The Rise of Female Leadership in Refugee Communities in Beqaa-Lebanon—A Case Study

ABSTRACT There has been a significant increase in the number of female leaders in the Syrian refugee camps in Lebanon in recent years. This seems to contradict traditional notions of the place of women in Arab societies. Traditionally, women in these societies are considered to be not as capable as men. And yet, a considerable number of the leaders in the Syrian refugee camps in Lebanon tend to be women. This qualitative research is therefore aimed at examining the circumstances that have produced these female leaders. To achieve the purpose of the research, interviews and open-ended questions were administered to residents of various refugee camps in Lebanon. The results of this qualitative study indicate that while attitudes and perceptions of the role of women in Arab societies have not changed radically, certain factors have created the space for women to rise to leadership positions. Some of these include specific gendered restrictions on refugees by the Lebanese government that reduces men’s mobility and public presence. For instance, the immigration and refugee requirements are stricter for men than for women. As women step up to fill the administrative gaps in their refugee camps, they have demonstrated a type of leadership that overtly builds on their traits as mothers and thus generate trust in refugee camps. The research contributes to knowledge by directing attention to the patterns and strategies of effective leadership for women in societies that traditionally marginalize women or other minority groups.Keywords: refugee camps, communities, women, female leadership, Arab women