United Nations in Lebanon

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LOOKING BACK IN LEBANON: How the UN responded to multiple crises in the past year?

The United Nations system in Lebanon released on 12 May its annual report for the year 2020, outlining main results achieved by the UN with its partners.

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Press Release

28 July 2021

Second Consultative Group Meeting on the Reform, Recovery and Reconstruction Framework

Video

24 June 2021

Take A Step towards achieving SDG 9 in Lebanon on Building resilient infrastructure, promoting sustainable industrialization and fostering innovation

Speech

18 June 2021

Member States Briefing in UN Geneva on the situation in Lebanon

Latest

Press Release

28 July 2021

Second Consultative Group Meeting on the Reform, Recovery and Reconstruction Framework

Video

24 June 2021

Take A Step towards achieving SDG 9 in Lebanon on Building resilient infrastructure, promoting sustainable industrialization and fostering innovation

Speech

18 June 2021

Member States Briefing in UN Geneva on the situation in Lebanon

The Sustainable Development Goals in Lebanon

The Sustainable Development Goals are a global call to action to end poverty, protect the earth’s environment and climate, and ensure that people everywhere can enjoy peace and prosperity. These are the goals the UN is working on in Lebanon:

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26 November 2020

Shock Waves: Months after a devastating explosion, Beirut residents are still trying to recover

“The Beirut port explosion was an explosion of hearts,” says 40-year-old Farah. “This explosion burnt our hearts.” Farah is speaking of the massive explosion that rocked Beirut, the capital of Lebanon, on 4 August. Over 200 people died, and thousands more were injured. The source of the blast was a large quantity of ammonium nitrate—a compound used to make explosives—that had been stored in unsafe conditions. The colossal explosions sent a mushroom cloud into the air and a blast wave through the city, levelling buildings next to the port and turning houses into rubble. “I lost many friends,” added Farah’s 9-year old son. Farah and her son are speaking in a small booth set up by the UN, on one of the streets most damaged by the explosion, to record people’s perspectives on the explosions. When the disaster struck the heart of Beirut, Lebanon was already reeling from civil unrest, economic and financial hardship, increasing poverty and unemployment compounded by political tensions and a soaring number of COVID-19 cases. This has been further exacerbated by the heavy burden of Syrian and Palestinian refugees. Even now, months after the explosions, “the scale of the loss and magnitude of damage remains massive, even overwhelming,” says Najat Rochdi, the UN’s Deputy Special Coordinator, Resident and Humanitarian Coordinator. “As I walk around Beirut every day,” she adds, “I listen to stories of shock and of loss. Women and men who have never had to ask for help, now reduced to handouts. Families who have had their homes and futures blown away. Children who no longer feel safe in their neighborhoods. Proud businesspeople who cannot access their savings, unable to start again.” In the wake of the blast, multiple UN agencies provided essential medicines and medical supplies, water, sanitation and hygiene services, psychological support, and rehabilitation and restoration efforts. Agencies involved included WFP, UNICEF, WHO, UNDP, UN-Habitat, UNHCR, UNIFIL and others. UN agencies and partners “are sparing no time nor effort to provide life-saving assistance to those who were directly affected by this horrendous blast,” says Rochdi. Support has included over 90,000 ready-to-eat hot meals, 44,000 food parcels for households, and 12,500 metric tons of wheat flour distributed to millers across the country. Water, sanitation and hygiene services were also provided to medical facilities, including more than 2,700 new water tanks and pumps were installed. In the months since the blast, the UN has been shifting gears away from emergency relief and towards efforts that will pave the way for longer-term recovery and reconstruction. “The port explosions served as a wake-up call but also as a window of opportunity to build back a better Lebanon,” says the UN’s Najat Rochdi. Indeed, real change has become the UN’s main concern amid the crises affecting Lebanon. Based on the findings of a Rapid Damage and Needs Assessment that the UN along with European Union and the World Bank produced in August to help support evidence-based recovery planning, the three entities embarked on the development of a people-centered Reform, Recovery and Reconstruction Framework – the 3RF- that was launched on Dec. 4, exactly four months after the horrendous blast. The 3RF presents real solutions to the very real problems facing Lebanon. “We are not solely focusing on rebuilding Beirut and ignoring the Lebanese who are living in poverty elsewhere in the country,” says Rochdi. “We have committed to ‘Leave No One Behind.’” “I thought today is the day I was going to die” said a young man named Rakan who was overwhelmed by memories of how the explosions crushed his house, leaving his feet badly injured. “I fear that another similar thing might happen again,” says a woman named Roula, who lost her father in the blast and who, even now, jumps at every small sound on the street, trembling at the prospect of another blast. In spite of the blasts, many Lebanese people are undeterred, such as one man who said, “Despite everything, we are staying in Lebanon.” Interviews about the Beirut blast were compiled in this short video available on Facebook, YouTube and other UN Lebanon social media channels. It reached, in less than a week, over 700,000 viewers on social media platforms. The video is one of many activities by the UN Communications Group to commemorate the 75th anniversary of the UN and make progress towards the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs).

