Overview

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Lebanon

Lebanon has an estimated population of 3.6 million. Despite progress in rebuilding economic infrastructure following a decade of armed conflict, austerity measures to reduce debt and the lack of comprehensive social development planning limit social sector improvements. In 2004, Lebanon ranked 80th out of 177 countries on the Human Development Index. Despite having the largest proportion of skilled labor among Arab States, a significant proportion live below the national poverty line and just under 47 per cent of the working age population is participating in the formal labor force, with women's participation far less than men's (20 per cent compared to 70 per cent).

Lebanon is making moderate progress toward achieving the targets of the ICPD Programme of Action and the Millennium Development Goals. Between 1990 and 2000 maternal mortality was halved from 300 deaths per 100,000 live births to 150, infant mortality dropped from 34 deaths per 1000 live births to 20 and childhood mortality declined from 38 deaths per 1000 live births to 23. Life expectancy increased from 69 years in 1990 to 73 currently. Eighty-eight per cent of all births are attended and the contraceptive prevalence rate for any method is 61 per cent (37 per cent for modern methods). HIV/AIDS prevalence is low at 0.1 per cent of the population aged 15-49.

Although there was a decline in primary and secondary school enrolment rates between 1998 and 2001, they were generally high. Nearly all boys and girls are in school.

UNFPA, working with the government, partner UN agencies, the Lebanon Family Planning Association and other NGOs, the media, the banking sector, restaurants and others, developed a highly popular film and related Information, Education and Communication (IEC) materials to raise awareness and knowledge of reproductive health and rights and prevention of HIV/AIDS and STIs among youth, opinion leaders and the general public.