Discrimination against women is an issue that has been haunting Arab societies for a long time. Stories of violence against women and pre-pubescent girls are commonplace in Arab society despite the widely circulated slogans and campaigns aimed at the issue, which people are now accustomed to ignoring. Society seems to be numb to the problem that is the ongoing discrimination against women.
This article discusses the issue of discrimination and violence against Arab women, using Lebanon as a case study for the matter. The Arab world is dominated by discriminatory ideas against women that affect them in all aspects of life, from the work environment to marriage.
<h3 dir="ltr">Shocking statistics about the status of women globally</h3>
On International Women&rsquo;s Day, UN Women published its latest report which detailed the condition in which women live globally. &ldquo;1 in 10 women around the world lives in extreme poverty,&rdquo; the report stated. Moreover, the number of those living in conflict-affected areas has doubled since 2017 to reach 614 million women and girls (UN Women, 2024). This increases the likelihood of women experiencing extreme poverty by 7.7 times in comparison to conflict-free areas. 236 million women and girls are expected to go hungry by 2030 due to climate change, nearly double 131 million men projected to suffer from the same issue. At primary working age, only 61% of women partake in the labor force, compared to 90% of men.
The state of women globally, as illustrated by the previous figures, emphasizes the need to address the discrimination and violence they are exposed to in the Arab world. Prior to the COVID-19 pandemic, more than 1 in 3 women in the Middle East and North Africa said they have experienced sexual and/or physical violence at the hands of their significant other (UNSDG, 2021). Also, 60% of female internet users in the Arab region have been exposed to online violence (UN Women, 2021).
In 2021, 45% of women reported that they or a woman they knew has been subjected to some form of violence (UN, 2021), and 7 in 10 women said they believed verbal or physical abuse by a partner has become more common. Meanwhile, 6 in 10 women felt that sexual harassment in public places has worsened.
While the United Nations did not specifically state statistics regarding violence in the Arab region in its global report, it included Arab countries within the Middle East region. &ldquo;The prevalence estimates of lifetime intimate partner violence range from 20% in the Western Pacific, 22% in high-income countries and Europe and 25% in the WHO Regions of the Americas to 33% in the WHO African region, 31% in the WHO Eastern Mediterranean region, and 33% in the WHO South-East Asia region&rdquo; (WHO, 2021).
&ldquo;There is one universal truth, applicable to all countries, cultures and communities: violence against women is never acceptable, never excusable, never tolerable,&rdquo; said United Nations Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon in 2008, a statement of the utmost importance.
<h3 dir="ltr">Violence is not only physical</h3>
The previous statistics illustrate the situation in the Arab world where violence against women is concerned. However, violence against girls and women does not stop at physical abuse. Violence extends to include discrimination at all levels, as well as the deprivation of women of their basic rights, such as education, healthcare, work, and political participation.&nbsp;
Forcing women into marriage at a young age is another form of violence (UN Women, 2023). Furthermore, violence against women can be seen in the form of discrimination within the family and workplace. During times of conflict, especially the violence practiced by terrorist organizations, women become victims of violence. Finally, bullying or digital violence can also be included on this long list.
<h3 dir="ltr">Lebanon and violence against women</h3>
In Lebanon, rates of violence against women are low compared to other Arab countries (Arab Barometer, 2019). In 2023, Lebanon ranked 25th among the most fragile countries out of 179 countries. The index measures the state&rsquo;s inability to perform key tasks that leave its citizens vulnerable to a wide range of dangers, affecting the individual&rsquo;s safety and increasing the risks of violence. In Lebanon, factors like increased political polarization, lack of social cohesion, and economic deterioration play a role in destabilizing the community.
<img style="display: block; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;" src="https://api-aps.aucegypt.edu/uploads/tinymce/1710918096imageIMG_0579.jpg" alt="" width="405" height="437">
Arab Barometer: The prevalence of domestic violence in Arab countries&nbsp;
On the legal front, many established laws fail to safeguard women&rsquo;s rights and administer justice as women face increased discrimination and violence. The extent of the injustice faced by these women can be seen especially in the Lebanese Law to Protect Women and Other Family Members from Domestic Violence, No. 293 of 2014, which excludes &ldquo;marital rape&rdquo; from its definition of rape among other things (UN Women, 2019).
