GHADA HATEM-GANTZER
She's not quite French. Not quite Lebanese anymore. She's, in a way, a citizen of the world. She's Ghada Athem. As gentle as she is powerful. As luminous as she is determined. The only little girl among three brothers, Ghada was born and raised in Lebanon. A good student and avid reader, she quickly understood that school held the keys to her freedom. When war broke out, she moved to France to begin her studies in the only field that continued to make sense to her while everything was falling apart: health. Then the magic of birth swept over her whole being, and she became an obstetrician-gynecologist, plunging at the same time into the heart of the lives and intimacy of women and families.
Head of department at the Bluets maternity ward, then in the army, Ghada finally accepted the role of head of department at the Saint Denis maternity ward. It was at this time, when she was confronted with violence against women, exacerbated by a context of great precariousness, that the idea of a new model of holistic care germinated, a unique comprehensive care pathway, which she decided to create herself in 2016, under the name Maison des femmes. The Maison des femmes is a new model that supports vulnerable women and victims of violence, by offering them comprehensive care pathways that exist nowhere else: all the services they need are available and easily accessible on site: caregivers, osteopaths, but also police officers, lawyers, artists. The Women's House is a place of care, but one that makes you want to enter, and whose bright colors contrast with the austerity of the hospital to which it is attached. The Women's House is a place just as useful as the hospital, but it doesn't look like a hospital. The Women's House is an innovation. It's a revolution that puts women at the center. A place of listening where we take care of things that the rest of the world doesn't care about. A "safe place" where cheerfulness, joy, and sharing keep us standing together.
The woman to whom the war in her native country gave wings for life. The woman who chose to pursue a profession at the heart of the lives of women and families, and who has been fighting for their rights for 40 years now. The woman who was committed to creating a colorful and warm place where women would feel welcomed and listened to. The woman who would have dreamed of being Marie Curie and revolutionizing the world, but who still found a way to do it in her own way. Ghada, the committed, the resilient, the seasoned business leader, agreed to this conversation with me.
Ghada and I talked about women's economic independence, their right to make decisions for themselves and control their bodies, and their place in society. We discussed the challenges of parenting, today's school system, and raising young boys as a major challenge in breaking free from the patriarchal model. We also praised the importance of celebrating victories and partying together when you're a strong team.
Come on, let's go! With Ghada today, we're blowing your wings.
So listen carefully. Spread them and fly.