Lebanese women are among the most affected groups by the Israeli aggression... The government approved the National Action Plan to implement the UN Security Council resolution on Women, Peace and Security
Report by the National News Agency (NNA) within the Women’s Media Service file of the Arab Union of News Agencies (FANA), by Antoinette Abou Elias. Beirut – 25 – 9 (KUNA) -- When we provide support, opportunities, protection, and solidarity to women and girls, society as a whole gains greater justice, resilience, and sustainable development. As in every crisis, women in Lebanon are among the most affected groups, yet they are also on the front lines of the response. The crisis currently facing Lebanon has demonstrated that women have provided care to displaced families, organized support, delivered aid, and contributed to de-escalating tensions, often while being displaced themselves.
For three years, Lebanon has faced a severe humanitarian and security crisis resulting from escalating armed hostilities and widespread population displacement amid the ongoing Israeli war on Lebanon. This has intensified pressures on an already fragile economic and social reality. The escalating violence, repeated airstrikes, and the displacement of thousands of families in several Lebanese regions have severely disrupted access to essential services for women, including healthcare, education, protection services, and livelihoods. It has also affected the status of women in Lebanese political parties and the challenges they face in enhancing their role as key partners in decision-making processes and contributing to effective solutions for the broader challenges confronting Lebanon.
Away from the headlines of crises and conflicts, Lebanese women in military and security institutions are fighting a different battle: one to prove their competence and break stereotypes. Although the road remains long, their presence is gradually expanding in the army, the Internal Security Forces, and the General Security Directorate, supported by institutional reforms and a growing recognition of the importance of women’s role in security and peace. Their journey within Lebanon’s military and security institutions, the progress achieved, the challenges that persist, and their growing role in supporting security and stability help strengthen the Women, Peace, and Security agenda.
We ask: How have women and girls in Lebanon been affected by the Israeli aggression? Since March 2, 2026, approximately 620,000 women and girls have been forced to displace from their homes. This represents nearly a quarter of all women and girls in Lebanon and more than half of the displaced population. This escalation comes in a context where women were already suffering from inequalities, including limited access to income, unequal legal protections, and inadequate available services. Today, this vulnerability is deepened by displacement, the loss of livelihoods, and the weakening of support networks. Some women and girls have been forced to make harsh and painful choices, such as fleeing their homes at night without a clear destination, losing their families’ sources of income, and leaving behind their sense of security and everything familiar.
Eighty-five percent of displaced women and girls live outside official shelter centers, in overcrowded apartments and inadequate housing arrangements, with Beirut and Mount Lebanon hosting the largest number of displaced persons. These conditions are not merely overwhelming but also pose serious protection risks, including exploitation, abuse, and gender-based violence. With the disruption of basic protection and justice services, women and girls face increasing difficulties in reporting violations and seeking protection.
On another note, Anandita Philipos, the representative of the United Nations Population Fund (UNFPA) in Lebanon, warned of the worsening suffering of women and girls in Lebanon due to the conflict and displacement. She noted that “the number of displaced persons in the country has reached approximately 1.4 million people—more than 20 percent of the population—including 16,000 pregnant women facing increasing challenges in accessing healthcare and protection.” Philipos pointed out that “women and girls make up more than half of the displaced,” noting that “the displacement rate in Lebanon is among the highest in the world.” She clarified that “recent airstrikes in southern Lebanon damaged health centers and hospitals.” She emphasized that “UNFPA relies on mobile clinics to reach those affected, but it cannot replace delivery and specialized care services that require safe and equipped hospitals.” She also stressed the “importance of maintaining humanitarian aid access and ending hostilities.”
Regarding funding, she noted that “the United Nations launched an urgent humanitarian appeal for Lebanon worth $25 million to address growing needs, but it still suffers from a severe funding shortfall,” warning that “any reduction in support will lead to the scaling back of vital services, including mobile clinics, midwives, social workers, and protection services.” She considered that “displaced women need protection and healthcare above all else, but their fundamental demand remains safe return to their homes.”
The World Bank had issued the eleventh edition of the “Women, Business and the Law 2026” report, which revealed a clear gap between the existence of laws supporting equality and their effective implementation on the ground. The global average for the legal frameworks indicator stood at 67 out of 100, reflecting a persistent significant gap in legal gender equality. The average for the supportive frameworks indicator reached approximately 47 points, meaning that less than half of the necessary systems to support the implementation of these laws are in place. In contrast, the average for the perceptions of law enforcement indicator was 53 points, indicating that women’s rights are only partially enforced in many countries.
Issues affecting women’s status
It is worth noting that four old and new issues affect the status of Lebanese women: the existence of religious personal status laws, a nationality law that considers gender, domestic violence, and child marriage, the latter two being manifestations of gender-based violence. These four issues, addressed in this paper, affect all Lebanese female citizens, but not necessarily the other two categories of women.
Resolution 1325
The Lebanese government had approved the second National Action Plan for the implementation of United Nations Security Council Resolution 1325 on Women, Peace, and Security, prepared by the National Council for Women. The Council, represented by its President, First Lady Naimat Aoun, announced the implementation of the plan, considering that “the plan is transitioning from the preparation and adoption phase to the phase of actual action and tangible results. The Lebanese government’s adoption of the plan was not an end in itself, but rather a declaration of the Lebanese state’s commitment to translating principles into policies, policies into actions, and actions into real impact that reflects on state institutions and the lives of women and girls in Lebanon.” She pointed out that “this plan was prepared under the leadership of the National Council for Women, with active participation from ministries, administrations, public institutions, security and military agencies, civil society organizations, and international partners. The success of this plan will not be achieved through periodic meetings or report preparation alone, but through integrating its objectives into public policies, sectoral plans, executive programs, and daily work mechanisms, and directing available resources to achieve the results to which the Lebanese state has committed.”
The Council considered that “UN Security Council Resolution 1325 is not merely an international commitment but constitutes a national framework for enhancing security, stability, and good governance. Engaging women in decision-making, conflict prevention, crisis response, peacebuilding, and reconstruction is no longer an option but a necessity for achieving more inclusive development and more resilient societies. Over the past years, and amid the successive crises Lebanon has witnessed, Lebanese women have proven to be key partners in crisis management, humanitarian work, strengthening social cohesion, and rebuilding trust within local communities.”
On another note, the National Council for Women had praised the banking-oriented media Law No. 979, which activates the right of married women to open bank accounts for their minor children, given its direct impact on enhancing the role of mothers as active partners in making financial decisions regarding their children.
In conclusion, achieving gender equality remains a national and humanitarian responsibility. All stakeholders, including the government, civil society, and international organizations, must work to ensure that women and girls fully enjoy their rights without discrimination or exception. It is worth noting that the status of women in Lebanon in 2026 has witnessed notable progress in the security and military sectors and legal reform initiatives, alongside the continuation of structural challenges in political and economic participation.
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