Swiss Cooperation in Lebanon March 2017

Swiss Cooperation in Lebanon March 2017 1

Switzerland’s cooperation contributes to safe, viable and peaceful living

conditions for conflict-affected and vulnerable people, reducing fragility,

preventing and transforming conflicts. ©SCO

Context

Lebanon is a small middle-income country with a popu-

lation of 4.1 million which has been repeatedly exposed

to regional conflicts and internal tensions. The Syria

crisis has put significant additional strain on the coun-

try’s fragile stability as well as on the already weak infra-

structure and public services. Consequently, many Leba-

nese as well as non-Lebanese communities live under

vulnerable conditions.

Of the 4.8 million Syrian refugees registered in the re-

gion, over 1 million currently live in Lebanon - making it

the country with the highest per-capita refugee popula-

tion in the world. The socio-economic situation for Syri-

an refugees and the Lebanese population is becoming

increasingly precarious, especially in communities most

affected by the influx. Tensions between refugees and

host communities have risen, due to increased competi-

tion for jobs and services.

Some 450,000 Palestinian refugees are registered in the

country. Due to the Syria crisis, an additional 31,506

Palestine refugees from Syria currently reside in Leba-

non. Palestine refugees do not enjoy full civil rights, are

prevented from property ownership and prevented from

carrying out as many as 20 professions. Around 53%

of Palestine refugees live in 12 recognized refugee

camps and 31% in 42 “gatherings” where Palestine refu-

gees live alongside very poor Lebanese families.

Lebanon has a long history of immigration and remains

a destination for migrant workers from neighbouring as

well as Asian countries. Precarious labour conditions

prevail for the majority of the 250,000 migrant workers

who are for the most part women.

In terms of natural disasters, Lebanon is located along

the seismically active Dead Sea Transform fault. The high

concentration of inhabitants in cities such as Beirut and

Tripoli exposes the country to significant risk in case of

earthquake, flood or other natural disasters.

Swiss Cooperation Strategy Middle East 2015-2018

The overall goal of the Swiss Cooperation Strategy Mid-

dle East 2015-2018 for Iraq, Jordan, Lebanon Syria and

Turkey is to contribute to safe, viable and peaceful living

conditions for the conflict-affected and vulnerable peo-

ple, reducing fragility as well as preventing and trans-

forming conflicts. The Strategy is being implemented

through a “whole-of-government” approach involving

three federal entities represented at the Embassy of

Switzerland in Lebanon: the Swiss Agency for Develop-

ment and Cooperation (SDC) in Lebanon, the Direc-

torate of Political Affairs – Human Security Division (HSD)

and the State Secretariat for Migration (SEM).

In order to achieve its overall goal, Switzerland focuses

on three domains of intervention: Basic Needs and Ser-

vices, Protection and Water. The transversal themes

Gender, Good Governance and Disaster Risk Reduction

are inherent parts of the Strategy to contribute both to

the transformation of relationships and the promotion

of inclusive mechanisms within societies.

Total planned contribution 2017: CHF 20.1 million

Domain of intervention 1: Basic Needs and Services

Switzerland seeks to save lives, reduce vulnerability and

enhance resilience through improving access of the

vulnerable populations to cover the needs and services.

Self-reliance and coping mechanisms are to be en-

hanced while preparedness, response and rehabilitation

mechanisms are to be fostered for addressing natural

Total Population: 4.1 million

Refugee Population:

- Syrian refugees (registered): 1, 011,366 (UNHCR)

- Palestine refugees: 450,000 (UNRWA)

- Palestine refugees from Syria: 31,000 (UNRWA)

- Other refugees (mainly Iraq): 18,000 (UNHCR)

Switzerland’s implementation modalities in Lebanon:

Dialogue with governmental bodies (Prime Minister’s

Office, MFA, MoI and MEHE)

Contribution to multilateral interventions (ICRC, UN-

HCR, UNDP, UNRWA, UNICEF, World Bank)

Bilateral project partnerships with INGOs (including

Terre des hommes, International Alert), local NGOs

(including Amel, Legal Agenda.)

Deployment of Swiss experts to UNHCR, UNRWA,

UN-Habitat, Geneva Call

Direct project implementation managed by Swiss

staff in close coordination with the Government of

Lebanon (WASH Rehabilitation in Schools, Improved

Water Management in the Bekaa Valley)

Swiss Cooperation in Lebanon March 2017 2

and man-made disaster risks. The domain Basic Needs

and Services is supported by the SDC and includes the

following projects:

Direct Project Implementation – WASH Rehabilitation

in Schools: in close coordination with the Ministry of

Education and Higher Education, support a safe envi-

ronment for 7,950 Lebanese and Syrian refugee students

in 23 public schools in Tripoli and surrounding region.

