{"id":366,"date":"2026-06-13T18:00:47","date_gmt":"2026-06-13T18:00:47","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/postray.com\/aiw\/aiw\/?page_id=366"},"modified":"2026-06-14T17:43:45","modified_gmt":"2026-06-14T17:43:45","slug":"violence-against-women","status":"publish","type":"page","link":"https:\/\/postray.com\/aiw\/violence-against-women\/","title":{"rendered":"Violence against Women\u00a0(Domestic Violence and Sexual Harassment)"},"content":{"rendered":"\t\t<div data-elementor-type=\"wp-page\" data-elementor-id=\"366\" class=\"elementor elementor-366\">\n\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-element elementor-element-33228dc e-flex e-con-boxed e-con e-parent\" data-id=\"33228dc\" data-element_type=\"container\" data-e-type=\"container\">\n\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"e-con-inner\">\n\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-element elementor-element-bfadde2 elementor-widget elementor-widget-image\" data-id=\"bfadde2\" data-element_type=\"widget\" data-e-type=\"widget\" data-widget_type=\"image.default\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<a href=\"https:\/\/postray.com\/aiw\/policy-mapping\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<img fetchpriority=\"high\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"1451\" height=\"327\" src=\"https:\/\/postray.com\/aiw\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/06\/vow-title.png\" class=\"attachment-full size-full wp-image-435\" alt=\"\" srcset=\"https:\/\/postray.com\/aiw\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/06\/vow-title.png 1451w, https:\/\/postray.com\/aiw\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/06\/vow-title-300x68.png 300w, https:\/\/postray.com\/aiw\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/06\/vow-title-1024x231.png 1024w, https:\/\/postray.com\/aiw\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/06\/vow-title-768x173.png 768w\" sizes=\"(max-width: 1451px) 100vw, 1451px\" \/>\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/a>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t<div class=\"elementor-element elementor-element-33d644b e-grid e-con-boxed e-con e-parent\" data-id=\"33d644b\" data-element_type=\"container\" data-e-type=\"container\">\n\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"e-con-inner\">\n\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-element elementor-element-42caea2 elementor-widget elementor-widget-text-editor\" data-id=\"42caea2\" data-element_type=\"widget\" data-e-type=\"widget\" data-widget_type=\"text-editor.default\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<div id=\"vow-timeline-page\" style=\"border: 2px solid #9b162f !important; border-radius: 15px; overflow: hidden; background: #ffffff; margin: 20px 0;\">\n<!-- Header -->\n<div class=\"timeline-header\" style=\"background-color: #9b162f !important; padding: 15px 30px; display: flex; justify-content: space-between; align-items: center;\">\n<h2 class=\"timeline-title\" style=\"color: #ffffff !important; margin: 0; font-size: 24px; font-family: 'Source Serif Pro', serif;\">Timeline<\/h2>\n<a class=\"download-link\" style=\"color: #ffffff !important; font-family: 'Roboto', sans-serif; font-size: 14px; text-decoration: none; display: flex; align-items: center; gap: 8px; background: rgba(255,255,255,0.1); padding: 6px 15px; border-radius: 20px;\" href=\"https:\/\/aiw.lau.edu.lb\/images\/Policy%20Mapping_VAW_2024.pdf\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">\n<i class=\"fas fa-file-download\"><\/i> Download Full Study\n<\/a>\n\n<\/div>\n<!-- Map Section -->\n<div class=\"custom-timeline-section\" style=\"margin: 0 !important; padding: 0 !important;\">\n<div class=\"timeline-wrapper\"><button id=\"tlPrev\" class=\"timeline-nav timeline-nav--left\" style=\"border: 2px solid #9b162f !important; color: #9b162f !important;\" aria-label=\"Scroll left\">\u276e<\/button>\n<div id=\"timelineScroll\" class=\"timeline-scroll\">\n<div class=\"timeline-map\"><img decoding=\"async\" class=\"timeline-map__img\" style=\"display: block !important; width: 100%;\" src=\"https:\/\/postray.com\/aiw\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/06\/timeline-voy-scaled.png\" alt=\"Policy Mapping Timeline\" \/><\/div>\n<\/div>\n<button id=\"tlNext\" class=\"timeline-nav timeline-nav--right\" style=\"border: 2px solid #9b162f !important; color: #9b162f !important;\" aria-label=\"Scroll right\">\u276f<\/button>\n\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<!-- Cards Section -->\n<div class=\"custom-scrolling-cards\" style=\"padding: 20px !important;\"><!-- Template Style: border-left: 5px solid #e3a24e; h3 color: #9b162f; summary color: #e3a24e -->\n<div class=\"tl-card\" style=\"border-left: 5px solid #e3a24e !important; background: #f9f9f9; padding: 20px; border-radius: 8px; margin-bottom: 10px;\">\n<h3 style=\"color: #9b162f !important; margin-top: 0;\">1972<\/h3>\nLebanon ratified the International Covenant on Civil and Political Rights. However, Lebanon has not ratified any related optional protocols.\n\n<\/div>\n<div class=\"tl-card\" style=\"border-left: 5px solid #e3a24e !important; background: #f9f9f9; padding: 20px; border-radius: 8px; margin-bottom: 10px;\">\n<h3 style=\"color: #9b162f !important; margin-top: 0;\">1972<\/h3>\nLebanon ratified the International Covenant on Economic, Social, and Cultural Rights. However, Lebanon has not ratified any related optional protocols.\n\n<\/div>\n<div class=\"tl-card\" style=\"border-left: 5px solid #e3a24e !important; background: #f9f9f9; padding: 20px; border-radius: 8px; margin-bottom: 10px;\">\n<h3 style=\"color: #9b162f !important; margin-top: 0;\">1977<\/h3>\nLebanon ratified ILO Convention No. 100 (Equal Remuneration) and No.111 (Non-Discrimination).\n\n<\/div>\n<div class=\"tl-card\" style=\"border-left: 5px solid #e3a24e !important; background: #f9f9f9; padding: 20px; border-radius: 8px; margin-bottom: 10px;\">\n<h3 style=\"color: #9b162f !important; margin-top: 0;\">1991<\/h3>\nLebanon ratified the Convention on the Rights of the Child.\n\n<\/div>\n<div class=\"tl-card\" style=\"border-left: 5px solid #e3a24e !important; background: #f9f9f9; padding: 20px; border-radius: 8px; margin-bottom: 10px;\">\n<h3 style=\"color: #9b162f !important; margin-top: 0;\">1995<\/h3>\nLebanon participated in the Fourth World Conference on Women held in Beijing and endorsed the Beijing Platform for Action.\n\n<\/div>\n<div class=\"tl-card\" style=\"border-left: 5px solid #e3a24e !important; background: #f9f9f9; padding: 20px; border-radius: 8px; margin-bottom: 10px;\">\n<h3 style=\"color: #9b162f !important; margin-top: 0;\">1997<\/h3>\nLebanon ratified CEDAW with reservations to Article 9(2), 16(1), and 29(1).\n\n<details><summary style=\"color: #e3a24e !important; cursor: pointer; font-weight: bold; margin-top: 10px;\">+ Read More<\/summary>\n<div style=\"margin-top: 10px; padding-top: 10px; border-top: 1px solid #ddd;\">However, Lebanon has not ratified the CEDAW Optional Protocol, which means that citizens cannot access the mechanism for international adjudication of complaints lodged against Lebanon under CEDAW.<\/div>\n<\/details><\/div>\n<div class=\"tl-card\" style=\"border-left: 5px solid #e3a24e !important; background: #f9f9f9; padding: 20px; border-radius: 8px; margin-bottom: 10px;\">\n<h3 style=\"color: #9b162f !important; margin-top: 0;\">1998<\/h3>\nThe National Commission for Lebanese Women (NCLW) was established to promote women\u2019s rights and enhance gender mainstreaming in public institutions.\n\n<\/div>\n<div class=\"tl-card\" style=\"border-left: 5px solid #e3a24e !important; background: #f9f9f9; padding: 20px; border-radius: 8px; margin-bottom: 10px;\">\n<h3 style=\"color: #9b162f !important; margin-top: 0;\">2000<\/h3>\nLebanon ratified the Convention against Torture and Other Cruel, Inhuman or Degrading Treatment or Punishment.\n\n<\/div>\n<div class=\"tl-card\" style=\"border-left: 5px solid #e3a24e !important; background: #f9f9f9; padding: 20px; border-radius: 8px; margin-bottom: 10px;\">\n<h3 style=\"color: #9b162f !important; margin-top: 0;\">2004<\/h3>\nLebanon ratified the Optional Protocol of the Rights of the Child regarding child prostitution and pornography.\n\n<\/div>\n<div class=\"tl-card\" style=\"border-left: 5px solid #e3a24e !important; background: #f9f9f9; padding: 20px; border-radius: 8px; margin-bottom: 10px;\">\n<h3 style=\"color: #9b162f !important; margin-top: 0;\">July 2007<\/h3>\nNGO KAFA spearheaded the \u201cNational Coalition for the Protection of Women from Family Violence\u201d to advocate for the first draft law on domestic violence in Lebanon.\n\n<details><summary style=\"color: #e3a24e !important; cursor: pointer; font-weight: bold; margin-top: 10px;\">+ Read More<\/summary>\n<div style=\"margin-top: 10px; padding-top: 10px; border-top: 1px solid #ddd;\">The drafting of the law was a participatory process involving judges and lawyers. The coalition\u2019s work involved legislative advocacy, capacity building, and public engagement.<\/div>\n<\/details><\/div>\n<div class=\"tl-card\" style=\"border-left: 5px solid #e3a24e !important; background: #f9f9f9; padding: 20px; border-radius: 8px; margin-bottom: 10px;\">\n<h3 style=\"color: #9b162f !important; margin-top: 0;\">2008<\/h3>\nLebanon ratified the Optional Protocol of the Convention against Torture.\n\n<\/div>\n<div class=\"tl-card\" style=\"border-left: 5px solid #e3a24e !important; background: #f9f9f9; padding: 20px; border-radius: 8px; margin-bottom: 10px;\">\n<h3 style=\"color: #9b162f !important; margin-top: 0;\">2010<\/h3>\nThe Lebanese Cabinet approved the draft bill to criminalize domestic violence, proposed by KAFA.\n\n<\/div>\n<div class=\"tl-card\" style=\"border-left: 5px solid #e3a24e !important; background: #f9f9f9; padding: 20px; border-radius: 8px; margin-bottom: 10px;\">\n<h3 style=\"color: #9b162f !important; margin-top: 0;\">2011<\/h3>\nThe parliament passes the Anti-Trafficking Law. The \u201chonor crime\u201d clause was repealed.\n\n<\/div>\n<div class=\"tl-card\" style=\"border-left: 5px solid #e3a24e !important; background: #f9f9f9; padding: 20px; border-radius: 8px; margin-bottom: 10px;\">\n<h3 style=\"color: #9b162f !important; margin-top: 0;\">2011-2013<\/h3>\nProliferation of feminist initiatives regarding sexual harassment and violence.\n\n<details><summary style=\"color: #e3a24e !important; cursor: pointer; font-weight: bold; margin-top: 10px;\">+ Read More<\/summary>\n<div style=\"margin-top: 10px; padding-top: 10px; border-top: 1px solid #ddd;\">Initiatives included \u201cThe Adventures of Salwa\u201d and the first Title IX office in Lebanon.<\/div>\n<\/details><\/div>\n<div class=\"tl-card\" style=\"border-left: 5px solid #e3a24e !important; background: #f9f9f9; padding: 20px; border-radius: 8px; margin-bottom: 10px;\">\n<h3 style=\"color: #9b162f !important; margin-top: 0;\">June 2011<\/h3>\nDar al-Fatwa issued a press release condemning the domestic violence draft law.\n\n<\/div>\n<div class=\"tl-card\" style=\"border-left: 5px solid #e3a24e !important; background: #f9f9f9; padding: 20px; border-radius: 8px; margin-bottom: 10px;\">\n<h3 style=\"color: #9b162f !important; margin-top: 0;\">2012<\/h3>\nThe \u201cFeminist Collective\u201d initiated legal reform on sexual harassment.\n\n<\/div>\n<div class=\"tl-card\" style=\"border-left: 5px solid #e3a24e !important; background: #f9f9f9; padding: 20px; border-radius: 8px; margin-bottom: 10px;\">\n<h3 style=\"color: #9b162f !important; margin-top: 0;\">2012<\/h3>\nThe \u201cFeminist Collective\u201d organized a protest in Beirut under the \u201cFight Rape\u201d call.\n\n<\/div>\n<div class=\"tl-card\" style=\"border-left: 5px solid #e3a24e !important; background: #f9f9f9; padding: 20px; border-radius: 8px; margin-bottom: 10px;\">\n<h3 style=\"color: #9b162f !important; margin-top: 0;\">July 2012<\/h3>\nThe parliamentary sub-committee tasked with the review of the domestic violence draft bill finalised its work.\n\n<\/div>\n<div class=\"tl-card\" style=\"border-left: 5px solid #e3a24e !important; background: #f9f9f9; padding: 20px; border-radius: 8px; margin-bottom: 10px;\">\n<h3 style=\"color: #9b162f !important; margin-top: 0;\">July 2013<\/h3>\nJoint parliament committees approved the draft after amendments.\n\n<\/div>\n<div class=\"tl-card\" style=\"border-left: 5px solid #e3a24e !important; background: #f9f9f9; padding: 20px; border-radius: 8px; margin-bottom: 10px;\">\n<h3 style=\"color: #9b162f !important; margin-top: 0;\">March 2014<\/h3>\n5,000 people took part in a demonstration organized by KAFA to pressure parliament.