Lebanese women are socially, economically and politically empowered

Guarantee equal rights and civic duties to all citizens

• The disadvantages facing women and girls are a major source of inequality

• Gender equality is the state of equal ease of access to resources and opportunities regardless of gender, including economic participation and decision-making;

• No Peace, no Social Cohesion can be achieved within the Lebanese Society without giving Women a strong and effective role in Decision Making

• Gender inequality is a major barrier to human development

1. % of women in workforce

2. % of parliamentary seats occupied by females

3. % of women on company boards

4. Gender Gap Index (WEF)

5. Gender Inequality Index (UNDP)

6. Gender Development Index (GDI)

1.Lebanese woman is not present in decision making

• 8% on private sector leadership boards
• 9% deputies in parliament
• 26% of workforce (71% for men)
• 3% of all loans (according to IFC)
• Estimated Earned Income is $7,106 vs. $26,157 for men

2.Continued Discrimination in the Legal Texts, namely Personal Status Laws, and Nationality Laws

3.Steps taken are shy and superficial (Article 562 of the Penal Code modified to abrogate exonerating circumstances and keeping extenuating circumstances, Law 293 against domestic violence passed after attenuation, ratification of CEDAW with reservations, etc.)

1.Discrimination against women in the legal texts

• Unequal sentences for adultery charges
• Naturalization law
• Religious/sectarian personal status law gives women lesser rights in marriage, inheritance, real estate ownership and child custody

2.Injustice occurring in practice due to cultural and religious practices

• Cannot open bank accounts to their children
• Honor crimes, domestic violence, marital rape, sexual violence, and sexual harassment are accepted

3.Lebanon is behind many other countries including the region

• No law to set 18 as the minimum marriage age
• 8th worst country in the Gender Gap Index (WEF)

1.Law number 293, dated 7/5/2014 was passed after a number of controversial modifications were made to it

2.National 10 year Strategy for Women’s Affairs prepared by the NCLW and endorsed by COM in June 2012

3.Law number 343, dated 2001 regarding equality between female and male worker

4.Law number 720, dated 5/11/1998 established the National Commission for Lebanese Women (NCLW) – no executive power

5.ROL ratified the Convention on the Elimination of All Forms of Discrimination against Women (CEDAW), with reservations to certain paragraphs of articles 9, 16 and 26

6.Personal Status Law dated 7/11/1951 entrusting religious courts with birth, marriage, and death legislation

1.Pass the civil status law which should prevail over religious/sectarian personal status code which can remain optional

2.Amend the penal code to include honor crimes, marital rape, domestic violence, and sexual violence

3.Organize a unified voice for women’s movement through a national syndicate / amend constitution and mandate of NCLW

4.Training decision makers on recognizing gender bias and fighting prevailing stoic mentalities of discrimination

5.Including gender discrimination and bias as part of civil education curriculum of all schools

6.Encourage girls through the education system to take interest is Sciences, Technology, Engineering, and Math (STEM) subjects