Humanitarian Bulletin Lebanon

Transcription

1 Humanitarian Bulletin Lebanon Issue April - 31 May 2015 HIGHLIGHTS First quarter of 2015 sees reduction of protection space Out-of-school refugee children in an informal settlement in Akkar (Source: OCHA) In this issue LCRP quarterly P.1 People in Need P.1 P1 Humanitarian Response P.3 Humanitarian Access P.4 Funding P.4 A Day in the Life of a Street Youth P.5 MoSA requests UNHCR to suspend registration of refugees Registration of over 21,000 Lebanese Returnees from Syria PRS vulnerability to increase with suspension of cash assistance ALP provides education opportunities for refugee children Social stability at the forefront of LCRP activities HC to announce $6 million allocation under ERF FIGURES (31 May 2015) # of refugees 1,183,327 # of returnees 21,000 # of PRS 44,000 # of PRL 270,000 # of targeted host 1,500,000 community FUNDING (Extracted from FTS) LCRP US$ 2.14 billion requested 19% funded LCRP quarterly highlights new trends in the response The first quarter of 2015 was characterized by increased engagement of the UN and the Government of Lebanon on the implementation of the LCRP, a first quarterly progress report stated. A steering committee led by the Directorate General has been established in the health sector and the RACE (Reaching All Children with Education in Lebanon, a three year Government plan) executive committee is working with education partners while the Ministry of Energy and Water is establishing a steering committee that it will lead. At the same time, the report notes that the overall humanitarian and protection space is shrinking. This was illustrated by the new border entry, residency regulations for Syrians, and de-registration of newly arrived refugees; all of which have resulted in heightened protection risks including the risk of having thousands of Syrians considered illegal in Lebanon. The reduction in food assistance due to reduced funding is ongoing and increased cases of evictions are reported in addition to difficulties for international NGOs to obtain residency and work permits, as well as multi-entry visas. The protection situation described in the quarterly report, released on 24 April, remained problematic during the reporting period of this bulletin. The report added that support to public institutions expanded in the first quarter with partners supporting 165 municipalities, unions of municipalities, and Social Development Centers. The Ministry of Social Affairs (MoSA) also increased its field presence and now actively leads inter-agency coordination. In terms of the response capacity, there were 92 partners reporting in the LCRP at the end of the first quarter, compared to 77 at the end of December The highest concentration of agencies are operational Mount Lebanon and South governorates where 55 and 50 agencies work respectively. People in Need IOM, HRC register and profile Lebanese returnees from Syria On 20 April, the International Organization for Migration (IOM) and the Lebanese High Relief Commission (HRC) launched a project to register and profile Lebanese returnees from Syria. During the first week of May, over 16,000 individuals were registered at eight different centres across the country. The registration process requires the returnees to present proof of both their Lebanese citizenship and Syrian residency. Through registering, Lebanese returnees will ensure that they are recognized by the different organizations providing them with assistance. Overall, over 21,000 returnees have been registered as of the end of May. A first phase of registration of returnees, Lebanese returnee from Syria registers with IOM and HRC (Source: IOM) conducted by IOM and HRC in 2013, showed that their conditions were very similar to those of refugees. Most had been living in Syria for

2 Lebanon Humanitarian Bulletin 2 Registration is a means to record, verify and assess the needs of persons who approach the UNHCR for international protection. More than 27,000 vulnerable Lebanese received food assistance in May several decades, fled with few belongings, and are now concentrated in the same vulnerable areas inhabited by Syrian refugees and poor Lebanese. The registration project, implemented in May, aims to re-assess the conditions of returnees and to ensure the effective identification and targeting of the most vulnerable. Registration of refugees suspended amidst new entry regulations On 24 April, MoSA notified UNHCR in writing that refugees who entered after 5 January and have been subsequently registered should be deregistered. In the first quarter of 2015, UNHCR registered 1,471 persons who fell in this category. Another 1,555 since then, bringing the total to 2,626. On 4 May, Minister of Social Affairs Rashid Derbas further notified