The LFPCP and NCHR have since 2022 cooperated on the project "Fostering Human Rights in Lebanese Religious Courts." Through rigorous research, the project uncovered critical gaps in applying human rights standards within the court decisions concerning Personal Status Law in Lebanon. The pressing need for human rights training and cross-religious dialogue became apparent, fostering and endorsing a road map to resolve these challenges affecting women and children regarding issues of divorce, custody and inheritance.
Fifteen different personal status laws in one country
In Lebanon, the regulation of individual and family relations is based on the sectarian, political system of the country, with 15 different personal status laws, each respective to the 18 recognized sects. The workshop in the Lebanese Parliament served as a platform for necessary and open discussions and presentations. Leaders from various religious courts shared insights into their efforts to incorporate human rights principles, especially in matters concerning marital disputes and the rights of women and children. The sessions delved into existing challenges, proposed innovative solutions, and celebrated the strides made by some courts in developing progressive personal status laws.
A historic roundtable
The roundtable’s first session featured interventions on Ways to foster Human Rights Standards in the work of religious courts in Lebanon and were presented by Bishop Hanna Alwan (the Head of the Maronite Religious Court), Cheikh Faysal Nassreddine (the President of the Druze Appellate Court) and Bishop Elias Haddad (the Roman Catholic Appellate Court President)
The second session focused on discussing the amendment needs in the Family and Personal Status Laws in Lebanon and was presented by Sheikh Mohammad Kanaan (the Appellate President of the Jaafari Shia Sharia Court), Sheikh Mohammad Assaf (the Sunni Sharia Appellate Court President), and Bishop George Dimas (Orthodox Bishop and Judge).
International representation
Representatives from the Norwegian and Canadian embassies and from the UN locally attended this historic event.
Zenia Chrysostomidis, Head of the International Department at NCHR, emphasized the pivotal role of the religious and civil courts in advancing Lebanon’s international human rights obligations, and was encouraged by their commitment, as demonstrated through the endorsement of the road map. She also said that the event was a testament to the potential of collaborative action.
The NCHR looks forward to continuing the work with our partner LFPCP and the religious courts to support the implementation of agreed actions in the roadmap. The ambitious goal? To ensure a future unified personal status law in Lebanon, which will help ensure the rights of women and children, and an equal treatment of all Lebanese citizens.