United Nations CEDAW /C/LBN/4-5 Convention on the Elimination Distr.: General of All Forms of Discrimination 15 May 2014 English against Women Original: Arabic Committee on the Elimination of Discrimination against Women Consideration of reports submitted by States parties under article 18 of the Convention Fourth and fifth periodic reports of States parties due in 2014 Lebanon* [Date received: 25 April 2014] * The present document is being issued without formal editing. 14-53706 (E) 120914 *1453706* CEDAW/C/LBN/4-5 Contents Page Preface .................................................................... 7 Article 1 Definition of discrimination against women ........................................ 9 Article 2 The principle of non-discrimination and guarantee of its achievement .................... 9 I. The legislative situation and principle of non-discrimination ........................... 10 1. Progress achieved in expanding the scope of international agreements in Lebanon .... 10 2. Progress achieved in ridding laws of discriminatory provisions .................. 10 3. Bills and proposals being studied or monitored ............................... 12 4. First steps toward a systematic review and revision of discriminatory laws and 14 regulations ........................................................... II. Ensuring effective protection through the courts ..................................... 15 III. Disseminating information on the Convention and the culture of equality ................. 17 I V. Civil society initiatives and efforts ............................................... 17 V. Obstacles and challenges ...................................................... 18 Article 3 Public policy ................................................................ 18 I. Ministerial statements ......................................................... 19 II. Policies adopted by certain ministries ............................................. 20 III. Legislation and activities of the Chamber of Deputies ................................ 22 I V. National Commission for Lebanese Women ........................................ 22 V. Civil society organizations ..................................................... 23 VI. Political parties and forces ..................................................... 24 VII. Obstacles and challenges ...................................................... 25 Article 4 Temporary special measures .................................................... 26 I. Parliamentary election bills ..................................................... 26 II. Progress achieved in adopting certain special measures ............................... 27 III. Measures proposed ........................................................... 27 I V. Obstacles and challenges ...................................................... 28 Article 5 Stereotype roles and violence against women ....................................... 28 Theme 1 Stereotype roles ............................................................. 28 I. The facts ................................................................... 28 1. Stereotype roles: Constancy and change .................................... 28 2. The role of the media................................................... 29 3. Gender stereotyping and the family ........................................ 30 2/161 14-53706 CEDAW/C/LBN/4-5 II. Efforts undertaken ............................................................ 31 1. Efforts of women’s organizations ......................................... 31 2. Assessment of the impact ............................................... 32 III. Obstacles and challenges facing women’s organizations (governmental and non-governmental) . 32 Theme 2 Violence against women ....................................................... 33 I. Facts and indicators .......................................................... 33 II. Efforts undertaken ............................................................ 33 1. Official efforts ........................................................ 34 2. Efforts of non-governmental organizations .................................. 37 3. Research efforts ....................................................... 37 III. Obstacles and challenges to combating violence against women ........................ 38 1. Official challenges ..................................................... 38 2. Challenges facing civil society organizations ................................ 38 3. Research and authoring ................................................. 39 Article 6 Combating the exploitation of women ............................................ 39 I. Progress achieved in the legislative position ........................................ 39 II. Legal lacunae and challenges ................................................... 41 1. Legal lacunae ........................................................ 41 2. Challenges ........................................................... 41 III. Progress achieved in gathering data on the trafficking of women and girls ................. 43 I V. Efforts undertaken and services provided to victims of trafficking in persons .............. 45 V. Obstacles and challenges ...................................................... 47 Articles 7 47 and 8 Women and political participation................................................ I. Legislation and policy ......................................................... 47 II. The actual situation ........................................................... 49 III. Efforts undertaken ............................................................ 53 I V. Obstacles and challenges ...................................................... 55 Article 9 Nationality ................................................................. 55 I. Efforts to amend the Nationality Law to include gender equality ........................ 56 II. Obstacles and challenges ...................................................... 62 Article 10 Equality in education ......................................................... 62 I. Educational policies, laws and strategies .......................................... 62 II. The status of females in education 64 14-53706 3/161 CEDAW/C/LBN/4-5 1. General indicators ..................................................... 64 2. Formal education ...................................................... 65 3. Non-formal education .................................................. 71 III. Obstacles and challenges ...................................................... 71 Article 11 Equality at work ............................................................. 72 I. Legislation and policy ......................................................... 72 1. Legislation ........................................................... 72 2. Legislation ........................................................... 74 II. Decisions and measures taken in implementation of article 11 of the Convention ........... 74 III. Efforts to implement article 11 of the Convention after 2006 ........................... 74 I V. Data on women in employment .................................................. 77 V. Obstacles and challenges ...................................................... 79 Article 12 Equality in health care ........................................................ 79 I. The legislative position in Lebanon and the health system ............................. 80 II. Strategies and plans since 2006 .................................................. 80 III. Features of the Lebanese health system: the current situation and a review of changes since 81 2006 ...................................................................... I V. Health workers .............................................................. 82 V. Efforts undertaken and progress made ............................................ 83 1. In achieving the Millennium Development Goals ............................. 83 2. Regarding women’s health in general and the health of certain groups of women in 83 particular ................................................................... 3. Efforts of civil society bodies and non-governmental organizations ............................... 86 VI. National programmes ......................................................... 86 VII. Obstacles and challenges ...................................................... 87 Article 13 Economic and social rights and benefits ........................................... 87 I. Legislation and policy ......................................................... 88 1. Legislation ........................................................... 88 2. Policy .............................................................. 89 II. Decisions and measures taken in implementation of article 13 of the Convention ........... 89 III. Indicators on women’s participation in sports federations and committees ................. 90 I V. Efforts undertaken to implement article 13 of the Convention .......................... 90 V. Obstacles and challenges ...................................................... 93 Article 14 Rural women ................................................................ 94 4/161 14-53706 CEDAW/C/LBN/4-5 I. General overview ............................................................ 94 II. Legislation ................................................................. 95 III. Progress achieved ............................................................ 95 I V. Data on the