22. Lebanon acceded to the Convention on the Elimination of All Forms of Discrimination against Women on 21 April 1997, with a reservation concerning article 9, paragraph 2, thereof under which women should be granted equal rights with men with respect to the nationality of their children. This remains a controversial issue on which governmental authorities and civil society organizations have failed to reach agreement, although some progress has been made in regard to the residence facilities offered to foreign spouses of Lebanese women and their children (for further details, reference can be made to section II of this report).
23. Lebanon also made a reservation to article 16, paragraph 1, of the Convention, under which States Parties are required to take all appropriate measures to eliminate discrimination against women in all matters relating to marriage and family relations, in view of Lebanon’s personal status laws concerning confessional communities (for further details, reference can be made to section II of this report).
24. Lebanon made a further reservation to article 29, paragraph 1, which specifies procedures for the settlement of disputes between States Parties concerning the interpretation or application of the Convention.
25. On 5 October 2005, Lebanon acceded to the United Nations Convention against Transnational Organized Crime, which was adopted by the United Nations on 15 November 2000, and also to the Protocol to Prevent, Suppress and Punish Trafficking in Persons, Especially Women and Children, and the Protocol against the Smuggling of Migrants by Land, Sea and Air.
26. Lebanon also acceded to the Convention against Torture and Other Cruel, Inhuman or Degrading Treatment or Punishment on 5 October 2000 and to the Optional Protocol to the Convention on the Rights of the Child on the sale of children, child prostitution and child pornography on 8 November 2004. It signed the Convention on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities and the Optional Protocol thereto on 4 June 2007 and, on 6 February 2007, signed the International Convention for the Protection of All Persons from Enforced Disappearance.
27. Within the framework of the International Labour Organization (ILO) conventions concerning human rights, Lebanon acceded to the Minimum Age Convention, 1973 (No. 138) on 10 March 2003. On 11 September 2001, it also acceded to the Worst Forms of Child Labour Convention, 1999 (No. 182), and adopted the Worst Forms of Child Labour Recommendation, 1999 (No. 190).
28. The Lebanese authorities are continuing the policy that they have adopted in regard to foreign workers, which is based on non-discrimination on grounds of race, colour, sex, nationality, religion, political opinion or national or social origin. Lebanese laws apply to Lebanese nationals and foreigners alike, with equal rights except in regard to the right to acquire ownership of property, which is limited in the case of foreigners, and some occupations the exercise of which is restricted to Lebanese nationals. Although foreigners are employed in the private sector, their employment in the public sector is extremely limited due to the availability of the requisite Lebanese human resources and the fact that Lebanese applicants for posts in the public sector are required to pass special examinations which foreign applicants are not eligible to sit.
29. Equal right to the enjoyment of fundamental human rights (arts. 3, 4 and 5)
30. The principal measures that the Lebanese authorities have taken to achieve the purposes of the International Covenant on Economic, Social and Cultural Rights, and particularly the right of self-determination and the right to equality, during the period covered by this report include the promulgation of a number of enactments, including:

• Act No. 686 of 16 March 1998, concerning compulsory and free primary education.
• Act No. 220 of 29 May 2000, concerning the rights of persons with disabilities.
• Act No. 422 of 6 June 2002, concerning juveniles in conflict with the law or at risk.
• Act No. 164 of 24 August 2011, concerning the punishment of human trafficking offences; · Act No. 216 of 30 March 2012, defining each year of a custodial sentence as a term of 9 months’ imprisonment.
• Act No. 293 of 7 May 2014, concerning the protection of women and other household members against domestic violence.

30. Lebanese society is characterized by its religious diversity insofar as its various regions are inhabited by 18 officially recognized confessional communities the political, social and cultural rights of which are diligently protected by the State. Recent years have witnessed numerous developments in regard to the right of self-determination and the right to equality. By way of example, civil society associations have endeavoured to secure the exemption of Lebanese nationals from the provisions of the personal status laws regulating the confessional communities to which they belong and a number of citizens have submitted applications for deletion of the names of their communities from their personal identity documents. On 21 October 2008, the Minister of Interior and Municipalities decided that these applications should be accepted and, on 6 February 2009, he issued a further decision affirming that the human rights to which every citizen was entitled included the right to demand that his or her confessional affiliation be omitted or deleted from civil registry records.

22. The Islamic University in Lebanon, in cooperation with the Social Welfare Institutions in Lebanon, Dar Al-Aytam Al-Islamiyya – The Human Capabilities Development Complex – made an exhibition of educational means to support the education and rehabilitation of persons with disabilities under the title “Incorporating a Right of My Rights”.

    The Dr. Qabbani spoke, expressing his pleasure at his presence on the campus of the Islamic University, and said: “From here, from this cultural edifice, the building of homelands begins. This cultural edifice is the one that opens the doors of knowledge to those who wish to pursue their knowledge, but it does not only open the doors of knowledge. Also opens the doors of the whole world. This university has great merit among the many universities in Lebanon that build future generations and revive the homeland”

In addition, the Higher Shiite Islamic Council has assistance programs for these instructors who choose to continue their education in other countries. Also, the HSIC employs people of poorer backgrounds as evidenced in all four campuses. The HSIC mission is to assist the poorer groups in our society to improve themselves by giving them the opportunity to do that.

Conclusion and perspectives:

From what has preceded, the Islamic University of Lebanon understands that in order to be productive and work effectively and efficiently and reach higher degrees of socioeconomic progress and development the issue of equality should always be closely scrutinized and seriously considered. If equality among citizens in Lebanon becomes a norm and a way of conducting business, then eventually the whole country will be on the right track to prosperity and development. IUL has been and will always be ready to team up with any groups, NGOs, private or public institutions whether local, regional or international to fortify the issue of equality among citizens in Lebanon. There is no choice in this matter. To progress as a country, society or a university, there need to be equal opportunities provided to everyone. It is simply a human right that should be available to each and every citizen. Issues as related to sect or gender among others should not be thought of especially in Lebanon as these two elements are truly reasons that hinder our development and well-being.

In addition to what has been discussed, it is also important to shed light on another important matter that will indeed make the issue of inequality reduction an easier process; having access to the international financial institutions worldwide. It is critical for a small country such as Lebanon to make sure that its sound is clear in all international institutions and political ones including the Financial markets, United Nations, the World Bank as well as the International Monetary Fund to make sure that we are always involved in their decisions making process as this has a lot of advantages to our country. IUL will always be available to assist in this matter throughout its internal resources and national and international connections.