Strengthening legal safeguards to end child marriage in Lebanon - Equality Now

Lebanon’s fragmented personal status laws and lack of a unified minimum marriage age leave girls vulnerable to early and forced marriage. Ongoing economic and social pressures further increase risks, particularly for marginalised communities.

This policy brief examines the legal landscape, identifies systemic challenges to reform, and proposes concrete steps to establish stronger legal protections and accountability mechanisms that uphold girls’ rights and gender equality.

What’s inside the policy brief?

Analysis of Lebanon’s pluralistic personal status system and its implications for child marriage
Review of legislative efforts and policy debates around setting a unified minimum age of marriage
Assessment of protection gaps affecting vulnerable communities
Connections to regional human rights standards and international treaty obligations
Practical reform pathways grounded in comparative regional practice

Who’s it for?

Lebanese legislators and government authorities
Religious and community leaders
Civil society organisations
International development partners and UN agencies
Researchers, journalists, and policy advocates

Key takeaways and recommendations

Establish a unified legal standard: Set 18 as the minimum age of marriage without exceptions across all personal status laws.
Establish state authority and oversight by adopting a unified civil minimum age of marriage applicable across all personal status systems, restoring state responsibility for child protection across all communities.
Promote cross-sector coordination: Improve collaboration between social services, legal actors, and education systems.
Address structural drivers: Integrate child marriage prevention into broader social protection and economic recovery strategies.
Centre girls’ rights: Ensure policies prioritise education retention, health services, and survivor-centred support, including bodily autonomy, protection from gender-based violence, and non-discrimination across nationality and legal status.

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