Lebanon: Humanitarian Gender Analysis

This gender analysis examines the differentiated impacts of the ongoing humanitarian crisis in Lebanon on women, men, girls, and boys, with a specific emphasis on education, child protection, and access barriers across key sectors including WASH, education, nutrition, shelter, and livelihoods. The study is grounded in qualitative methodology, drawing on primary data from 59 Focus Group Discussions (FGDs) and 28 Key Informant Interviews (KIIs), supplemented by 8 validation sessions. These were conducted across diverse geographic areas Akkar, Tripoli, Bekaa, Zahle, Tyre, and Sidon with participants from Lebanese, Syrian, and Palestinian communities. The findings are further supported by a review of relevant secondary data.

Across all locations, prevailing social norms reinforcing male dominance in household and community decision-making emerged as a consistent theme. FGDs with Syrian, Lebanese, and Palestinian participants revealed that traditional gender roles at the household, community, and societal levels significantly influence access to services across sectors.

According to FGD respondents, access to education for girls is shaped by multiple intersecting factors, including early marriage, child labor, harassment in school and public transport, and poor menstrual hygiene management, in addition to social and cultural norms that restrict their mobility and assign them with domestic and caregiving duties.

Participants, particularly Syrian and Palestinian respondents, described experiencing barriers in accessing protection services, including fear of stigma, mistrust in service providers, and lack of awareness of available support. While women and girls acknowledged the presence of some GBV referral pathways, they also raised concerns about their confidentiality and cultural acceptability.
Male participants, including adolescent boys, shared a different set of vulnerabilities, including social pressure to drop out of school for informal labour, fear of recruitment in the armed forces, and limited access to safe recreational spaces.
Across all sectors, individuals with disabilities were significantly underrepresented in service feedback loops, reflecting a gap both in program outreach and in data collection efforts. The analysis was unable to provide a detailed picture of how gender intersects with disability due to the limited participation of persons with disabilities in the FGDs and KIIs.

Based on the findings, several opportunities for promoting gender equality were identified, including Transformative programmatic approaches, women’s empowerment programs, community awareness raising efforts, and youth-led peer initiatives. However, these entry points require further investment and formalization to serve as levers for shifting harmful norms and increasing meaningful participation.
Furthermore, based on these findings, the report outlines a set of sector-specific recommendations aimed at addressing gender-based barriers, enhancing inclusive service delivery, and strengthening accountability to affected populations.