Saada Allaw

Saada Allaw began her career as a rural girl from Ajroud in the Hermel region, one of Lebanon’s most impoverished areas. Driven by a strong desire to study journalism and give a voice to the voiceless, she moved to Beirut with the help of her siblings. Saada studied print journalism and sociology at the Lebanese University. Since starting her full-time journalism career at Al-Safir newspaper in 1994, she has focused on social issues, environmental challenges, and the flaws in Lebanon's sectarian political system. Her work often addresses the relationship between the country and its citizens, particularly marginalized groups.

As one of the pioneers in human rights journalism, Saada has been dedicated to advocating for the rights of underserved communities. She has also worked extensively on women’s issues, highlighting the societal systems that protect men while women continue to suffer. She was instrumental in establishing journalism as a social responsibility, focusing on investigative reporting and adhering strictly to journalistic ethics, while remaining politically independent.

Saada has published various investigative reports and a book titled The Litani: The Killing of the River and Its People. Her work also includes an extensive series on the Syrian refugee crisis following the 2011 conflict. She has received numerous awards, including recognition for her coverage of Israeli assaults on Lebanon, and the UNDP’s first-place award for investigative journalism in 1998. In 2012, civil society organizations named her the best journalist covering women’s issues. She has also been honored for her work on disability rights.

In addition to her journalistic career, Saada has lectured at the Lebanese University since 2016, teaching at the Master’s level in the Faculty of Media. She has also taught at private universities and trained local and international organizations for over 15 years. Her research and studies have contributed to important publications, including reports on the exploitation of migrant domestic workers and human trafficking in the recruitment of Syrian refugees.

After Al-Safir closed in 2017, Saada joined The Legal Agenda in 2018 as Head of the Journalism Department and Senior Investigative Reporter. She continues to teach and lead investigative journalism projects, such as a comprehensive report on the Baalbek-Hermel region and a study on the impact of cement companies on the Koura region. She is currently working on a major report on Akkar, expected to be published by the end of the year.