Sustainable Development Goals

Non-Discrimination against Women

The Lebanese American University (LAU) has a comprehensive non-discrimination policy that includes a clear commitment to gender equality. Founded as the first school for girls in the Ottoman Empire in the 1830s, LAU has maintained its mission to empower women. The university’s Discrimination, Harassment, and Sexual Misconduct Prevention Policy outlines a zero-tolerance approach to discrimination, harassment, and sexual misconduct in all its forms, including gender-based discrimination. LAU emphasizes that all individuals, regardless of gender, are judged solely on their academic or job performance. This policy, which is publicly accessible on the LAU website, reinforces the institution’s dedication to fostering a respectful environment for all members of its community. Additionally, the Arab Institute for Women (AiW), in collaboration with Office of Community Standards , launched the Gender Equity Plan at LAU to further promote gender equality on campus. For more information, you can access the policy directly here.

TLS Students Draw Affirmative Actions for LGBTQ+ Communities in the Labor Force

Among the long list of Gender Equality issues TLS students Taline Abou Jaoude, Rouba Zouhairy, Tala Alayli, George Mouawad, and Jean Ghawche chose to address the most challenging taboo: LGBTQ and Capitalism Trans people in the Lebanese Labor Force.

The team’s research paper aims at depicting the struggle trans people and the LGBTQ+ community endure in the face of a country that is still intolerant legally and socially towards them and linking the root of the problem to the country’s economic system-capitalism.

Rolling out with the project was not an easy task. Given the sensitivity of the topic, the team encountered restrictions in information and data gathering due to the limited number of research centers and NGOs that discuss LGBTQ+ people in Lebanon, specifically trans people in the Lebanese Labor force. Still, the team based their study on solid ground: firstly they drew a road map with the help of their faculty advisor, then they gathered data from different sources: LAU online database, UN sources, testimonies, case studies, and interviews that led to a comprehensive succinct research paper and allowed the team to draw initial solutions to the problem.

Gender equality is not about men, it is not about women, it is about equality and human rights. MEPI TLS students read, listened, and discussed many controversial topics to include the perceptions, acceptance, and respect of all sexual orientations to include the rights of the LGBTQ+ community. NO doubt, some conversations were tense raveling the deep-seated cultural stigmas.  Irrespective, with the unwavering support of the faculty, TLS students Taline, Rouba, Tala, George, and Jean decided to challenge taboos and to underscore the complexity of tackling discrimination against this community.  What gave their research a special niche is their focus on capitalism representing the exploitation and marginalization of the LGBTQ+ community.   Accordingly, they offered incremental policy recommendations to promote equality and human rights.  In addition to the spring courses, workshops, and webinars will also add knowledge and skills, which students can use to become empowered future leaders.

« The experience we had in the TLS program was unique. Since we all come from different backgrounds, socially and academically, the opportunity to be a part of this program was extremely beneficial on so many different levels. Some of us would not have had the chance to explore these topics and fields in our respective majors, thus, steering away from that and engaging in something we all are very passionate about and hold as a moral value everyone should be enlightened on was refreshing. »

Discrimination, Harassment and Sexual Misconduct Prevention Policy

The Lebanese American University and all its affiliates (collectively “LAU”) is committed to pursuing excellence in its academic and professional endeavors, as well as believing in the intrinsic value of all individuals. LAU fosters an atmosphere of mutual respect among all members of its community, where each individual is judged solely on criteria related to academic or job performance. LAU is committed to the elimination of all forms of discrimination, harassment and sexual misconduct on its campuses or on any other University controlled area or event.

Fundamental to LAU’s mission is the preservation and encouragement of academic freedom. Promulgating this Policy should by no means be construed as inhibiting free speech, freedom of association, or the free communication of ideas.

POLICY STATEMENT

LAU has a zero-tolerance rule for acts of discrimination, harassment, and sexual misconduct. LAU is an equal opportunity employer and does not permit discrimination due to race, color, religion, creed, gender, marital status, national origin, disability, age, sexual orientation, political affiliation, pregnancy, or belief. LAU is committed to a working and learning environment where people can achieve their full potential.