UNHCR that all new registrations should be suspended until a mechanism to deal with those who seek registration is established. As the mandate to register is based on the consent of the host government, UNHCR had to comply with the request. Since then, MOSA and UNHCR have been in discussions concerning the new mechanism the GOL seeks to put in place. Humanitarian organizations are also exploring ways to assist these persons, in particular with respect to life-saving interventions. The inability to register with UNHCR will also impact the ability of Syrian refugees to regularize their status, as regularization procedures currently require either UNHCR registration or sponsorship by a Lebanese citizen. Furthermore, UNHCR registration also makes it easier for parents to obtain documentation for new-born babies in Lebanon. Since entry into force of new procedures on 5 January that regulate the entry of Syrians, MoSA has communicated to protection partners possible criteria for humanitarian exceptions. These include: unaccompanied and/or separated children with a parent already registered in Lebanon; persons living with disabilities with a relative already registered in Lebanon; persons with urgent medical needs for whom treatment in Syria is unavailable; and persons who will be resettled to third countries. MOSA invited humanitarian partners to give suggestions. UNHCR recommended that the criteria should include persons at immediate risk should they be returned to Syria and persons with acute rapidly deteriorating vulnerabilities. To date, the humanitarian exceptions criteria remain limited. Since May 2014, Palestine Refugees from Syria (PRS) have been facing increasing difficulty entering Lebanon in light of very restrictive regulations. Entry has now been limited to a 24-hour transit visa, provided they present a valid ticket and visa for their country of destination or a confirmed embassy appointment in Lebanon. PRS already residing in Lebanon are facing challenges renewing their existing residency permits, with very few cases identified with successful renewals while some were reportedly issued a departure order despite paying the mandatory fee. In February and April, the General Directorate of General Security issued internal circulars, each valid for one month only, allowing PRS to renew their residency permits for up to three months upon payment of a $200 fee. Since the expiry of the second circular in early May, it is unclear if further renewals will be granted. Fifth consecutive month of reduced food assistance The World Food Program s (WFP) validation exercise, applicable to households who received their e-cards before 31 October 2014, ended in late April with 730,774 Syrians validated. In the meantime, the verification for 34,841 individuals - mostly residing in Aarsal - is still pending. In total, 103,391 individuals were not validated and will no longer receive assistance. WFP has accelerated the validation process and will maintain the household assessment visits with the objective of targeting the most vulnerable and neediest. WFP is expected to exclude 50,291 individuals from assistance by the end of June. Families excluded from food assistance are informed a month in advance and have a right to appeal the decision. As for the National Poverty Targeting Program, WFP noted that funding provided by UNHCR ended in March and new agreement is being finalized with the Government. WFP also received $1 million from the Central Emergency Response Fund (CERF) dedicated for vulnerable Lebanese. This amount was disbursed on 18 May to cover one month s worth of assistance and other costs. Refugee woman purchases food with WFP card from a local store (Source: WFP)

3 Lebanon Humanitarian Bulletin 3 We must act now before it is too late and hundreds of thousands of children lose hope. UN Envoy Brown /public/documents/op_reports/wfp pdf Vulnerable Lebanese families receive $27 per person capped at six family members as per NPTP requirements. A total of 27,209 beneficiaries were covered in May. Funding shortfalls put PRS cash assistance at risk Since February 2014, UNRWA has been providing PRS with cash assistance for food and housing. In April, 11,944 families (43,545 PRS individuals) received cash-for-housing and cash-for-food assistance through their ATM cards. However, due to shortfalls in funding, UNRWA will be forced to discontinue its cash for housing assistance, amounting to $100 per family each month, as of July unless further funding is received. This is raising concerns given the increasing legal and socio-economic vulnerability of the majority of PRS; especially for those who have become increasingly reliant on UNRWA s assistance. In recent months, over 90 per cent of PRS families have reported UNRWA cash