Lebanon

The context in the country:

Lebanon has been affected by a political and economic crisis that caused its currency to depreciate by over 90%, and which has been exacerbated by the Beirut port explosion. The country’s endemic corruption, the legacy of Lebanon’s civil wars, and a weak legal protection framework make securing justice for the poorest and marginalised populations extremely challenging.

Legal context and legal needs:

LAW provides legal Assistance and Representation that can be Legal protection for survivors of gender-based violence (GBV) and sexual and gender-based violence (SGBV), civil documentation, and legal counselling services are provided to women and girls of all nationalities, migrant domestic workers, the LGBTQI community, and those facing statelessness.

LAW rationale for intervention:

LAW intervene based on the Lebanese domestic law and Human rights law and international treaties.

LAW was established in Lebanon in 2018 with lawyers work closely with LAW Network’s international lawyers to develop innovative legal strategies designed to increase access to justice for survivors of sexual and gender-based violence (SGBV), the stateless, and other groups who have suffered human rights violations and abuses.

Project one: Access to Justice for Migrant Workers - Phase 2

Access to Justice for Migrant Workers – Phase 2 (2023-2024) continues the mission of improving access to justice for migrant workers in Lebanon who face human rights violations. Building on Phase 1, the project strengthens legal aid services, empowering migrant workers through awareness-raising, assistance, and representation. Engaging with the judicial system, it advocates for fair treatment and accountability. Targeting migrant workers of all genders and nationalities residing in Lebanon who have suffered human rights violations.

Project two: Equality through Legal Action – Phase 2

The Equality Through Legal Action Phase 2 project in Lebanon, aims to break the cycle of injustice for marginalized groups like Migrant Domestic Workers (MDWs), LGBTQI+ individuals, and stateless individuals.

This phase expands its scope to support additional vulnerable groups, providing legal aid, empowerment, and advocacy. LAW’s intervention adopts immediate and sustainable approaches, empowering individuals to become justice advocates.

The project targets various community components to achieve equality and reduce discrimination, particularly in underserved regions like the North Governorate.

Cross-sectoral support is provided through legal empowerment, strategic litigation, technical assistance, and advocacy.

Leveraging its experience and relationships, LAW is ensuring effective implementation, collaborating with stakeholders and utilizing community outreach. Successes from Phase 1, including legal sessions and strategic litigation, highlight LAW’s impact.

1. Dealing with Past (A program specialized in psychological and legal affairs for survivors of crimes committed during the Lebanese civil war and the disappeared)
   Dec 2020-Dec 2021
2. Equality through legal action 2020-2022
   Dec 2020- Dec 2022
3. Legal Aid for Victims and Survivors of the Beirut Port Explosion
   August 2021–May 2022
4. Access to justice for migrant workers -Phase 1
   2022-2023
5. Improving Accountability and Access to Justice in Lebanon through Public Interest Lawyering and a Survivor-Cantered Approach
   Jan 2022 – Jun 2023
6. Legal aid for Irregular migration
   Feb 2023-Jun 2023

Victims of the Beirut Explosion Nov 2020

Legal Action Worldwide (LAW), ‘Report on Behalf of Victims of the Beirut Explosion of 4 August 2020’ (13 November 2020) <http://www.legalactionworldwide.org/wp-content/uploads/2020/11/REPORT.pdf>

LAW and UN Women Launch a Report Investigating Gendered Crimes During the Lebanese Civil Wars

Worldwide, L. A., & Women, U. N. (2022). They raped us in every possible way, in ways you can’t imagine”: Gendered Crimes during the Lebanese Civil Wars. Ginebra: law. Recuperado de https://www. legalactionworldwide. org/wp-content/uploads/They-raped-us-in-every-possible-way-23.05.

On 4 August 2020, a large amount of ammonium nitrate stored at the Port of Beirut exploded, causing over 200 deaths, injuring 7,000 and leaving around 300,000 people homeless. The explosion also destroyed thousands of buildings and led to extensive damage to infrastructure.

LAW provides legal aid to victims and survivors of the explosion and supports them in accessing housing and shelter, and civil documentation.

On 13 November 2020, LAW released the first comprehensive report on the explosion, gathering all available facts and information on the domestic investigation to date. The report highlights a request by the “Victims of the Beirut Explosion” group, which brings together over 1,000 victims and families of the victims. The request calls for an impartial and independent fact finding mission to hold those in power responsible and accountable. The group is also calling for compensation for the survivors and the victims’ families.

Read the full report in English here / Read the full report in Arabic here / Read the full updated report here       Read the Press Release in English here    /   And in Arabic here

Through our “Dealing with the Past” project, funded by UN Women, Legal Action supported women victims and survivors of the Lebanese civil wars through legal aid, assistance and representation, as well as psychosocial support and avenues for storytelling to enable survivors and relatives of the disappeared.

Legal Action also released a report on gendered crimes committed during the civil wars and carried out an assessment of the legal, psychological, and medical needs of women from the families of the disappeared.

In order to raise public awareness of enforced disappearances and help encourage greater action to bring justice for those who disappeared and their families, we produced a documentary featuring the stories of women whose family members disappeared and never returned. We also commissioned a photo series which was exhibited in October 2021 in Beirut.

Click here to view the virtual photo exhibition and documentary.

This project ended in December 2021.

In October 2020, the Gender Action for Peace and Security (GAPS) and LAW collaborated to compile data on the impact of COVID-19 on gender equality, peace and security in Lebanon. The research aimed to increase the international community’s understanding of the context-specific and global impact of COVID-19 and potential future pandemics on gender, peace and security, and to set out an agenda for action for national and global policy makers.

Find English and Arabic Briefing attached here:                                            Also find report attached here in English and Arabic:

Arabic Lebanon Briefing English Lebanon Briefing                                        English ReportArabic Report

“Mu’ajjal” is a documentary produced by Legal Action Worldwide, funded by UN Women, and produced in collaboration with Justice Without Frontiers and the Committee of the Families of the Kidnapped and Missing, and created by CKN FILMS.

The documentary, which examines the experiences of five women who lost loved ones during the Lebanese Civil Wars, including how the experience of loss has impacted and transformed their lives, recently won four international awards in four different countries, including the Tokyo International Short Film Festival, the Inonu University 13 International Short Film Festival in Turkey, the Indie Filmmakers Festival in Tokyo, and the Algerian Digital Gate International Film Festival.

The film examines the issue of loss from a personal perspective, and how a woman deals with the loss of a man in a patriarchal society, particularly during the period of the Lebanese civil war, and how this loss can leave a significant void in the family, with far-reaching consequences for women.

Aside from the four awards already won, Mu’ajjal has also been named finalist in the Kalamata International Short Documentary Festival, the Paris Women Festival, and the Rome Prisma Film Award.