Halime El Kaakour
Personal information
Dr. Halime El Kaakour
Member of the Lebanese Parliament and Lead Trainer
Contact information (Private)
+9613738036
Community/Lebanon Impact
Throughout her journey, she had the privilege of positively influencing Youth, and particularly in the fields of leadership, human rights, local development, public policies, good governance, and gender equality.
Through her work with Youth, especially with her students, she participated in empowering a generation of youth to think critically, embrace their roles as active citizens, and contribute meaningfully to their communities. By contributing to promoting values of equality, justice, and civic responsibility, they have moved beyond being mere followers of religious or societal sectors. They have developed their own independent thoughts, skills, and visions, becoming true leaders who actively shape local development initiatives. This has inspired other youth to follow their path, creating effect that strengthens the fabric of our society and makes a generation committed to progress, inclusivity, and sustainable development. They are now partners who she works with in local initiatives and in building policies.
Social Media
Education
Education:
- 2002 - 2006: Ph.D. in Public law: “Universality of Human Rights and Cultural Specificity within the Euro-Mediterranean Framework” awarded with High Honors (Très Honorable avec les Félicitations du Jury)- University of Montpellier 1 - Montpellier, France and University of Lebanon.
- 2001 - 2002: Master II (D.E.A.) in International Public Law - University of Montpellier 1 - Montpellier, France.
- 1996 - 2000: Master 1 in Political Sciences – Lebanese University – Saïda, Lebanon.
Work history
Previous Professions:
- 2022 - 2026: Member of Parliament.
- 2021 - Present: Trainer with GPG, winning with women program, for women willing to run for municipality elections.
- 2012 - Present: Lead Trainer with many local and international NGOs about human rights, Business Ethics, and Drug awareness, Gender discrimination, Good Governance, International Humanitarian Law, Eco-citizenship.
- 2018 - 2019: Research Consultant, UN Women on a project entitled “Gender and political empowerment” including all obstacles faced by the candidates of parliamentary election 2018 such as: media, financing, social and cultural, and Violence Against Women in Politics (VAWP).
- 2018 - 2019: Consultant, the Office of the Minister of State of Women’s Affairs (OMSWA) in Lebanon: “Gender and local Governance”, “Gender and Education”, and others.
- 2018: Research Consultant, UNDP Lebanese Elections Assistance Project (LEAP) for the Gender and Elections 2018”, including the development of a workshop concept note & methodology, facilitation of the workshop, drafting a workshop report and reference material.
- 2016 - 2018: Trainer and consultant, “Women In Front”, the main task was to design women’s rights program and projects.
- 2017 - 2018: Lead trainer and director, UNIFIL, for the projects: “Women empowering in the municipalities” and “Gender and local governance”.
- 2013 - 2015: Human Rights Consultant, with the Chamber of Commerce and Industries in Saida and the South of Lebanon and especially environmental rights and women’s rights.
- 2009 - 2017: Lebanese University (UL)- Faculty of Political Sciences and Law (Full timer): International Relations (Arabic), International Organizations (English), Public International Law (English), Political Anthropology (English and Frensh), and Human Rights (English), International Humanitarian Law and refugees Rights (Arabic), Citizenship and Modern State (Arabic).
- 2006 - 2014: Lebanese International University (LIU)- Faculty of Business: Sociology, Business Ethics, International Business Law, Busniss Law and Human rights.
- 2009 - 2014: American University of Science and Technology (AUST)- Faculty of Business : Business Law and Business Ethics.
- 2008 - 2014: Universite Saint Joseph (USJ) : Undergraduate and graduate courses in Business and Education: Business Ethics, Intercultural Dialogue in Europe, and Human rights.
Major Achievements
Publications (Books, Articles, Reports, etc.):
- 2020: “Pursuing Equality in Rights and Representation: Women’s expriences running for Parliament”, research study, UN WOMEN.
- 2017: “Women in Politics and Peace”, article, Frederiec Ebert, Beirut.
- 2017: “Women and Lebanese population victim of violence: same destiny”, article, Al Nahar.
- 2017: “We need you women leaders in Lebanon”, article, Al Nahar.
- 2017: “You deceived women in my country Mr Prime Minister”, article, Al Nahar.
- 2007: “Stateless rights in Lebanon”, legal study ,“Frontiers-Rawad”.