This Policy:

CONDUCT SUBJECT TO THIS POLICY

DISCRIMINATION

Discrimination is treatment of a person less favorably than other persons based on age, race, color, religion, creed, gender (including pregnancy), sexual orientation, marital status, nationality, disability, political affiliation or any other basis protected by applicable law.

HARASSMENT

Harassment is the making of any unwelcome advances or requests for favors or other conduct when (i) submission to such conduct is made either explicitly or implicitly a term or condition of an individual’s employment, a student’s performance, or participation in any campus activity; (ii) submission to or rejection of such conduct by an individual is used as the basis for decisions related to employment, academic performance, or student activities; or (iii) such conduct has the purpose or effect of substantially or unreasonably interfering with an individual’s work, academic performance, or participation in student life by creating an intimidating, hostile, or offensive work or campus environment. Harassment may take physical, verbal, visual, or online forms.

Harassment also includes behavior that demeans, humiliates, or embarrasses a person based on race, national or ethnic origin, color, religion, age, gender, marital status, family status, disability, or sexual orientation, and that a reasonable person should have known would be unwelcome. It includes actions such as touching and pushing, comments such as jokes and name-calling, displays such as posters and cartoons and disrespectful behavior commonly known as ‘personal’ harassment, such as making fun of personal circumstances or appearance, bullying (includes unmerited criticism, isolation, gossip, physical violence or violent gestures, public humiliation, or behavior that is intimidating or demeaning), and stalking.

SEXUAL MISCONDUCT

Sexual misconduct is any form of Sexual Assault connected with forced sexual contact, including but not limited to rape. Force can be physical or emotional (there are four types of force: physical, threat, intimidation, coercion). Sexual Assault consists of Sexual Contact and/or Sexual Intercourse that occurs without Affirmative Consent. Sexual Contact is any intentional sexual touching, however slight with any object or body part performed by a person upon another person. Sexual Intercourse is any penetration, however slight with any object or body part performed by a person upon another person and is considered Rape if the action is taken without the affirmative consent of the other individual(s).

Affirmative Consent must be informed (knowing), voluntary (freely given), and active (not passive), meaning that, through the demonstration of clear words or actions, a person has indicated permission to engage in mutually agreed-upon sexual activity (contact or intercourse). Affirmative Consent cannot be gained by taking advantage of the incapacitation of another individual, where the person initiating sexual activity knew or reasonably should have known that the other was incapacitated. Incapacitation means that a person lacks the ability to make informed, rational judgments about whether or not to engage in sexual activity.

Affirmative Consent cannot be obtained by force. Force includes (a) the use of physical violence, (b) threats, (c) intimidation, and/or (d) coercion. Physical violence means that a person is exerting control over another person through the use of physical force. Examples of physical violence include hitting, punching, slapping, kicking, restraining, choking, and brandishing or using any weapon. Threats are words or actions that would compel a reasonable person to engage in unwanted activity. Examples include threats to harm a person physically, to reveal private information to harm a person’s reputation, or to cause a person academic or economic harm. Intimidation is an implied threat that menaces or causes reasonable fear in another individual, including the stalking of another individual. Coercion is the use of an unreasonable amount of pressure to gain access to something or someone. Coercion is more than an effort to convince, lure, or attract another person to have sex. When an individual is clear that they do not want to participate in a particular form of Sexual Contact or Sexual Intercourse, that they want to stop, or that they do not want to go beyond a certain sexual interaction, continued pressure can be coercive. Factors that may indicate coercion include the frequency, intensity and duration of the application of the pressure and the degree of isolation of the person being pressured.

RETALIATION

LAU prohibits retaliation against any individual because he or she in good faith reports alleged incidents of discrimination, harassment or sexual misconduct, pursues a discrimination, harassment or sexual misconduct claim, or cooperates or participates in an investigation of such reports. Discipline, reprisal, intimidation, or other forms of retaliation in such situations is a serious violation of this policy and may result in disciplinary action, up to and including termination of employment or expulsion from the university.