assistance as their main source of income, compared to 70 per cent in April last year. Very few PRS have any income from work, due to legal restrictions, while on average 80 per cent of PRS families have borrowed money or bought on credit within the last 30 days. Regular surveys have also shown that fewer PRS families have any savings left to spend or assets to sell as coping strategies. Humanitarian response New education opportunities for out of school refugee children Children who have been out of school for at least two years have a new opportunity to resume their education with the support of education partners. The Ministry of Education and Higher Education (MEHE) finalized the new Accelerated Learning Programme (ALP) that can help prepare out-of-school children for enrolment in formal education. Children sat for placement tests, set and corrected by MEHE, in 47 public schools across Lebanon. The target for this initial pilot was to reach 10,000 children. So far, over 7,200 children sat for the test and another one was scheduled 31 May. In some locations, access to the ALP test was hampered by the security situation. ALP classes are expected to begin in June using the new material and programme. Meanwhile, enrolment in formal education in Lebanese public schools is ongoing, with continuing outreach and referral by partners. UNICEF and UNHCR are currently supporting the enrolment of 44,507 non-lebanese children in first shift and 62,226 non-lebanese children in second shift. Also, 6,350 PRS are regularly attending classes in 60 UNRWA schools across Lebanon. Children who have been unable to attend formal education are being supported by education partners through non-formal education (NFE) programmes. The education sector is currently conducting a mapping of out-of-school children given the absence of relevant exact numbers. During a two-day visit to Lebanon on May, UN Special Envoy for Global Education Gordon Brown urged the international community to take action so that refugee children can return to school. He also reissued his call for a humanitarian fund for education in emergencies. VASyR 2014 published; 2015 kicks off After releasing the full report of the 2014 Vulnerability Assessment of Syrian Refugees (VASyR), WFP will be launching the third such assessment; VASyR 2015 aiming to provide an updated multi-sectoral overview of the vulnerability situation of refugees in Lebanon. The third assessment, taking place from 25 May-5 June, targets registered refugees as well as those awaiting registration; refugees excluded from assistance; and non-syrian refugees (excluding Palestine refugees) through both household assessments and focus group discussions. The exercise will target 26 cazas (districts). Social stability and livelihood sectors progress in line with LCRP objectives In line with the stabilization objectives of the LCRP, social stability activities are on track with ongoing or completed activities across 159 out of the 251 most vulnerable cadastres. The focus has shifted from processes toward tangible outcome such as providing basic services or community support projects to reduce pressure on communities most affected by the

4 Lebanon Humanitarian Bulletin 4 Women and girls are at risk and under assault at every point of their lives SRSG Bangura Syria crisis. Recent impact studies reflected the key role of such initiatives in reducing competition, enhancing cooperation, and strengthening trust in the municipalities capacities. The livelihoods sector expanded its activities in April across 47 cadastres, half of which had never been reached before by partners. Overall, 92 cadastres have been supported. However, the number of beneficiaries has actually decreased in comparison with previous months due to several reasons. For instance, funding gaps have led to the closing down of some major programs. Moreover, some partners faced difficulties in scaling up their respective programs, in addition to the unclear legal framework for refugees access to work. SRSG Bangura calls from Beirut for minimizing risk of abuse against women UN Special Representative of the Secretary-General on Sexual Violence in Conflict, Zainab Hawa Bangura visited Lebanon on April. She visited an informal settlement of Syrian refugees and two safe-houses for survivors of violence. Bangoura met with senior Lebanese officials including Prime Minister Tamam Salam, Minister of Foreign Affairs Gebran Bassil, and Minister of Social Affairs Rashid Derbas, as well as with a number of women activists. The SRSG noted that the increased restrictions imposed by the GoL on refugees in Lebanon increases the risk of abuse against women and children and appealed for measures to be taken to minimize these risks. Humanitarian access Qalamoun battles continue