\n\n<\/div>\n<div class=\"tl-card\" style=\"border-left: 5px solid #e3a24e !important; background: #f9f9f9; padding: 20px; border-radius: 8px; margin-bottom: 10px;\">\n<h3 style=\"color: #9b162f !important; margin-top: 0;\">April 2014<\/h3>\nParliament approved the domestic violence draft law.\n\n<\/div>\n<div class=\"tl-card\" style=\"border-left: 5px solid #e3a24e !important; background: #f9f9f9; padding: 20px; border-radius: 8px; margin-bottom: 10px;\">\n<h3 style=\"color: #9b162f !important; margin-top: 0;\">May 2014<\/h3>\nDomestic violence law signed by President and published in the Official Gazette.\n\n<\/div>\n<div class=\"tl-card\" style=\"border-left: 5px solid #e3a24e !important; background: #f9f9f9; padding: 20px; border-radius: 8px; margin-bottom: 10px;\">\n<h3 style=\"color: #9b162f !important; margin-top: 0;\">2014<\/h3>\nMP Ghassan Moukheiber submitted a law proposal to criminalize sexual harassment.\n\n<\/div>\n<div class=\"tl-card\" style=\"border-left: 5px solid #e3a24e !important; background: #f9f9f9; padding: 20px; border-radius: 8px; margin-bottom: 10px;\">\n<h3 style=\"color: #9b162f !important; margin-top: 0;\">2017<\/h3>\nMP Moukheiber draft law was ridiculed and quashed in parliament.\n\n<\/div>\n<div class=\"tl-card\" style=\"border-left: 5px solid #e3a24e !important; background: #f9f9f9; padding: 20px; border-radius: 8px; margin-bottom: 10px;\">\n<h3 style=\"color: #9b162f !important; margin-top: 0;\">2017<\/h3>\nMinistry of Justice and KAFA launched a draft bill to amend domestic violence law clauses.\n\n<\/div>\n<div class=\"tl-card\" style=\"border-left: 5px solid #e3a24e !important; background: #f9f9f9; padding: 20px; border-radius: 8px; margin-bottom: 10px;\">\n<h3 style=\"color: #9b162f !important; margin-top: 0;\">2017<\/h3>\nA Ministry of State for Women\u2019s Affairs was established.\n\n<\/div>\n<div class=\"tl-card\" style=\"border-left: 5px solid #e3a24e !important; background: #f9f9f9; padding: 20px; border-radius: 8px; margin-bottom: 10px;\">\n<h3 style=\"color: #9b162f !important; margin-top: 0;\">2017<\/h3>\nArticle 522 of the penal code was repealed.\n\n<\/div>\n<div class=\"tl-card\" style=\"border-left: 5px solid #e3a24e !important; background: #f9f9f9; padding: 20px; border-radius: 8px; margin-bottom: 10px;\">\n<h3 style=\"color: #9b162f !important; margin-top: 0;\">2018<\/h3>\nInternal Security Forces launched a hotline (1745) for domestic violence.\n\n<\/div>\n<div class=\"tl-card\" style=\"border-left: 5px solid #e3a24e !important; background: #f9f9f9; padding: 20px; border-radius: 8px; margin-bottom: 10px;\">\n<h3 style=\"color: #9b162f !important; margin-top: 0;\">2019<\/h3>\nAnti-sexual harassment laws drafted separately by NCLW and MP Inaya Ezzedine.\n\n<details><summary style=\"color: #e3a24e !important; cursor: pointer; font-weight: bold; margin-top: 10px;\">+ Read More<\/summary>\n<div style=\"margin-top: 10px; padding-top: 10px; border-top: 1px solid #ddd;\">NCLW and the World Bank Group&#8217;s Mashreq Gender Facility also worked on a sexual harassment law.<\/div>\n<\/details><\/div>\n<div class=\"tl-card\" style=\"border-left: 5px solid #e3a24e !important; background: #f9f9f9; padding: 20px; border-radius: 8px; margin-bottom: 10px;\">\n<h3 style=\"color: #9b162f !important; margin-top: 0;\">October 2019<\/h3>\nSystemic inequalities attacked during October 17 protests.\n\n<details><summary style=\"color: #e3a24e !important; cursor: pointer; font-weight: bold; margin-top: 10px;\">+ Read More<\/summary>\n<div style=\"margin-top: 10px; padding-top: 10px; border-top: 1px solid #ddd;\">Feminist demands were at the core of the uprising, tying patriarchy to sectarianism, capitalism, and the banks.<\/div>\n<\/details><\/div>\n<div class=\"tl-card\" style=\"border-left: 5px solid #e3a24e !important; background: #f9f9f9; padding: 20px; border-radius: 8px; margin-bottom: 10px;\">\n<h3 style=\"color: #9b162f !important; margin-top: 0;\">2020<\/h3>\nParliament passes a law to criminalize sexual harassment for the first time ever.\n\n<\/div>\n<div class=\"tl-card\" style=\"border-left: 5px solid #e3a24e !important; background: #f9f9f9; padding: 20px; border-radius: 8px; margin-bottom: 10px;\">\n<h3 style=\"color: #9b162f !important; margin-top: 0;\">2024<\/h3>\nOpposition MPs propose comprehensive anti-violence law.\n\n<details><summary style=\"color: #e3a24e !important; cursor: pointer; font-weight: bold; margin-top: 10px;\">+ Read More<\/summary>\n<div style=\"margin-top: 10px; padding-top: 10px; border-top: 1px solid #ddd;\">Drafted by Kafa to serve as an additional legal deterrent to rising violence.<\/div>\n<\/details><\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t<div class=\"elementor-element elementor-element-db4dc86 e-grid e-con-boxed e-con e-parent\" data-id=\"db4dc86\" data-element_type=\"container\" data-e-type=\"container\">\n\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"e-con-inner\">\n\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-element elementor-element-6187bf5 elementor-widget elementor-widget-spacer\" data-id=\"6187bf5\" data-element_type=\"widget\" data-e-type=\"widget\" data-widget_type=\"spacer.default\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-spacer\">\n\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-spacer-inner\"><\/div>\n\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-element elementor-element-97c2500 elementor-widget elementor-widget-heading\" data-id=\"97c2500\" data-element_type=\"widget\" data-e-type=\"widget\" data-widget_type=\"heading.default\">\n\t\t\t\t\t<h1 class=\"elementor-heading-title elementor-size-default\">Contextual Update<\/h1>\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-element elementor-element-274484d elementor-widget elementor-widget-image\" data-id=\"274484d\" data-element_type=\"widget\" data-e-type=\"widget\" data-widget_type=\"image.default\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<img decoding=\"async\" width=\"1600\" height=\"372\" src=\"https:\/\/postray.com\/aiw\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/06\/vow2_02-1.png\" class=\"attachment-full size-full wp-image-402\" alt=\"\" srcset=\"https:\/\/postray.com\/aiw\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/06\/vow2_02-1.png 1600w, https:\/\/postray.com\/aiw\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/06\/vow2_02-1-300x70.png 300w, https:\/\/postray.com\/aiw\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/06\/vow2_02-1-1024x238.png 1024w, https:\/\/postray.com\/aiw\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/06\/vow2_02-1-768x179.png 768w, https:\/\/postray.com\/aiw\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/06\/vow2_02-1-1536x357.png 1536w\" sizes=\"(max-width: 1600px) 100vw, 1600px\" \/>\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-element elementor-element-f979775 elementor-widget elementor-widget-text-editor\" data-id=\"f979775\" data-element_type=\"widget\" data-e-type=\"widget\" data-widget_type=\"text-editor.default\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<details><summary style=\"color: #d5a419; cursor: pointer; font-weight: bold; margin-top: 10px;\">\u00a0Read More<\/summary><div style=\"margin-top: 15px;\"><p>This mapping covers the situation in Lebanon up to November 2024. It was written at a time when the country had been under ongoing war since 2023. Since September 2024, Israel expanded its military aggression against Lebanon, launching\u00a0hundreds of airstrikes across South and the Bekaa, as well as targeting the capital and its southern suburb. Crimes of genocide and against humanity were perpetrated by Israel. These attacks included the destruction of towns and residential areas, detonation of thousands of electronic pagers and communication devices, killing journalists, medical first aid providers and civilians.<\/p><p>These aggressions had led to the displacement of approximately one million individuals, nearly one third of the population, many of whom have sought refuge in public schools and institutions converted into makeshift shelters.<\/p><p>According to the Lebanese Ministry of Health, between October 8, 2023 and November 28, 2024 the death toll reached 3,670 martyrs and 15,413 people injured.<\/p><p>A ceasefire agreement officially came into effect on November 28, 2024; however, thousands of violations from the Israeli side have been reported since.<\/p><p>The \u201cGender Alert\u201d issued by UN Women in September 2024 highlighted the disproportionate impact of the war on women and girls. According to the report, among the thousands of displaced families, nearly 12,000 are headed by women.<\/p><p>The most vicious aspect of women and girls\u2019 reality during the war remains their intensified risk and exposure to domestic violence, sexual harassment and exploitation, as well as trafficking and forced prostitution.<\/p><p>This war unfolded against the backdrop of longstanding structural challenges, including an oligarchic governance, a financial and economic collapse and the devaluation of the local currency since 2019. These conditions have significantly exacerbated vulnerabilities, particularly for women, in particular displaced girls and women head of households.<\/p><p>\u00a0<\/p><\/div><\/details>\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-element elementor-element-e6bf6fd elementor-widget elementor-widget-image\" data-id=\"e6bf6fd\" data-element_type=\"widget\" data-e-type=\"widget\" data-widget_type=\"image.default\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<img decoding=\"async\" width=\"1600\" height=\"372\" src=\"https:\/\/postray.com\/aiw\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/06\/vow2_04-1.png\" class=\"attachment-full size-full wp-image-385\" alt=\"\" srcset=\"https:\/\/postray.com\/aiw\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/06\/vow2_04-1.png 1600w, https:\/\/postray.com\/aiw\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/06\/vow2_04-1-300x70.png 300w, https:\/\/postray.com\/aiw\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/06\/vow2_04-1-1024x238.png 1024w, https:\/\/postray.com\/aiw\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/06\/vow2_04-1-768x179.png 768w, https:\/\/postray.com\/aiw\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/06\/vow2_04-1-1536x357.png 1536w\" sizes=\"(max-width: 1600px) 100vw, 1600px\" \/>\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-element elementor-element-e246b7c elementor-widget elementor-widget-text-editor\" data-id=\"e246b7c\" data-element_type=\"widget\" data-e-type=\"widget\" data-widget_type=\"text-editor.default\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<details><summary style=\"color: #d5a419; cursor: pointer; font-weight: bold; margin-top: 10px;\">\u00a0Read More<\/summary>\n<div style=\"margin-top: 15px;\">\n\nA World Bank report on poverty (May 2024) shows that poverty has more than tripled over the past decade, reaching a whopping 44% of the total population by 2022, with the poverty gap rising from 3% in 2012 to 9.4% in 2022.\n\n<\/div>\n<\/details>\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-element elementor-element-fefed9c elementor-widget elementor-widget-image\" data-id=\"fefed9c\" data-element_type=\"widget\" data-e-type=\"widget\" data-widget_type=\"image.default\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"1600\" height=\"363\" src=\"https:\/\/postray.com\/aiw\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/06\/vow2_34-lgbt.png\" class=\"attachment-full size-full wp-image-508\" alt=\"\" srcset=\"https:\/\/postray.com\/aiw\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/06\/vow2_34-lgbt.png 1600w, https:\/\/postray.com\/aiw\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/06\/vow2_34-lgbt-300x68.png 300w, https:\/\/postray.com\/aiw\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/06\/vow2_34-lgbt-1024x232.png 1024w, https:\/\/postray.com\/aiw\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/06\/vow2_34-lgbt-768x174.png 768w, https:\/\/postray.com\/aiw\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/06\/vow2_34-lgbt-1536x348.png 1536w\" sizes=\"(max-width: 1600px) 100vw, 1600px\" \/>\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-element elementor-element-452c46a elementor-widget elementor-widget-text-editor\" data-id=\"452c46a\" data-element_type=\"widget\" data-e-type=\"widget\" data-widget_type=\"text-editor.default\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<p><br \/>Prior to the war in 2024, there had been a rise in discrimination against individuals and groups in vulnerable situation, including forced deportations of Syrian refugees in Lebanon and increased attacks targeting LGBTIQ communities.