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24 May 2021

UN Lebanon kicks off Vaccination Program for Staff and Dependents

“Vaccines are here! Hoping to get back to the things we love soon,” said most staff members, cheerfully while waiting for their turn at a Beirut hospital where the UN COVID-19 Vaccination Program kicked off on May 15. In order not to disrupt the National COVID-19 Vaccination program that is underway and managed by the Lebanese Ministry of Public Health (MoPH), the 1st jab was administered to staff members and their dependents over two consecutive weekends in May. This UN vaccination program is managed by the National Vaccination UN Coordinator, in coordination with the Global Vaccination Deployment Team, Lebanese Ministry of Public Helath (MoPH) and WHO Country Office in Lebanon. UN Deputy Special Coordinator, Resident and Humanitarian Coordinator Najat Rochdi said the UN vaccination program, which has been closely and successfully coordinated with MoPH, allowed thousands of staff members and their eligible dependents access to the COVID-19 vaccine at a time when the country is facing one of its worst socio-economic crises. “This helps reduce the burden on the government and ensure that more people get vaccinated to help flatten the curve on the virus and get back soon to the things and the people we love,” Rochdi said. “Our hope is that everyone in Lebanon, including migrants and refugees, get vaccinated,” she added. Present on site was the UN Joint Medical Service led by Medical Doctor Josette Sfeir and her team of nurses who worked relentlessly to ensure a successful process, coordinating efficiently between staff and the hospital personnel. “Today we reached an important milestone in our fight against COVID19. We committed to our staff’s health, safety and well-being and kept our promise by offering them easy access to the vaccine. It is only by protecting them that we can go back to normal and continue our joint mission to serve others,” said Dr. Sfeir. “The process was extremely easy and smooth. I’m grateful for the UN’s support and for offering us the vaccine. Today, I feel relieved and protected,” said Afif Barakat, security officer at ESCWA. “Like most staff members, I was thrilled to learn about the UN vaccination program in Lebanon. I’ve been working round the clock with all WHO staff to respond to the COVID-19 crisis since the very start of the pandemic, and I had seen what this virus can do to people. We all felt scared from this deadly disease and wanted to be protected,” said Hala Habib, communication officer with WHO Lebanon.

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02 June 2021

CSOs named to Independent Oversight Board of the Reform, Recovery and Reconstruction Framework

