Budget: € 2,474,931
Location: Lebanon: Beirut, Byblos (Metn) and Tyr (South)
Date of project: October 2019 - September 2022
Implementing Partner: Expertise France
The Lebanese Constitution promulgated in 1926 clearly promotes, in its article 7, the equality of all citizens before the law. It states that all citizens shall enjoy equal civil and political rights and be bound by obligations, without any distinction between them. In this context, Lebanon is also signatory to international conventions, including the CEDAW (Convention on the Elimination of all Forms of Discrimination Against Women), which mandates the obligation of every state “to take all appropriate measures including legislation, to modify or abolish existing laws”. Despite this, discrimination is still prevalent, especially at the level of personal status laws that govern family matters such as marriage, divorce, child custody, inheritance, the right to pass nationality and domestic violence.
Through the efforts of civil society organizations, the “LAW 293/2014 on the Protection from Domestic Violence” was adopted in April 2014. The current version of the law is meant to protect women and household members from domestic violence. However, access to legal information and full access to justice for victims of Gender-Based Violence (GBV) is still largely absent.
Women are not fully integrated in the Lebanese economy, as many social, economic, and legal barriers stand in the way of their full participation. Studies and research have shown that there is a need for a "comprehensive national policy" to help overcome this situation, and design positive, proactive and implementable measures guaranteeing a better integration of women in the workforce.
Based on the above, this project will provide the needed support to institutionalise legal aid for victims of GBV and build the capacity of existing legal professionals on GBV. It will offer capacity building, mentoring and coaching through the provision of business support services, as well as grants, to a selected group of potential entrepreneurs. The programme will support the policy framework and operational capacities of the relevant National Gender Equality Machineries (NGEM).
