DƆNÙESÈ Data Center / Women’s Rights Laws by Country / Libya
North Africa · Country law profile
Libya: women’s rights and civic space laws
Libya has no dedicated law on violence against women. A draft law introduced in November 2023 was still awaiting parliamentary approval in late 2025. Marital rape is not a crime. The Penal Code also lets a rapist escape punishment by marrying the victim (Article 424) and reduces penalties for so-called honour killings (Article 375). Law No. 10 of 1984 on marriage and divorce, amended in 2015, sets the marriage age at 18 with a judicial exception and no longer restricts polygamy, while Libyan women cannot pass nationality to their children on equal terms with men. Divided governance since 2014 has slowed legal reform, and CIVICUS rates civic space as repressed. NGOs work under restrictive rules, and new limits on women’s travel and dress were announced in 2023 and 2024.
At a glance
| Capital | Tripoli |
|---|---|
| Legal system | Civil law system, with family and inheritance matters governed by Islamic law principles; the 2011 Constitutional Declaration remains the interim constitutional framework |
| Official languages | Arabic |
Key indicators
18 for women and menMinimum legal age of marriage (2015)
4%Child marriage rate (% married before 18)
16.5% (28 of 170)Women in House of Representatives (2026)
16%Seats reserved for women (House of Representatives) (2021)
50.0 / 100World Bank Women, Business and the Law 1.0 index (2024)
32.5 / 100World Bank Women, Business and the Law 2.0 legal frameworks (2024)
14 weeks paidMaternity leave (2010)
Regional and international treaties
| Treaty | Status | Reservations or notes |
|---|---|---|
| Maputo Protocol | Signed 5 November 2003 / ratified 23 May 2004 / deposited 30 June 2004 | |
| CEDAW | Acceded 16 May 1989 | Reservations to Article 2 and Article 16(c) and (d), plus a general reservation that accession cannot conflict with personal status laws derived from Sharia |
| CEDAW Optional Protocol | Acceded 18 June 2004 | |
| ICCPR | Acceded 15 May 1970 |
Constitution
| Constitution | Constitutional Declaration of 3 August 2011 (interim, still in force); a draft constitution was prepared in 2017 |
|---|---|
| Equality guarantees | Article 6 states that Libyans are equal before the law and enjoy equal civil and political rights; Articles 12 and 13 protect privacy and the confidentiality of communications |
| Quotas or parity | The Constitutional Declaration sets no quota. The 2017 draft constitution (Article 185) would reserve 25 percent of seats in the House of Representatives and local councils for women for two electoral cycles |
National laws
Gender-based and domestic violence
No specific law; Law No. 10 of 1984 on marriage and divorce, Articles 17 and 18
Libya has no law criminalising domestic violence. Articles 17 and 18 of the family law state that spouses must not cause each other physical or mental harm.
Gaps: A comprehensive draft law on combating violence against women, introduced in November 2023 and covering physical, psychological, sexual, economic, political and online violence, still awaited parliamentary approval in November 2025. The draft does not repeal discriminatory family law and Penal Code provisions.
Rape and sexual offences
Penal Code, Articles 407 and 408
Article 407 criminalises rape with up to 10 years’ imprisonment and Article 408 criminalises indecent assault by force.
Gaps: The Penal Code defines rape as an offence against honour and public morals, which Amnesty International says contradicts international standards based on sexual autonomy. Marital rape is not criminalised, and Libya rejected UPR recommendations to criminalise it in March 2026.
Rape and sexual offences
Penal Code, Article 424
Exempts a rapist from punishment if he marries the victim and stays married for three years.
Gaps: Libya rejected UPR recommendations to remove this provision in March 2026.
Rape and sexual offences
Law No. 70 of 1973 (zina) and related Penal Code provisions
Criminalise consensual sexual relations outside marriage, punishable by imprisonment or flogging.
Gaps: Amnesty International notes these provisions can deter survivors of sexual violence from reporting.
Sexual harassment
Law No. 12 of 2010 on labour relations, Article 12
Prohibits sexual harassment by employees in the workplace.
Source: unescwa.org
Female genital mutilation
No specific law
There is no legal prohibition of female genital mutilation; the practice is not documented as prevalent in Libya.
