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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