Libya Crimes Watch (LCW) participated in the 91st Pre-sessional Working Group for the Committee on the Elimination of Discrimination Against Women (CEDAW) on Libya, held in Geneva from October 28-29, 2024. This participation falls within the framework of the Convention on the Elimination of All Forms of Discrimination against Women (CEDAW) and aims to contribute to a list of issues relevant to the women’s Rights situation in Libya.
During a closed session for civil society organizations, LCW delivered an oral intervention focused on key concerns related to women’s rights in Libya, underscoring restrictions on freedom of movement as a stark violation of fundamental rights. The intervention also addressed systematic abuses against women human rights defenders, the precarious situations faced by migrant and asylum-seeking women, and put forth a series of targeted recommendations. These recommendations included calls to repeal discriminatory provisions in national legislation, amend family and nationality laws to ensure equality in rights, and enact comprehensive legislation to combat violence against women.
LCW’s advocacy efforts also included engaging in a private meeting with the Chair of the CEDAW Committee to bring attention to ongoing violations against women in Libya. LCW’s Legal Advisor, Nourhan Mustafa, highlighted significant gaps in Libya’s compliance, stating, “We have observed a serious deficiency in Libya’s commitment to its reporting obligations to the Committee since 2009, a lack of constructive engagement with the Committee, and an absence of robust civil society participation from within Libya.”
LCW remains the sole Libyan organization actively collaborating with the CEDAW Committee on the situation in Libya. In April 2024, LCW submitted its first report to the Committee as part of its steadfast efforts to monitor, document and advocate for women’s rights in Libya.
Read the oral intervention:
Read the full report: https://cutt.ly/peFPQqFA
