Short-Term Legal Expert – Baseline and Benchmarking on CEDAW-Related Legal Reform in Lebanon

1. Objectives and desired results

1. 1. General objective

The overall objective of this assignment is to establish an evidence-based and comparative foundation for the activity “Lifting CEDAW Reservations through Inclusive Policy Dialogue.” Through a comprehensive baseline and benchmarking review, the expert will analyze Lebanon’s reservations to CEDAW and related legal frameworks, compare them with regional reform experiences, and identify practical entry points for national advocacy and coalition building.

1. 2. Specific objectives

1. To conduct a desk review of existing legal, academic, and policy studies related to Lebanon’s reservations to CEDAW, particularly those linked to personal status, family, and nationality laws.
2. To benchmark national and regional initiatives — including those in Tunisia, Jordan, and other Arab states — to draw comparative insights on legal harmonization and reservation withdrawal.
3. To analyze overlaps, gaps, and complementarities among current initiatives led by UN agencies, civil society organizations, and research institutions.
4. To map key stakeholders, reform actors, and coordination platforms relevant to gender-related legal reform in Lebanon.
5. To organize consultations and two thematic roundtables to gather additional inputs from national counterparts.
6. To produce a comprehensive baseline and benchmarking report including recommendations and a coordination roadmap to inform and guide subsequent phases.

1. 3. Anticipated results

1. A comprehensive baseline and benchmarking report consolidating CEDAW-related studies and reform initiatives.
2. A comparative analysis of regional experiences (Tunisia, Jordan, etc.) offering actionable lessons for Lebanon.
3. A stakeholder and initiative map identifying synergies, gaps, and coordination opportunities.
4. A set of validated recommendations for effective coordination, avoiding duplication, and enhancing complementarity.
5. A strategic roadmap outlining next steps for advocacy and coalition-building under the subsequent phases of the activity.

2. Description of the assignment

1. 1. Planned activities

The expert will lead the baseline phase of the activity “Lifting CEDAW Reservations through Inclusive Policy Dialogue,” implemented by Expertise France (EF) in coordination with the National Commission for Lebanese Women (NCLW). This assignment focuses on conducting a comprehensive legal and institutional baseline review, benchmarking existing initiatives, and developing comparative and analytical materials to guide subsequent coalition-building and advocacy phases. The expert will ensure complementarity with ongoing efforts by UN Women, ILO, LFPCP, and other actors, and will contribute to early coordination, reporting, and, where relevant, the facilitation of two preparatory roundtables. The final baseline report will serve as the primary reference for the next phase of the project, guiding the development of training content, facilitating thematic roundtables, and supporting legal and advocacy outputs consistent with the findings of this study.

Assignment preparation

• Review background documents and the project’s action plan.
• Coordinate with EF and NCLW to refine methodology, workplan, and data collection tools.
• Identify and collect existing studies, reform initiatives, and civil society efforts related to CEDAW reservations.
• Prepare templates for data collection, legal mapping, and reporting.

Phase I: Desk Review and Comparative Benchmarking

• Conduct a desk-based review of Lebanon’s reservations to CEDAW, focusing on Articles 9 and 16, and related provisions in personal status, nationality, and family laws.
• Identify legal contradictions and gaps between Lebanese legislation and CEDAW standards.
• Map and summarize relevant studies, reform initiatives, and civil society efforts to avoid duplication and identify synergies.
• Carry out a comparative review of regional experiences (e.g., Tunisia and Jordan) to highlight good practices in addressing similar reservations.
• Draft an internal analytical note summarizing preliminary findings for discussion.

Phase II: Stakeholder Mapping and Consultations

• Identify and profile key stakeholders including MPs, ministries, CSOs, religious leaders, and legal experts.
• Classify stakeholders according to level of influence, interest, and potential engagement in reform.
• Engage with a diverse range of actors including UN agencies, INGOs, local associations, and academic experts to validate findings and gather inputs.
• Conduct roundtables and targeted consultations (bilateral or small group) to gather inputs.
• Prepare a stakeholder matrix and a short summary of consultations to inform the baseline report.

Phase III: Reporting and Finalization

• Draft the baseline report, integrating the desk review, stakeholder mapping, and comparative benchmarking.
• Include clear recommendations and a roadmap for the next phase, including priorities for coalition-building and advocacy.
• Present the draft report for review and validation.
• Finalize the Baseline and Comparative Legal Report incorporating comments, ready for publication and dissemination.
• Ensure that all outputs, including the baseline report, analytical notes, and stakeholder matrix, are structured to guide and facilitate the subsequent activities and advocacy phases, providing clear recommendations and a framework for drafting future reports and advocacy briefs, thereby ensuring continuity and avoiding duplication.

