Maya Wahib Mansour
Personal information
Maya Wahib Mansour
Attorney at Law, Instructor, Trainer
Contact information (Work)
Mansour Law Firm, collaborating with Aref Mneimne Law Firm Partner and legal counsel to The EuroMena Funds
+961 3 306276
Community/Lebanon Impact
As a lawyer and Human Rights advocate, she has been instrumental in advancing Human Rights principles and upholding the Rule of Law in Lebanon. Her contributions include assisting in law reform projects, conducting comparative legal studies on Human Rights issues, and working on pro-bono cases to enforce International Human Rights Conventions within Lebanese Courts. Additionally, she has been dedicated to educating and empowering young people through Human Rights Education initiatives.
Moreover, in her role as a lecturer on Human Rights at the Beirut Arab University since 2008, she has played a crucial role in instilling a strong understanding of Human Rights values and principles in multiple generations of students. Currently, her focus extends to promoting Human Rights and fostering corporate social responsibility within the business sector, reflecting her ongoing commitment to advancing justice and equality for all.
Social Media
Education
Education:
- 2014 - 2019: PhD in International Public Law, Beirut Arab University, Beirut, Lebanon
- 2000 - 2002: Master’s Degree in Law (Diploma in Advanced Studies in Law), Legal Informatics, University of the Holy Spirit Kaslik, Beirut, Lebanon
- 1995 - 2000: Bachelor’s Degree in Law, University of the Holy Spirit Kaslik, Beirut, Lebanon
- Professional Diploma (Chevening Scholarship), Implementation of Human Rights Conventions, January 2009 - April 2009, Human Rights Law Centre, University of Nottingham, United Kingdom
- Professional Diploma, Advanced Compass Training in Human Rights Education, October 2005 - February 2008, Council of Europe (e-learning)
- Professional Diploma, International Approach to Human Rights Law, July 2002, International Institute of Human Rights, Robert Schuman University, Strasbourg, France
Work history
Previous Professions:
" Actual date: Attorney at Law
- Legal consultant to various commercial companies, institutions, banks and non- governmental organization; preparing and filing lawsuits, as well as attending court hearings in various legal issues, in addition to handling corporate governance and compliance matters.
- Conducting legal research in the field of general corporate law, as well as in criminal, labor, family, real estate, insurance and brokerage law. Drafting a wide variety of agreements and carrying out formalities necessary thereto at public administrations.
- Legal adviser to a private equity fund, assisting in the fund raising process with International Development Financial Institutions, drafting the documentations and agreements, setting the funds structure, incorporating the companies across different jurisdictions in Europe and the Mena region, assisting in the investment and divestment of the portfolio companies in addition to handling the environmental, social and corporate governance, compliance, regulatory and anti-money laundering monitoring and reporting of the funds.
- Conducting consultancies on the judiciary system in Lebanon, access to justice and the rule of law, in addition to acting as a pro bono lawyer for different human rights cases including women’s rights, children’s rights, torture, domestic workers and refugees.
- 2008 – Actual date: University Lecturer on Human Rights at the Beirut Arab University
- 2012 – 2020: Legal Counsel to The EuroMena Funds (private equity funds investing in the Middle East and Africa). Hold the positions of Partner to the General Partner (UK) and the Fund Management Company (Malta), Legal Counsel, Money Laundering Reporting Officer (MLRO) and E&S Manager from 2015 till 2019.
- 2009 – 2013: Researcher at the Center of Research and Studies and Legal Informatics - Lebanese University "
Major Achievements
Publications (Books, Articles, Reports, etc.):
- Mansour, M. & Ghaoui, R. (2013). Dirasa Kanuniya moukaraba hawla soujoun el nisa’ fi Loubnan fi zol el mawathiq el duwaliya [ legal study on the Women Penal System in Lebanon in comparison with the International Conventions for Human Rights], Diakonia. Dar Al Amal, Caritas Lebanon Migrant Center, The Lebanese Women Democratic Gathering.
- Contributed to the world bank study wrote by Paul Prettitore (2012), on Delivery of Justice Sector Services to the Poor How Are Middle East Governments Addressing Gaps?
- Mansour, M & Abou Aad, S (2012), Women’s citizenship Rights in Lebanon. Research, Advocacy & Public Policy –Making, Issam Fares Institute for Public Policy and International Affairs, AUB.
- Mansour, M. & Daoud, C. (2010). Rapport sur l'indépendance et l'impartialité du système judiciaire au Liban [National report on the independence and impartiality of the Lebanese judiciary system]. Euro-Mediterranean Human Rights Network.
- Mansour, M. (2009). Arab Charter on Human Rights, Background, Concept and Compatibility with International Standards. Unpublished manuscript, University of Nottingham.
