Lebanon
Lebanon
Women’s rights activists focus on ending domestic violence, changing the penal codes, and increasing women’s political participation in Lebanon— particularly within reconstruction and peacebuilding efforts. Women’s security is also a major concern, with extremist attacks along the Syrian border.
Lebanon’s history of instability and insecurity have negatively impacted women. Failed presidential elections, the struggle to host over one million Syrian refugees, and proximity to the Syrian war have sidelined efforts to improve women’s rights. Women are discriminated against in legislation and in the court system, including in the areas of marriage, divorce, and the custody of children. Lebanon’s legal conflicts between criminal, civil, and religious authorities have also made it difficult for women to exercise and advocate for their rights.
In 1997, Lebanon ratified the Convention on the Elimination of All Forms of Discrimination Against Women (CEDAW). In April 2014, Lebanon also passed the Domestic Violence Law, criminalizing abuse and promising protection and legal recourse for women; however the law has not made a discernable impact on women’s protection. Lebanon does not have a National Action Plan.
Based on the work of the NGOWG and its partners, the NGOWG advocates for the Security Council to ensure that the mandate of the UN mission in Lebanon (UNIFIL) is strengthened and that gender issues are integrated into all response activities. Specific attention must be paid to women’s participation in all security-related matters, including disarming non-state armed groups, and gender-sensitive needs assessments to effectively coordinate humanitarian assistance.
Current and Past Recommendations to the UN Security Council (Monthly Action Points)
Lebanon (August 2016)
In its renewal of the mandate of the UN mission in Lebanon (UNIFIL), the Council must ensure that gender issues are integrated into all response activities. Specific attention must be paid to women’s participation in all security-related matters, including disarming non-state armed groups, and gender-sensitive needs assessments to effectively coordinate humanitarian assistance. The Council should:
- Strengthen UNIFIL’s mandate, which includes provisions for humanitarian support, to ensure that gender considerations are integrated across humanitarian support activities, particularly when providing physical security to displaced persons, in order to ensure access to the “full range of medical, legal and psychosocial and livelihood services without discrimination” (SCR 2242 (2015), OP 16).
- Call on UNIFIL to ensure that all staff, both military and civilian, receive comprehensive training, including on SEA, and, further, take steps to ensure that displaced persons, including women, are protected from any form of abuse or exploitation. All provisions of SCR 2272 (2016) should be implemented.
- Consider women’s protection concerns in UNIFIL’s protection of civilians mandate and, as such, any activities should be gender-sensitive, including when providing physical protection.
- Include specific provisions ensuring there is ongoing and regular consultation with diverse civil society organizations, including women’s groups (SCRs 2122 (2013) and 2242 (2015)), as UNIFIL’s relationship with local communities is essential to its success as a mission.
In its renewal of the mandate of the UN mission in Lebanon (UNIFIL), the Council must ensure that gender issues are integrated into all response activities. Specific attention must be paid to women’s participation in all security-related matters, including disarming non-state armed groups, and gender-sensitive needs assessments to effectively coordinate humanitarian assistance. The Council should:
- Strengthen UNIFIL’s mandate, which includes provisions for humanitarian support, to ensure that gender considerations are integrated across humanitarian support activities, particularly when providing physical security to displaced persons, in order to ensure access to the “full range of medical, legal and psychosocial and livelihood services without discrimination” (SCR 2242 (2015), OP 16).
- Call on UNIFIL to ensure that all staff, both military and civilian, receive comprehensive training, including on SEA, and, further, take steps to ensure that displaced persons, including women, are protected from any form of abuse or exploitation. All provisions of SCR 2272 (2016) should be implemented.
- Consider women’s protection concerns in UNIFIL’s protection of civilians mandate and, as such, any activities should be gender-sensitive, including when providing physical protection.
- Include specific provisions ensuring there is ongoing and regular consultation with diverse civil society organizations, including women’s groups (SCRs 2122 (2013) and 2242 (2015)), as UNIFIL’s relationship with local communities is essential to its success as a mission.
Relevant Resources
