Lebanon’s Sectarian Political Structure Hurts the Fight for Women’s Rights

Lebanon’s Sectarian Political Structure Hurts the Fight for Women’s Rights
Lebanese women protest a law that allows a rapist to get away with his crime if he marries the survivor, Beirut, Lebanon, Dec. 6, 2016 (AP photo by Bilal Hussein).

Editor’s note: This article is part of an ongoing WPR series on the status of women’s rights and gender equality in various countries around the world.

In December, a parliamentary committee in Lebanon recommended striking down a law that allows rapists’ sentences to be reduced if they marry their victims. It will take months for parliament to consider the recommendation, though women’s groups have welcomed it as a first step. In an email interview, Zeina Zaatari, a lecturer and independent consultant on women’s issues in the Middle East, discusses women’s rights in Lebanon.

WPR: What is the current status of women’s rights and gender equality in Lebanon?

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