Oxfam in Lebanon - Sexual and Reproductive Health and Rights Programmatic Strategy (2025-2028) | Oxfam International

Prepared by: Francesca El Asmar, Gender Justice Consultant Nathalie Eid, Digital Engagement Consultant Assil Fares, Junior Gender Consultant

I. Introduction

a. Background In a context where the interplay of the economic crisis and socio-political challenges have pushed large segments of the population residing in Lebanon into poverty, weakened public health infrastructure and severely limited the availability, quality and affordability of essential services, access to sexual and reproductive health and rights (SRHR) is gravely restricted. This is especially the case for women and girls, and nonconforming individuals, and particularly those from structurally marginalised groups, including refugees, persons with disabilities, migrants or people living in poverty. Deeply embedded patriarchal social norms and gendered power imbalances already shaped diverse individuals’ experiences, and those who are most disadvantaged have been disproportionately impacted by the multiple crises in the country. SRHR services are limited, fragmented, and largely inaccessible for most groups, with geographical disparities and most areas being underserved. Additionally, discriminatory legislation and harmful social practices continue to undermine bodily autonomy, rights and freedom. In recent years, and mirroring global trends, a growing influence of anti-gender and anti-rights movements has further threatened hard-won gains around gender justice more broadly - and SRHR, particularly sexual rights and freedoms, more specifically - and has translated into harmful narratives, mis- and disinformation, as well as online and physical attacks against feminist, queer and women’s rights organisations and activists, amongst other rights groups. Oxfam in Lebanon has historically played an important role in supporting and strengthening movements and civil society organisations in the country. It has played the strategic role of a convenor and technical support organisation, facilitated spaces for dialogue and discussions on pressing socio-political and economic issues, channelled much-needed resources to grassroots and local organisations, implemented impactful advocacy and influencing campaigns, produced important and locally-driven knowledge and evidence, and supported movement-building, service-provision and community mobilisation on a variety of human rights and gender justice priorities. Over the past 5 years, and in response to urgent needs, Oxfam has brought greater attention and resources to SRHR interventions, particularly through interventions such as the 5-year Masarouna regional programme, the 5-year Power to Choose global programme, the EIDHR-funded LGBTQI+ rights projects, the Women Voice and Leadership project and the WaSH innovation fund. Through these interventions, Oxfam has positioned itself as a key actor addressing SRHR priorities in the country, and has forged critical partnerships with service-providers, academic institutions, national and sub-national institutions, local civil society actors, informal grassroots groups and young activists, and feminist, queer 4 and women’s rights organisations working on the same issues. While many aspects of Oxfam and its partners’ SRHR interventions have been highly impactful, they have also been met with resistance, and in some instances, violent attacks, reflecting the broader challenges related to SRHR and gender justice interventions in the country. Within this context, Oxfam in Lebanon has commissioned the collaborative development of its SRHR programmatic and digital strategy, with the aim of guiding its work, partnerships, approaches and positioning within the SRHR space in the country for the coming years. Accordingly, a consultative strategy development process was launched in March 2025 to design Oxfam in Lebanon’s SRHR programmatic and digital engagement strategy for 2025-2028. The present document presents the Theory of Change that will guide Oxfam’s priorities, approaches, collaborations and interventions over the coming 3 years, with recommendations for each change pathway. This document includes recommendations derived from the Digital Engagement Strategy, developed in parallel and provided as a strategy slide deck, outlining digital foundations and targeted recommendations. The strategy package also includes a strategic-level action plan, outlining the steps to take to put this strategy into practice, as well as a risk analysis with dedicated mitigation measures. The strategy covers Oxfam-wide interventions and programmes addressing SRHR, and both builds on and informs ongoing SRHR projects.

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