RESPONSIBILITIES

All staff, faculty and students:

REPORTING ACTS OF DISCRIMINATION, HARASSMENT OR SEXUAL MISCONDUCT

Any LAU staff, faculty or student who believes in good faith that he/she or someone else at LAU has been a victim of discrimination, harassment or any form of sexual misconduct should promptly notify LAU through one of the methods set out below. Notices should provide information as to the conduct, where it occurred and persons involved and, if reporting is not by the victim should explain how the person reporting has knowledge of the conduct. LAU will review such notice, initiate an investigation and take any measures, adjudicatory or otherwise, it determines appropriate in response to the notice. Further, LAU may advise certain staff and faculty with oversight of student well-being that their duties include a requirement to report instances of sexual misconduct relating to students promptly upon receiving such information.

The right to confidentiality shall be strictly adhered to at all stages, in so far as it does not interfere with LAU’s legal obligation to investigate the allegations presented and to take the proper corrective action.

A failure to provide prompt notification or the reporting of information anonymously may hinder LAU’s ability to act on the conduct for which a complaint is made.

PROCEDURES AND RESOLUTION OF COMPLAINTS

The following steps should be taken when filing a complaint:

When a student, a staff member, or a faculty member faces any form of harassment, s/he should notify (orally or in writing) the Office of Community Standards at or by phone at 01.786456, ext. 1303.

Anonymous Reporting: Anyone can make an anonymous report of conduct prohibited under this Policy by contacting the Compliance Hotline at 01.786456 ext. 4444.

In case of a health or safety emergency, students, staff and faculty should contact 01.786456 ext.1500 on the Beirut campus or 09.547262 ext. 2500 on the Byblos campus to address the emergency and reports under this policy should be made later.

When a complaint is submitted, LAU may request a statement in writing signed by the complainant in order to proceed with further inquiry, particularly in matters relating to employment.

Depending on the type of conduct and the persons affected, the complaint may be referred to an existing LAU procedure for resolution such as the Grievance Policy or the Student Code of Conduct. Further, LAU may establish new procedures as necessary and, if needed, to comply with the U.S. Department of Education requirements, in order to investigate the claim.

LAU will promptly investigate all complaints. Thereafter, upon the President’s request, the Community StandardsCoordinator, will manage all complaints that warrant investigation. The President can consider engaging other university units as necessary and in keeping with this Policy. If the Community Standard Coordinator determines that the complaint is credible, he/she shall notify the Office of the General Counsel and will work closely with it during the consideration and investigation of the complaint. Furthermore, the Office of the General Counsel provides advice and direction on the legal aspects of community standards -related investigations and potential prosecutions. The Office of the General Counsel will conduct community standards investigations involving an employee or employees of the community standards Office.

If LAU determines that the claim is substantiated, LAU will institute disciplinary proceedings against the offending party, which may result in a range of sanctions up to and including termination of  university employment or expulsion.

If LAU determines that the complaint was unsubstantiated, the University will take no corrective action.

The formal University decision shall be communicated to all involved parties as approved by the President. Appeals by either party may be initiated as per the applicable LAU policies.

TRAINING AND EDUCATION

Leadership, education, training, awareness, and intervention are essential in preventing and eliminating acts of discrimination, harassment, and sexual misconduct. It is the responsibility of every member of the LAU community to attend the training and awareness sessions required by LAU.

Effective Date

The foregoing Discrimination, Harassment and Sexual Misconduct Prevention Policy of the Lebanese American University was amended by the Board of Trustees on September 6, 2019 and is effective as of September 6, 2019. This Policy was originally effective as of June 7, 2003, and was previously amended on March 9 & 10, 2006; March 15 & 16, 2013; and on September 7 & 8, 2017.

Community Standards at LAU

LAU has a no-tolerance policy for gender discrimination, sexual harassment and sexual assault.  Office of Community Standards actively supports a campus environment where gender discrimination and sexual harassment are not tolerated. Committed to a working and learning environment where people can achieve their full potential, Office of Community Standards  works to spread awareness about benefits of equity, diversity and inclusion for individuals and the entire community.

The Office of Community Standards at LAU provides information, confidential discussion, training/awareness materials, and networking regarding eliminating gender discrimination and sexual harassment or misconduct for the LAU community.