Source: unescwa.org
Child marriage and age of marriage
Law No. 10 of 1984 on marriage and divorce, Article 6, as amended in 2015
Sets the minimum age of marriage at 18 for both sexes; before the 2015 amendments it was 20.
Gaps: A judge may authorise marriage below 18 with the guardian’s agreement and no absolute minimum age is set. OMCT documented 1,390 court-authorised marriages of minors in southern Libya between 2021 and 2024.
Harmful practices
Penal Code, Article 375
Reduces the penalty for a man who kills or injures his wife or a female relative on discovering or suspecting extramarital sexual relations.
Gaps: UN human rights bodies and NGOs call for its repeal; it remained in force in 2025.
Family and personal status
Law No. 10 of 1984 on the specific provisions on marriage and divorce and their consequences, as amended by Law No. 14 of 2015
Governs marriage, divorce, custody and guardianship. A bride needs the consent of a male guardian, and a wife may obtain divorce through the courts or through khul in exchange for compensation.
Gaps: Law No. 14 of 2015 repealed Article 13, which required court permission and the existing wife’s written consent for a further marriage, following a 2013 Supreme Court ruling. The amendment also removed women’s ability to act as witnesses to marriage contracts.
Family and personal status
Internal Security Agency travel rules (April 2023) and earlier military decrees on travel
In April 2023 the Internal Security Agency required women travelling abroad alone to fill in forms justifying travel without a male guardian. In November 2024 the Tripoli-based interior minister announced measures including written guardian permission for women’s travel and compulsory head covering.
Gaps: Human Rights Watch notes these measures have no legal basis.
Inheritance and succession
Islamic law rules applied under Libyan law
Inheritance follows Sharia shares; daughters generally receive half the share of sons and a widow receives one eighth of the estate where there are children.
Gaps: The CEDAW Committee recommended legislative reform to give women equal rights in inheritance.
Abortion and sexual and reproductive health
Penal Code, Articles 390 to 395
Abortion is permitted only to preserve the woman’s life. Women who induce an abortion face at least six months’ detention, and Article 394 halves penalties when the act is committed to preserve family honour.
Gaps: There is no exception for rape or incest, and the 2023 draft law on violence against women does not provide one.
Political participation and quotas
Law No. 10 of 2014 on the election of the House of Representatives, Article 18; Law No. 2 of 2021, Article 18
Both laws allocate 16 percent of House of Representatives seats to women; the 2021 law reserves 32 of 200 seats. Earlier, Law No. 4 of 2012 required alternation between women and men on party lists for the General National Congress election.
Gaps: The 2021 law was adopted for elections that did not take place.
Labour and maternity
Law No. 12 of 2010 on labour relations, Articles 21 and 25
Affirms the right to work for women and men, provides for equal pay for equal work (Article 21) and grants 14 weeks of paid maternity leave (Article 25).
Gaps: The law restricts women to work considered suited to their nature, and the scope of the equal pay provision is unclear.
Source: unescwa.org, english.legal-agenda.com
Social protection
Law No. 13 of 1980 on social security
Provides the general social security framework.
Source: unescwa.org
Nationality
Law No. 24 of 2010 on Libyan nationality, Articles 3 and 11
Children of Libyan fathers obtain nationality automatically. Children of Libyan mothers obtain it only if born in Libya to an unknown or stateless father, and otherwise have discretionary access under Article 11.
Gaps: Women cannot pass nationality to foreign spouses on equal terms and need approval to marry non-Libyans. Decree No. 902 of 2022 gave children of Libyan mothers access to education and health care without nationality, and Libya rejected UPR recommendations on equal nationality rights in March 2026.
Trafficking
Penal Code, Articles 418 to 420 and 425 to 426; Law No. 19 of 2010 on combating illegal migration
The Penal Code criminalises some forms of sex trafficking of women and slavery, and Law No. 19 of 2010 addresses illegal migration.
Gaps: Libya has no comprehensive anti-trafficking law; forced labour trafficking and adult male victims are not covered, and a draft anti-trafficking law has not been adopted.
Source: omct.org, unescwa.org
Access to justice and legal aid
Decree No. 119 of 2014 on victims of sexual violence
Provides for the protection and support of survivors of rape and sexual violence.
Source: english.legal-agenda.com, unescwa.org
Access to justice and legal aid
Law No. 8 of 1989
Gives women the right to be appointed to judicial positions.