As for rape, it is a felony that sees the offender serve a minimum of five years of hard labor according to Article 503 of the Penal Code of 1943. However, this legal text also fails to include marital rape. As for the Labor Law, it does not prohibit sexual harassment in the workplace, despite the existence of articles within the Penal Code that criminalize acts that may qualify as sexual harassment. Some of these fall under Law No. 164 of 2011, which prohibits all forms of human trafficking, but does not detail any prevention and protection measures.
There are no laws prohibiting early marriage in Lebanon, as the minimum age for marriage varies between religious sects. Most religious sects allow males to marry at the age of 18. However, all sects allow girls under the age of 18 to marry. Lebanese women do not have equal rights in marriage and divorce. Upon divorce, men have guardianship over children, while women do not have guardianship rights, except for Armenian Orthodox.
There are strict conditions that limit the mother's rights to custody. Under inheritance rules that apply to Muslims, women are entitled to inheritance, but in many cases receive less than men. On the other hand, both male and female Christians have equal inheritance rights under the non-Muslim inheritance law.
The amended Article 26 of the Labor Law of 1946 prohibits discrimination against women through smaller wages. Employers are also prohibited from dismissing women because of pregnancy under Articles 29 and 52 of the Labor Law. Under the Labor Law, women are entitled to a 10-week paid maternity leave. However, this is less that the International Labour Organization&rsquo;s standard of 14 weeks.
Women's economic and social status
Lebanon has witnessed many changes in its social classes as a result of the economic crisis. The poverty rate increased and the pressure on women to make a living and provide for their children has grown (NCLW, 2022). Despite this, women&rsquo;s participation in the Lebanese labor market is only 26% (UN Women, 2020), which limits their involvement in household and life decisions.
Lebanese women and political participation
The year 2004 marked the appointment of two female ministers women in the Lebanese government for the first time (UN Women Lebanon, 2022). Meanwhile, the 2022 parliamentary elections witnessed the largest number of female candidates registered in the country&rsquo;s history, as the number of female candidates reached 155 out of 1,043 parliamentary candidates. However, women hold only 6.4%, or 7 of 128, parliamentary seats at present.
Religious laws still prevail in Lebanese society, and women do not enjoy their civil rights except in compliance with religion and what it stipulates. Both society and legislation are skewed towards men, giving them precedence and granting them leadership rights at the expense of women. Wars and conflicts on the country's southern border have put Lebanese women in a bad position. Despite women's efforts to advocate for peace, they are consistently excluded from peace negotiations and reconstruction efforts following the 15-year Lebanese civil war (UNDP, 2019).
<h3 dir="ltr">Conclusion</h3>
Many strategies have been suggested to confront violence and discrimination against women, as violence is one of the key issues that affects the lives and health of millions of women and girls around the world. To end this persecution, broad measures were placed by the United Nations within the document to reduce violence against women in 2015, and these measures were adopted by the World Health Organization (WHO, 2020). The measures that are directed at policymakers include improving family dynamics and promoting the concept of equal rights within the family, as well as enhancing women&rsquo;s skills through workshops and consultations.
Aside from empowering and protecting women by developing policies that grant them societal freedom, working to reduce poverty, and ensuring a supportive environment, the document stressed the importance of protecting children and adolescents, by monitoring families and intervening if the need arises. This protects upcoming generations from psychological pressures. However, the document is ineffective unless international institutions monitor the implementation of the guidelines and urge governments to provide resources for their implementation.
There is plenty of literature that suggests that the media can play a pivotal role in confronting discrimination and violence against women, by highlighting the problem and how to tackle it. Furthermore, feminist civil society organizations can also increase the monitoring of incidents of violence and train women to confront them. The &ldquo;16 Days&rdquo; campaign that was launched by UN Women in 2022, is a great example of this. The campaign focused on combating gender-based violence, amplifying the voices of survivors, and enabling them to support others.
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References
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