The Gender Equity Plan (GEP) at the Lebanese American University (LAU) provides both an evaluation of the university’s progress on gender equity and a roadmap for future improvement. Led by the Office of Community Standards, the plan was developed by a 19-member committee representing diverse sectors of the university. Over the course of a year, the group analyzed data, conducted interviews, and reviewed institutional practices to understand how well LAU promotes gender equity in policy, governance, and culture.

Launched in February 2022, the GEP is the first comprehensive institutional plan of its kind in Lebanon. It builds on earlier groundwork by Dr. Lina Abirafeh and the Arab Institute for Women (AiW). The report emphasizes that gender equity—which accounts for differing needs and barriers rather than simply equal treatment—contributes to better institutional performance, innovation, and social wellbeing.

The plan follows a four-step framework:

  1. Analysis: Conducting gender audits and reviewing data for inequities.
  2. Planning: Setting clear goals, actions, and resource allocations.
  3. Implementation: Carrying out initiatives to promote equity.
  4. Monitoring: Measuring progress through key indicators and feedback loops.

This first report focuses mainly on analysis and partially on planning, establishing the foundation for future implementation.

Methodology

The committee adopted a mixed-methods approach, combining:

This triangulated method allowed the committee to understand both the numbers and lived experiences behind gender dynamics at LAU.

Decision-Making

Findings highlight that while women are active and visible across the university, their representation decreases at higher levels of leadership and governance.
Challenges include limited transparency in appointment processes, informal networks that shape advancement, and insufficient mentorship opportunities for women.

Recommendations include:

Practices

The report assesses three main areas:

It also stresses the importance of civic engagement and community outreach, positioning LAU as a national example of gender equity leadership.

The GEP sets the groundwork for a sustainable transformation in how LAU defines and practices equity. It reframes gender equity as an essential component of academic excellence, leadership integrity, and institutional resilience.
The next phase will require strong leadership commitment, dedicated resources, and ongoing evaluation to ensure that equity is not only a principle but a lived reality across the university.

Gender Discrimination: Legal, Political and Economic Implications

During the 16 Days of Activism to End Gender-Based Violence (GBV) that starts on 25 November - International Day to Eliminate Violence against Women - and ends on 10 December - International Human Rights Day – The Arab Institute for Women (AiW) held a webinar entitled “Gender Discrimination: Legal, Political and Economic Implications”. These events connect the wider LAU community with gender scholars and experts from a variety of backgrounds – both academic and non-academic – who share their personal experiences while also providing in-depth information about the implications of gender discrimination on legal, political, and economic systems in the Arab region and beyond.

This F4T included Stephanie Chaban, the Regional Advisor of Gender Equality and Women Empowerment at UN ESCWA (United Nations Economic and Social Commission for Western Asia); Farah Kobeissy, an activist and regional gender advisor; Zoya Rouhanna, the co-founder and Director of KAFA; and Halime Kaakour, a professor of law in the Department of Law and Political and Administrative Sciences at the Lebanese University.

Stephanie Chaban, Regional Advisor of Gender Equality and Women Empowerment at UN ESCWA (United Nations Economic and Social Commission for Western Asia), provided a general introduction about the 16 Days of Activism campaign accompanied by the latest statistics and facts related to women’s rights violations globally and regionally. Starting from the premise that women’s rights should be addressed as human rights, Chaban enumerated the devastating impact of GBV on women’s lives and the lives of people around them. She also discussed the position of women in the Arab region, and highlighted the Arab countries’ poor performance on international gender rights indexes. Focusing on the labor market, Chaban noted the low representation of women in the labor force (21%) and the meager number of women entrepreneurs in the region. Chaban also discussed the impact of working and studying online as a result of government-imposed lockdowns in response to COVID-19, which is affecting women’s and girls’ access to education and work. She also talked about the annual art competition that The AiW and ESCWA hold jointly. This year’s and past winner’s submissions can be found on The AiW’s YouTube channel.