<\/p><details><summary style=\"color: #d5a419; cursor: pointer; font-weight: bold; margin-top: 10px;\">\u00a0Read More<\/summary><div style=\"margin-top: 15px;\"><p>\u00a0Public discourse became increasingly hostile, with prominent figures contributing to a wave of hate in response to a draft bill proposed by nine members of parliament to decriminalize homosexuality. This was accompanied by incidents such as attacks carried out by extremist groups against queer friendly places in Beirut.<\/p><p>Concerning the violence against women area, the general ambiance of lawlessness and the slow decay of the Lebanese social fabric resulted in a spike of violent behavior against women, queer and migrant workers, and created an environment of hostility towards them that escalated in 2023 and continued well into 2024.<\/p><p>Two prominent GBV cases in 2024 included the hate campaign launched by the Dar Al-Fatwa, the highest Sunni religious authority, against Shaden Faki, a queer comedian, following a joke she made. Fakih framed this campaign as a backlash against her because of her long-standing political activism, as an outspoken queer woman challenging the hegemony of the male-dominated religious and political oligarchy.<\/p><p>Other GBV cases were also reported during that period. One involved lawyer Suzie Abu Hamdan, who was severely beaten and dragged down the street by her client\u2019s husband as she came out of a hearing for her client at the Jaafari Court. Another case concerned a migrant worker who was assaulted in broad daylight by two men attempted to kidnap her.<\/p><p>While violence against women in Lebanon is not a novel phenomenon, the fact that these incidents are happening more openly, visibly, and in public, marks a distressing trend. Coupled with the disintegration of the social fabric, the total collapse of any sense or modality of justice and the ensuing impunity and shamelessness of offenders, embolden perpetrators of violence and perpetuate this type of behavior.<\/p><\/div><\/details>\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-element elementor-element-03631d2 elementor-widget elementor-widget-spacer\" data-id=\"03631d2\" data-element_type=\"widget\" data-e-type=\"widget\" data-widget_type=\"spacer.default\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-spacer\">\n\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-spacer-inner\"><\/div>\n\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-element elementor-element-5dad618 elementor-widget elementor-widget-heading\" data-id=\"5dad618\" data-element_type=\"widget\" data-e-type=\"widget\" data-widget_type=\"heading.default\">\n\t\t\t\t\t<h1 class=\"elementor-heading-title elementor-size-default\">The Issue<\/h1>\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-element elementor-element-fb61659 elementor-widget elementor-widget-image\" data-id=\"fb61659\" data-element_type=\"widget\" data-e-type=\"widget\" data-widget_type=\"image.default\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"1600\" height=\"437\" src=\"https:\/\/postray.com\/aiw\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/06\/vow2_08-1.png\" class=\"attachment-full size-full wp-image-387\" alt=\"\" srcset=\"https:\/\/postray.com\/aiw\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/06\/vow2_08-1.png 1600w, https:\/\/postray.com\/aiw\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/06\/vow2_08-1-300x82.png 300w, https:\/\/postray.com\/aiw\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/06\/vow2_08-1-1024x280.png 1024w, https:\/\/postray.com\/aiw\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/06\/vow2_08-1-768x210.png 768w, https:\/\/postray.com\/aiw\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/06\/vow2_08-1-1536x420.png 1536w\" sizes=\"(max-width: 1600px) 100vw, 1600px\" \/>\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-element elementor-element-867f864 elementor-widget elementor-widget-text-editor\" data-id=\"867f864\" data-element_type=\"widget\" data-e-type=\"widget\" data-widget_type=\"text-editor.default\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\tNCLW and KAFA proposed a draft law amending the law on the \u201cprotection of women and other family members from domestic violence\u201d, initially passed in 2014.\n\n<details><summary style=\"color: #d5a419; cursor: pointer; font-weight: bold; margin-top: 10px;\">\u00a0Read More<\/summary>\n<div style=\"margin-top: 15px;\">\n\nThe pervasiveness of gender inequality in Lebanon is due to structural flaws which include <strong>a sectarian governance system, the grip of patriarchal religious institutions on personal status laws, and the patrilineal citizenship and kinship system prevalent in all spheres of life (families, the market, and governmental institutions)<\/strong>.\n\nDiscrimination against women persists across various laws. Despite multiple amendments to the penal code including significant gaps remain. while \u201chonor killings\u201d have technically declined, there has been a rise in cases of husbands killing their wives with impunity. Moreover, the domestic violence law does not criminalise marital rape unless it involves severe physical violence.\n\nIn light of this reality, AiW\u2019s policy mapping on violence against women seeks to document the ongoing struggles among the government, political parties, sectarian authorities, and women\u2019s rights activists, organizations, and feminists over women\u2019s right to protection from violence.\n\nThe mapping will cover the legal battle to pass the domestic violence law (293\/2014) and track the fight against the normalization of sexual harassment and the battle to criminalize it. These battles exemplify the struggles of Lebanese women for protection, equal rights, and recognition.\n\n<\/div>\n<\/details>\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-element elementor-element-6a9937a elementor-widget elementor-widget-image\" data-id=\"6a9937a\" data-element_type=\"widget\" data-e-type=\"widget\" data-widget_type=\"image.default\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"1600\" height=\"366\" src=\"https:\/\/postray.com\/aiw\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/06\/vow2_10-1.png\" class=\"attachment-full size-full wp-image-388\" alt=\"\" srcset=\"https:\/\/postray.com\/aiw\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/06\/vow2_10-1.png 1600w, https:\/\/postray.com\/aiw\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/06\/vow2_10-1-300x69.png 300w, https:\/\/postray.com\/aiw\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/06\/vow2_10-1-1024x234.png 1024w, https:\/\/postray.com\/aiw\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/06\/vow2_10-1-768x176.png 768w, https:\/\/postray.com\/aiw\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/06\/vow2_10-1-1536x351.png 1536w\" sizes=\"(max-width: 1600px) 100vw, 1600px\" \/>\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-element elementor-element-8c7cb5a elementor-widget elementor-widget-spacer\" data-id=\"8c7cb5a\" data-element_type=\"widget\" data-e-type=\"widget\" data-widget_type=\"spacer.default\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-spacer\">\n\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-spacer-inner\"><\/div>\n\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-element elementor-element-fc53653 elementor-widget elementor-widget-heading\" data-id=\"fc53653\" data-element_type=\"widget\" data-e-type=\"widget\" data-widget_type=\"heading.default\">\n\t\t\t\t\t<h1 class=\"elementor-heading-title elementor-size-default\"><span style=\"font-size: 30px\">Trajectory of the family violence bill<\/span>\n<br>\n<\/h1>\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-element elementor-element-4e2af40 elementor-widget elementor-widget-text-editor\" data-id=\"4e2af40\" data-element_type=\"widget\" data-e-type=\"widget\" data-widget_type=\"text-editor.default\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<div id=\"fv-pure-timeline\"><p><button id=\"fv-btn-left\" class=\"fv-nav-btn fv-prev\">\u276e<\/button><\/p><div id=\"fv-scroller\" class=\"fv-scroll-wrapper\"><div class=\"fv-track\"><div class=\"fv-item\"><div class=\"fv-dot\">\u00a0<\/div><div class=\"fv-content\"><h3>2007<\/h3><p>In 2007, a committee convened by KAFA included a team of three judges, lawyers from KAFA, and a representative from the Internal Security Forces (ISF) to draft a law against domestic violence.<\/p><\/div><\/div><div class=\"fv-item\"><div class=\"fv-dot\">\u00a0<\/div><div class=\"fv-content\"><h3>March 2008<\/h3><p>Campaign \u201ctowards the protection of women from domestic violence\u201d is launched.<\/p><\/div><\/div><div class=\"fv-item\"><div class=\"fv-dot\">\u00a0<\/div><div class=\"fv-content\"><h3>2008<\/h3><p>\u201cNational Coalition for legislating the protection of women from family violence\u201d is set up, encompassing around 40 different associations.<\/p><\/div><\/div><div class=\"fv-item\"><div class=\"fv-dot\">\u00a0<\/div><div class=\"fv-content\"><h3>April 6, 2010<\/h3><p>Hariri cabinet amends and ratifies draft law.<\/p><\/div><\/div><div class=\"fv-item\"><div class=\"fv-dot\">\u00a0<\/div><div class=\"fv-content\"><h3>April 28, 2011<\/h3><p>Formation of a special parliamentary sub-committee to review draft law.<\/p><\/div><\/div><div class=\"fv-item\"><div class=\"fv-dot\">\u00a0<\/div><div class=\"fv-content\"><h3>June 2011<\/h3><p>While the draft bill was being studied by the parliamentary sub-committee, Dar al-Fatwa issued a press statement condemning it and demonizing the right groups supporting it for \u201cinciting the destruction of the Muslim family.&#8221;<\/p><\/div><\/div><div class=\"fv-item\"><div class=\"fv-dot\">\u00a0<\/div><div class=\"fv-content\"><h3>August 2011<\/h3><p>Joint declaration from both Sunni and Shia religious authorities rejecting the pro-domestic violence law coalition\u2019s and other feminist organizations\u2019 \u201cdubious sources of funding.\u201d<\/p><\/div><\/div><div class=\"fv-item\"><div class=\"fv-dot\">\u00a0<\/div><div class=\"fv-content\"><h3>January 2012<\/h3><p>The coalition launched a campaign naming and shaming the members of the parliamentary sub-committee making these changes, and called on them to not \u201cmutilate and cripple the law.\u201d<\/p><\/div><\/div><div class=\"fv-item\"><div class=\"fv-dot\">\u00a0<\/div><div class=\"fv-content\"><h3>July 2012<\/h3><p>Feminist activists from the coalition marched into parliament square raising banners addressing MPs: \u201cYour responsibility is to protect us, our responsibility is to hold you accountable.\u201d<\/p><\/div><\/div><div class=\"fv-item\"><div class=\"fv-dot\">\u00a0<\/div><div class=\"fv-content\"><h3>July 31, 2012<\/h3><p>Sub-committee presents an amended draft law.<\/p><\/div><\/div><div class=\"fv-item\"><div class=\"fv-dot\">\u00a0<\/div><div class=\"fv-content\"><h3>August 2012<\/h3><p>The sub-committee called for a press conference to announce the fruits of its labor.<\/p><\/div><\/div><div class=\"fv-item\"><div class=\"fv-dot\">\u00a0<\/div><div class=\"fv-content\"><h3>July 22, 2013<\/h3><p>Parliamentary joint committees ratify the sub-committee\u2019s amended draft.<\/p><\/div><\/div><div class=\"fv-item\"><div class=\"fv-dot\">\u00a0<\/div><div class=\"fv-content\"><h3>March 8, 2014<\/h3><p>After six active years of advocacy, popular campaigns, and networking with local communities, one of the biggest public gatherings on women&#8217;s rights takes place.<\/p><details><summary>+ Read More<\/summary><div style=\"margin-top: 10px; padding-top: 10px; border-top: 1px solid rgba(255,255,255,0.2);\">The gathering occurred in Beirut on International Women\u2019s Day with almost 5,000 people joining a peaceful march against Violence Against Women (VAW).<\/div><\/details><\/div><\/div><div class=\"fv-item\"><div class=\"fv-dot\">\u00a0<\/div><div class=\"fv-content\"><h3>2017<\/h3><p>KAFA launched a draft bill to amend Law No. 293, endorsed by the Minister of Justice, Minister of State for Women\u2019s Affairs, and Minister of State for Human Rights.<\/p><\/div><\/div><div class=\"fv-item\"><div class=\"fv-dot\">\u00a0<\/div><div class=\"fv-content\"><h3>August 3, 2017<\/h3><p>The council of ministers approved the proposed amendments.