The unwritten National Pact of 1943 established that the President of Lebanon would be a Maronite Christian, the Prime Minister a Sunni Muslim and the Speaker of the Chamber of Deputies a Shi'a Muslim. This arrangement was reaffirmed in the 1989 Taif Accord, which ended a 15-year civil war. Lebanon's current government respects the terms of the Pact. Parliament is elected every 4 years, and a President elected every 6 years. The President and the Parliament nominate the Prime Minister, who chooses the Cabinet. 128 deputies are equally divided between Christian and Muslim representatives. International observers judged the 2005 elections to be flawed but an improvement over earlier elections.

There is no state religion, but religious representation is applied to every aspect of public life. Cultural barriers limit the participation of women in politics. Only 3 women have ever been elected to the 128-seat Parliament; 2 are now in Cabinet. Palestinian refugees have no political rights.

Events are strongly influenced by the Syrian military and by Lebanese and Palestinian militias, particularly Hezbollah. The UN report on the assassination of former Lebanese Prime Minister Rafik Hariri implicated top Syrian officials, suggesting that the complex plot to kill him could not have been carried out without Syria's knowledge. Huge demonstrations led to the withdrawal of Syrian troops after nearly 30 years of military presence. Hezbollah did not leave, but remained in the area bordering Israel. Following the war in 2006, massive street demonstrations have taken place calling for the resignation of the government.

The judiciary is independent but subject to political pressure. Transparency International reports a perception of corruption at all levels of government.

Discrimination based on race, language or social status is illegal, but some groups report harassment and intimidation. Each religious group has its own courts for family law (marriage, divorce, child custody and inheritance). Informer networks and monitoring of communications are used to gather information on adversaries. Militia and security services violate privacy rights.

No laws ensure public access to government documents, and the government does not respond to requests for information. Freedom of speech and of the press are guaranteed, but intimidation leads journalists and broadcasters to practise self-censorship. Television, radio broadcasts and foreign magazines are censored, but criticism of government policies continues. Attacks are prohibited on the dignity of the head of state or foreign leaders, and offending journalists are prosecuted.

The country is a destination for persons trafficked to work as domestic servants or dancers in adult clubs. Many are coerced or recruited into prostitution. Men aged 18 to 21 are subject to compulsory military service and cannot leave the country without authorisation. There is no legal discrimination against persons with HIV/AIDS.

Education is free and compulsory to age 15. Public schools lack facilities, equipment and trained staff. Families with limited incomes provide more education for boys than for girls. The illiteracy rate is 7.7% for men and 15.4% for women. The Taif Accord required curriculum reform, and the new curriculum, now being implemented, includes anti-bias and tolerance education.

The UN Committee that monitors the rights of the child noted with concern that, despite a Memorandum from the Minister of Education prohibiting educational staff from using corporal punishment, it is still used in schools and other institutions; the Committee noted with concern that corporal punishment is also lawful in the home.

A 3-year programme begins at age 3. At this level, 78% of education is private. The Net Enrolment Rate (NER) is 72%. There are 9,498 ECE teachers (99% female), of whom 10% are trained. The pupil/teacher ratio (PTR) is 16 : 1.

Education is compulsory for ages 6 to 15. Primary school begins at age 6 and lasts 6 years. At this level, 65% of education is private. The NER is 93% (49% female). Of students enrolled in Grade 1, 96% reach the last grade of primary school. 11% of students repeat grades. There are 32,082 primary teachers (84% female), of whom 13% are trained. The PTR is 14 : 1.

Secondary education begins at age 12 and is completed in 6 years. At this level, 52% of education is private. 3% of students in lower secondary and 27% in upper secondary education study in technical vocational programmes. The Gross Enrolment Rate (GER) is 89%. 12% of students repeat grades. Secondary teachers number 20,786 (63% female) in lower secondary and 25,432 (46% female) in upper secondary. The PTR is 10 : 1 in lower secondary and 6 : 1 in upper secondary.

154,635 students (52% female) study in tertiary institutions, for a GER of 48%. At this level 49% of education is private. 13,930 students from abroad study in Lebanon, though the countries of origin are not given. 11,286 Lebanese students study overseas, mainly in France (4,671), USA (2,179), Germany (976), Italy (577) and the UK (57).

