The article, "Violence Against Women in Lebanon: The Challenge of Legislative Action", was published on 6 June 2024.
Abstract
In March 2024, Lebanon’s “reform MPs,” a group of legislators who were elected in 2022 from outside the country’s traditional sectarian system, proposed a new law on violence against women (VAW). They drafted the bill in collaboration with local feminist NGOs and based it on international legal instruments and conventions. The bill aims to eliminate discrimination against women in Lebanon’s laws, which place severe constraints on those who are trying to escape abusive relationships. It also seeks to change the current legal framework that has no protections for Lebanese women who seek restraining orders against abusers. Unfortunately, it is highly unlikely that the law will pass in its current form due to a seemingly entrenched culture of violence against women in Lebanon and the sectarian leaders’ continuing control over the country’s political system.