Three civil society representatives have been appointed to the Independent Oversight Board of the Reform, Recovery and Reconstruction Framework (3RF): Diana Menhem, Managing Director of Kulluna Irada; Julien Courson, Executive Director of the Lebanese Transparency Association – No Corruption; and Roula Mikael, Founder and Executive Director of the Maharat Foundation. The IOB serves as an independent mechanism to provide oversight on implementation and financing of the 3RF and to hold stakeholders – including government, development partners, and implementing organizations – accountable for overall progress. The inclusion of civil society in the governance and implementation of reform, recovery and reconstruction is a core principle of the 3RF. Civil society is also represented in the 3RF Consultative Group (CG), the platform for strategic guidance and policy dialogue on 3RF priorities and implementation, as well as the Partnership Council governing the Lebanon Financing Facility (LFF). Members of the IOB were selected based on an open, transparent process, taking into account the expertise, capacity and non-partisanship status of both the representatives and the nominating CSOs following a Call for Expression of Interest launched on April 28, 2021 . IOB members will rotate on a yearly basis with rotation of half of its members to ensure overlap between one Board and another. A call for expression of interest will be issued in the second half of 2021 to fill the remaining 3 seats in the IOB and invite future members. Background on the nominating CSOs of the selected IOB members: Kulluna Irada is an advocacy group committed to political reform in Lebanon. It is engaged in defining the foundations of a modern, sustainable and just state, and in coalescing local and international actors around this vision to create momentum for change. It pairs extensive policy expertise (e.g. on issues of economic and financial reforms, transparency and accountability, judicial reforms, electricity sector and the oil & gas sector), with civil society engagement and advocacy tools. Kalluna Irada is represented by Managing Director Diana Menhem. The Lebanese Transparency Association – No Corruption (LTA) advocates for reform by focusing on systemic improvement and by building coalitions with other anti-corruption stakeholders, including the government, parliamentarians, the private sector, media institutions, the international community and civil society organizations. It is the Lebanese chapter of Transparency International (TI). LTA is represented by Executive Director Julien Courson. Maharat Foundation is a women-led Beirut based organization acting as a catalyst, defending and advancing the development of democratic societies governed by the values of freedom of expression, access to information and respect for human rights. Maharat Foundation operates Maharat News, an independent, online, multimedia platform, providing evidence-based information on issues of accountability. Maharat’s mission is to defend, catalyse, and advance democratic values of freedom of expression, access to information, and respect for human rights. Maharat Foundation is represented by Founder and Executive Director, Roula Mikael. The Reform, Recovery and Reconstruction Framework (3RF) was launched by the European Union (EU), the United Nations (UN) and the World Bank Group (WBG) in December 2020. It provides a costed, prioritized plan of key actions across sectors following the tragic explosions of August 4, 2020.

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26 May 2021

LOOKING BACK IN LEBANON: How the UN responded to multiple crises in the past year?

Mimi is a migrant worker from Ethiopia who came to Lebanon eight years ago looking for a better future. She found work but endured years of salary theft, no days off, and beatings from her employer. She fled her job without her personal belongings—including her passport. “I ran away from abuse thinking my life would get better,” she says. And it did get better. Mimi took on freelance work, got married to someone she loves, a Sudanese refugee, and they had kids. But then, with the advent of the pandemic, she lost her job. “Now I am undocumented with unregistered children and an unknown future.” The UN in Lebanon was there to back her up, working with partners to provide cash assistance to 700 migrant workers and other people left behind during the pandemic. Mimi has gotten some much-needed support from the UN and partners. “Now,” she says, “I am able to see the light of my humanity and dignity again.” As COVID-19 swept the country, prompting shutdowns and interrupting the economy, the UN and partners trained thousands of healthcare and other workers on preventive measures. Rawan Chehadeh was one of the 282 nurses who benefited from trainings implemented by UN Lebanon with the Lebanese Orders of Nurses and the Ministry of Public Health. Also in response to the pandemic, the UN supported the establishment of community isolation sites for those unable to quarantine at home, procured 73 fully-equipped intensive-care-unit beds and 800 regular hospital beds, provided food parcels to 50,000 of the poorest Lebanese households, and is now assisting with the national vaccination program. On 4 August 2020, a massive explosion rocked the capital city of Beirut, triggering a series of smaller explosions, killing over 200 people, injuring thousands more and flattening whole neighborhoods. The UN in Lebanon was there to provide support, deploying expert relief response teams less than 24 hours after the explosions to assist with medical care, search and rescue operations, and assessing the health impact of the explosions. Ten days later, a UN-coordinated appeal for financial support was launched to respond to the most urgent needs of 300,000 people affected by the explosions. By the end of 2020, the appeal had raised US $165 million. The UN and partners helped restore water service to around 24,000 persons after the blasts, provided multi-purpose cash support to 91,552 persons, including cash for rent or shelter, and repaired or rehabilitated over 12,000 damaged homes, including that of 34-year-old Hala, who says, “Walking into our repaired home mended our broken hearts.” The ongoing crisis in Syria has driven many thousands of people to take refuge in Lebanon, seeking work and freedom from the bombs and guns that have imperiled their lives back home. The UN was there to provide support. In 2020, and with the support of UN partners under Lebanon’s Crisis Response Plan, vulnerable Syrians and Lebanese were provided with safe water, food and cash assistance, as well as healthcare, legal aid and life-saving sexual and gender-based violence services. “2020 was an exceptionally challenging year for Lebanon, and the people are still feeling the shocks of it,” says Najat Rochdi, UN Deputy Special Coordinator, Resident and Humanitarian Coordinator for Lebanon. The COVID-19 pandemic. The explosions in Beirut. The long crisis in Syria driving refugees into Lebanon. These events are widely divergent in nature, but they are all reminders of how catastrophe can strike at any time and in any form, and they call for people who are ready to respond. And these are just some of the areas where the UN responded. Indeed, the UN in Lebanon was built for such situations, and its work in 2020 is detailed in the new UN Lebanon Annual Results Report. “Whatever we at the UN do—responding to emergencies, promoting peace and good governance, protecting human rights, reducing poverty and gender inequality—our aim is always to serve Lebanon and its people.” Read more in the 2020 UN Lebanon Annual Results Report.