Most mainstream schools exclude children with disabilities. Disabled children who get an education do so in special institutions run by NGOs. Children are often isolated from their families as a result of being institutionalised. Discrimination continues against persons with disabilities. The civil service board refuses to receive applications from disabled persons. Some 100,000 persons were disabled during the civil war. 3% of all government and private sector positions should be filled by qualified persons with disabilities, but there is no evidence the law is enforced.

The law does not provide for the granting of asylum or refugee status in accordance with the 1951 UN Convention Relating to the Status of Refugees or its 1967 Protocol. The UNHCR reports that there are nearly 2,500 Iraqi, Somali and Sudanese refugees in the country, and UNRWA reports that some 400,000 Palestinian refugees are registered. Palestinian refugees cannot obtain citizenship and are subject to discrimination in employment. They are prohibited from working in 72 professions and cannot own property. UNRWA provides health and education services to Palestinian refugees.

Palestinian children often leave school at an early age. 18% of street children in Lebanon are Palestinian. Poverty, drug addiction, prostitution and crime are reported to be increasing in refugee camps. The UN Committee monitoring children's rights urged the government to accede to the Convention Relating to the Status of Refugees and its Protocol and to ensure that "refugee children are provided with proper documentation, refrain from separating these children from their parents, facilitate family reunification and ensure the right to education for all refugee children."

Some 400,000 Palestinian refugees live in Lebanon, most of them in camps. The construction of permanent structures is discouraged since refugee settlement in the country is not the objective. Few Palestinians receive work permits, and incomes continue to decline. In 2005 the Minister of Labour decided that Palestinian nationals born in the country should be allowed to work in 50 out of 72 professions that are banned to foreigners. There are also reports that Syrian workers suffered discrimination following the withdrawal of Syrian forces.

Academic freedom is protected in law, and academics in Lebanon enjoy an open academic environment. While reports do not indicate there is any restriction of academic freedom, Lebanese university professors and students staged the largest demonstration in the country since 1992, to protest threats to autonomy and shrinking budgets. Internet access is not restricted and is widely used, but communications are monitored.

The law provides for equal pay for work of equal value. Government employees have the same benefits. Social pressure against women pursuing careers is strong in some parts of society, but women have employment in government, medicine, law, academia, the arts and business. Women can own property but often cede control of it to male relatives. Sexual harassment is prohibited but widespread. Women cannot pass on citizenship to spouses and children, though men can do so.

Domestic violence is a problem, and police are accused of ignoring complaints submitted by women. Foreign domestic servants are reported to be mistreated, but no legal recourse is available to them because of their low status. The legal system is discriminatory in its handling of honour crimes.

The minimum age for work is 14. Children aged 14 to 18 can work up to 6 hours a day. Minors are prohibited from working at night or in jobs that jeopardise their health, safety or morals. Children under 16 cannot work in industrial or physically demanding jobs, though the legislation is not effectively enforced.

The Central Statistics Administration gave the percentage of working children aged 10 to 14 as 1.8% and those aged 15 to 18 as 11.3%. The UN Committee monitoring children's rights welcomed the ratification of the Optional Protocol to the Convention on the sale of children, child prostitution and child pornography.

All workers except government employees have the right to form and join trade unions, which can affiliate with international federations and confederations. In all, 5% to 7% of workers are members of some 500 labour unions and associations. 37 federations of unions are members of the General Confederation of Labour, which is the only confederation recognised by the government. Palestinian refugees may organise their own unions, though the restrictions on their right to work limit their involvement in trade unions. Collective bargaining takes place, and workers have the right to strike. A general strike to protest the high price of fuel took place.

Forced or compulsory labour is not prohibited in law, but Lebanon has ratified ILO Conventions 29 and 105 prohibiting forced labour. Children, foreign workers and domestic workers are found in situations that amount to forced or bonded labour. Foreign domestic workers are not protected by labour laws. The minimum wage is US$200 (300,000 Lebanese pounds) a month, but it does not apply to domestic workers, whose average wage is about US$100 (150,000 Lebanese pounds) a month. The minimum wage law is not enforced in the private sector, and it does not provide a decent standard of living for a worker and family. A 48-hour work week is standard.

The bombing of Lebanon by Israel in 2006, following the capture of 2 Israeli soldiers by Hezbollah, destroyed much of the infrastructure in parts of the country close to the Israeli border as well as in other areas much further afield. Schools were destroyed or damaged, and at the time of writing many have still not re-opened.