"All women in Lebanon have the right to live free from violence. This right should not depend on their social, cultural or religious background". Speaking at a Conference organised by the French Embassy in Lebanon, Deputy Secretary General Maud de Boer-Buquicchio supported the call of civil society representatives who expressed concern about the role played by the various confessional laws and courts in the country which in many cases resulted in discrimination against women. 

The Conference took place against the background of a public debate on a law on domestic violence that will be soon examined by the Lebanese parliament. In her exchange of views with the members of the parliamentary commission preparing the draft law, the Deputy Secretary General welcomed the recent removal of the justification for the so called "honour crimes" from the criminal code and the preparation of a national human rights action plan including an independent human rights institution. She encouraged the commission to seek inspiration in the Council of Europe Convention on preventing and combatting violence against women and domestic violence. 

During her very constructive meetings with Prime Minister Nagib Mikati, Minister of Justice Chakib Cortwabi, and with the President's adviser, Elie Assaf, she raised some of the other human rights concerns in the country, including the situation of Palestinian and Syrian refugees, death penalty, torture and prisons conditions and encouraged the Lebanese authorities to make use of international and Council of Europe standards in a number of fields.

Speech [fr]