In Lebanon, there are scarce health support services available; the capacities of these services, to reach families involved or at risk of abuse, are limited, but developing. Free childcare does not figure as a right in the Lebanese Constitution.

There is no universal health screening for child or Universal access to free medical care for child. Moreover, there is no universal access to free medical care for all citizens. In such context, preventive programs need adequate and integrated information; this prerequisite can be developed through an intersectoral and participatory structure. This is particularly important in a country where the health bill is the second in the world (13% of the GDP) and is dedicated to curative medicine.

Therefore, caretakers and professionals in child protection and education, from shareholders to frontiers, need to be partners in a program aiming to recruit and present relevant information on children living in critical situations and on risk factors. Those problems are real and solutions are possible.

Implications

As mentioned earlier, there have been some attempts in Lebanon to increase the information and awareness about CAN. 'The Lebanese Institute for Child Rights www.childoflebanon.org contributes to:

1. A better understanding of child abuse signs and symptoms within professionals, with a better notification algorithm to be used by front liners, an increase in disclosures and a scientific evaluation of cases and patients

2. Raising awareness of the public and enhancing the emerging movement towards human rights empowerment in general and CRC application in particular.

3. Building a solid knowledge base on both the extent and nature of the problem: Establish therefore a dynamic database of information about victims.

4. Increasing information about available resources including institutions, programs, professionals, activists, NGOs, etc. This decision requires the establishment of a Child observatory.

5. Reinforcing co-operation between stakeholders and building the capacity of professionals in preventing, detecting referring treating and addressing abuse and exploitation.

6. Informing children about their rights, in order to enable them to defend themselves, and set up sustainable partnership mechanisms with children and youth in this respect.

7. Contributing to the development of an integrated curriculum on CAN, to enable a consensual and holistic strategy against CAN. In this perspective, www.childoflebanon.org can provide technical assistance and support to networking and intersectional coordination

8. Monitoring outcome and impact and planning for upcoming trends in health education.

9. Designing, implementing and facilitating involvement in research and training programs.