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27 April 2021

Earthworms are our Ecosystem’s Unsung Superheroes

At a World Food Programme (WFP) forest management site in the north of Lebanon, Kassem Jouni, programme policy officer for livelihoods, digs his hand into the soil. There, hidden from plain sight, an earthworm appears — an “unsung superhero” as he likes to call it. Surrounded by WFP and Lebanon Reforestation Initiative livelihoods project participants, Kassem explains that this tiny earthworm has a lot to offer. “It leads to an increase in nutrient availability and a more stable soil structure,” he says, adding that an earthworm’s presence usually indicates soil conditions that are ideal for plant growth. WFP’s forest management interventions are boosting livelihoods and preserving Lebanon’s greenery. Designed in collaboration with local authorities, such projects create common grounds for people, be they refugees or Lebanese, who find themselves grouped together — this, in turn, breaks down social barriers and enhances cohesion. Currently, we are pruning and cleaning existing forests to reduce the risk of fire — which we call fuel reduction within our programme. The pruned materials from our forests are used by local communities and farmers either to produce compost or as mulch for crops — both are rich in organic material that favour the environment for more earthworms. Since 2017, WFP and partners have planted 673,325 native seedlings in 1,184 hectares of public lands and established 2,071 km of walking and hiking trails aimed at supporting ecotourism. By applying advanced techniques related to soil rehabilitation and land reclamation, training on innovation in agriculture and supporting sustainable agriculture programs, WFP provides an overarching response that has already protected and preserved 467 hectares of Lebanese forests from the risk of fire. In addition to supporting the planet, WFP’s livelihoods programme has become a backbone for thousands of vulnerable families in Lebanon, helping them put food on the table. In 2020 alone, more than 53,000 people have benefited by securing their basic food needs through these short-term opportunities. “It was very refreshing to meet one of my neighbours on this project site,” says Bassima who wanted to get to know new people in her neighbourhood but was practicing physical distancing, spending most of her time indoors. “Here, we all wear masks. This makes me feel safe. It also makes me happy as I am giving back to my country and especially my hometown. Dirty clothes are a sign of hard and professional work.” And work opportunities during Lebanon’s worst financial crisis in decades are few and far between. Prices soar and soar. The country’s annual food inflation rate increased by 402.3 percent in 2020. Over the past year and dragging, the socio-economic, political and health situation has continued to deteriorate. The impact of COVID-19 and the Beirut blast had devastating effects with thousands of families sinking further into poverty. Diala, one of Bassima’s newly made friends echoes her words: “This is the first income-generating opportunity I’ve had in a long while. I’m buying basic needs but as the days move forward, this is becoming more and more difficult.” WFP Lebanon’s livelihoods projects like this one are financed by Germany’s Federal Ministry of Economic Cooperation and Development.