Source: english.legal-agenda.com
Online violence and cybercrime
Law No. 5 of 2022 on combating cybercrimes (September 2022)
Requires internet use to respect public order and morality, allows the authorities to block websites without a court order and sets prison terms of up to 15 years.
Gaps: The law has been used to arrest women human rights defenders accused of offending traditions, and it contains no specific protection against online violence against women. UN experts and NGOs have called for its repeal.
Data protection
Law No. 6 of 2022 on electronic transactions
Contains the main data protection rules, including explicit consent before data collection and rules on international data transfers.
Gaps: Libya has no comprehensive standalone data protection law.
Source: dlapiperdataprotection.com
Women and girls with disabilities
Law No. 5 of 1987 on disabled persons
Sets the framework for pensions and entitlements of persons with disabilities. Libya ratified the CRPD by February 2018.
Gaps: No provisions specific to women and girls with disabilities were found.
Human rights defenders
Law No. 19 of 2001 on the reorganisation of non-governmental organisations
Allows registration only for social, cultural, sports, charitable or humanitarian groups and lets the authorities dissolve organisations without a court order. Libya has no law protecting human rights defenders.
Gaps: In March 2023 a legal opinion of the Supreme Judicial Council declared organisations not established under Law No. 19 of 2001 illegal. A draft associations law submitted in 2021 had not been passed by 2025.
Vulnerable Groups
Penal Code, Articles 407(4) and 408(4), as amended in 1973
Criminalise consensual same-sex sexual relations between men and between women, with imprisonment of up to five years under Article 407(4).
Gaps: Libya rejected UPR recommendations to decriminalise consensual same-sex relations in March 2026.
Civic space
| CIVICUS Monitor rating | Repressed (score 27/100) |
|---|---|
| NGO and association law | Law No. 19 of 2001 on the reorganisation of non-governmental organisations; the Civil Society Commission can freeze bank accounts or dissolve groups without a court order. A March 2023 Supreme Judicial Council legal opinion declared groups not registered under Law No. 19 of 2001 illegal, and a 2021 draft associations law remains unpassed. |
| Cybercrime law | Law No. 5 of 2022 on combating cybercrimes (September 2022) |
| Public order and counter-terrorism | Law No. 3 of 2014 on counterterrorism; Law No. 5 of 2014 criminalising harm to the February 17 revolution; Penal Code provisions on defamation and unlawful associations |
| Notes | Rival authorities in the west and east of the country issue separate decrees, which affects how laws are applied. In November 2024 the Tripoli-based interior minister announced morality measures targeting women and girls, and in April 2025 the Internal Security Agency announced the closure of ten international NGOs supporting migrants and refugees. Women human rights defenders face online smear campaigns and arrests under the cybercrime law. |
Recent developments
- March 2023. A legal opinion of the Supreme Judicial Council declared civil society organisations not established under Law No. 19 of 2001 illegal.
- April 2023. The Internal Security Agency required women travelling abroad alone to justify travel without a male guardian.
- October 2023. Dar al-Ifta issued a fatwa prohibiting use of the term gender in government.
- November 2023. A draft law on combating violence against women was introduced; it still awaited parliamentary approval in November 2025.
- April 2024. Amnesty International and Libya Crimes Watch submitted reports to the CEDAW Committee on discrimination and violence against women in Libya.
- 6 November 2024. The Tripoli-based interior minister announced a morality police and measures on women’s dress and travel.
- 11 November 2024. The Ministry of Youth issued Circular No. 7 of 2024 requiring youth organisations to obtain approval for activities abroad and programme content.
- 2 April 2025. The Internal Security Agency announced the closure of ten international NGOs supporting migrants and refugees.
- 23 March 2026. The Human Rights Council adopted Libya’s UPR outcome; Libya rejected recommendations on marital rape, equal nationality rights, Article 424 and family law reform.
Reforms recommended
Reforms recommended by the African Commission, UN treaty bodies or national organisations, as reported in the sources below.
- Adopt the draft law on combating violence against women, including criminalisation of domestic violence and marital rape.
- Repeal Penal Code Article 424 (marriage of rapist and victim) and Article 375 (reduced penalties for honour killings).
