Submitted by Crintern on
This report is part of CRIN's access to justice for children project, looking at the status of the Convention on the Rights of the Child (CRC) in national law, the status of children involved in legal proceedings, the legal means to challenge violations of children’s rights and the practical considerations involved in challenging violations.
The Convention on the Rights of the Child (CRC) has been ratified by Lebanon, as has the Optional Protocol to the CRC on the sale of children, child prostitution and child pornography. International treaties take precedence of national law in Lebanon and, as such, the CRC is directly enforceable in the courts. Children are permitted to bring cases before the juvenile court judges directly, or may do so through a parent or guardian. Legal aid is available through bar associations but this may be dependent upon the claimant’s financial means as resources are currently stretched. Lebanon is currently home to a vast number of refugees from Palestine, Iraq and Syria as conflict rages on in the region; unfortunately, these refugees do not enjoy the same legal status and rights as Lebanese citizens and this leaves refugee children at a detriment whenever they come into contact with the justice system.