- Mansour, M. & Ghaoui, R. (2007).Dirasa kanuniya hawl al-ashkhas thawi al-ihtiyajat al-khassa wa hakihim fi al-amal wa al-damij wa iktirah itar kanuni wa siyasat hadifa [Legal study on the employment and inclusion rights of people with special needs. Legal framework and new policies]. Al-Zawrak Association.
- Mansour, M. Sfeir, R. & Aoun, E. (2007).Dirasa kanuniya hawl tasdik lubnan ala al-protocol al-ikhtiyari al-mulhak bi itifakiyat hukuk al-tuful al-mutaaliq bi ishtiraq al-atfal fi al-nizaat al-musalaha [Legal study on Lebanon's ratification of the optional protocol to the convention on the rights of the child on the involvement of children in armed conflict]. Permanent Peace Movement.
- Mansour, M. & Ghaoui, R. (2006). Dirasa kanuniya hawl sin al-masuliya al-jazaiya wifkan lil kanun al-lubnani wa kawanin baad al-buldan al-arabiya [Legal comparative study on juvenile’s law in Lebanon and the Arab countries]. Permanent Peace Movement.
- PhD Thesis: “The Role of Companies in Guaranteeing the Respect of the Universality of Human Rights, BAU, October 2019
- "Assisted in an ABA –ROLI project in Morocco by assessing laws, conducting interviews and contributing to the drafting of a report on the integrity of the criminal justice in Morocco, March 2013.
- Legal Comparative Study on female prisons law in Lebanon in line with international treaties and standards, to be published by Caritas Lebanon, Dar el Amal, Lebanese Women Democratic Gathering and Diakonia – 2013 (120 pages, Arabic).
- Paper on Women Citizenship Rights, published by Issam Fares Institute for public Policy and International Affairs at the American University of Beirut, 2012 (English).
- Contributed to the drafting of a study on women's rights between law and jurisprudence in Lebanon: it is a collaborated publication between academic institutions (BAU, NDU, LAU) and PINACLE, funded by Raoul Wallenberg Institute – 2011(Arabic).
- Country mapping for a baseline study on Human Rights resources in universities in both Lebanon and Egypt, this MENA project was done for the Human Rights Center at the Beirut Arab University and funded by Raoul Wallenberg Institute – 2011 (English).
- National Report on the Independence and Impartiality of the Lebanese Judiciary System, published by the Euro-Mediterranean Human Rights Network in French, Arabic and English - 2010 (75 pages - French);
- Paper on the Arab Charter on Human Rights, Background, Concept and Compatibility with International Standards – 2009 (15 pages – English).
- Legal Comparative Study on the Compatibility of the Lebanese Law 220 to the Employment Rights of People with Disabilities in Relation to Relevant International Conventions including proposal pertaining to implementation policies for the employment articles of Law 220 No 73 and 74 – published by Al Zawrak NGO and funded by the EU- 2007 (125 pages - Arabic).
- Legal Comparative Study Assessing the Compatibility of the Lebanese Legislations in relation to the Optional Protocol on the Involvement of Children in Armed Conflicts as well as applicable International Human Rights and Humanitarian Laws - published by the NGO Permanent Peace Movement and funded by the EU – 2007 (73 pages - Arabic).
- Legal Comparative Study on Juvenile’s Law in Lebanon and the Arab countries regarding the age of criminal responsibility, aiming to increase the age of criminal responsibility from 7 to 12 – published by Permanent Peace Movement and funded by the USAID & AMIDEAST – 2006 (94 pages -Arabic)."
Major achievements:
- Trainer and lecturer on Human Rights and Human Rights Education in collaboration with various local and international organizations, including the United Nations, Amnesty International, the Council of Europe, and the American Bar Association, across several countries (France, Egypt, Hungary, Portugal, Tunisia, Jordan, Morocco, Sweden, and Lebanon), since 2002.
- Participation in organizing and serving as a judge on several local and international mock trials on Human Rights topics, since 2009.
- Speaker at a roundtable discussion on the women’s prison system in Lebanon in the context of international Human Rights conventions, organized by Diakonia, Dar Al Amal, Caritas Lebanon, and the Lebanese Women Democratic Gathering, 2013.
- Speaker at a conference on the role of an independent judiciary in light of changes in the Middle East and North Africa, organized by the American Bar Association and the Arab Council for Judicial and Legal Studies, Tunis, January 2012.
- Co-speaker presenting a study on women's rights in Lebanon between law and jurisprudence, Amman, 2011. (The study is a collaborative work between Beirut Arab University, Notre Dame University, the Institute for Women’s Studies in the Arab World at the Lebanese American University, and the Public Affairs Center - PINACLE, funded by the Raoul Wallenberg Institute).
