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.

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.

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.

Myriam Sfeir is Editor-in-Chief of Al-Raida Magazine, Executive Director of the Arab Institute for Women at the Lebanese American University and a member of the National Steering Committee for the Women’s Peace and Humanitarian Fund in Lebanon. She reflects on her journey to reshape societal structures and empower local organizations to promote gender equality.

Rana Dabliz, a lawyer and human rights advocate, has spent her career championing justice and equality. From her beginnings at the Lebanese University to her impactful role at the Tripoli Bar Association, her journey reflects a steadfast dedication to creating transformative change.

UN Women welcomed the visit of United Nations Secretary-General António Guterres to Lebanon as a pivotal moment to advocate for gender-responsive reforms in the country’s governance and recovery, reconstruction and reconciliation processes. The Secretary-General’s visit presents a crucial opportunity to elevate women’s voices in Lebanon’s political landscape, particularly as the new Government takes on the challenges of socio-economic recovery and the enforcement of the 27 November 2024 ceasefire.

Tamara Elzein is the first woman Secretary-General of the National Council for Scientific Research of Lebanon. She also held the role of President of the UNESCO Science Commission at its 42nd General Conference in November 2023. As a pioneering leader, she is trying to ensure the integration of environment and gender equality in the complex humanitarian emergency unfolding across Lebanon.

Today on 8 March, International Women’s Day, the United Nations rallies behind the call to “Invest in women: Accelerate progress”, aligned with the priority theme for the upcoming 68th Commission on the Status of Women CSW68.

On the occasion of International Women's Day, the Government of Australia renewed its commitment to gender equality in Lebanon through signature of a new agreement with UN Women Lebanon worth 1,500,000 Australian dollar to extend humanitarian assistance to over 4,300 women, girls, men and boys from diverse backgrounds across three governorates in Lebanon.

To mark International Women’s Day 2024, UN Women and the embassies of Finland, Norway and Switzerland in Lebanon, joined forces to showcase the pioneering roles of women fostering peace and security across Lebanon and to discuss the relevance, challenges and progress in implementing the Women, Peace and Security Agenda in Lebanon, in particular amid ongoing crises and conflict. The event also sheds light on the situation of women in the South of Lebanon, their needs, and their roles in the humanitarian relief response.

Tala, 46, from Shalfeh, Tripoli, Lebanon, is a survivor of gender-based violence and has experienced feeling unsafe in both the public and private spheres. However, through self-defense at Markazouna Center, she is turning her fear into strength, which has allowed her to become a pillar and advocate for ending violence against women and girls in her community.

Hwaida Turk, PhD, is the first woman interim Mohafez (governor) in Lebanon. She was appointed on 17 July 2023 to the southern Governorate of Nabatieh. She spoke to UN Women about the recent escalation of tensions between Israel and Palestine that have displaced nearly 20,000 people from South Lebanon, and how she is handling the humanitarian response.

The United Nations Development Programme (UNDP), UN Women, together with the Government of Canada, partnered with the Arab Institute for Women (AiW) at the Lebanese American University (LAU) and launched the "Women in Leadership" project at the LAU premises.

UN Women Lebanon launched its first podcast series “UN Women Podcasts” to amplify the voices of women and girls in Lebanon and celebrate their remarkable achievements in multiple fields and the challenges that lie ahead.

Safa, 25, was born and raised in the Ein El Helweh camp in Saida, Lebanon. She knows the community by the back of her hand, but only recently did she recognize that her neighbours were suffering poverty and food insecurity in silence. Since this reckoning, Safa’s passion and drive to make a change in her community was ignited, where she decided to apply for the community worker position in a newly established community kitchen in the camp led by INITIATE, Women’s Program Association (WPA) and UN Women, and generously supported by the Government of Japan.

The United Nations Entity for Gender Equality and the Empowerment of Women (UN Women) and the United Nations World Food Programme (WFP) signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) to strengthen collaboration in advancing gender equality, women’s empowerment, and social inclusion in Lebanon.

UN Women and the World Food Programme Joint News Release. The Honourable Assistant Minister of Foreign Affairs of Australia, Tim Watts MP visited projects supported by the Government of Australia with UN Women and the United Nations World Food Programme (WFP) in Lebanon. UN Women and WFP’s operations continue to respond to increased humanitarian and development needs across the country including poverty, inequality, and food insecurity.  

Elite Mountaineer Joyce Azzam is UN Women National Goodwill Ambassador for Lebanon. She wants to inspire other Lebanese women and girls to follow their dreams and discover their potential. Azzam is one of the few Arab women and first Lebanese woman to have climbed all world’s Seven Summits. Following her official appointment as UN Women National Goodwill Ambassador, she tells us more about her journey as a woman in sports, her drive and what she hopes to achieve, in her new role.

As part of a series of initiatives that have taken place in Lebanon to celebrate International Women's Day 2023, over 500 women and girls gathered at Tripoli Municipal Stadium yesterday, to take part in an 8-kilometer run that celebrates the strides, both big and small, made by women and girls to accelerate women's empowerment, participation, leadership, and gender equality in their communities, and Lebanon.

This International Women's Day, the United Nations in Lebanon celebrates women innovating in tech, here and worldwide, through the "Stand up for women" campaign. Whether in technology, sports, science, or the arts, we recognize innovation by women that is helping drive positive change and overcome our most persistent challenges; social, political, economic and cultural. The Lebanon campaign, launched by the United Nations Lebanon, and coordinated by UN Women, supports the global International Women's Day campaign – "DigitALL: Innovation and technology for gender equality."