<\/p><\/div><\/div><div class=\"fv-item\"><div class=\"fv-dot\">\u00a0<\/div><div class=\"fv-content\"><h3>2020<\/h3><p>A final round of amendments proposed by KAFA was put forward.<\/p><\/div><\/div><div class=\"fv-item\"><div class=\"fv-dot\">\u00a0<\/div><div class=\"fv-content\"><h3>2021<\/h3><p>Yet another round of amendment on the domestic violence bill, initially passed in 2014.<\/p><\/div><\/div><div class=\"fv-item\"><div class=\"fv-dot\">\u00a0<\/div><div class=\"fv-content\"><h3>March 2024<\/h3><p>In March 2024, seven opposition MPs proposed a piece of legislation to parliament to \u201cprevent violence against women\u201d, drafted in collaboration with KAFA.<\/p><\/div><\/div><\/div><\/div><p><button id=\"fv-btn-right\" class=\"fv-nav-btn fv-next\">\u276f<\/button><\/p><\/div><p><script>\ndocument.addEventListener(\"DOMContentLoaded\", function() {\n  const scroller = document.getElementById('fv-scroller');\n  const btnLeft = document.getElementById('fv-btn-left');\n  const btnRight = document.getElementById('fv-btn-right');\n  \n  \/\/ Scrolls by the width of one card (320px) per click\n  if(btnLeft && btnRight && scroller) {\n    btnLeft.addEventListener('click', function() {\n      scroller.scrollBy({ left: -320, behavior: 'smooth' });\n    });\n\n    btnRight.addEventListener('click', function() {\n      scroller.scrollBy({ left: 320, behavior: 'smooth' });\n    });\n  }\n});\n<\/script><\/p>\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-element elementor-element-172621a elementor-widget elementor-widget-image\" data-id=\"172621a\" data-element_type=\"widget\" data-e-type=\"widget\" data-widget_type=\"image.default\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"1600\" height=\"363\" src=\"https:\/\/postray.com\/aiw\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/06\/kafa-doc.png\" class=\"attachment-full size-full wp-image-547\" alt=\"\" srcset=\"https:\/\/postray.com\/aiw\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/06\/kafa-doc.png 1600w, https:\/\/postray.com\/aiw\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/06\/kafa-doc-300x68.png 300w, https:\/\/postray.com\/aiw\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/06\/kafa-doc-1024x232.png 1024w, https:\/\/postray.com\/aiw\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/06\/kafa-doc-768x174.png 768w, https:\/\/postray.com\/aiw\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/06\/kafa-doc-1536x348.png 1536w\" sizes=\"(max-width: 1600px) 100vw, 1600px\" \/>\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-element elementor-element-de32b0b elementor-widget elementor-widget-text-editor\" data-id=\"de32b0b\" data-element_type=\"widget\" data-e-type=\"widget\" data-widget_type=\"text-editor.default\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<p>\u00a0<\/p><details><summary style=\"color: #d5a419; cursor: pointer; font-weight: bold; margin-top: 10px;\">\u00a0Read More<\/summary><div style=\"margin-top: 15px;\"><p>The fight for a domestic violence law started back in 1995 when a group of women survivors stood before a symbolic tribunal in Beirut to expose unspoken tragedies long concealed from the public. The social perception that governed the issue of Violence against women is that it is a \u201cprivate affair\u201d to a matter of public welfare, one that is punishable by law.<\/p><p>Prior to the domestic violence law (2014), laws governing violence were the same for both men and women with no special provisions for domestic violence, and articles governing rape excluded marital rape from punishment and exonerated rapists who chose to marry their victims.<\/p><p>Among the most prominent groups who engage in awareness raising for a law against GBV is the organization KAFA (Enough Violence &amp; Exploitation). The work began in 2007 with a preparation of a draft bill against domestic violence. KAFA then brought together several organizations under the umbrella of the \u201cNational Coalition for Legislating the Protection of Women from Family Violence.\u201d The coalition included a broad array of nongovernmental organizations (NGOs) working on different human rights concerns, such as religious-based associations, confessional associations, associations dealing with physical disabilities, LGBTIQA communities, as well as Lebanese and Palestinian women\u2019s rights groups.<\/p><p>The whole process of drafting the law, its discussion within cabinet and parliamentarian committees was opposed by religious authorities. Clerics from both Sunni and Shia religious establishments joined forces in refusing the draft law. A meeting between both in August 2011 emphasized this rejection and raised rumors about the pro-domestic violence law coalition\u2019s and other feminist organizations\u2019 \u201cdubious sources of funding,\u201d insinuating that these organizations were only fighting for a domestic violence law because Western governments were funding their work and demanding it.<\/p><p>Throughout the years, KAFA and the coalition\u2019s approach relied on engaging a wide range of stakeholders\u2014such as doctors, lawyers, and security forces\u2014right from the beginning. The coalition actively reached out to media representatives and invested substantial amounts of time in training, informing, and working closely with them; and providing expert advice on framing talk shows, reportages, and issues. Further, the coalition brought several non-traditional allies to the women\u2019s movement, such as the women\u2019s committees of different sectarian political parties, in order to win support for the draft bill. This intensive lobbying process culminated in a march that gathered over 5,000 people protesting on International Women\u2019s Day in 2014, one month before the parliamentary session that saw the passing of the law.<\/p><p>In July 2013, the parliamentary joint committees ratified the amended draft they received from the sub-committee. Upon realizing that the draft law had removed several key clauses of the original draft, KAFA lobbied MPs to retain much of the original draft. Although they received 71 signatures of support, not a single MP kept their promise. On April 1, 2014, the Lebanese Parliament passed the Law on the Protection of Women and Family Members from Domestic Violence. The passed law, which was an amended version of the draft law released seven years ago, contained several distortions and gaps. It left out multiple forms of abuse and focused on family violence over GBV more broadly by changing the name of the law from \u201cDraft Law to Protect Women from Family Violence\u201d to the \u201cLaw to Protect Women and Other Family members from Family Violence,\u201d thus eroding its focus on women. Further, it limited the protection guaranteed to the children of the victim\/survivor and turned marital rape into an issue of \u201cmarital rights,\u201d criminalizing only \u201cinjuries\u201d resulting from procuring this right. It also gave priority to existing personal status laws in the case of a conflict with the new law. Thus, although its passage represented a success for the women\u2019s movement to influence policy, the victory was a diluted one.<\/p><p>\u00a0<\/p><p>In March 2024, opposition MPs Najat Saliba, Paula Yaacoubian, Halima Kaakour, Cynthia Zarazir, Michel Doueihy, Firas Hamdan, and Marc Daou, proposed a piece of legislation to parliament to \u201cprevent violence against women\u201d, drafted in collaboration with KAFA. The bill, characterized by a comprehensive outlook on violence against women, offered a refined and more wide-ranging definition of domestic violence replacing the one proposed in the 2014 bill, and specified domestic violence as \u201cany act or practice that reflect an abuse of power within the family through physical \u2013 or other forms of \u2013 violence\u201d. The need for the bill, according to the MPs who presented it to the parliament, is a response to the previous laws\u2019 failure to meet the need for \u201cprevention, prosecution, protection, criminalization, and provision of necessary services and compensation for damages caused to victims\u201d.<\/p><p>\u00a0<\/p><\/div><\/details>\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-element elementor-element-f1f6eee elementor-widget elementor-widget-spacer\" data-id=\"f1f6eee\" data-element_type=\"widget\" data-e-type=\"widget\" data-widget_type=\"spacer.default\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-spacer\">\n\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-spacer-inner\"><\/div>\n\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-element elementor-element-d3e21b3 elementor-widget elementor-widget-heading\" data-id=\"d3e21b3\" data-element_type=\"widget\" data-e-type=\"widget\" data-widget_type=\"heading.default\">\n\t\t\t\t\t<h1 class=\"elementor-heading-title elementor-size-default\"><span style=\"font-size: 30px\">Sexual Harassment<\/span>\n<br>\n<\/h1>\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-element elementor-element-40ff6ff elementor-widget elementor-widget-text-editor\" data-id=\"40ff6ff\" data-element_type=\"widget\" data-e-type=\"widget\" data-widget_type=\"text-editor.default\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<div id=\"sh-pure-timeline\">\n  \n  <button id=\"sh-btn-left\" class=\"fv-nav-btn fv-prev\">\u276e<\/button>\n  \n  <div id=\"sh-scroller\" class=\"fv-scroll-wrapper\">\n    <div class=\"fv-track\">\n      \n      <div class=\"fv-item\">\n        <div class=\"fv-dot\"><\/div>\n        <div class=\"fv-content\">\n          <h3>1990s<\/h3>\n          <p>Featured the creation of national and international groups focused on GBV in Lebanon such as the Lebanese Council to Resist Violence against Women (LECORVAW).<\/p>\n        <\/div>\n      <\/div>\n\n      <div class=\"fv-item\">\n        <div class=\"fv-dot\"><\/div>\n        <div class=\"fv-content\">\n          <h3>2011-2013<\/h3>\n          <p>\u201cThe Adventures of Salwa&#8221; (Nasawiya, the feminist collective) was published.<\/p>\n        <\/div>\n      <\/div>\n\n      <div class=\"fv-item\">\n        <div class=\"fv-dot\"><\/div>\n        <div class=\"fv-content\">\n          <h3>2012<\/h3>\n          <p>A massive protest under the call to \u201cFight Rape\u201d organized by Nasawiya and other young feminist groups was organized.<\/p>\n        <\/div>\n      <\/div>\n\n      <div class=\"fv-item\">\n        <div class=\"fv-dot\"><\/div>\n        <div class=\"fv-content\">\n          <h3>2012<\/h3>\n          <p>Draft law addressing sexual harassment in the workplace by Nasawiya, in collaboration with progressive scholars and legal think tanks was developed. (It was never presented at the Parliament).<\/p>\n        <\/div>\n      <\/div>\n\n      <div class=\"fv-item\">\n        <div class=\"fv-dot\"><\/div>\n        <div class=\"fv-content\">\n          <h3>2013<\/h3>\n          <p>Establishment of the first Title IX office at the American University of Beirut.<\/p>\n        <\/div>\n      <\/div>\n\n      <div class=\"fv-item\">\n        <div class=\"fv-dot\"><\/div>\n        <div class=\"fv-content\">\n          <h3>2016<\/h3>\n          <p>Report by the International Men and Gender Equality Survey in Lebanon and UN Women found that two-thirds of women respondents reported experiencing sexual harassment in public spaces.<\/p>\n          <details>\n            <summary>+ Read More<\/summary>\n            <div style=\"margin-top: 10px; padding-top: 10px; border-top: 1px solid rgba(255,255,255,0.2);\">\n              Many noted experiencing it in the three months preceding the survey.\n            <\/div>\n          <\/details>\n        <\/div>\n      <\/div>\n\n      <div class=\"fv-item\">\n        <div class=\"fv-dot\"><\/div>\n        <div class=\"fv-content\">\n          <h3>2017<\/h3>\n          <p>HarassTracker\u2019s 2017 research demonstrates that sexual harassment is significantly under-reported in Lebanon.<\/p>\n          <details>\n            <summary>+ Read More<\/summary>\n            <div style=\"margin-top: 10px; padding-top: 10px; border-top: 1px solid rgba(255,255,255,0.2);\">\n              This is mainly due to the stigmatization, lack of definition, intimidation, and harassment that victims of sexual violence face when attempting to report.\n            <\/div>\n          <\/details>\n        <\/div>\n      <\/div>\n\n      <div class=\"fv-item\">\n        <div class=\"fv-dot\"><\/div>\n        <div class=\"fv-content\">\n          <h3>2017<\/h3>\n          <p>Establishment of a Ministry of State for Women\u2019s Affairs. Approval of a draft law criminalizing sexual harassment.