-Habitat – Shelter expert support: ensure co-

leadership in the Shelter Core Group and the Shelter

Working Group at national level and developing guide-

lines on the stabilization-oriented shelter responses.

– Improving Living Conditions in Palestine

Gatherings: Access to basic urban services in Palestinian

Gatherings and improved Governance of service delivery.

– Support to Basic Assistance during Winter of

2016-2017: increase protection and access to basic

needs by contributing to support vulnerable refugees

especially during harsh winter months

UNRWA – Assistance to Palestine Refugees: contribu-

tion to the UNRWA Programme Budget supports the

provision of basic services to Palestine refugees in the

region, including Palestine refugees from Syria.

UNDP/UN-Habitat - Building Structures: support the

national framework to improve the coordination of

plans and service delivery to Palestine refugees living in

informal gatherings.

Tahaddi - Protection and services for marginalized

Dom: support school enrolment of illiterate children and

improving access to primary health services for vulnera-

ble groups, including 10,000 members of the marginal-

ised Dom community in Beirut’s shanty areas.

Ghassan Kanafani Cultural Foundation - Support to

Centres in Palestine Refugee Camps: improve children’s

capacity to develop and learn in educational, interactive

and safe environments; empower Palestine refugee (and

other nationality) children and youth with disabilities;

support families of children with disabilities to engage

more effectively in the well-being of their children.

The Basic Needs and Services projects supported by SEM:

- Multi-Donor Trust Fund: contribution to

the Lebanon Roadmap of Priority Interventions for Sta-

bilization from the Syrian Conflict to help mitigate the

impact of the Syrian conflict on host communities in

Lebanon.

– Support to Regional Development and Protec-

tion Programme Middle East through a European donor

platform that includes Switzerland: ensure that refugees

are fully able to avail themselves of a durable solution,

to support socio-economic development in host coun-

tries that will benefit both the host populations and

refugees.

Domain of intervention 2: Protection

Switzerland seeks to strengthen respect for international

humanitarian law and human rights and contribute to

conflict transformation as well as to a protective envi-

ronment for conflict-affected and vulnerable popula-

tions including IDPs, refugees and migrants.

The protection projects supported by SDC are:

- contribution for the provision of immediate

protection and assistance for all people affected by

armed conflict and other situations of violence. UNHCR - contribution for the provision of immediate

protection and assistance to refugees.

– Support to the new Retention Centre for For-

eign Persons in Lebanon: ensuring humane conditions,

legal protection and respect for human rights of some

6,300 detained persons.

Terre des hommes Lausanne – Protection of the Most

Vulnerable Children Affected by the Syria Crisis in South

Lebanon: providing psychosocial support, case man-

agement, referral services, community-based interven-

tions centred around child protection and sexual and

gender-based violence as well as capacity building of

local government and civil society actors.

- Strengthen the consortium for national protec-

tion of Migrant Domestic Workers (MDWs) in Lebanon:

improve coordination, advocacy, and lobbying among

NGOs focusing on MDWs issues; develop and advancing

national advocacy strategies for the protection of MDWs;

providing social, legal, psychological and skill-

development services to some 150,000 MDWs; and

conduct research on freelance work and its shortcom-

ings.

ARM - Empowering MDWs for self-advocacy: establish

two new Migrant Community Centres in North and

South of Beirut to expand the provision of educational

and capacity building services in addition to awareness-

raising activities for 4,500 MDWs; empower MDW to

lead self-advocacy initiatives.

- Towards Increased Protection for MDWs in

Lebanon: developi a protection framework for MDWs

and advocating for its adoption; raise awareness on

existing protection mechanisms and rights of MDWs

especially among university students; and build the

capacity and strengthening the involvement of MDWs in

the implementation of advocacy strategies.

- Building the collective power of Domestic

Workers in Lebanon: strengthen the institutional, capaci-

ty of the nascent Domestic Workers’ Union; support the

Union to form a national coalition for the ratification of

Convention 189.

The protection projects supported by SEM are:

ICMPD – Supporting Lebanon in fostering a rights-based

approach to managing the arrival, stay and exit of mi-

grants and refugees: as a complement to the overall EU

Integrated Boarder Management project aiming at

building the institutional capacity of Lebanon’s security

institutions, funding of an additional component seek-

ing the consolidation of a rights-based approach into

the management of border, focusing on the protection

of refugees and migrants entering, residing and exiting

Lebanon under the full respect of the non-refoulement

principle.

