Beirut, Lebanon
Thursday, 20 June 2019 (NCLW, United Nations) – As the Government of Lebanon prepares to endorse the National Action Plan (NAP) on UN Security Council Resolution 1325 on Women, Peace and Security a meeting was held to present the plan to national and international stakeholders – emphasizing the importance of the plan for Lebanon’s long term security and stability.
Speaking at the event, H.E. Saad Hariri, Prime Minister of Lebanon said, “In 2017, my government entrusted the National Commission for Lebanese Women with the task of developing a National Action Plan on UN Security Council 1325. I agreed with Mrs. Claudine Roukoz on the need to have this roundtable at the Grand Serail to reaffirm my personal and my government’s commitment to the National Action Plan. I look forward to having this endorsed by the Council of Ministers at the earliest occasion.”
The meeting, organized by the National Commission for Lebanese Women (NCLW) under the Patronage of H.E. the Prime Minister, and hosted at the Grand Serail, brought together national institutions, the United Nations and the international donor community to deliberate on Lebanon’s priorities for women, peace and security, and support needed for the draft framework driving this agenda for action.
Mrs. Claudine Aoun Roukoz, NCLW president, “we all dream of a peaceful and stable Lebanon where peace and security are strengthened by women’s increased engagement in politics, in security and defense sectors as well as in mediation, and peace negotiations. This four-year NAP designed jointly by the government and the civil society, will surely pave the way towards our well-defined goals of sustainable peace and gender equality”.
“This national action plan will create the space necessary for women’s political engagement, economic empowerment and protection and promotion of their rights through meaningful participation in Lebanon’s discussions on stability, the extension of state authority, good governance and the rule of law. The plan provides a new set of tools and resources, effective in bolstering peace, development and working for gender equality and women’s empowerment” noted Jan Kubis, the UN Special Coordinator for Lebanon. “The United Nations stands ready to continue supporting Lebanon in that process” he added.
The NAP 1325, when passed, commits Lebanon to engaging women in political dialogues and in peacebuilding efforts, to increasing women’s representation in the security forces, to ensuring that women affected by crisis in Lebanon have their basic needs met, and to driving through legislative change that enhances women’s protection and rights. At the request of the Presidency of the Council of Ministers in 2017, the NAP development process has been led by the NCLW with support from UN Women, ESCWA, OHCHR, UNDP, UNFPA, and UNIFIL through a UN joint initiative, for which UN Women serves as General Secretariat. It was developed through nation-wide consultations and includes a costed and time bound framework for action. Philippe Lazzarini, Resident and Humanitarian Coordinator for Lebanon stressed on the fact that “The United Nations is proud to have supported the Government of Lebanon and national partners in the development of Lebanon’s First National Action Plan on UNSCR 1325, on women, peace and security. The implementation of the plan is fundamental for peace and security in Lebanon, and demonstrates a continued commitment to ensuring gender equality and the rights of women and girls”.
The Steering Committee for the development of the NAP, headed by NCLW, consists of the ministries of defense, interior, foreign affairs, justice, social affairs and women’s affairs (which was since replaced by the Office of the Minister of State for the Economic Empowerment of Women and Youth) and three civil society organizations working on issues of political participation and gender-based violence in addition to an academic institution.
The Lebanon NAP 1325 is a four-year costed plan with a total budget of USD 15,069,616, which includes a ten percent contribution from the Government of Lebanon throughout the NAP’s life cycle. The NAP 1325 is a key element in Lebanon’s peace and security architecture and provides a framework for a fairer and more inclusive Lebanon.
The National Commission for Lebanese women (NCLW) is an official institution established at the Presidency of the Council of Ministers in 1998 to promote women’s rights in society and enhance gender mainstreaming in the policies and programs of ministries and public institutions.
The United Nations system in Lebanon comprises 23 agencies, funds and Programmes as well as a peacekeeping mission, a political mission and a regional commission that cover a broad spectrum of peacekeeping, political, development, human rights and humanitarian work in Lebanon. The United Nations supports Lebanon to promote the country’s long-term peace and security, development and human rights priorities.