<\/p>\n        <\/div>\n      <\/div>\n\n      <div class=\"fv-item\">\n        <div class=\"fv-dot\"><\/div>\n        <div class=\"fv-content\">\n          <h3>2018<\/h3>\n          <p>A study by the Arab Foundation for Equality and Freedom (AFE) found that only 15% of employers surveyed in Lebanon have policies that address sexual violence.<\/p>\n        <\/div>\n      <\/div>\n\n      <div class=\"fv-item\">\n        <div class=\"fv-dot\"><\/div>\n        <div class=\"fv-content\">\n          <h3>2019<\/h3>\n          <p>Two gender machineries started working separately on drafting anti-sexual harassment laws: the NCLW and the Women and Children parliamentary committee chaired by MP Inaya Ezzedine.<\/p>\n        <\/div>\n      <\/div>\n\n      <div class=\"fv-item\">\n        <div class=\"fv-dot\"><\/div>\n        <div class=\"fv-content\">\n          <h3>Oct 29, 2019<\/h3>\n          <p>After the resignation of the government the NCLW and the World Bank Group\u2019s Mashreq Gender Facility began working on yet another sexual harassment law.<\/p>\n        <\/div>\n      <\/div>\n\n      <div class=\"fv-item\">\n        <div class=\"fv-dot\"><\/div>\n        <div class=\"fv-content\">\n          <h3>Dec 21, 2020<\/h3>\n          <p>\u201cLaw to Criminalize Sexual Harassment and [for] Rehabilitation of Its Victims\u201d was adopted.<\/p>\n        <\/div>\n      <\/div>\n\n    <\/div>\n  <\/div>\n  \n  <button id=\"sh-btn-right\" class=\"fv-nav-btn fv-next\">\u276f<\/button>\n\n<\/div>\n\n<script>\ndocument.addEventListener(\"DOMContentLoaded\", function() {\n  const scroller = document.getElementById('sh-scroller');\n  const btnLeft = document.getElementById('sh-btn-left');\n  const btnRight = document.getElementById('sh-btn-right');\n  \n  if(btnLeft && btnRight && scroller) {\n    btnLeft.addEventListener('click', function() {\n      scroller.scrollBy({ left: -320, behavior: 'smooth' });\n    });\n\n    btnRight.addEventListener('click', function() {\n      scroller.scrollBy({ left: 320, behavior: 'smooth' });\n    });\n  }\n});\n<\/script>\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-element elementor-element-f7ed2b1 elementor-widget elementor-widget-text-editor\" data-id=\"f7ed2b1\" data-element_type=\"widget\" data-e-type=\"widget\" data-widget_type=\"text-editor.default\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<p>\u00a0<\/p><details><summary style=\"color: #d5a419; cursor: pointer; font-weight: bold; margin-top: 10px;\">\u00a0Read More<\/summary><div style=\"margin-top: 15px;\"><p>In comparison to the campaigning and lobbying for the protection of women against family violence that started in the early 1990s, activism around sexual harassment has been present in Lebanon for decades, stretching back to demands of women\u2019s labour organizing in the 1950s.<\/p><p>The 1990s featured the creation of national and international groups focused on GBV in Lebanon such as the Lebanese Council to Resist Violence against Women (LECORVAW). Yet, while sexual harassment was included in the GBV paradigm, it never seemed to be a primary concern; it was rather folded in with other demands of the women\u2019s movement.<\/p><p>Until 2020, Lebanon lacked legislation on sexual harassment, despite a notable proliferation of feminist initiatives and programming with the objective of raising awareness on the matter. The Lebanese penal code neither defines nor criminalizes sexual harassment. The only reference to it is in Article 503, which criminalizes the act of coercing or threatening someone into committing \u201cimmoral acts,\u201d including non-marital rape and abduction.<\/p><p>In 2017, a Ministry of State for Women\u2019s Affairs was established. On March 8, 2017, the Lebanese Cabinet approved a draft law criminalizing sexual harassment as a \u201cgift to women,\u201d in honor of International Women\u2019s Day, according to statements made by Minister of State for Women\u2019s Affairs Jean Ogasapian. This announcement came less than two months after the Lebanese parliament voted down a bill, originally proposed in 2014 by MP Ghassan Moukheiber, to criminalize sexual and racial harassment. Numerous MPs ridiculed Moukheiber\u2019s bill when it came up for a vote in January 2017, openly laughing and questioning whether another law was needed to protect men from women.<\/p><p>It was the draft that MP Ezzedine was working on that eventually saw the light on December 21, 2020, under the name \u201cLaw to Criminalize Sexual Harassment and [for] Rehabilitation of Its Victims.\u201d The law mostly addressed sexual harassment in the workplace. Predictably, the law \u201cfell short of international standards by addressing sexual harassment solely as a crime and neglecting prevention, labor law reforms, monitoring, and civil remedies,\u201d according to a statement by Human Rights Watch on the eve of International Women\u2019s Day 2021.<\/p><p>The law also falls short of the Violence and Harassment Convention, which demands governments address violence and harassment at work through an \u201cinclusive, integrated and gender-responsive approach,\u201d including through labor laws, occupational safety and health laws, and equality and non-discrimination laws, in addition to criminal law.<\/p><\/div><p>The first major issue with the law is that it bypasses structural reforms that the Lebanese state needs in order to prevent of sexual harassment, such as identifying marginalized populations that are particularly vulnerable to abuse. Migrant domestic workers for instance, who are excluded from the labor law and are isolated in the private homes of their employers and bound to them through the sponsorship system, are the most at-risk group and are not covered by the 2020 law. Another group includes Syrian and Palestinian refugees and transgender women. Another structural measure that the law bypasses is the absence of sexual harassment policies in corporations and organization in Lebanon.<\/p><p>In addition, feminist and women\u2019s rights watchdog groups have raised four major concerns that might limit the law\u2019s capacity to protect victims of sexual harassment. Among the most prominent is the law\u2019s definition of sexual harassment. The law defines sexual harassment as \u201cany bad and repetitive behavior that is extraordinary, unwelcome by the victim, and with sexual connotation that constitutes a violation of the body, privacy, or emotions.\u201d It also notes that sexual harassment can occur through speech, actions, and electronic means, and considers single or repeated acts that use, \u201cpsychological, moral, financial, or racist pressure to obtain benefits of sexual nature\u201d as sexual harassment. While the broad definition may be used in favor of the victim, it may also be exploited by Lebanese authorities to support perpetrators if certain behaviors are not \u201cbad\u201d or \u201cout of the ordinary\u201d enough.<\/p><p>Another concern highlighted by legal scholar and lawyer Karim Nammour from the human rights\u2019 watchdog and think tank Legal Agenda was the burden of proof, which is on the victim. He notes that the law requires that victims of sexual harassment not only prove that they have been harassed, but also the consequences that they have suffered as a result, as opposed to demanding that the perpetrator prove their innocence. Victims are therefore requested to provide irrefutable evidence that they have suffered from sexual harassment. In contexts like the Lebanese, people exploit their connections with individuals in high-ranking positions to exonerate themselves, and it\u2019s almost invariably the men who manage to sway matters to their favour.<\/p><p>A third concern is the law\u2019s failure to protect the privacy of sexual harassment survivors from public scrutiny, which is very likely to lead to retaliation from the perpetrator, his friends, or his family. Per the law, survivors of sexual harassment can only use criminal courts to file complaints, in contrast to civil courts, which necessarily makes the case and their names public. In other words, the victim\u2019s privacy will not be protected under the new law which makes filing a complaint unrealistic for those who fear retaliation or do not wish to publicize their cases.<\/p><p>A final concern is exposing survivors wishing to file complaints using the law to re-traumatization. Although Article 3 of the law notes that steps should be taken to protect the victim and witnesses during investigation and prosecution, the article remains vague. Gender-responsive training for security agencies, prosecutors, and judges is essential for treating victims sensitively and for providing a safe environment for reporting and pursuing complaints. Without this training for frontline justice personnel, survivors of sexual harassment and violence risk re-traumatization and stigmatization upon seeking remedies through the criminal law system as a result of discriminatory attitudes at police, and from prosecutors and judges.<\/p><p>Despite it being a step forward for many, the law fails to truly protect victims\/survivors of sexual harassment, and to provide them with a safe environment to report and attain justice.<\/p><\/details>\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-element elementor-element-adb524d elementor-widget elementor-widget-image\" data-id=\"adb524d\" data-element_type=\"widget\" data-e-type=\"widget\" data-widget_type=\"image.default\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"1600\" height=\"477\" src=\"https:\/\/postray.com\/aiw\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/06\/vow2_14-1.png\" class=\"attachment-full size-full wp-image-391\" alt=\"\" srcset=\"https:\/\/postray.com\/aiw\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/06\/vow2_14-1.png 1600w, https:\/\/postray.com\/aiw\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/06\/vow2_14-1-300x89.png 300w, https:\/\/postray.com\/aiw\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/06\/vow2_14-1-1024x305.png 1024w, https:\/\/postray.com\/aiw\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/06\/vow2_14-1-768x229.png 768w, https:\/\/postray.com\/aiw\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/06\/vow2_14-1-1536x458.png 1536w\" sizes=\"(max-width: 1600px) 100vw, 1600px\" \/>\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-element elementor-element-44ecc96 elementor-widget elementor-widget-spacer\" data-id=\"44ecc96\" data-element_type=\"widget\" data-e-type=\"widget\" data-widget_type=\"spacer.default\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-spacer\">\n\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-spacer-inner\"><\/div>\n\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-element elementor-element-5550341 elementor-widget elementor-widget-heading\" data-id=\"5550341\" data-element_type=\"widget\" data-e-type=\"widget\" data-widget_type=\"heading.default\">\n\t\t\t\t\t<h1 class=\"elementor-heading-title elementor-size-default\">Types of contestation<\/h1>\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-element elementor-element-4343bb1 elementor-widget elementor-widget-image\" data-id=\"4343bb1\" data-element_type=\"widget\" data-e-type=\"widget\" data-widget_type=\"image.default\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"1600\" height=\"390\" src=\"https:\/\/postray.com\/aiw\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/06\/vow2_16-1.png\" class=\"attachment-full size-full wp-image-392\" alt=\"\" srcset=\"https:\/\/postray.com\/aiw\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/06\/vow2_16-1.png 1600w, https:\/\/postray.com\/aiw\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/06\/vow2_16-1-300x73.png 300w, https:\/\/postray.com\/aiw\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/06\/vow2_16-1-1024x250.png 1024w, https:\/\/postray.com\/aiw\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/06\/vow2_16-1-768x187.png 768w, https:\/\/postray.com\/aiw\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/06\/vow2_16-1-1536x374.png 1536w\" sizes=\"(max-width: 1600px) 100vw, 1600px\" \/>\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-element elementor-element-0d931a7 elementor-widget elementor-widget-text-editor\" data-id=\"0d931a7\" data-element_type=\"widget\" data-e-type=\"widget\" data-widget_type=\"text-editor.default\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<p><strong>Domestic violence<br \/><\/strong>Deliberate lack of implementation, particularly inaction and actively stalling discussing and passing both bills, the domestic violence and family violence bill, manifestations of backlash include vilification and stigmatization of the advocates and supporters of the law, often demonizing them and accusing them of destroying Muslim family values. Another type of backlash is the co-option and subversion of women\u2019s right to protection against domestic violence.