Lebanon’s family laws are governed by religious personal status laws (e.g., Muslim Sharia, Christian canon law), varying by sect. For Muslims (Sunni/Shia), paternity is tied to marriage; the husband of the mother at conception or birth is the legal father. For Christians, civil law principles (e.g., Code of Civil Procedure) recognize the husband or acknowledgment/court order.
In informal sperm donation (e.g., at-home AI or natural insemination), paternity is not addressed under an ART framework. For Muslims, an informal donor isn’t recognized outside marriage unless acknowledged within a religious context (rare). For Christians, paternity could be established if the donor acknowledges the child or it’s proven judicially (e.g., DNA evidence).
Assisted Reproduction:
Lebanon has no unified ART law as of 2025. Assisted reproduction is regulated by medical guidelines (e.g., Lebanese Society of Obstetrics and Gynecology) and occurs in private clinics, primarily for married couples, with practices varying by religious community.
Informal sperm donation is not regulated or recognized. It is not explicitly illegal, but donors lack legal protections against paternity claims, and cultural/religious norms discourage it outside clinical settings.
Single women and same-sex couples have no legal access to ART; informal donation is rare due to societal taboos.
Sperm Donor Agreements:
In clinical ART, donors typically have no parental rights per clinic policies, not statute. Informal sperm donation agreements are not legally binding under Lebanese law, as family matters fall under religious jurisdiction.
For natural insemination (NI) or informal AI, a donor could be deemed the legal father if paternity is acknowledged or proven, depending on the religious court (e.g., Sharia for Muslims, ecclesiastical courts for Christians). Private contracts lack enforceability without judicial validation.
Surrogacy:
Surrogacy is not regulated in Lebanon and is rare. The birth mother is the legal mother by default under all religious laws, and intending parents would need to adopt the child post-birth, subject to sect-specific rules (e.g., adoption is limited under Sharia).
Commercial surrogacy is not practiced, and international arrangements are unlikely to be recognized without legal proceedings.
Parentage Agreements:
In the absence of ART regulation, parentage is formalized through marriage and birth registration under religious laws. Informal agreements (e.g., co-parenting or donor contracts) lack legal enforceability and carry risks.
Religious courts may establish paternity based on biology or intent, potentially overriding informal agreements if disputes arise, with outcomes varying by sect.