- Lecturer at a summer course on freedoms and human rights in the Middle East and North Africa, organized by the Human Rights Center at Beirut Arab University in collaboration with the Raoul Wallenberg Institute, University of Jordan, Birzeit University, University of Sousse, and University of Algiers, Dubai, Lebanon, September 2011, 2012, 2013.
- Speaker at a regional workshop on the death penalty in Arab countries, organized by the Arab Center for the Independence of the Judiciary and the Kuwaiti Lawyers Association, Kuwait, May 2011.
Exhibitions, lectures & performances:
- Trainer and lecturer on human rights and human rights education in collaboration with local and international organizations and institutions such as the United Nations, Amnesty International, Council of Europe, and the American Bar Association in several countries (France, Sweden, Egypt, Jordan, Hungary, Portugal, Tunisia, Morocco and Lebanon), 2002-present.
- Participated in the organization and jury to several national and international Human Rights moot court, 2009 – present.
- Speaker, round table on “the women penal system in Lebanon in comparison with the international conventions for human rights” organized by Diakonia. Dar Al Amal, Caritas Lebanon Migrant Center, The Lebanese Women Democratic Gathering, September 2013.
- Lecturer, summer school on human rights in the MENA region, organized by the Human Rights Center at the Beirut Arab University in cooperation with Raoul Wallenberg Institute, the University of Jordan, Birzeit University, Sousse University, and the University of Algiers, Debbiyeh, Lebanon, 2011, 2012, 2013.
- Speaker, Conference on the “Role of an Independent Judiciary in view of the Changes in the MENA Region, organized by the American Bar Association and the Arab Council for Judicial and Legal Studies, Tunisia, January 2012.
- Co-presented the study on Women's Right between Law and Jurisprudence in Lebanon, Amman, 2011. (The study is a collaborative work between Beirut Arab University, Notre Dame University, The Institute for Women's Studies in the Arab World at the Lebanese American University, and The Public Interest Advocacy Center (PINACLE) funded by Raoul Wallenberg Institute).
- Speaker, regional workshop on death penalty in the Arab countries, organized by the Arab Center for the Independence of the Judiciary and Legal Profession in collaboration with Kuwait Bar Association, Kuwait, May 2011.
- Speaker on the right to work is a basic component of human rights during a seminar on worker's rights in Lebanon in light of the economic crisis, organized by the faculty of business administration and faculty of law and political science at the Beirut Arab Unniversity.February 2024.
- Guest lecturer on business and human rights at the Sagesse university, Faculty of Law and Political Science, October 2023.
- Presentation on Sexual and Gender Based Violence in Lebanon at the occasion of the Women's Day, Embassy of the Philippines, March 2022.
Fellowships:
- Chevening Fellowship at the university of Nottingham on the Implementation of Human Rights Conventions, UK 2009.
Accomplishments
Diplomas:
- Partnered in and earned a diploma from the long-term e-learning training on the “Advanced Compass Training in Human Rights Education” organized by the Council of Europe (Oct 2005 - Feb 2008).
- Certificate of attendance to the International Summer Academy with the European Training Center on Human Rights and Human Security, University of Graz - Austria (Aug - Sept 2004).
- Certificate of attendance to courses at the International University of People’s Institute for Peace (IUPIP) on Globalization of violence and violence alternatives, Rovereto - Italy (Sept – Oct 2003) and the First IUPIP Alumni Convention (Nov – Dec 2006).
- Represented the Institute of Human Rights at the Beirut Bar Association in a one-month course on International and Comparative Human Rights Law with the International Institute of Human Rights at the Robert Schuman University, Strasbourg – France (July 2002).
Certificates:
- Certified Board Director by the International Finance Corporation and Excellence in Governance Lebanon after the successful completion of a Corporate Directors Certification Program (Tamayyaz), March, 2019.
- AML/CFT Risk Assessment, Monitoring and Mitigation training, organized by Artio (Malta), September 2018.
- Certificate on Corporate Governance Workshop organized by IFC and The Euromena Funds, March 2015.
- IFC certificate on Sustainability Training and E-Learning program, January 2015.
- IFC certificate on managing Environmental and Social Performance - E-Learning course, January 2015.
- Certificate on the completion of an AML/CFT training organized by KPMG (Malta), November 2014.
Distinctions:
- Certificate of appreciation from the U.S. Embassy in Lebanon for her active role in advocating for women, human rights and peace, 2009.
Awards:
- March 2009: Was honored by the US Embassy during a reception in honor of Women’s History Month for contributing to Lebanon’s growth by advocating human rights and peace.
Competences & Skills
Field(s) of Expertise:
- General Law Practice
- International Human Rights Law
- Human Rights Education
- Human rights and Business
Languages:
- Arabic
- French
- English