<\/p><p><strong>Sexual harassment<br \/><\/strong>Belittling and demeaning of all attempts at rectifying the gender status hierarchy and power imbalance, ridiculing the importance of adopting a law.\u00a0 <strong>\u00a0<\/strong><\/p><details><summary style=\"color: #d5a419; cursor: pointer; font-weight: bold; margin-top: 10px;\">\u00a0Read More<\/summary><div style=\"margin-top: 15px;\"><p>Based on the six types of Backlash outlined in Flood et al. (2018), the manifestations of backlash against legislation protecting women against violence in Lebanon include the dominant political parties\u2019 <strong>deliberate lack of implementation, particularly inaction and actively stalling discussing and passing both bills, the domestic violence and sexual harassment.<\/strong><\/p><p>On the level of the family violence bill, manifestations of Backlash include <strong>vilification and stigmatization of the advocates and supporters of the law<\/strong>, often demonizing them and accusing them of destroying Muslim family values. Another type of backlash is <strong>the co-option and subversion of women\u2019s right to protection against domestic violence. <\/strong>This was particularly perpetrated by party representatives who falsely promised to lobby for retaining the original version of the bill, including the many MPs who signed the support petition, only to later agree on passing it with the distortions. Their agreement to sign the petition could have been an attempt to appease any possible opposition or unrest within the party, especially that KAFA had rallied the women\u2019s committees of these parties in favor of the law. Further, such two-handed dealings might also have been used to pacify the coalition\u2019s campaigners, who by that time had become known for their public shaming techniques against MPs.<\/p><p>Following Htun and Weldon\u2019s typology (2010), backlash against the domestic violence law is characterized by both doctrinal and status politics. <strong>While both doctrinal and status politics fuel backlash in the context of domestic violence, only status politics drives backlash in the context of sexual harassment. <\/strong><\/p><p>As domestic violence is deemed a personal status matter that falls under the purview of religious courts and rulings, religious authorities harshly criticize any attempt at shifting control away from them and into the realm of civil law. Lebanon\u2019s highest Sunni and Shiite councils aggressively lobbied MPs to hamper the policymaking process and obstruct the bill\u2019s successful passage through parliament. Though religious authorities\u2019 hostility towards the law did not stop it from passing, it still had several important effects, mainly that the parliament passed a distorted version of the originally proposed bill, effectively eroding the essence of the law.<\/p><p>It is worth noting three specific modifications of the law, first, the reframing of marital rape as a punishable crime in the original bill to a \u201cmarital right\u201d criminalizing only \u201cinjuries\u201d resulting from procuring this right. This dangerous language <strong>that frames sexual relations between a married couple is a right is exclusively found in religious personal status laws. Though the laws frame it as a right for both the man and woman in a couple, patriarchal norms and values transforms it into a prerogative of the man, and facilitates control over women\u2019s bodily and sexual autonomy.<\/strong><\/p><p>Second, the amendment limiting the protection granted to the children of the victim\/survivor to only those under the mother\u2019s custody, or those within the age of custody protections according to the personal status laws, as opposed to including the victim\u2019s children who have been exposed to violence regardless of their custody age.<\/p><p>Third, the inclusion of the shameless amendment giving priority to existing personal status laws in the case of a conflict with the new law. While the children\u2019s custody amendment was ultimately repealed during the first round of amendments proposed by KAFA in 2017, the other two remain. This underscores the power exerted by religious authorities on the MPs who have worked on the law and reveals the tug of war between seculars, feminists, and other advocates of the law on the one hand, and all of the country\u2019s religious authorities on the other.<\/p><p>The backlash against the sexual harassment law is also driven by status politics. Backlash perpetrators belittled and demeaned all attempts at rectifying the gender status hierarchy and power imbalance, including any attempts to pass an anti-sexual harassment law. As observed when MP Moukheiber\u2019s law proposal was due for discussion in parliament, numerous MPs ridiculed it and jokingly questioned whether a law was now needed to protect men from women. This clearly points to policymakers\u2019 determination to keep women crippled by threats of violence and harassment in public, particularly in the workplace, preventing them from reaching status equality.<\/p><\/div><\/details>\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-element elementor-element-fa5626a elementor-widget elementor-widget-spacer\" data-id=\"fa5626a\" data-element_type=\"widget\" data-e-type=\"widget\" data-widget_type=\"spacer.default\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-spacer\">\n\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-spacer-inner\"><\/div>\n\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-element elementor-element-6b7f909 elementor-widget elementor-widget-heading\" data-id=\"6b7f909\" data-element_type=\"widget\" data-e-type=\"widget\" data-widget_type=\"heading.default\">\n\t\t\t\t\t<h1 class=\"elementor-heading-title elementor-size-default\">Actors<\/h1>\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-element elementor-element-329e524 elementor-widget elementor-widget-image\" data-id=\"329e524\" data-element_type=\"widget\" data-e-type=\"widget\" data-widget_type=\"image.default\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"1600\" height=\"570\" src=\"https:\/\/postray.com\/aiw\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/06\/vow2_18-1.png\" class=\"attachment-full size-full wp-image-393\" alt=\"\" srcset=\"https:\/\/postray.com\/aiw\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/06\/vow2_18-1.png 1600w, https:\/\/postray.com\/aiw\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/06\/vow2_18-1-300x107.png 300w, https:\/\/postray.com\/aiw\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/06\/vow2_18-1-1024x365.png 1024w, https:\/\/postray.com\/aiw\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/06\/vow2_18-1-768x274.png 768w, https:\/\/postray.com\/aiw\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/06\/vow2_18-1-1536x547.png 1536w\" sizes=\"(max-width: 1600px) 100vw, 1600px\" \/>\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-element elementor-element-cf318d0 elementor-widget elementor-widget-image\" data-id=\"cf318d0\" data-element_type=\"widget\" data-e-type=\"widget\" data-widget_type=\"image.default\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"1600\" height=\"572\" src=\"https:\/\/postray.com\/aiw\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/06\/vow2_20-1.png\" class=\"attachment-full size-full wp-image-394\" alt=\"\" srcset=\"https:\/\/postray.com\/aiw\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/06\/vow2_20-1.png 1600w, https:\/\/postray.com\/aiw\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/06\/vow2_20-1-300x107.png 300w, https:\/\/postray.com\/aiw\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/06\/vow2_20-1-1024x366.png 1024w, https:\/\/postray.com\/aiw\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/06\/vow2_20-1-768x275.png 768w, https:\/\/postray.com\/aiw\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/06\/vow2_20-1-1536x549.png 1536w\" sizes=\"(max-width: 1600px) 100vw, 1600px\" \/>\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-element elementor-element-326a311 elementor-widget elementor-widget-spacer\" data-id=\"326a311\" data-element_type=\"widget\" data-e-type=\"widget\" data-widget_type=\"spacer.default\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-spacer\">\n\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-spacer-inner\"><\/div>\n\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-element elementor-element-016ef7b elementor-widget elementor-widget-heading\" data-id=\"016ef7b\" data-element_type=\"widget\" data-e-type=\"widget\" data-widget_type=\"heading.default\">\n\t\t\t\t\t<h1 class=\"elementor-heading-title elementor-size-default\">Drivers<\/h1>\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-element elementor-element-37c7a5a elementor-widget elementor-widget-image\" data-id=\"37c7a5a\" data-element_type=\"widget\" data-e-type=\"widget\" data-widget_type=\"image.default\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"1600\" height=\"381\" src=\"https:\/\/postray.com\/aiw\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/06\/vow2_22-1.png\" class=\"attachment-full size-full wp-image-395\" alt=\"\" srcset=\"https:\/\/postray.com\/aiw\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/06\/vow2_22-1.png 1600w, https:\/\/postray.com\/aiw\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/06\/vow2_22-1-300x71.png 300w, https:\/\/postray.com\/aiw\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/06\/vow2_22-1-1024x244.png 1024w, https:\/\/postray.com\/aiw\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/06\/vow2_22-1-768x183.png 768w, https:\/\/postray.com\/aiw\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/06\/vow2_22-1-1536x366.png 1536w\" sizes=\"(max-width: 1600px) 100vw, 1600px\" \/>\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-element elementor-element-c746ff8 elementor-widget elementor-widget-text-editor\" data-id=\"c746ff8\" data-element_type=\"widget\" data-e-type=\"widget\" data-widget_type=\"text-editor.default\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<details open=\"open\"><summary style=\"color: #d5a419; cursor: pointer; font-weight: bold; margin-top: 10px;\">\u00a0Read More<\/summary><div style=\"margin-top: 15px;\"><p>These two cases of sexual harassment and domestic violence are enmeshed within the larger system of discrimination and violence against women in Lebanon, defined by four primary structural issues: <strong>a sectarian governance system, the grip of religious institutions on personal status laws, the patrilineal citizenship and kinship system prevalent in all spheres of life (families, the market, and governmental institutions)<\/strong>, <strong>and the largely misogynist penal code<\/strong>.<\/p><p>Personal status law elevates family law to public law and legalizes preferential treatment of men in sectarian codes. While the legal codes of the Muslim and Christian sects vary, these laws more generally enshrine patriarchy, with all religious laws discriminating between women and men in a myriad of issues, including marriage and assignment of roles within the family, and by positioning women and girls as inferior compared to men and boys in the face of the law. The personal status laws might be the primary mechanism of legal recognition devised by the state for separate sectarian groups, but sect is not citizens\u2019 only register of recognition in Lebanon.\u00a0<\/p><p>Citizenship in Lebanon is recognized via sex and sect. <strong>Sex-based differentiation saturates most branches of Lebanese law and along with gender, determines which facets of citizenship are available and which are foreclosed to women and girls. This underscores how deeply embedded sexual difference and gender-based discrimination are in the Lebanese political system. Mikdashi (2022) uses the term \u201csextarianism\u201d to approach and unpack this system in Lebanon, and argues that \u201csect and sex are mutually constitutive modes of political difference in Lebanon.