- 2006: “Making a caricature of the Prophet: freedom of expression or a provocation”, article L’Orient-Le Jour.
- 2004: “Risk management legislation in Lebanon”, a study for the Council of Europe within the framework of the program relating to the comparative analysis of legislation in the field of risk management, the Council of Europe: " Strasbourg.
Collaborations and Partnerships:
- Founder and director of human rights club at LIU, Lebanese University (faculty of law and political sciences in Saida) and other universities to spread human rights culture and awareness amongst students through activities with local and international NGOs.
- 2019: “Ethos of International Legal Education in Arab Universities Today”, in a panel organized by Diakonia on “Promoting Principles of International Law in Arab Legal Culture”.
- 2019: “Violence Against Women in Politics in Lebanon”, Panel organized by the university “TuUniversidad” and the “Institute of juridical and legal sciences”Mexico.
- 2018: “The Voluntary National Report (VNR) in Lebanon and how to support inclusive multi-stakeholders’ partnerships to develop national development roadmaps”, in a panel on the “National Evaluation Policies in the MENA Region: Institutional Framework and Processes at National and Sub-National Levels”, organized by the Moroccan Evaluation Association and the Middle East and North Africa Evaluators Network (EvalMENA), Morocco.
- 2018: “The relation between the ecological diversity and the cultural one: Lebanon as a case study”, in “Between the ecological diversity and the cultural one: a space for the sustainable development” panel organized by the “Foundation Diane” at the University of Saint Joseph (USJ) in Lebanon.
- 2018: “The Added Value of Women Participation in the Political Life: importance of gender quota”, in “Women in Politics” conference, the American University of Beirut (AUB).
- 2017: “What kind of leadership is important in the transition democracies to make a change?” the Beirut Books Fair on “Strengthening the democracy through the development of political parties in Lebanon”.
- 2017: “Women political participation and peace”, in a confernce on “Women’s involvement in peace, Security, and transition processees in Arab world”, Frederiech Ebert Stiftung”, Beirut.
- 2017: « The Inclusive Local Development : a Lebanese Challenge », in the international conference on “the Role of the Globalization in the Transformation of Cities”, International 19th meeting in Urbanism of the Association for the Advancement of Teaching and Research in Planning and Urbanism in France “APERAU” with the collaboration of ALBA university, Lebanon.
- 2017: “Poverty and Gender”, the Office of the Ministry of State of Women Affairs and the embassy of Chile in Lebanon.
- 2017: “Local development and gender: Lebanese challenges”, in “Genre du territoire” (Gender of territory international Seminar, OREGAND University of Quebec Outaouais (UQO).
- 2017: “Women and Peace”, in the International Conference entitled “Living Together: Between Values and Rights” organized by the University of Mohamed V, Fondation Hanns Seidel, the Interministriel Delegation of Human Rights (DIDH), the French Institute of Rabat and the School of Governance and Economy (EGE), Marrakech.
- 2017: “Children’s protection from Violence in Lebanon: Lebanese and International Laws”, panel organized by Mercy Corps and UNICEF funded by the EU about “Protection of Children and Family: between Theory and the Practice”, Lebanon.
- 2017: “Teaching without gender discrimination” a three-month training for teachers and administrators at MONTANA school, followed by a panel entitled “Schools free of gender discrimination” in collaboration with the United Nations of Information Center (UNIC) and the Minister of Women Affairs, Lebanon.
- 2014 - 2015: “Women security and community policing”, the OREDAND (Centre of research working on local development and women) -University of Quebec Outaouais (UQO).
- 2014: “The Lebanese Paradox: Women’s rights and social context”, the University of Quebec Outaouais (UQO).
- 2013:“Pedagogy of the Culture of Peace”, Call for papers for the Intercultural Dialogue in the Middle East organized by UNESCO Beirut and Agence universitaire de la Francophonie (AUF).
- 2010 - 2013: Director of the JAD (Jeunesse Anti Drogue) in the South and organizing many activities and lectures in the south for schools, universities and municipalities.
- 2001 - 2004: Member and volunteer with Amnesty International in the Southern Lebanon group and in the Montpellier group in France.
Competences & Skills
Field(s) of Expertise:
- Law
- Human Rights
- Gender Equality
- Drug Awareness
- Business Ethics
Languages:
- Arabic
- English
- French