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28 April 2021

UN experts in Beirut engage with youth at AUB-USJ Virtual NGO Forum

For two days in a row, around 70 youth from universities and NGOs in Lebanon engaged in an active virtual dialogue on the role of youth, civil society organizations and the affected communities in the mobilization following the notorious August 4 2020 explosion in Beirut. The dialogue was part of a two-day Virtual NGO Forum organized by the American University of Beirut (AUB), in collaboration with St. Joseph’s University (USJ) and the UN Information Centre (UNIC) in Beirut. For 6 years, UNIC has collaborated with AUB and later USJ as well, to organize the yearly NGO Fair, which due to the COVID-19 pandemic, was organized in a different format this year. On 4 August 2020, a large amount of ammonium nitrate stored at the port of Lebanon’s Capital, Beirut, exploded, causing at least 215 deaths, 7,500 injuries, and US$15 billion in property damage, and leaving an estimated 300,000 people homeless. Experts in reconstruction, shelter and livelihoods, mental health and psychosocial support, humanitarian assistance and coordination from the UN and other organizations addressed the youth and reflected on the quick response, coordination, programming and recounted experiences of humanitarian practice. They also offered youth the opportunity to familiarize themselves with the various intervention sectors, organizations’ scope of work and explore potential volunteering and internship placements. UNIC Beirut Director Margo Helou said she is very grateful that AUB and USJ resumed this forum, even if virtually, to provide the youth with opportunities to serve their communities. She commended the youth’s remarkable community-based response to the blast that demonstrated solidarity and empathy. Rabih Shibli, Director of AUB Center for Civic Engagement and Community Service (CCECS) said, “[Our] aim is to highlight the active role that our universities have played, the role of civil society, and the role of the affected communities themselves in response to this very unfortunate, unprecedented, and particular crisis." He thanked “the leaders of both universities who have been outstanding champions for the obligation of higher education to address society's most pressing challenges." “Following the thorough discussions that took place over the past two days, it is imperative to collaborate and broaden our networks to engage youth in the much needed long recovery process, thus empowering youth to become future change makers in their respective companies,” said Lina Abou Farraj – Outreach and Volunteer Manager at AUB CCECS. OCHA Lebanon Deputy Head of Office Helena Mazarro said: “Immediately after the explosions, a massive mobilization from both the Lebanese civil society and private individuals including through large numbers of young volunteers led to an influx of much needed assistance to the affected population. This was an extraordinary demonstration of solidarity for the Lebanese across the country and beyond.” For her part, Edwina Zoghbi, National Professional Officer at WHO said that it was a pleasure to participate in the event and share the experience of WHO in mental health and psychosocial support and learn more about the initiatives of partners after the Beirut port explosions. “The interaction with youth enriched the discussion and revealed the potential youth have to coordinate responses to crises and make a difference.” Also taking part in the discussion was Chiara Dezzi Bardeschi, Programme Coordinator of Li Beirut initiative at UNESCO who said, “Beirut shows clearly how cities have to be considered as a “cultural construct” where built structures and open urban spaces are closely linked to the social fabric. That being said, the paramount role of Culture for livelihood and social fabric recovery and reconstruction of Beirut is evident, if the recovery and reconstruction efforts want to achieve a resilient and sustainable inclusive society.” Lady Habchy, Project Support Officer with UN Habitat also took part in the dialogue and focused on urban rehabilitation of areas affected by the Beirut blast.

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14 March 2021

Meet Bushra, a municipal police agent who refuses to give in to prejudice and stereotypes!

“Everything in my life changed for the better when I joined the municipal police two years ago. I was one of two girls to join at the time and, although the second girl decided this wasn’t the career for her, I felt encouraged when a female motorist drove past me while I was in uniform and shouted “Long live women”! I felt proud – proud as a woman and proud as a police agent,” explains Bushra, one of Antelias’ most active municipal police agents. We met Bushra in Antelias last year, where we closely support the head of the municipal police with the development of his unit. The municipality of Antelias is one of many across Lebanon partaking in the reform program launched by UNDP, in collaboration with the Ministry of Interior & Municipalities, with the aim of transforming the municipal police into a people-centered service. At the core of this reform program is the recruitment of female agents - who like Bushra play an essential role in ensuring the security of the communities they serve. With the support of the Governments of Canada and of the United Kingdom, UNDP has promoted an increased participation of women within municipal police and, more broadly, within security institutions. “It wasn’t always easy to be on the streets as a female agent though. At first, people didn’t really accept me, especially men. Quite simply, they didn’t feel they needed to take me seriously. I had to work out my own approach to the role. I think women bring a different skill set to the municipal police. We speak and communicate with people differently. We engage and connect differently. We’re more patient and empathetic as well,” she continues. UNDP also carried out a study to better understand the challenges obstructing women’s participation in Lebanon’s MP. The study provides insights on the working conditions of women agents, and offers a set of recommendations intended to promote and facilitate their participation. “Increasing women’s representation in police services such as the municipal police is at the heart of of gender sensitive police reform. It is essential to addressing the differentiated security needs of women and men, and greatly contributes to building trust between police and community. Police services must be representative of the population they are tasked of protecting,” explains Nino Karamaoun, UNDP’s Chief technical advisor on Human Rights & Rule of Law. “Today, as I step onto the street in my role as a municipal police agent in Antelias, I do so in a very special way – I’m currently 8-months pregnant. Add to this the COVID-19 pandemic, and this brings a whole new level of complication in combining all three safely! People call me brave – I don’t know, that’s not really for me to judge, but if I think about it, life has made me brave and I will never quit. Nothing stops women from doing anything - even if they are pregnant, and even in the time of the coronavirus. My love for this job makes me stronger and even more determined,” explains Bushra.