\u201d<\/strong> Mikdashi (2022) observes that \u201cstate effect,\u201d or the material and ideological presence and status of the state apparatus, and therefore <strong>Lebanese sovereignty itself,<\/strong> emerges from the management of these modes of political difference. Consequently, laws that aim to shift the structural inequality of women and girls, sexual minorities, and other marginalized groups, in this case the anti-sexual harassment and domestic violence bills, face stringent backlash from political and religious authorities who benefit from the continuation of this \u201csextarian\u201d system.<\/p><\/div><\/details>\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-element elementor-element-1e3b3e9 elementor-widget elementor-widget-spacer\" data-id=\"1e3b3e9\" data-element_type=\"widget\" data-e-type=\"widget\" data-widget_type=\"spacer.default\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-spacer\">\n\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-spacer-inner\"><\/div>\n\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-element elementor-element-ab7f00b elementor-widget elementor-widget-heading\" data-id=\"ab7f00b\" data-element_type=\"widget\" data-e-type=\"widget\" data-widget_type=\"heading.default\">\n\t\t\t\t\t<h1 class=\"elementor-heading-title elementor-size-default\">Spaces<\/h1>\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-element elementor-element-f2426a0 elementor-widget elementor-widget-image\" data-id=\"f2426a0\" data-element_type=\"widget\" data-e-type=\"widget\" data-widget_type=\"image.default\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"1600\" height=\"390\" src=\"https:\/\/postray.com\/aiw\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/06\/vow2_24-1.png\" class=\"attachment-full size-full wp-image-396\" alt=\"\" srcset=\"https:\/\/postray.com\/aiw\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/06\/vow2_24-1.png 1600w, https:\/\/postray.com\/aiw\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/06\/vow2_24-1-300x73.png 300w, https:\/\/postray.com\/aiw\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/06\/vow2_24-1-1024x250.png 1024w, https:\/\/postray.com\/aiw\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/06\/vow2_24-1-768x187.png 768w, https:\/\/postray.com\/aiw\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/06\/vow2_24-1-1536x374.png 1536w\" sizes=\"(max-width: 1600px) 100vw, 1600px\" \/>\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-element elementor-element-42173ed elementor-widget elementor-widget-text-editor\" data-id=\"42173ed\" data-element_type=\"widget\" data-e-type=\"widget\" data-widget_type=\"text-editor.default\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<details><summary style=\"color: #d5a419; cursor: pointer; font-weight: bold; margin-top: 10px;\">\u00a0Read More<\/summary><div style=\"margin-top: 15px;\"><p>Secular citizens and advocates believe that civil marriage could strengthen communal ties, unite people from different faiths, and diminish the confessional and sectarian makeup of Lebanon. On the other hand, the intersecting interests of conservative religious authorities and most sectarian parties enable them to leverage their power to oppose it and obstruct its implementation. Formal and informal processes and networks were used to steer the draft law through the approval process and counter-opposition and questions.<\/p><\/div><\/details>\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-element elementor-element-f7f9ee5 elementor-widget elementor-widget-spacer\" data-id=\"f7f9ee5\" data-element_type=\"widget\" data-e-type=\"widget\" data-widget_type=\"spacer.default\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-spacer\">\n\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-spacer-inner\"><\/div>\n\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-element elementor-element-99252ae elementor-widget elementor-widget-heading\" data-id=\"99252ae\" data-element_type=\"widget\" data-e-type=\"widget\" data-widget_type=\"heading.default\">\n\t\t\t\t\t<h1 class=\"elementor-heading-title elementor-size-default\">Events<\/h1>\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-element elementor-element-0014740 elementor-widget elementor-widget-image\" data-id=\"0014740\" data-element_type=\"widget\" data-e-type=\"widget\" data-widget_type=\"image.default\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"1600\" height=\"375\" src=\"https:\/\/postray.com\/aiw\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/06\/vow2_26-1.png\" class=\"attachment-full size-full wp-image-397\" alt=\"\" srcset=\"https:\/\/postray.com\/aiw\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/06\/vow2_26-1.png 1600w, https:\/\/postray.com\/aiw\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/06\/vow2_26-1-300x70.png 300w, https:\/\/postray.com\/aiw\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/06\/vow2_26-1-1024x240.png 1024w, https:\/\/postray.com\/aiw\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/06\/vow2_26-1-768x180.png 768w, https:\/\/postray.com\/aiw\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/06\/vow2_26-1-1536x360.png 1536w\" sizes=\"(max-width: 1600px) 100vw, 1600px\" \/>\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-element elementor-element-c7b2af1 elementor-widget elementor-widget-image\" data-id=\"c7b2af1\" data-element_type=\"widget\" data-e-type=\"widget\" data-widget_type=\"image.default\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"1600\" height=\"384\" src=\"https:\/\/postray.com\/aiw\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/06\/vow2_28-1.png\" class=\"attachment-full size-full wp-image-398\" alt=\"\" srcset=\"https:\/\/postray.com\/aiw\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/06\/vow2_28-1.png 1600w, https:\/\/postray.com\/aiw\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/06\/vow2_28-1-300x72.png 300w, https:\/\/postray.com\/aiw\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/06\/vow2_28-1-1024x246.png 1024w, https:\/\/postray.com\/aiw\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/06\/vow2_28-1-768x184.png 768w, https:\/\/postray.com\/aiw\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/06\/vow2_28-1-1536x369.png 1536w\" sizes=\"(max-width: 1600px) 100vw, 1600px\" \/>\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-element elementor-element-abad4db elementor-widget elementor-widget-text-editor\" data-id=\"abad4db\" data-element_type=\"widget\" data-e-type=\"widget\" data-widget_type=\"text-editor.default\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<details><summary style=\"color: #d5a419; cursor: pointer; font-weight: bold; margin-top: 10px;\">\u00a0Read More<\/summary><div style=\"margin-top: 15px;\"><p>These two crimes were the drop that spilled the glass. The years-long intensive advocacy and online and offline campaigning around the domestic violence issue culminated in a massive protest organized by KAFA on International Women\u2019s Day on the 8<sup>th<\/sup> of March, 2014. Over 5,000 people responded to KAFA\u2019s call, and, led by the mothers of Roula Yaacoub and Manal Assi, the crowd marched in Beirut in what was described as the largest women\u2019s rights protest in recent history.<\/p><p>This protest not only demonstrated that domestic violence was no longer solely a women\u2019s issue but a matter of broader public concern, it also served as the impetus for parliament to place the law on the agenda of the upcoming session on April 1, 2014.<\/p><p>\u00a0<\/p><p>In 2023, women victims of domestic violence were in heightened danger, partly as a result of the judges\u2019 strike that started in mid-August 2023 in which judges protested against the decline in salaries and the deterioration of their work conditions.<\/p><p>Indeed, 2023 witnessed several cases of crimes against women and femicides all over Lebanon. In February 2023, a retired Internal Security officer shot his ex-wife, Mona El-Homsi, in the Northern city of Tripoli with a hunting rifle.<\/p><p>In March, Dr. Zahraa Al Tashem was violently beaten by her brothers over an inheritance argument. In an interview, Dr. Zahraa revealed that she asked for help from the Hermel police station mid-assault. However, the officer remained indifferent despite hearing her scream through the phone.<\/p><p>During the same month of 2023, Zeinab Zeaiter was shot ten times by her husband in front of her children. Not only did she endure violence and misogyny throughout her life, she was also defamed after her passing. Her brother posted a video on social media praising her husband and murderer.<\/p><p>In May, news came out of a man shooting his pregnant daughter three times before fleeing the crime scene. The incident was said to have occurred after a family fight regarding the father\u2019s disapproval of her marriage. Also in May, another woman, Rajia Al-Akoum was killed by her ex-husband, who ironically happens to be the former chief of an Internal Security Forces (ISF) station, in front of her three children.<\/p><p>In August, a disabled girl was admitted to a hospital for \u201ca high fever\u201d and later died. Upon examination of her body, doctors revealed that her death was caused by the bruising of her lung membrane. During interrogations, her father admitted to beating her because she cried and said she had special needs and suffered from paralysis and malnutrition.<\/p><p>In 2024, a scandal involving the sexual abuse of children through TikTok rocked Lebanon. Throughout several months between April and June 2024, Lebanese authorities investigated a group of around 30 individuals implicated in this scandal, who allegedly used TikTok to lure and groom children for sexual assault. Gang members reportedly filmed the assaults, intending to sell them on the dark web, according to local media outlets. Lebanese police reports revealed that gang members \u2013 some of them minors \u2013 lured children via TikTok messages and then sold images and footage of them on the dark web, hence blackmailing them into coming back and enduring assault repeatedly.<\/p><p>While this is not about violence against women per se, it is still important to mention it among prominent events within the violence against women and girls policy areas, because this violence against young boys is gendered, and remains an expression of patriarchal violence, and hegemonic power structures that subjugate the younger and more vulnerable to the predatory behaviour of the more privileged.<\/p><p>\u00a0<\/p><p><strong>Sexual Harassment<\/strong><\/p><p>On the level of the sexual harassment law, two events stand out.<\/p><p>At the height of the uprising, in a protest in November 2019, a woman spots a man who had previously sexually harassed her and decides to expose and shame him to alert other women to his presence and warn them. Upon taking his picture and posting it online, countless other women identified him as the man who sexually harassed, assaulted, stalked, and\/or raped them and\/or their friends. In the months that followed, tens of women spoke out. Countless resorted to social media to share their stories.<\/p><p>Marwan Habib\u2019s case became a nation-wide scandal, but unfortunately, not only had he shown no remorse over his crimes, the internal security forces have also been too lenient and forgiving with him despite multiple victims&#8217; complaints.<\/p><p>Not only was justice not served for Marwan Habib\u2019s survivors, Habib was also hosted on a talk show to be \u201cquestioned\u201d about his actions hence providing him with a platform to justify his actions. Habib was not held accountable for his crimes, and was still free to roam his online and offline crime scenes. Habib was recently arrested in the US for assaulting a woman in her hotel room in Miami.<\/p><p>Habib\u2019s survivors were denied justice in Lebanon, but the scandal around him sparked a long-awaited debate on sexual harassment and turned the public\u2019s attention to the necessity of criminalizing it. It is also worth pointing out to the context of this conversation.