Humanitarian Work is Equal to Medical Work During War: Protecting the Work of Civil Society Organizations in Lebanon
The Feminist Civil Society Platform in Lebanon condemns and expresses its deep concern over the crimes of aggression committed by the Israeli entity against Lebanon and its people. This aggression has led to the destruction of vast residential and civilian areas in Lebanon, resulting in the death of 2,169 people and injury of 10,212, according to the Lebanese Ministry of Health. Additionally, more than 1.4 million people have been displaced, including hundreds of thousands of women and children who were forced to leave their homes with nothing but the clothes on their backs.
The Feminist Civil Society Platform in Lebanon is also deeply concerned about the deliberate targeting by the Israeli entity of medics, doctors, journalists, as well as hospitals, health centers, places of worship, schools, and even displaced persons. Furthermore, it condemns the dissemination of fake news and the sending of veiled threats and warnings to frontline workers and local and international organizations, all of which constitute war crimes and blatant violations of the four Geneva Conventions.
The platform emphasizes the pioneering role played by feminist, human rights, and grassroots civil society organizations in Lebanon during the country's economic and social crises, and in the face of aggression on its land and people. These organizations have been providing rapid and effective responses, particularly to displaced persons and vulnerable groups such as women, children, the elderly, and people with disabilities, despite the numerous challenges they face at all levels. Feminist, human rights, and grassroots civil society organizations in Lebanon have long been a source of support and refuge for many societal groups, and they will continue to offer life-saving services during these difficult times and the war the country is experiencing.
The Feminist Civil Society Platform in Lebanon calls on the Lebanese government and the international community to immediately ceasefire in Lebanon, to safeguard humanitarian work, and to protect humanitarian workers, including feminist, human rights, and grassroots civil society organizations in Lebanon, from being targeted. It also calls for adherence to internationally endorsed principles of humanitarian work, which stress the protection of civil society organizations in all their forms, so they can continue providing relief services, especially to vulnerable groups.
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The Feminist Civil Society Platform in Lebanon consists of 47 rights organizations and activists in the field of feminist work. UN Women Lebanon brought together these organizations and individuals in the aftermath of the August 4 explosion to unify efforts and activities supporting women’s issues. Since its establishment, the members of the platform have carried out multiple advocacy efforts and contributed to the development of reform, recovery, and reconstruction plans for Lebanon. UN Women Lebanon serves as the secretariat for the platform, with its role limited to facilitating the platform's work without intervening in decisions, content, data, or any materials produced, published, or presented by the platform.