Lebanese women’s rights organization, KAFA, together with global aid agency Oxfam Great Britain, have released groundbreaking publications that will play a pivotal role in bringing men across the Arab world into the struggle to end violence against women.

WACC congratulates one of its project partners in Beirut, Lebanon, on the publication of the first ever pan-Arab training guide on practical ways to engage men and boys in the fight to end violence against women throughout the region. Titled Women and Men…Hand in Hand Against Violence,  it was unveiled in Beirut at a high level event hosted by His Excellency the Lebanese Minister of Social Affairs Dr. Salim El-Sayegh, and attended by UNIFEM regional office’s representative Ms. Rania Tarazi and other government ministers, top UN officials and key ambassadors.

KAFA and Oxfam have also released a comprehensive study, Women Facing Violence in Lebanon, revealing a shocking absence of men’s involvement in the struggle to combat abuse directed at women and girls.

WACC does not have a specific programme dedicated to combatting violence against women. However, it has supported several projects under 'Communication for Peace'. In 2008 WACC helped KAFA produce a 15-minute documentary drama addressing the issue of ‘date violence’ - the abuse or mistreatment that can occur between ‘dating partners’. And in Guatemala, WACC has been partnering the women's programme of CEDEPCA in a three-year series of activities against feminicide and impunity.

Referring to the KAFA/Oxfam initiative, Ghida Anani, KAFA programme coordinator, said:  “Men are part of the problem, but they are also part of the solution. We are against violence, not men. But men in the Arab world almost always dominate the public and private spheres so working with them is strategically critical.  If we want to begin making real change in ending violence against women it is simply nonsensical to leave men and boys out of the equation whether it’s in Lebanon, Iraq, Egypt, Yemen or anywhere in the world for that matter.”

Oxfam and KAFA consulted some 75 different non-governmental organisations based in Yemen, Palestine, Lebanon, Iraq, Egypt, Syria and Jordan in developing its training guide. While all of the core messages remain the same, the guide was designed to adapt to different social, economic, religious or other realities in any given community in the region.   Educational techniques in tribal areas of rural Yemen, for example, might look completely different from less traditional societies in Lebanon.   

Magda El-Sanousi, Oxfam's Lebanon Country Director, said: “The face of violence against women and girls may look different in different places.  It affects rich and poor, Christians and Muslims, educated and uneducated and rural and urban women. But fundamentally the problem is the same.  In Yemen, early marriage seriously affects the health of young girls and perpetuates poverty.  In Iraq, violence against women as well as sexual trafficking of young widows and other poor women is reportedly on the rise. In Jordan ‘honour’ killings is an enormous concern.  All of this amounts to violence against women.”  

Last week, men and women ministers in the Lebanese Cabinet passed a law that, for the first time, will criminalise violence against women in the country.  KAFA campaigned tirelessly for the new law – which still needs to be passed by parliament.  Both KAFA and Oxfam see its initial acceptance as a triumph, but also as but one of the first bricks in a long road that needs to be paved in Lebanon and throughout the region.

The manual in brief. In addition, both the guide and study can be found here.

For more information, please contact: Ghida Anani, KAFA programme co-ordinator, +961 (3) 663052, +961 (0) 1 392220/1, or This e-mail address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it , Oxfam GB’s Lebanon Country Director, +961 (70) 974678.

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