<\/p><\/div><\/details>\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-element elementor-element-bf2ef58 elementor-widget elementor-widget-spacer\" data-id=\"bf2ef58\" data-element_type=\"widget\" data-e-type=\"widget\" data-widget_type=\"spacer.default\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-spacer\">\n\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-spacer-inner\"><\/div>\n\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-element elementor-element-faa38a2 elementor-widget elementor-widget-heading\" data-id=\"faa38a2\" data-element_type=\"widget\" data-e-type=\"widget\" data-widget_type=\"heading.default\">\n\t\t\t\t\t<h1 class=\"elementor-heading-title elementor-size-default\">Tactics<\/h1>\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-element elementor-element-a3ffbc4 elementor-widget elementor-widget-image\" data-id=\"a3ffbc4\" data-element_type=\"widget\" data-e-type=\"widget\" data-widget_type=\"image.default\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"1600\" height=\"387\" src=\"https:\/\/postray.com\/aiw\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/06\/vow2_30-1.png\" class=\"attachment-full size-full wp-image-399\" alt=\"\" srcset=\"https:\/\/postray.com\/aiw\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/06\/vow2_30-1.png 1600w, https:\/\/postray.com\/aiw\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/06\/vow2_30-1-300x73.png 300w, https:\/\/postray.com\/aiw\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/06\/vow2_30-1-1024x248.png 1024w, https:\/\/postray.com\/aiw\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/06\/vow2_30-1-768x186.png 768w, https:\/\/postray.com\/aiw\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/06\/vow2_30-1-1536x372.png 1536w\" sizes=\"(max-width: 1600px) 100vw, 1600px\" \/>\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-element elementor-element-2cdbfa1 elementor-widget elementor-widget-text-editor\" data-id=\"2cdbfa1\" data-element_type=\"widget\" data-e-type=\"widget\" data-widget_type=\"text-editor.default\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<p>\u00a0<\/p><p><strong>Visible power of backlash actors:<\/strong><\/p><p>Political and religious elites vehemently opposing the original versions of the laws: both the domestic violence law and the anti-sexual harassment law were only passed into legislation once the contents of each bill had been watered down.<\/p><p><strong>Invisible power of backlash actors:<\/strong><\/p><ol><li>The multiple bureaucratic and political delays involved in passing both bills: it took parliament seven years to pass the domestic violence bill<\/li><li>The continued appointment of conservative political actors to the very sub-committees tasked with reviewing and validating GBV legislation.<\/li><li>The influence of conservative religious and political elites on public discourse surrounding women\u2019s rights and feminist organizations and their goals.<\/li><\/ol><p>\u00a0<\/p><p><em>These actors were able to quickly mobilize a discourse that shed doubts on the funding sources and motives of these organizations as \u201cWestern\u201d and therefore, \u201canti-Muslim\u201d or \u201canti-family,\u201d was a decisive factor in the time it took to move these pieces of legislation through the various levels of parliament. <\/em><\/p><details><summary style=\"color: #e56b2e; cursor: pointer; font-weight: bold; margin-top: 10px;\">\u00a0Read More<\/summary><div style=\"margin-top: 15px;\"><p>To understand hidden and visible power in the context of women\u2019s protection against domestic violence and sexual harassment, the stalling and delays in passing of both laws on the one hand, and the aggressive attack against the domestic violence bill on the other reveal a number of tactics used by backlash perpetrators\/opposition actors to prevent legal changes acknowledging and adequately prosecuting GBV.<\/p><p>One evidence of the visible power of the Backlash actors appears in their ability to pass laws void of any serious content aiming at protecting women and girls from GBV.<\/p><p>The invisible powers can be observed through the delays and the several years it takes them to promulgate legislation for the protection of women and girls from GBV, the appointment of conservative MPs in parliamentarian sub-committees responsible for reviewing and discussing the bills before their discussion in plenary session, and the influence of religious authorities on the public discourse around GBV legislation. This discourse aims at shedding doubts on the funding sources and motives of feminist or women\u2019s rights advocates organisations as Western\u201d and therefore, \u201canti-Muslim\u201d or \u201canti-family\u201d.<\/p><p>The \u201cinvisible power\u201d in the context of both laws and particularly domestic violence is vested in the reinforcement of religious authorities\u2019 grip over personal status issues, and resultantly over women\u2019s bodies and agency. It also lies in the reproduction of the same patriarchal traditional norms and values in the Lebanese community that frame sexual relations and women\u2019s bodies as prerogatives for men, particularly their husbands. This form of power reinforces patriarchal social constructs, and patriarchal connectivity, and thus keeping women subjugated in the domestic sphere as a tool to keep her from playing a role, and fully contributing to public and political life.<\/p><\/div><\/details>\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-element elementor-element-da675c0 elementor-widget elementor-widget-spacer\" data-id=\"da675c0\" data-element_type=\"widget\" data-e-type=\"widget\" data-widget_type=\"spacer.default\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-spacer\">\n\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-spacer-inner\"><\/div>\n\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-element elementor-element-ff83cfd elementor-widget elementor-widget-heading\" data-id=\"ff83cfd\" data-element_type=\"widget\" data-e-type=\"widget\" data-widget_type=\"heading.default\">\n\t\t\t\t\t<h1 class=\"elementor-heading-title elementor-size-default\">Countertactics<\/h1>\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-element elementor-element-927df92 elementor-widget elementor-widget-image\" data-id=\"927df92\" data-element_type=\"widget\" data-e-type=\"widget\" data-widget_type=\"image.default\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"1600\" height=\"387\" src=\"https:\/\/postray.com\/aiw\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/06\/vow2_32-1.png\" class=\"attachment-full size-full wp-image-400\" alt=\"\" srcset=\"https:\/\/postray.com\/aiw\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/06\/vow2_32-1.png 1600w, https:\/\/postray.com\/aiw\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/06\/vow2_32-1-300x73.png 300w, https:\/\/postray.com\/aiw\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/06\/vow2_32-1-1024x248.png 1024w, https:\/\/postray.com\/aiw\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/06\/vow2_32-1-768x186.png 768w, https:\/\/postray.com\/aiw\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/06\/vow2_32-1-1536x372.png 1536w\" sizes=\"(max-width: 1600px) 100vw, 1600px\" \/>\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-element elementor-element-3c4e95d elementor-widget elementor-widget-text-editor\" data-id=\"3c4e95d\" data-element_type=\"widget\" data-e-type=\"widget\" data-widget_type=\"text-editor.default\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<details><summary style=\"color: #d5a419; cursor: pointer; font-weight: bold; margin-top: 10px;\">\u00a0Read More<\/summary><div style=\"margin-top: 15px;\"><p>Today, the main drivers of women\u2019s right to protection \u2013 on both domestic violence and sexual harassment \u2013 can be traced to the 2019 revolution, and the hopes that the revolution sparked for changes to the systemic discrimination facing various marginalized groups, in particular women.<\/p><p>The calls for women\u2019s protection against sexual and gender-violence draws from a historical legacy of feminist campaigning for this right. Women\u2019s rights NGOs, as well as feminist collectives operating online and offline have long received financial support from various foreign governments and international development organizations.<\/p><p>Multiple NGOs have been mobilizing and engaging in campaigning and advocating against GBV.<\/p><p>Further, with the election of the Change MPs, the coalitions they can build inside parliament, in addition to the relationships they have with grassroots movements, will both help in advancing the feminist agenda. With enough popular support, pressure on the government and on other opposing parties in parliament will help in creating new power dynamics and pressure groups which are hard to bypass. This potentially means amendments to better the existing laws on both domestic violence and sexual harassment.<\/p><\/div><\/details>\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-element elementor-element-6653397 elementor-widget elementor-widget-heading\" data-id=\"6653397\" data-element_type=\"widget\" data-e-type=\"widget\" data-widget_type=\"heading.default\">\n\t\t\t\t\t<h3 class=\"elementor-heading-title elementor-size-default\"><span style=\"font-size: 30px\">Women murdered by their husbands\/ male relatives <\/span><\/h3>\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-element elementor-element-fe24a60 elementor-widget elementor-widget-image\" data-id=\"fe24a60\" data-element_type=\"widget\" data-e-type=\"widget\" data-widget_type=\"image.default\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"1600\" height=\"363\" src=\"https:\/\/postray.com\/aiw\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/06\/vow2_34.png\" class=\"attachment-full size-full wp-image-403\" alt=\"\" srcset=\"https:\/\/postray.com\/aiw\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/06\/vow2_34.png 1600w, https:\/\/postray.com\/aiw\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/06\/vow2_34-300x68.png 300w, https:\/\/postray.com\/aiw\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/06\/vow2_34-1024x232.png 1024w, https:\/\/postray.com\/aiw\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/06\/vow2_34-768x174.png 768w, https:\/\/postray.com\/aiw\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/06\/vow2_34-1536x348.png 1536w\" sizes=\"(max-width: 1600px) 100vw, 1600px\" \/>\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t\n<hr class=\"e-divider-base\" data-interaction-id=\"6d2b234\"   \/>\n\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t<div class=\"elementor-element elementor-element-c4a828d e-flex e-con-boxed e-con e-parent\" data-id=\"c4a828d\" data-element_type=\"container\" data-e-type=\"container\">\n\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"e-con-inner\">\n\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t<div class=\"elementor-element elementor-element-b03cd30 e-flex e-con-boxed e-con e-parent\" data-id=\"b03cd30\" data-element_type=\"container\" data-e-type=\"container\">\n\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"e-con-inner\">\n\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>Timeline Download Full Study \u276e \u276f 1972 Lebanon ratified the International Covenant on Civil and Political Rights. However, Lebanon has not ratified any related optional protocols. 1972 Lebanon ratified the International Covenant on Economic, Social, and Cultural Rights. However, Lebanon has not ratified any related optional protocols. 1977 Lebanon ratified ILO Convention No. 100 (Equal [&hellip;]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":1,"featured_media":0,"parent":0,"menu_order":0,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"closed","template":"","meta":{"_angie_page":false,"footnotes":""},"class_list":["post-366","page","type-page","status-publish","hentry"],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/postray.com\/aiw\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/pages\/366","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/postray.com\/aiw\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/pages"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/postray.com\/aiw\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/page"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/postray.com\/aiw\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/1"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/postray.com\/aiw\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=366"}],"version-history":[{"count":167,"href":"https:\/\/postray.com\/aiw\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/pages\/366\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":1070,"href":"https:\/\/postray.com\/aiw\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/pages\/366\/revisions\/1070"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/postray.com\/aiw\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=366"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}