Towards grassroots leadership. The case of Syrian refugee women in Lebanon

The ongoing military conflicts in the Middle East and the growing number of refugees in Europe pose new questions to academics and activists. Gaps in institutional aid and the critique of humanitarian assistance and development work have encouraged new initiatives that analyse existing mechanisms and create spaces of cooperation between those who are in need of support and those who provide it. Referring to the post-colonial critique, the initiatives opt for approaches that include diverse voices from marginalised communities and leave the decision making power with them. Although the majority of Syrians In Lebanon experiences precarious conditions, the women’s inferior position during peace times exposes them to additional dangers, such as different types of violence, as well as numerous challenges and opportunities of shifting gender roles. Many perceive the new roles as an additional burden that deprives them of security, femininity and previous benefits derived from being women. For others shifting gender roles open space for emancipation and therefore the ability to participate in decision-making and gain a voice in a community. The latter, despite the obstacles, use opportunities coming with a destabilization of power relations to construct their leadership, be it a home, in camps or neighbourhood. While excluded from institutional politics, they start with politics of the everyday, becoming reference points for other women in their communities, organizing humanitarian assistance, transferring their knowledge and mobilizing others for collective change. As the redefinition of roles and the precarious life on exile bring unprecedented struggles, women are in need of support, which may be found in the activities of non-governmental organizations and social initiatives. Among dozens of international, national and grassroots organizations offering support to refugee women in Lebanon, some are implementing more alternative approaches to humanitarian and development work. How do women define and practice leadership in the precarious context of exile? How do grassroots organizations create the space for exploring and strengthening their leadership? The presented research is based on the collaboration with a Syrian organization, which, apart from traditional services, such as language classes and vocational workshops, offers leadership trainings that focus on broadening women’s knowledge of human rights, politics, and conflict resolution. I will elaborate on posed question based on my doctoral research that included participatory observations during women leadership programmes, and repeated in-depth interviews with newly emerging grassroots Syrian community leaders.