Gender alert on the conflict in South Lebanon

Since 8 October 2023, the spillover effects of the exchange of fire at the Lebanese southern border has led to killing and injuring of civilians in the south of Lebanon, including women, children, and media personnel and the internal displacement of 58,835 residents (52% female) from South Lebanon (as of 9 December 2023).

Lebanon currently shelters 991 internally displaced individuals across 14 collective shelters (in Sour, five collective shelters accommodate 696 IDPs; in Hasbaya, seven collective shelters house 136 IDPs, while in Kfar Denis, a single collective shelter hosts 46 IDPs and in Saida there is one collective shelter hosting 113 IDPs).

To shed light on how women have been affected by the conflict, and their ability to assist in local crisis response, UN Women Lebanon, International Alert, KAFA Enough Violence and Exploitation, and the Professional Mediation Centre at Saint Joseph University of Beirut have partnered to provide this Gender Alert amid the ongoing security and humanitarian crisis in South Lebanon.

The findings provide observations on relevant gender equality issues to help UN Women and the humanitarian community pinpoint crucial areas of humanitarian response to incorporate into emergency preparedness and response planning.