Lebanon ranks 88 out of 179, according the United Nations Development Programme's Human Development Index. The Index's Gender-related Development Index (GDI) ranks Lebanon as 80. The GDI ranking translates into a life expectancy of 73.7 years for Lebanese women and a female adult literacy rate of 82.2 percent. At the educational level, the gross primary enrollment ratio for females is 100 percent, the gross secondary enrollment ratio is 93 percent, and the gross tertiary enrollment ratio is 54 percent.

Lebanon experienced a lengthy civil war (197590), which severely damaged the country's economy and created over 400,000 Palestinian refugees who have limited access to Lebanese health, education, and social services. This is reflected in low levels of education and employment among these mothers; lack of access to ...