Farah Kobeissy, an activist and regional gender advisor, tackled the economic implications of gender discrimination by revisiting the history of working women. Using the example of the 1819 women textile workers – who experienced societal backlash because they were “factory women” – Kobeissy emphasized that women workers have long been struggling to improve their working conditions. Kobeissy traced these struggles to the present, highlighting the discrimination facing women in the labor market today. She noted that the labor market remains very male-dominated in the Arab region with women’s participation at only 23%, 53% of which work in the informal sector. Kobeissy also discussed the discrimination facing married women who are often rejected when applying to jobs because of the assumption that they will inevitably become pregnant and take maternity leave, which is incorrectly assumed to be a financial loss for the company. She insisted that women’s access to employment is under further threat because of the COVID-19 pandemic, and that women’s jobs are often the first to be negatively affected during an economic crisis. Kobeissy concluded with a statement made earlier in the pandemic by the Lebanese Minister of Interior and Municipalities Mohammed Fahmi, who remarked “let the women cook” in response to one journalist’s questions about the enforced Sunday lockdowns. Kobeissy related this comment to the derogatory comments and names facing those working women in 1819, who were derogatively called “factory women,” emphasizing that gender barriers continue to affect women workers.

Zoya Rouhanna, an activist, and the co-founder and director of KAFA, emphasized the legal implications of gender discrimination in Lebanon mainly in the personal status laws. In Lebanon, there are 15 different personal status laws that put women under the double discrimination of religious authorities and the government. Rouhana mentioned KAFA’s advocacy work that calls for a united Lebanese civil law, and tackles the relation between violence against women and the sectarian division of power in Lebanon.

Halime Kaakour, a professor of law in the Department of Law and Political and Administrative Sciences at the Lebanese University and a political and gender activist, tackled the political implications of gender discrimination and the importance of women’s political participation. Kaakour shared her personal experience as a political activist, and offered and facts and statistics from a study she led in collaboration with The AiW regarding women political candidates in Lebanon. She conducted interviews with 75 out of the 86 women candidates in the 2018 Lebanese parliamentary elections and highlighted a few of the obstacles these women reported facing during their candidacy, such as family support, the timing of the decision to run for the election, fundraising perceptions, not having a campaign manager, and media exposure. For example, 44% of the women stated they were asked gender discriminatory, unnecessary, and very personal questions such as “being a woman do you believe you have a chance at winning?” as well as comments on their appearance. She concluded with the effects of Violence Against Women in Politics (VAWP).

The speakers concluded the Q&A section by giving eye-opening advice to make a change and achieve gender equality such as being aware of the different struggles and battles women are facing, spreading awareness, and reinforcing solidarity against any form of discrimination.

Webinar: Stand Up Against Street Harassment

As part of the Food 4 Thought speaking series, the Arab Institute for Women (AiW) hosted a webinar titled ‘Stand up Against Street Harassment’. Director of AiW, Ms. Myriam Sfeir, opened the session by introducing the institute and the partners in this webinar, namely Office of Community Standards , ABAAD, L’Oréal, and Right To Be.

Ms. Cynthia Daher, Head of Communication and Media at ABAAD, introduced the US-based organization, Right To Be, and the services it provides. After that, Ms. Nadine Seif Eddine, a women’s rights activist from ABAAD, presented the objectives and work of ABAAD and explained, through numbers and statistics, the scope, causes, and effects of sexual harassment in public spaces in Lebanon. Then, Ms. Seif Eddine emphasized the significance of awareness-raising campaigns in improving the response of women towards harassment beyond fear and taboo. She also provided a proper legal definition of the term sexual harassment and explained its aspects as entailed in the Lebanese law, and discussed the places where harassment can happen. According to the law, sexual harassment is described as “any bad and repetitive behaviour that is extraordinary, unwelcome by the victim, and with sexual connotation that constitutes a violation of the body, privacy, or emotions.” The law notes that sexual harassment can occur through speech, actions, and electronic means. The law also considers single or repeated acts that use, “psychological, moral, financial, or racist pressure to obtain benefits of sexual nature” as sexual harassment.

During the webinar, a poll addressing students’ opinions on the causes and impacts of sexual harassment was shared. As the results demonstrated, the most common reasons why people don’t react to harassment is the fear of negative reputation, fear of blame, or fear of further harm from the predator. The bystander intervention and its methods were also tackled during the webinar. Ms. Seif Eddine concluded her talk by discussing the 5D’s required of a bystander, which are Distract, Document, Delegate, Delay, and Direct. The webinar ended with a Q&A session.