Today, 3 December, Lebanon marks the International Day of Persons with Disabilities under the global theme “Fostering disability-inclusive societies for advancing social progress.” The message is clear: Lebanon cannot achieve inclusive development, resilient recovery, or sustainable peace unless persons with disabilities, including women and girls with disabilities, can participate fully, enjoy equal rights, and shape the decisions that affect their lives.

Lebanon today joins the world in launching the 16 Days of Activism against Gender-Based Violence, shining a spotlight on one of the fastest growing threats to women’s safety: digital violence.

On 16 October 2025 in Tyre, UN Women Lebanon, with the Union of Tyre Municipalities and INITIATE, and support from the Government of the Republic of Korea, screened Beneath Our Battles, a documentary highlighting the strength and leadership of women in South Lebanon during and after the 2024 conflict. The event, part of the WPS+25 commemoration, reaffirmed that lasting peace in Lebanon depends on women’s voices and leadership.

Salma El Douaihy, from Zgharta in northern Lebanon, is a former public school teacher and grandmother of four. She joined the cash-for-work carpentry initiative at Al Manchara through UN Women’s LEAP project, Women’s Economic Empowerment through Leadership, Empowerment, Access and Protection, implemented with arcenciel and generously funded by the Government of Australia.

UN Women Lebanon and UNSCOL have launched a landmark study, “Lebanese Women: From Political Participation to Party Leadership,” the first research of its kind on women inside Lebanon’s major political parties. The study reveals both progress and persistent barriers to women’s leadership, and sets out clear reforms to advance equality and strengthen democracy ahead of the 2026 parliamentary elections.

Nisrine Maatouk, originally from Sir El Gharbiyeh in the Nabatieh District of southern Lebanon, now lives in Ghobeiry, Mount Lebanon. A divorced mother of two and a person with hearing impairment, Nisrine has faced many challenges, yet her spirit remains unbroken. When conflict escalated in Lebanon in 2024, she seized the opportunity to make a difference by joining the Access Kitchen initiative in Beirut.

Amid Lebanon’s ongoing crises, young women are redefining leadership on university campuses, transforming challenges into opportunities to claim their rights and shape the country’s future. Through the joint UN Women–UNDP “Women’s Participation in Leadership (WIPL)” programme, and with the generous support of the Government of Canada, thousands of women have gained skills, strengthened businesses, and advanced gender equality.

The Women’s Peace & Humanitarian Fund (WPHF) has launched a Call for Proposals in Lebanon to support civil society organizations to implement projects focusing on humanitarian and crisis response, the protection of women and girls, and peacebuilding and recovery, as well as supporting local women and young women's rights organizations through institutional funding.

Rawan Yaghi is a peacebuilder and educator from Baalbek, Lebanon. With a background in public policy and civic engagement, she founded USPEaK, a local organization empowering women and youth while championing inclusive governance in marginalized communities. As a member of the Women Peacebuilding Network in Lebanon (WPNL), supported by UN Women, Rawan has opened pathways for hundreds of women to lead and build peace.

In Palestinian camps across Lebanon, UN Women–supported Najdeh is transforming survivors of gender-based violence into community leaders. Women like Layla and Dana moved from despair to empowerment, now hosting sessions, advocating for rights, and leading grassroots responses in times of crisis. Since 2017, over 6,500 women and girls have benefited from this survivor-led model.

To mark the 25th anniversary of UN Security Council Resolution 1325, the National Commission for Lebanese Women and UN Women Lebanon invite people across Lebanon to join a nationwide mobile photo campaign. Share a photo that captures what Women, Peace and Security means to you, whether it’s resilience, solidarity, dialogue, or leadership.

Sally Harb is an actress and theatre director from Akkar, Lebanon. With a background in community engagement, she has led local initiatives with women, youth, and refugees, often in areas overlooked by formal support systems. In 2024, as conflict escalated, she found herself in a new and urgent role: coordinating emergency shelters and helping hundreds find safety.

Through a UN Women-supported and WPHF-funded project, Skoun is breaking stigma, training frontline workers, and integrating mental health and harm reduction services into primary healthcare. Focusing on marginalized women, refugees, sex workers, formerly incarcerated women, and migrant workers, the project pioneers a compassionate, inclusive approach that centers healing, dignity, and systemic change.

Samira Al-Shanawi, a Palestinian refugee from Beddawi Camp in northern Lebanon, is a mother of three and a volunteer at the camp’s community kitchen. It is one of four community kitchens producing hot meals for displaced populations under a UN Women project providing emergency livelihoods and protection for women displaced from southern Lebanon.

UN Women Lebanon is seeking partnerships with civil society, media, and academic institutions to advance women’s political participation and promote gender-responsive electoral processes. Interventions will focus on institutionalizing gender-sensitive reforms, building the capacity of women leaders at parliamentary and municipal levels, and enhancing the visibility and credibility of women candidates. All efforts aim to foster inclusive governance, remove structural barriers, and ensure sustainable impact through targeted methodologies and measurable outcomes.

The Government of Australia and UN Women Lebanon are proud to announce the launch of a new initiative titled “Crisis-Affected Women in Lebanon – Leadership, Empowerment, Access and Protection (LEAP).” This two-year project, funded by the Australian Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade (DFAT), commenced on 1 January 2025 and aims to advance women’s rights, safety, economic participation and leadership in Lebanon.

Rana faced numerous challenges as a mother of three young children, with her husband's inability to work due to a debilitating injury sustained a year ago while working. In 2023, she joined UN Women and Acted’s menstrual hygiene manufacturing facility as a manufacturer to produce high-quality sanitary pads in Bekaa, Lebanon.

In Lebanon, where conflict and displacement have become all too familiar, women have stepped forward—not only as survivors but as frontline responders and decision-makers. They have refused to retreat in the face of danger, choosing instead to stay, fight, and serve their communities. This International Women’s Day 2025, and through the global theme "For All Women and Girls: Rights. Equality. Empowerment" we honor the strength of all women, and we tell their left behind stories.

On International Women’s Day 2025, the global campaign “For ALL Women and Girls: Rights. Equality. Empowerment”, is calling for action to unlock equal rights, power and opportunities for all. This year’s campaign is particularly significant as it aligns with the 30th anniversary of the Beijing Declaration and Platform for Action, a landmark global commitment to advancing gender equality worldwide.

To mark International Women’s Day 2025, UN Women, in collaboration with the Institut des Finances Basil Fuleihan, hosted a high-level panel discussion at the Grand Serail, entitled “Towards Inclusive, Accountable and Gender-Responsive Institutions”. The event examined ways for the public sector to advance gender equality, addressed the challenges in managing public institutions during crises, and showcased women-led initiatives that have influenced policy, strengthened governance processes, and promoted inclusive decision-making.