Another woman murdered in Lebanon, as rights' groups call for action

A Lebanese woman was shot dead by her husband Monday in central Beirut with the killer on the run, in the latest act of violence against women in the country.

On the same day, another Lebanese man was arrested after stabbing his wife - who survived the attack - in a village in the south.

It follows outcry from rights group who say the government must do more to eradicate violence against women.

A law on domestic violence was passed by Lebanon's parliament in 2014 but watchdogs said many changes were still needed.

There have been eight deadly cases of violence against women since the start of December, according to Kafa, a watchdog advocating for gender equality in Lebanon.

A total of 17 cases were recorded last year, including a 15-year-old girl who committed suicide after a forced marriage.

One of the most high-profile cases was Rebecca Dykes, who worked with the UK embassy. She was murdered by a driver in December, who tried to rape her.

Kafa's spokesperson Diala Haidar said recent improvements to the legal framework were failing to challenge "a society dominated by a machismo and that justifies violence against women".

"Working against this mentality and preventing the justification of violence against women is the hardest thing," she said.