The First Lebanese National Action Plan on Women, Peace and Security (WPS) was approved by the Lebanese Council of Ministers in September 2019. The plan covered the period from 2019 to 2022 and was later extended by the National Steering Committee to 2023.
The NAP was drafted in a participatory approach, involved all relevant stakeholders from the public and private sectors. The plan was designed to operate under a scenario of at least minimal stability, was costed, provided specific mechanisms for implementation and set out five strategic priorities:
- Participation in Decision-Making at All levels
- Conflict Prevention
- Prevention and Protection from GBV
- Relief and Recovery
- Normative Framework
However, despite its promises, the implementation of the plan has been impacted by the rapidly deteriorating situation in the country. The volatile political and economic environment, compounded by the COVID-19 pandemic and the Beirut blast in August 2020, has made it difficult to deliver on all the commitments outlined in the plan.
To address this, significant efforts were made to adapt the plan to the changing circumstances in the country and ensure that the objectives of the First Lebanese National Action Plan on WPS were met. This required -and continues to require- a concerted effort from all stakeholders, including the government, civil society organizations, and the international community.