Respond To The Sudden And Urgent Multi-Dimensional Humanitarian Crisis In Tripoli Through The Human Security Approach

The number of people living under the poverty line in Lebanon has been rising with today around 700,000 persons in Lebanon, including Lebanese communities and Syrian refugees, estimated to live on less than $1 per day and unable to meet their minimum survival requirements. Women, in particular female-headed households among the Syrian refugees, are economically struggling, as 82% of them live under the Minimum Expenditure Basket ($113/household /month). The National Poverty Targeting Programme (NPTP) launched in 2014 and implemented by Ministry of Social Affairs (MoSA), has been put on hold due to funding constraints, pushing another 45,000 most vulnerable Lebanese families under the poverty line. Moreover, since 2017, Lebanon has been encountering a severe economic crisis. Hundreds of small, medium and large-size businesses have been closed down due to bankruptcies leading to unprecedented unemployment rates, mainly among the youth. Subsequently, school dropout rates have increased substantially as parents have had to send their children to work in order to support in securing a minimal income. At the same time, figures from the 2017 Vulnerability Assessment of Syrian Refugees (VASyR-2017) highlight the vulnerability of Syrian refugee families settling in urban settings where most refugees prefer to settle. Another study on living conditions initiated by UNDP, to be published at the end of 2018, indicates that poverty levels are expected to increase in urban areas, with a focus on Tripoli where many refugees and host communities live together in crowded neighborhoods with limited access to social services. At the government level, following the parliamentary elections that took place in May 2018, Lebanon has been functioning with a “caretaker” government as the establishment of the new cabinet of ministers was delayed due to the internal political divide, influenced by the regional crisis. At the local level, municipalities are facing serious challenges to meet the growing demand on basic services posed by the increased population figures. This uncertainty is particularly challenging in a context like Lebanon with existing sectarian divides and continued influx of refugees.In line with all that is mentioned above, the number of vulnerable families (host/refugees) moving into urban areas and living in poor neighborhoods in Lebanese cities is expected to rise resulting in severe socio-economic conditions that can lead to social tensions and psychological problems amongst youth, including drug addiction, enrolment within terrorist groups, rising levels of suicides, broken families, etc., in addition to increased tension and violence amongst host refugee population groups. The various challenges  that are facing Lebanese and  refugees  are putting them under  various  risks  including food insecurity as  families are  restricting themselves to only one meal per day which they can hardly afford,  health insecurity as children are suffering of mal-nutrition and health issues due to un-safe drinking water, economic insecurity as competitions for jobs is increasing within unprecedented high unemployment rate, protection risk, considering the escalation of violence as a result of competition for services and financial opportunities and finally social insecurity as families are coping with negative practices to access funds such as child labor and child marriage. This situation entails immediate action from the partnering UN agencies to limit the deterioration of the socio-economic status of poor host and refugee families in Tripoli, pushing them to unprecedented poverty levels, posing serious risks on the human security of the concerned communities, and reversing the peace and development gains made so far.Japan puts its priority on social and economic stability in Lebanon and has supported the Syrian refugees and host communities in partnership with multiple UN agencies. The UN Country Team in Lebanon will apply the human security approach to the transition from humanitarian aid to development and jointly protect and empower the Syrian refugee and the vulnerable populations in host communities. In this regard, the project will assist Japan’s ODA policy of mainstreaming human security and showcase a practical approach as the bridge between humanitarian, peace and development. UN Habitat, UNICEF and UN Women jointly conducted a human security needs assessment and identified the most vulnerable populations such as women-headed households and street-based children and their needs. This project will meet their short-term and long-term needs by ensuring their access to basic service and providing training in partnership with local NGOs and the national and local governments. Through promoting social inclusion, these joint efforts will complement and strengthen the existing support from Japan as well as mitigate the risk of radicalization and further destabilization of the region.