Lebanon Faces Challenges in Human Trafficking and Prostitution Enforcement, Arab League Reports Show

Lebanon continues to grapple with human trafficking and the complex enforcement landscape surrounding prostitution and exploitation, according to regional human rights sources and legal analyses from Arab League documentation and international reporting.

While prostitution is nominally legal in Lebanon, the regulatory environment remains largely dysfunctional — with no prostitution licences issued since 1975 and most sex work occurring illegally in hotels, bars and nightclubs. UNAIDS estimates there are still several thousand people engaged in sex work, and documented cases of child prostitution and sex trafficking are reported by authorities and human rights observers.

The Arab League’s anti-trafficking framework outlines regional commitments to combating human trafficking, including trafficking for the purposes of sexual exploitation and labour exploitation. The Arab Charter on Human Rights and subsequent guiding laws call on member states, including Lebanon, to criminalise human trafficking, protect victims and strengthen national legal frameworks.

Under Article 10 of the Arab Charter, all forms of slavery and human trafficking are forbidden, and Arab states are required to report on measures taken to implement anti-trafficking obligations. Regional initiatives have emphasised cooperation, capacity building, victim protection, and enforcement.

However, in practice, Lebanon’s response faces structural challenges. The 2024 U.S. Trafficking in Persons Report notes that sex trafficking and labour trafficking persist in the country, with migration and the lack of effective victim identification systems contributing to vulnerability. Authorities have periodically arrested individuals for prostitution and child prostitution offences, but enforcement is uneven and protections for victims remain limited.

Domestic workers in Lebanon, especially women from abroad working under sponsorship systems, are particularly vulnerable. Human rights advocates have documented how such workers can be subjected to exploitative conditions that meet definitions of trafficking, including passport confiscation, forced work, and abuse, due to weak legal protections and enforcement gaps.

Civil society organisations argue that more robust legal tools and support services are urgently needed. International and regional bodies, including the Arab League and the United Nations, have repeatedly recommended that Lebanon strengthen victim identification, streamline reporting mechanisms, and expand protection and rehabilitation services for survivors of trafficking — especially women and children involved in prostitution networks.

Experts also highlight how broader regional challenges, such as migration flows, economic instability, and gaps in labour law enforcement, contribute to trafficking and exploitation risks in Lebanon and neighbouring Arab states. Coordinated action with other countries in the Middle East and Europe is regarded as essential to disrupt trafficking chains that exploit vulnerable populations across borders.