International Instruments

Keeping Track of Commitments

by Francisca AnkrahPrograms Manager, ALEF act for human rights The Universal Periodic Review (UPR) has often been criticized by governments and NGOs alike as inefficient, which is certainly the case when states treat it exclusively as an elaborate reporting exercise that repeats itself every five years. The UPR’s purpose lies in its process more than [...]

Annual Report 2018

The Situation of Human Rights in Lebanon In 2018, the Lebanese government took some positive steps towards promoting human rights and showed willingness to comply with certain human rights matters. However, it clearly lacked the capacity and political will to further improve legislation, enforce laws, uphold the country’s international obligations, and create meaningful change. This [...]

Progress on the Recommendations of the Second Cycle of Lebanon’s Universal Periodic Review: the Rights of Migrants and the Prohibition of Slavery and Trafficking

Migrant domestic workers in Lebanon face widespread human rights violations and poor protection caused by the sponsorship system, among other violations, that transforms the status of migrant workers to victims of trafficking as well as by the weak Lebanese protection framework which renders migrant workers constantly at risk of abuse. As the violations to their [...]

Prohibition of slavery and trafficking: Following up on commitments of Lebanon’s 2015 Universal Periodic Review

Lebanon is a destination country for internationally trafficked persons, primarily women. Women from different countries of origin travel to Lebanon, in the belief that they will work as domestic workers and have reportedly been forced into domestic servitude and sexual exploitation. This paper presents the results of a monitoring report that rates key duty bearers [...]

Promotion and Protection of Rights of Migrant Domestic Workers: Following up on commitments of Lebanon’s 2015 Universal Periodic Review

Although Lebanon has supported, and hence committed to several UPR recommendations to improve the situation of MDWs, their situation remains unchanged. In response to these shortcomings, this paper presents the first results of a Monitoring Report that rates key duty bearers on their progress between 2015 and 2018 in achieving recommendations from Lebanon’s 2015 UPR [...]

Migrant Domestic Workers and Human Trafficking Indicators: A Guidebook to Measurement and Implementation for CSOs in Lebanon

In 2015, Lebanon expressed its support to several Universal Periodic Review recommendations to improve the situation of migrant domestic workers, combat trafficking, and support its victims. Although this means that the State commits to undertaking these recommendations, it is difficult to monitor whether real change has been made on these issues, especially due to the [...]

Call for action to condemn the Lebanese authorities’ pervasive summons of peaceful activists infringing their right to freedom of expression

August 17, 2018 To: His Excellency Zeid Ra’ad Al Hussein, United Nations High Commissioner for Human Rights, and Mr. David Kaye, Special Rapporteur on the promotion and protection of the right to freedom of opinion and expression Re: Call for action to condemn the Lebanese authorities’ pervasive summons of peaceful activists infringing their right to [...]

Alternative Report to the Committee against Torture

In March 2016, the Government of Lebanon submitted its initial Report to the Committee against Torture (CAT) which reviews the situation of torture in Lebanon between 2001 and 2015, a period during which many changes and developments have occurred. Although this report did not contain any substantial observations or significant new information from the Government [...]

LEBANON Joint shadow report – Submitted to the UN Commitee Against Torture

Lebanon’s first periodic report (CAT/C/LBN/1)[1] was submitted to the Committee against Torture on 9 March 2016, and will be reviewed by the Committee at its 60th session. Although this effort is a step forward, the report had been overdue for 14 years, and contained no substantial information in terms of developments and efforts made by [...]

ALEF Submission to the UN Committee Against Torture – 60th Session

In March 2016, the Government of Lebanon submitted its initial Report to the Committee against Torture (CAT). Although this effort is a step forward, the Report had been overdue for 15 years, and contained no substantial information in terms of developments and efforts at the hand of the Lebanese government towards preventing torture in Lebanon. [...]