Victoria Cherfane
Q: Do you believe Lebanon is doing enough to prepare the next generation of female leaders?
A: No. Leadership is not inherited; it is taught. If we want stronger female leaders tomorrow, we must start today by integrating women’s rights, human rights, and civic responsibility into our education system. Above all, empowerment must be visible, measurable, and real.
Q: Victoria, what is the most outdated idea about women in leadership that still exists today?
A: Women have to prove they can do it all before they deserve a seat at the table. Yet the truth is, women have led families, businesses, and communities simultaneously for generations. Leadership is not new to women; recognition is.
Q: Victoria, if women held half of all decision-making positions in Lebanon, what would change first?
A: We would move from promises to results. More importantly, women bring perspective, accountability, and action. We already see the impact women make in public life, including the work of our First Lady.
Ultimately, Lebanon needs more women in positions of decision-making, not because they are women, but because they are capable.
Q: What kind of Lebanon would you like today’s young girls to inherit?
A: A Lebanon where ambition is not limited by gender, sect, or circumstance. Above all, a Lebanon that rewards talent, values merit, and ultimately restores the confidence that once made this country a place of opportunity and possibility.
Q: Victoria, what is one belief that has guided you throughout your journey?
A: I believe you earn your place at the table. If no one is willing to give you a seat, build your own table. That’s exactly why I’ve never waited for permission to lead.
Q: What is the greatest strength Lebanese women have shown during recent years of crisis?
A: Resilience. Throughout every crisis Lebanon has endured, women have held things together. From war to economic hardship, Lebanese women sustain families and communities when others could not. Moreover, when a woman steps into a crisis, she brings reassurance because history reminds us, time and again, that she will find a way forward. Imagine what Lebanon could achieve if leaders gave more women the chance to lead.
Q: If you could leave one message for every Lebanese woman who doubts her ability to lead, what would it be?
A: Trust yourself. Don’t let other people’s doubts become your limits. Instead, remember that no one knows your strength better than you do. So stop waiting for permission. Leadership is not a title someone gives you; rather, it is a decision you make.
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