Libya

Violence, instability, and gender-based discrimination severely limit women’s economic and political opportunities. Even in cases where women receive specific legal or financial protections, such as a protected right to inherit property, they often go unimplemented in practice due to patriarchal norms. Civilians who speak out against repression —especially women—risk abduction, undermining national reconciliation efforts. In 2019, Siham Sergewa, a parliamentarian and women’s rights defender, was kidnapped after criticizing military strongman Khalifa Haftar. Despite these obstacles, Libyan women continue to be strong advocates for peace and mediators of conflict in their local communities. Female negotiators in the Libyan Political Dialogue Forum have championed an inclusive government, advocating for at least 20 percent of leadership positions to represent the priorities of Libyan youth. 

Libyan women are likely to face ongoing threats to their rights and safety as the country remains caught in a cycle of political deadlock and persistent insecurity. Efforts to hold human rights violators accountable persist, however. Libya recently recognized the International Criminal Court’s authority over alleged crimes committed within its borders from 2011 until 2027. The Court intends to finalize its ongoing investigations in Libya by late 2025, with a focus on gender-based crimes. With a proposed roadmap for elections in 12 to 18 months, greater attention to the demands of Libyan women and youth could help ensure these processes meet the needs of all Libyans. For instance, the UN Support Mission launched a new structured dialogue process with a formal platform for diverse segments of Libyan society to participate in conflict resolution and political planning—a pathway to increase the participation of women and girls. Women’s local mediation work also has the potential to transcend into national politics and help foster Libya’s long-term security.

Ongoing tension between pro-Government of National Unity (GNU) forces and the Special Deterrence Force (Al-Rada) continues to disrupt daily life and limit women’s safe movement, access to services, and participation in public spaces. Growing instability compounds daily insecurity for women and girls, who already face gender-based violence (GBV), economic precarity, and underrepresentation in decision-making at all levels. With active political and security fragmentation, these dynamics severely undermine protections for women and girls.

New monitoring by Libya’s High National Elections Commission shows an 89 percent rise in online violence against women this year compared to 2024, with Facebook identified as the primary platform hosting coordinated harassment and smear campaigns. These patterns—building on earlier cases of enforced disappearance such as MP Seham Sergewa—underscore the entrenched climate of impunity that deters women’s civic engagement and increases their exposure to threats, intimidation, and gender-based attacks.

Libya’s culture of impunity continues to endanger women and marginalized groups. The November 5, 2025 arrest of Osama Almasri Najim, wanted by the International Criminal Court for torture and sexual violence, marks a rare step toward accountability; however, earlier this year Italy repatriated him to Libya instead of transferring him to The Hague, prompting criticism from human-rights bodies for undermining justice. Persistent torture, enforced disappearances, and extrajudicial killings by armed groups, combined with impunity for sexual and gender-based crimes, leave women, migrants, and displaced people vulnerable to retaliation, sexual violence, and disappearance, underscoring the urgent need for credible oversight and protection mechanisms.

Multiple migrant-boats capsized in November 2025, leaving dozens dead or missing, and underscoring the dangers facing those transiting through Libya. While migration from Libya to Europe continues to increase, as of mid-2025, over 14,000 migrants—including more than 1,300 women and 458 children—have been stopped and sent back to Libya. Migrants passing through the country are at risk of sexual violence and human trafficking, as demonstrated by the Libyan military’s recent rescue of eleven kidnapped migrant women. Conflict-related instability enables traffickers, including armed groups and state actors, to exploit and detain refugees and migrants.

Libya’s Universal Periodic Review presents a pivotal moment for strengthening women’s rights and security. Beginning November 11, 2025, Member States urged Libya to adopt the long-pending Draft Law on Protecting Women from Violence, criminalize GBV, and launch a transitional-justice framework for survivors of abuse. Amid rising violent crimes against women and children, the Minister of State for Women’s Affairs, Dr. Houria Al-Tirmal, also issued new directives instructing women’s and child-protection centers to strengthen their readiness, respond to cases with urgency, and provide coordinated psychological, social, and legal support. Civil society documents note that, despite legal commitments, delays in implementation have allowed impunity to persist and undermine women’s access to justice and full civic participation. If leveraged effectively, this review cycle gives Libyan women a chance to reshape legal norms, enhance protections, and secure a stronger voice in governance and peace processes.

Prolonged political stalemate between the Tripoli-based GNU and the eastern-based Government of National Stability continues to delay national elections, but ongoing municipal elections and the UNSMIL roadmap offer entry points for women’s participation in governance. This roadmap includes a structured dialogue designed to engage Libyan society broadly, with explicit mention of youth and women’s participation. In parallel, the Security Council has further called for the inclusion of women in these political processes. These initiatives create opportunities for women to influence governance, reconciliation, and political reforms in Libya.

Libya’s High National Elections Commission, with UN Women and UNDP, is developing a code of conduct to prevent electoral violence against women. In November 2025, the High National Elections Commission convened a national consultation with prosecutors and women’s civil-society groups to improve protections for women in upcoming elections. Alongside ongoing work to draft legislation addressing political and online abuse, these initiatives offer a chance to strengthen women’s political participation and create safer, more inclusive elections.