The protection projects supported by HSD are:

Berghof Foundation - Supporting the Establishment of

Safety Nets in Religious Education: establish safety nets

against further polarization of Sunni-Shia relations.

BRIC - Supporting Local Peacebuilding Efforts of the

Women Coalition for Empowerment and Coexistence:

Swiss Cooperation in Lebanon March 2017 3

empower women’s role in promoting political and social

inclusion in the high-risk area of Tripoli.

Carnegie - Triggers for Return of Syria Refugees to their

Homeland: highlight the needs and demands of refu-

gees in countries neighbouring Syria and uncover the

set of conditions to be met for their successful return.

CRTDA - Advocacy for Women’s citizenship in Lebanon:

challenge patriarchal structures and confessionalism by

working to enable women to enjoy their full rights as

equal citizens.

- Reform Assistance Programme for the Lebanese

Security and Justice Sector: assist the Ministry of Justice

in improving governance of the detention system; map-

ping of security sector legislation.

Dignity - Reducing the Use of Pre-Trial Detention in

Lebanon: develop a dialogue with the Ministry of Justice

on engaging in activities to reduce pre-trial detention.

- Junior Professionals Programme for Refugee

and Host Communities in North Lebanon: enabling un-

skilled youth from disadvantaged communities to live an

economically independent and stable life.

Geneva Call - IHL Lebanon: enhance respect for the

rights of civilians, particularly the most vulnerable in the

refugee camps; improvement in their protection from

the effects of armed violence.

International Alert - Creating Space for Peace: prevent

violence by seeking to establish a dialogue mechanism

to mitigate conflict between communities, families, and

groups in the Bekaa region, including violence against

Syrian refugees residing in the region.

LADE - Election Dispute Resolution (EDR) Mechanism:

conduct an in-depth examination of the EDR mechanism

and conduct informative campaigns for voters, candi-

dates, political parties, and CSOs.

- Civil observatory for the independence

and transparency of the judiciary: monitor and document

abuses and violations in the judiciary.

- Judicial Reform, Special Courts and

Strategic Litigation: ensure impartiality, independence

and transparency of the judiciary.

OHCHR - Improving HR for Syrian Refugees in Lebanon:

finance the position of a senior refugee rights expert

within the OHCHR Regional Office.

Masar - Improving the social and legal situation of

Palestinian Refugees: improve the human rights situation

of Palestinian refugees through advocacy.

- Improving human rights in detention and

pre-trial detention as a means of preventing violent ex-

tremism: promote accountability against torture and ill-

treatment in Lebanese detention facilities.

SFCG - Social Leadership Council: strengthen working

relationships between private sector and peacebuilding

actors in Lebanon around shared values related to local

peacebuilding.

UMAM - The Role of the Lebanese Armed Forces and

other Lebanese Security Agencies in Lebanese Peace-

Building Efforts: document the role played by the Leba-

nese security agencies in peacebuilding.

- Support to the Lebanese-Palestinian Dialogue

Committee (LPDC): strengthen the capacity of LPDC to

develop and implement a comprehensive policy on the

Palestinian refugees.

Domain of intervention 3: Water

Switzerland seeks to enhance resilient, sustainable and

conflict-sensitive water management. The interventions

aim to increase access to safe water, sanitation and the

efficient use of water for food production, to improve

the basis for integrated water resources management as

well as mitigating water-related disaster risks.

The Water projects supported SDC are:

Improved Water Management in the Bekaa Valley:

ensure equitable access to water among the different

populations through the reinforcement of the Bekaa

Water Establishment’s capacity to sustainably manage

the existing water resources.

– WASH expert support: Ensuring liaison with

relevant departments, in particular Health, Education

and Relief & Social Services.

UNHCR – Senior WASH expert support: Providing

technical expertise and support to UNHCR field-based

WASH staff.

Water Security Blue Peace Middle East: assess water

resource usage in the Orontes River Basin and building

on existing networks (academia, civil society and public

institutions) in partnership with Lebanese Agricultural

Research Institute (LARI) and Litani Authority.

Transversal theme: Disaster Risk Reduction (DRR)

UNDP - Building national disaster reduction systems

and management capacities in Lebanon: In direct coop-

eration with the Prime Minister’s office, strengthening

national disaster risk management capacities.

Further information

Embassy of Switzerland in Lebanon

Phone: +961 1 739 741

Email: beirut@eda.admin.ch

Website: https://www.eda.admin.ch/Swiss_Cooperation_Beirut