Gender Alert: Missing Women and Girls in Lebanon’s Humanitarian Crisis: What We Know So Far

Over the last three years, Lebanon has been assailed by compounded crises that have affected the whole population, especially women, girls and marginalized groups. Compounded by the spread of COVID-19, incidents of gender based-violence (GBV) have increased, with women and girls disproportionately affected. The past three years – when compared to the years before – have witnessed more reporting of domestic violence and an increase in the severity and emergency nature of such incidents. The Internal Security Forces (ISF) data shows an increase of 241% in domestic violence reported during the spread of COVID-19 when compared to the 18 months before. In parallel, in 2020, more than half of Lebanese and Syrian women and girls in Lebanon reported feeling less safe at their homes (44%) and communities (57%). As of this writing, the prolonged economic crisis and protracted refugee crisis persist, and violence against women and girls continues to worsen alongside them. 
This Gender Alert published by UN Women, Fe-male, and KAFA pulls together recent national resources and data on missing women and girls, as a first step to better understanding the issue and bring together a coherent prevention and response.