1. 2. Anticipated deliverables

Deliverables

End date

1. Timesheets

Monthly

2. Invoices for services rendered

Monthly

3. Participation in briefing and onboarding meetings with EF and NCLW

Month 1

4. Inception report: methodology, workplan, stakeholder mapping, and comparative countries selection

Month 1

5. Key informant interviews (KIIs) and two roundtables with key stakeholders

Month 2

6. Draft baseline and comparative report

Month 2

7. Validation workshop

Month 2

8. Final validated baseline and comparative report

Month 2

1. 3. Coordination

• The expert will work under the supervision of the EF Key Expert.
• Close coordination will be maintained with the National Commission for Lebanese Women (NCLW).
• Regular updates, draft reviews, and validation of outputs will be done jointly with EF and NCLW.

3. Place, duration and terms of performance

1. 1. Place: Lebanon (Beirut)

1. 2. Implementation period: January 2026 – April 2026

1. 3. Start date: 15 January 2026

1. 4. End date: 15 April 2026

1. 5. Effective duration: 30 days

1. 6. Schedule/programme:

The provisional programme for assignment implementation is as follows:

Activity

Place

Period

Duration (man/days):

Inception phase – desk review, initial coordination with EF and NCLW

Remote / Beirut

Week 1

7

Preparation of inception report (methodology, outline, timeline)

Remote

Week 2

3

Legal and comparative baseline review (desk-based research, mapping of laws, analysis of CEDAW reservations)

Remote

Weeks 3–5

6

Conduct KIIs with selected stakeholders

Remote / Beirut

Weeks 3–5

3

Preparation & Validation meeting on baseline findings with EF and NCLW

Beirut

Week 6

2

Facilitation of two thematic roundtables

Beirut

Weeks 6–7

3

Finalization of baseline report incorporating roundtable and KII inputs

Remote

Weeks 7–8

5

Coordination, feedback, and submission of final deliverables

Remote

Week 8

1

Total

30

Disclaimer: Managing the tasks can either exceed or fall short of the allocated number of days, provided the total does not exceed 30 days.

4. Required expertise and profile

1. 1. Number of experts per assignment: 1

1. 2. Profile of the designated expert(s) responsible for contract execution

1. Qualifications and skills:

• Advanced degree in law, human rights, gender studies, or a related field.
• Proven expertise in international human rights frameworks, particularly CEDAW and women’s rights legislation.
• Strong analytical, research, and report-writing skills.
• Experience in conducting comparative legal reviews and benchmarking studies.
• Excellent facilitation, communication, and stakeholder engagement abilities.
• Ability to work in a multicultural environment and coordinate with multiple national and international partners.
• Fluency in English and Arabic; French is an advantage.

2. General professional experience

• Minimum of 7–10 years of professional experience in legal, human rights, or gender-focused projects.
• Experience working with government institutions, UN agencies, NGOs, and civil society organizations in the MENA region.
• Proven track record in designing and implementing baseline studies, assessments, or policy reviews.
• Experience in organizing workshops, roundtables, and capacity-building sessions.
• Familiarity with project coordination, reporting requirements, and multi-stakeholder engagement processes.

3. Specific professional experience

• Demonstrated experience analyzing national legislation in light of CEDAW and identifying gaps or contradictions.
• Experience conducting comparative legal analyses in the MENA region (e.g., Tunisia, Jordan) or other relevant countries.
• Experience in preparing evidence-based recommendations to inform advocacy, coalition-building, or policy reform.
• Proven ability to produce comprehensive reports integrating desk review, stakeholder consultations, KIIs, and benchmarking findings.
• Prior involvement in projects coordinating with UN agencies, civil society coalitions, and governmental partners on gender equality or legal reform initiatives.

5. Assignment reports

The following shall be submitted by email. The deliverables must follow Expertise France’s formatting standards.

• Timesheet;
• Invoice;
• Inception Report: Includes methodology, workplan, stakeholder mapping, and selection of comparative countries.
• Baseline and Comparative Legal Report: Consolidates desk review, KIIs, stakeholder mapping, comparative analysis (e.g., Tunisia, Jordan), analytical notes, and recommendations for subsequent advocacy phases.
• Roundtable Summaries: Short annexes or sections within the baseline report summarizing discussions, key findings, and stakeholder inputs.

6. Monitoring-evaluation

Performance indicators

Deliverables

Immediate effects

Intermediate effects

Verification sources

Inception Report

Clear methodology, workplan, and stakeholder mapping

Provides structured roadmap for baseline activities

Inception report reviewed and validated

Baseline and Comparative Legal Report

Consolidated legal review, KIIs, stakeholder analysis, comparative insights, and recommendations & roadmap for the next phases

Provides foundation for subsequent STE and advocacy phases; identifies gaps, redundancies, and best practices

Final report validated; annexed analytical notes and stakeholder matrix

Roundtable Summaries (annexed to report)

Stakeholder inputs and validation of preliminary findings

Strengthened coordination and shared understanding among key actors

Roundtable minutes, summaries, and participant feedback forms