Status of Women in Lebanon - Essay Example

Status of Women in Lebanon Certainly, women face many challenges ranging from domestic to sexual violence depending on the society in which they exist (Nazir and Tomppert 22). While most women are vulnerable to various abuses and discrimination, it is disheartening to learn that some nations do not have in place robust policies and laws that deal with the rights of women within the society (Zaatari). Particularly, the Middle East is the usual suspect when it comes to the protections of human rights and gender inequality whereby the major countries that do not pay high regards to the affairs of women in this region are Lebanon, Syria, Pakistan, and Iran (Khalaf). Indeed, the status of women in Lebanon is pathetic considering the widespread human rights violations against women in Lebanon. Although women in Lebanon are strongly opposed to their status within the Lebanese environment and society, they lack a voice that would champion for their rights especially considering the brutality and male dominance within the Lebanese cultural framework (Nadya). To this extent, this paper explores the status of women in Lebanon especially considering the many voices that express their concerns over gender-based human rights violations in the Arab world and Lebanon in particular. From a historical perspective, Lebanon has come a long way since her independence in 1943 from the French colonial powers. Originally established as a mandate of the French, Lebanon has experienced her fair share of civil wars especially in the 1970s and 1980s when the nation was forced to sign the Taif Peace Accord to end the violence (Zaatari). However, this was not before the Lebanese government invited the Syrian forces to help in the peacekeeping mission (Nadya). With Israeli constant invasion in Lebanon, it is worthy to note than Lebanon has suffered various attacks particularly in 1976 and 1982 (Nazir and Tomppert 22). Even as Israeli and Syrian forces withdrew their troops from Lebanon, Some troops of the Israeli forces continued to occupy the greater part of South Lebanon. With a population of 4.2 million, Lebanon is one of the most unequal societies in the world in terms of gender parity contrary to her constitution that puts a lot of emphasis on equal political, civil, and social rights (Zaatari). This means that the constitution states one thing while the practice on the ground is another different phenomenon. Perhaps the bizarre phenomenon with the Lebanese constitution is that while it guarantees gender equality, no explicit article within the constitution that actually protects the Lebanese women against discrimination (Damon and Hume). A classic example of this is that fathers can pass citizenship to their children through birth as long as they become Lebanese citizens. However, the situation is slightly different when it comes to foreign women married to Lebanese men in whereby their children are not considered part of the society. Such harsh judgments based on gender are increasingly affecting the Lebanese women they need full participation in the society just as any other women across the globe (Zaatari). Undoubtedly, the Arab world is one of the most stringent patriarchal societies that incorporate gender roles in their key decisions with women falling victims to the harsh male judgments (Zaatari). Lebanon is indeed one of the Arab countries with about fifteen religious factions hence necessitating the institution of personal statute codes that govern the Lebanese families (Nadya). This means that the protection of the Lebanese women is not explicit and conclusive enough but instead, it is guided by the religion a particular woman hails from. While such discriminatory laws may protect some Lebanese women, many of them usually become victims of circumstances merely because their religious factions do not pay high regards to gender issues especially those pertaining to women (Khalaf). When it comes to the violation of women rights especially their sexual and marital rights, Lebanon takes the lead owing to the high numbers of young women getting married without the slightest concern of the society (Zaatari). Surprisingly, some women as young as thirteen years are forced into early marriages where they do not have a right to inherit any property within their families. This means that when a Lebanese woman is married into polygamy, they do not have any right to complain or demand fairness in their marriage owing to the excessive powers bestowed in their male counterparts (Nazir and Tomppert 22). In addition, when a non-Muslim Lebanese woman gets married to a Muslim Lebanese man, the Lebanese society does not consider her children as members of the family and therefore the children do not have a right of inheritance within the family, though born inside a legal marriage (Nadya). This kind of gender discrimination against the Lebanese women has especially attracted the world’s attention and fury especially considering the fact that we are in the 21st century where the world has become a global village and the democratic space keeps on expanding in many states (Damon and Hume). Perhaps one of the hottest topics of contention is gender violence against women and sexual violence in particular, although the Lebanese government and clerics object to its dominance. According to Khalaf, the Lebanese women have suffered numerous blows because they have nowhere to report rape cases and other forms of sexual assault. This is particularly so because the Lebanese government does not have strict laws that deal with rape cases of sexual assault (Nadya). Therefore, most of the victims in a male dominated society normally go scot-free especially after committing such heinous crimes. Besides, women in Lebanon normally face brutal punishment for adultery that sometimes can extend to murder while their male partners do not receive any punishment in the sense that they did not commit the crime (Khalaf). This is the highest form of gender discrimination that women can face in any part of the world, as it contravenes all the aspects of human rights. The most recent blow to the rights of Lebanese women was when the judges declared rape as a marital right, a statement that elicited strong reactions from the Lebanese women and the world over. Surprisingly, the clerics were solidly behind the judges in their defense for rape insisting that their patriarchal society recognized rape as part of marital obligations (Damon and Hume). Though some concerned parties may object to their belief, the proponents of the gender inequality in Lebanon courageously argue that the law that discriminates the women in Lebanon is there for the good of the country’s political, religious, and cultural interests (Zaatari). Various fragile religious sects within the Lebanese borders highly depend on such laws for their sustainability. Besides, Article 562 bestows in men the ultimate right to injure or even kill women they suspect to have engaged in illicit sexual acts without reporting them to the relevant authorities (Deeb 143). This selective application of the law has increased the wrath of many women across the globe to champion for global women empowerment as engraved in the millennium development goals the United Nations statute on women (Khalaf). Furthermore, a vast majority of the Lebanese women have had to come forth to fight for their rights especially following the recent proclamation by the Lebanese judges that actually, rape was considered as a marital right. The women who conducted peace protests along the streets condemned the retrogressive move by state machinery to suppress the voice of women in full solidarity (Damon and Hume). Works Cited Damon, Arwa, and Tim Hume. Lebanese women take on Muslim judges who call rape a 'marital right'. CNN, 17 February 2013. Web. 24 October 2013. Deeb, Lara. An Enchanted Modern: Gender and Public Piety in Shi'i Lebanon. Princeton: Princeton University Press, 2006. Print. Khalaf, Mona. Women's Rights in the Middle East and North Africa 2010 – Lebanon. Freedom House, 3 March 2010. Web 24 October 2013. Nadya Khalife. A Woman's Place, in Lebanon. Human Rights Watch, 2 July 2009. Web. 24 October 2013. Nazir, Sameena, and Leigh Tomppert. Women's Rights in the Middle East and North Africa: Citizenship and Justice. Lanham, MD: Rowman & Littlefield, 2004. Print. Zaatari, Zeina. Women's Rights in the Middle East and North Africa – Lebanon. Freedom House 14 October 2005. Web. 24 October 2013. Read More