants to tailor certificate courses according to funding priorities and program needs.

These two initiatives are connected and mutually reinforcing. They foster interest and build capacity in gender issues for a range of audiences: students, seasoned experts, policymakers, academics, and activists.
 

II. Research: Strengthening research on and by women and on gender issues, in order to build a body of knowledge to further social and policy change at the national and regional levels.

Al-Raida

The Institute’s flagship English-language biannual journal, Al-Raida (The Female Pioneer), has served as a platform for researchers, policymakers, practitioners, and students to engage with critical issues for over four decades. Al-Raida is available in print and online.

Alongside Al-Raida, the Institute addresses a range of contemporary issues through Aqlam (our collection of writings on gender issues) and a range of other publications.

The AiW conducts research commissioned by or in partnership with a range of national, regional, and international institutions. This body of knowledge helps fuel momentum on gender equality in society and policy.

Scholars from across the globe contribute to the research of the Institute. Some join us at the Institute to pursue their research in line with our vision and expand the worldview of our students and partners through teaching and guest lectures.
 

III. Development Projects: Conducting sustainable development projects to promote gender equality and the empowerment of women and girls at the national and regional levels.

We collaborate with national, regional, and international organizations on programs that aim at:

• Advocating for equality in legislation
• Reaching marginalized groups
• Providing life-skills support
• Promoting women’s political participation
• Engaging women in peace and security
• Preventing gender-based violence
   

IV. Outreach: Promoting gender equality, human rights, and social justice through outreach events and activities at the national, regional, and international levels.

• Organizing panels, conferences, and learning events to disseminate knowledge, promote gender issues, and encourage activism for equality.
• Commissioning, publishing, and distributing creative expressions that advocate for gender equality, including songs, short clips (e.g., “Personal Status Laws in Lebanon” and “Dealing with the Past, Memories for the Future”) theatre productions (e.g., “Wadad: An Ant That Digs in Stone” and “Leila, Latifa, Chimamanda”), photographs, and visual arts.
• Encouraging innovative action and youth engagement through annual events, international days of activism, and student competitions.

We partner with civil society organizations, academic and research institutes, NGOs, UN agencies, governments, donors, the private sector, and other critical partners.

• In Lebanon, we promote the work of leading Lebanese women to showcase and celebrate their achievements, through, for example, the “Who is She in Lebanon” online database, which has been recently revamped.
• In the Arab region, we amplify advocacy and action by joining forces with other institutions through social media and youth outreach, while our competitions, including “Art for Activism,” engage hundreds of youths in a range of gender issues every year.
• Internationally, we serve as a resource center and knowledge hub, organizing conferences and events for local, regional, and international partners. We engage in global dialogues and provide a regional perspective to global movements.
   

V. LAU Engagement: The AiW was founded and is based at LAU. We engage the LAU community across all campuses (Beirut, Byblos, and New York) to enhance a university culture committed to gender equality and to ignite activism for social change.

We inspire young minds to understand and advance women’s rights and gender equality by:

• Stimulating discussions and debates through our Food 4 Thought – a monthly student-driven speaking series on gender issues.
• Recognizing excellence in student research on women’s issues through the Suad Joseph Undergraduate and Graduate Research Awards and the Mary Turner Lane Student Writing Competition Award.
• Supporting student clubs to address gender issues through workshops, events, and on-campus activism.
• Integrating gender issues across the LAU curriculum and community to support the development and delivery of courses and activities that spotlight gender issues.
• Fostering a campus culture of gender excellence through collaboration with the Office of Community Standards (OCS), including contributions to progressive policies such as enhanced maternity and paternity leave and the establishment of breastfeeding support rooms on the Beirut and Byblos campuses, in line with LAU’s commitment to equality, inclusion, and diversity.

Contact the AiW

The AiW welcomes visiting researchers, faculty and scholars from Lebanon and around the world to work with us on research and explore critical gender issues, advance pioneering projects, and forge new partnerships. For more information, contact the Institute by email or through social media platforms.

X: @Ai4Women
Instagram: @Ai4Women
Facebook: The Arab Institute for Women – AiW, LAU