- Amend Law No. 24 of 2010 so that Libyan women can pass nationality to their children and foreign spouses on an equal basis with men.
- Withdraw the reservations to CEDAW and reform Law No. 10 of 1984 to give women equal rights in marriage and divorce and to end polygamy.
- Repeal or amend Law No. 5 of 2022 on cybercrime and Law No. 19 of 2001, and adopt a rights-based law on associations.
Being verified. RFLD is checking the laws on the following topics against official texts and will add them to this page: land and property, girls’ education, older persons. Corrections and documents are welcome at programs@rflgd.org.
African Union treaties
Status of 29 African Union treaties as recorded in the official AU status lists published by the African Union Commission. The date of each list is shown: a ratification deposited after that date may not appear yet. 7 of the 13 human rights and governance treaties below are ratified.
| AU treaty | Status | AU list dated |
|---|---|---|
| Maputo Protocol (rights of women) | Ratified 23/05/2004 | 19/09/2023 |
| African Charter on Human and Peoples’ Rights | Ratified 19/07/1986 | 15/06/2017 |
| African Charter on the Rights and Welfare of the Child | Ratified 23/09/2000 | 14/02/2023 |
| Protocol establishing the African Court on Human and Peoples’ Rights | Ratified 19/11/2003 | 14/02/2023 |
| African Charter on Democracy, Elections and Governance | Not signed | 08/07/2024 |
| AU Convention on Ending Violence against Women and Girls | Not signed | 22/05/2026 |
| Protocol on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities | Not signed | 22/05/2026 |
| Protocol on the Rights of Older Persons | Not signed | 22/05/2026 |
| Protocol on Social Protection and Social Security | Not signed | 22/05/2026 |
| African Youth Charter | Ratified 11/08/2008 | 19/09/2023 |
| OAU Refugee Convention | Ratified 25/04/1981 | 16/05/2019 |
| AU Convention on Preventing and Combating Corruption | Ratified 23/05/2004 | 14/02/2023 |
| AU Convention on Cyber Security and Personal Data Protection (Malabo) | Not signed | 02/02/2026 |
Other AU treaties (16)
Sources (33)
- musawah.org · Libya Overview Table
- omct.org · libya the hidden crisis of child marriage
- girlsnotbrides.org · libya
- data.ipu.org · data on women
- security-legislation.ly · law no 10 of 2014 on the election of the house of representa…
- libyaherald.com · new parliamentary election law based on individual not parti…
- wbl.worldbank.org · WBL2024 Economy Scores
- unescwa.org · libya adjusted
- au.int · 37077 sl PROTOCOL TO THE AFRICAN CHARTER ON HUMAN AND PEOPLE…
- hrlibrary.umn.edu · ratification libya
- files.acquia.undp.org · Libya.Summary.19.Eng
- lcw.ngo · INT CEDAW ICS LBY 58036 E
- hrw.org · libya revoke repressive anti cybercrime law
- dlapiperdataprotection.com · index
- hrw.org · submission universal periodic review libya
- cihrs.org · libyas draft law on violence against women a long awaited st…
- amnesty.org · MDE1978582024ENGLISH
- hrw.org · libya implement meaningful reforms to protect rights and ens…
- hrw.org · libya
- english.legal-agenda.com · womens rights in libya preserving past gains fearing for the…
- hrw.org · libya
- monitor.civicus.org · women hrds migrant support ngos journalists online critics f…
- citizenshiprightsafrica.org · cedaw concluding observations libyan arab jamahiriya
- abortion-policies.srhr.org · libya
- omct.org · Longstanding Human trafficking Dilemma in Libya A Crisis De…
- ilo.org · natlex4.detail
- sjdr.se · sjdr.2
- ohchr.org · committee rights persons disabilities opens nineteenth sessi…
- hrw.org · libya civic space crushed
- humandignitytrust.org · libya
- monitor.civicus.org · libya
- monitor.civicus.org · online violence against women intimidation of journalists fo…
- arabstates.unwomen.org · womens political participation in libya a review of electora…
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Information verified as of October 2026. This page is for information and advocacy and is not legal advice. Laws change: check the official text before relying on it. Part of the DƆNÙESÈ Data Center of the Women Leaders Network for Development (RFLD). See also the Maputo Protocol Hub and the Maputo Barometer.
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