Ongoing killing and displacement of women and girls in Lebanon under a fragile ceasefire

[As delivered.] Beirut/Geneva, – "I am speaking to you from Lebanon, where I have witnessed the impact of the ongoing killing and displacement of women and girls under a fragile ceasefire. These are violations of the most basic rights and protections afforded to civilians under international law. Despite a ceasefire agreement taking effect on 17 April, 25 women have been reported killed and 109 reported injured over the past three weeks[1], highlighting the continued danger women and girls face as they attempt to return to their homes under the perceived safety of the ceasefire. Many of the women whom I have met this week have told me that their homes in villages south of the Litani River have been destroyed. One woman described how her village was completely unrecognizable because of the destruction it has suffered. Continued Israeli airstrikes, evacuation orders, bans to return to certain areas, and movement restrictions mean most people still cannot go back to their homes, with more than an estimated half a million women and girls remaining displaced. From my personal perspective, after listening to scores of displaced people, I am struck by how –unlike past wars and conflicts that Lebanon has suffered over the past decades – this current conflict has eroded hope among many, as homes and lands in southern Lebanon have been destroyed. However, alongside this erosion of hope is determination among the displaced to do their utmost to return to their towns and rebuild. Humanity and the international community should stand by these women and girls, men and boys to bring back hope. The availability of food is decreasing. One woman described to my colleague that she has been forced to forage for wild herbs to feed her family. Based on the latest IPC projections, UN Women estimates that around an additional 144,000 women and girls are expected to face crisis-level hunger or worse in the coming months, bringing the total to approximately 639,000[2]. Under such dire conditions, I have also witnessed the incredible resilience in the response of women and women's organizations who are delivering humanitarian assistance, supporting livelihoods, and enhancing societal cohesion across Lebanon. Since 2 March, UN Women has directly supported more than 15,000 women and girls, with reach extending to more than 70,000 people across their communities. We are supporting 534 women leaders to help communities navigate the crisis, connect people to assistance, identify urgent needs, reduce tensions, and ensure that women's voices are heard in local response and recovery efforts. The ceasefire must be fully upheld and transitioned to comprehensive peace, in line with international humanitarian law and international law, as well as women, peace, and security commitments, ensuring women's full, equal, and meaningful participation in peacebuilding and in recovery efforts.Read the full story here