Majd Izzat al-Chourbaji

Majd Izzat al-Chourbaji (; born 1981) is a Syrian peace activist. In 2015, she was awarded the U.S. State Department's International Women of Courage Award, for her work with women and human rights advocacy in Syria.

Biography Madj Izzat al-Chourbaji was born in 1981 in the town of Darayya, Syria. When she was six months old, her family fled to France to escape violence in the region, but returned in 1991. She graduated from Damascus University with a college degree in French Literature. After college, she worked on an anti-corruption campaign in Damascus suburbs.

Activism When the Arab Spring spilled over into Syria, Chourbaji organized sit-ins calling for the release of political prisoners. She was arrested and suffered from police brutality. Despite her injuries, Chourbaji insisted on peaceful protest. Chourbaji persuaded 150 women detainees to go on a hunger strike to force the regime to present their cases to a judge. As of January, 2015, the situation has become more difficult, as Lebanon has passed mandatory visa requirements for all Syrians crossing its border.

On 2 January 2014, Chourbaji founded Women Now in Lebanon, a center to administer support for refugee women. They provide training for hairdressing and cosmetology, computers, drawing, embroidery, English and French language study, and knitting in addition to psychological support to women and their children.