to impact security situation in north-eastern Lebanon The security situation in Lebanon continues to be affected by ongoing clashes and the highly volatile situation along the border with Qalamoun. The UN Department of Safety and Security (UNDSS) reported 13 instances of armed clashes during the reporting period; 12 of which took place in the Bekaa, mostly in Aarsal and near Ras Baalbek, and one in Nabatieh. In addition, seven cases of shelling, including rockets landing on Lebanese territory, were reported from the Syrian side of the border. None of these incidents reportedly resulted in civilian casualties. Also, one VBIED and two IED were discovered in Aarsal, Jbeil and Ain El Helwe respectively. Funding Lebanon receives $416M of the LCRP appeal As of 26 May, Lebanon had received $432 million in humanitarian funding, including $416 million through the LCRP, against the $2.14 billion appeal. The updated Kuwait III pledges amounted to $3.6 billion, revised down from the initial pledge of $3.8 billion. The exact amount allocated to Lebanon is yet to be confirmed. HC launches $6 million allocation under ERF Foreign Minister Bassil meets UN SRSG Bangura along with HC Mountain (Source: The Daily Star) In line with the LCRP sector priorities, Humanitarian Coordinator Ross Mountain will launch a call for proposals in early June under the Emergency Response Fund (ERF) consisting of two windows. First, a standard allocation of $4 million focusing on responding to protection priorities, including gender-based violence; second; a reserve allocation of $2 million open to innovative projects that address the urgent needs of the most vulnerable communities in Lebanon. Contributions to the Lebanon Country Based Pooled Fund have almost reached $14.3 million, with $4.4 million earmarked for To date, $1.7 million has been allocated to eight projects, targeting 100,443 beneficaries.

5 Lebanon Humanitarian Bulletin 5 A Day in the Life of a Street Youth Khaled s shyness only vanished when he enthusiastically starts talking about the apprenticeship he participates in a few days every month at a flower shop, where he has been for almost a month now. When I do something on my own, he always congratulates me and I feel so happy, says Khaled in reference to the Lebanese shop owner who treats him like his son and offers him advice. The 18-year-old Syrian refugee now carries out his tasks independently. He handles the flowers, the cleaning, and the clients when the owner is away for a couple of hours. The flower business is not new for Khaled s family. His eldest brother had a flower shop in the Yarmouk Camp before the family fled to Lebanon three years ago. Khaled s younger brother Yasser, 16, is also in the apprenticeship scheme receiving training at another flower shop. The other day I planted a big tree in a pot, on my own, Khaled proudly recounts. Prior to his apprenticeship, Khaled and Yasser used to sell flowers and tissues in the streets, across Lebanon. The two young men used to take the public bus and roam in different areas. As street sellers, they were sometimes bullied. We could never react to the offense and remained respectful, we did not want to end up in jail, Khaled comments bitterly. He then mentions that many Lebanese people in the streets would offer them water, juice, and food. As apprentices, youths engaged in the program receive a small stipend from the International Rescue Committee (IRC) for their participation, which aims to decrease the number of hours they spend on the street and build their skills. The stipend provided by the IRC is used by Khaled s family to cover expenses which include supporting a family of 10, providing daily medication for their severely disabled brother, ill father and monthly rent. When asked about their future plans, Khaled immediately wishes to return to Syria. You know, I do not want the entire Syria, they can keep it. My only wish is to be back in my bedroom. That space is enough for me! His younger brother agrees: I wish. The IRC street and working children program, funded by the UNHCR, began in January 2014 in response to the growing numbers of children working on the street. Through the program, youths like Khaled and Yasser also attend psychosocial activities and receive case management. In addition, capacity building initiatives for national actors are also funded by the UNHCR as part of the program. The pilot apprenticeship initiative Khaled and Yasser are engaged in, funded by the Dutch Stichting Vluchteling, aims to understand if such a scheme can decrease street and working children s presence on the street. For further information, please contact: Yannick Martin, martiny@un.org or Manal Sarrouf, sarrouf@un.org, or ochalebanon@un.org OCHA humanitarian bulletins are available at