Global Progress Towards Ending the Sexual Exploitation of Children
A global problem requires truly global solutions to address the sexual exploitation of children.
Indicators
Age of Consent
Partial
Age of sexual consent is 18 years. The national legislation does not provide for a close-in-age exception.
Analysis of country legislation on age of sexual consent, 2024
Extraterritoriality & Extradition
Partial
Lebanese Criminal Code provides active extraterritoriality over offenses committed outside the Lebanese territory by Lebanese citizens. Habitual residents are not included. Lebanese legislation does not provide for passive extraterritorial jurisdiction over offences committed abroad against Lebanese nationals. Universal jurisdiction applies to a number of offences such as crimes against the security of the State or counterfeiting, among others but it does not include SEC related offences. Article 23 of the Criminal Code provides for extraterritorial jurisdiction over certain crimes committed by foreigners or stateless persons if they cannot be extradited. Double criminality is not required for proceeding with active extraterritorial jurisdiction but it is required to prosecute crimes committed by foreigners and stateless persons abroad if their extradition is denied.
Extraditable offences are those offences committed in the territory of the requesting State; offenses undermining its security or its credit; and offenses committed by one of its nationals. Extradition will only be granted if offences are punishable in both States (double criminality). Extradition for the purposes of execution of a judgment of conviction is permitted if the sentence of imprisonment is at least of two months. There is no specific provision on the extradition of SEC related offences but since the principle of severity of the punishment does not apply under Lebanese law, SEC related offences could be considered as extraditable offences.
Criminal Code, 2009
CSAM Definition
Not Yet Assessed
Background Check Required
Not Yet Assessed
National Commitments
Not Yet Assessed
Child Advocacy Centers
Not Yet Assessed
SEC Police Unit
Not Yet Assessed
Protection Standards Travel and Tourism
Not Yet Assessed
Public SEC Case Data
Not Yet Assessed
Age of Consent Law is Appropriate
The age of sexual consent for both males and females is 18 and a close in age exemption (up to 3 years) is provided for consensual sexual relationships between adolescents.
The age of sexual consent is the legally defined age at which a person is considered mature enough to agree to sexual activity. The age of sexual consent varies across jurisdictions around the world and there is no international legal instrument establishing it, however various forms of advocacy have encouraged States to establish a minimum age under which engaging in sexual contact is considered a criminal offence. This is intended to prevent sexual contact with children and to prevent argument that the child consented as a defence.
Often national provisions related to the age of sexual consent include an exception, known as a close-in-age exemption, making consensual sexual activities between young people lawful if the partners are of similar ages and the age difference is not higher than a certain number of years.
To ensure that cases of child sexual exploitation do not go unpunished, ECPAT advocates for the age of sexual consent to be set at 18 for both males and females with a close-in-age exemption of 2-3 years provided in order to ensure young people are not penalised for consensual sexual acts with peers. The age from which the exemption applies should be established by States but may begin for young people somewhere between 12 and 16 years of age.
Yes The national legislation explicitly indicates that the age of sexual consent unequivocally is 18 for both males and females, with a close-in-age exemption for sexual acts between peers (of up to 3 years) is provided by law.