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Press Release

28 July 2021

Second Consultative Group Meeting on the Reform, Recovery and Reconstruction Framework

Beirut, July 28, 2021 - The Consultative Group of the Reform, Recovery and Reconstruction Framework (3RF) held its second meeting yesterday. The 3RF Consultative Group consists of the Government of Lebanon, Lebanese civil society, the European Union, United Nations, the World Bank and international donors. Together they monitor progress and give strategic direction to the reforms and activities under the 3RF. Given the context of rapidly worsening socio-economic situation in Lebanon, Consultative Group members focused on next steps. Below is the co-chairs’ statement of the second 3RF Consultative Group meeting, which outlines the discussion and list of attendees. The 3RF report and the Frequently Asked Questions (FAQ) on the 3RF can be found here. The Co-Chairs' Statement: Second Consultative Group Meeting of the Reform, Recovery and Reconstruction Framework The second Consultative Group (CG) meeting of the Reform, Recovery and Reconstruction Framework (3RF) was held 27 July 2021 in hybrid format, co-chaired by the Government of Lebanon, Lebanese civil society, European Union (EU) and United Nations (UN). The CG commemorated the 207 victims and thousands of injured in the explosion of 4 August last year. Many more lives were devastated as homes and businesses were destroyed. Testimony from a victim underlined the human tragedy. The situation in Lebanon is worsening by the day through deepening political, economic, financial and social crises. More than half the population now lives below the national poverty line, unemployment is on the rise and an increasing share of households has difficulty accessing basic services like food and healthcare. A government should be formed without delay to implement the necessary reforms. Only then can the assistance offered by the international community, including under the 3RF, make a difference for people. Not taking this responsibility would deepen the crises and would have serious social and security implications. Progress on reforms under the 3RF has been slow. The international community felt a lack of political responsibility to break the deadlock, especially considering the state of emergency Lebanon is in. CSOs called for a public debate and inclusive policy dialogue with the Government and committed to present concrete proposals to ministers at the 3RF table. As committed to at the first CG, the 3RF Technical Team presented the state of implementation of the agreed priorities of the four 3RF pillars, namely Improving Governance and Accountability; Jobs and Economic Opportunities; Social Protection, Inclusion and Culture, and Improving Services and Infrastructures. Emergency Cash Transfers were made to 80,000 vulnerable people. Refurbished health facilities and emergency medical equipment benefitted some 200,000. A total of 94 public and 41 private schools were rehabilitated. Around 3,500 victims of the blast received legal assistance. But delays on some key activities under the 3RF, underline the need for more Government and Parliament responsiveness, especially on the exchange rate for development programmes, the Emergency Social Safety Net, implementation of the Lebanon Financing Facility priority programmes, port site clearance and reform, and addressing the collapse of service delivery starting with the electricity sector. Time is of the essence. The CG was also updated on the formation of the Independent Oversight Body, which has been operational since June 2021, and which its members were present at the CG with observer status. The CG praised Lebanese civil society for their work on the ground and for their engagement with the 3RF, now representing 100 CSOs and businesses. CSOs emphasized that coordination structures and data collection is often too complex for CSOs to constructively take part. The CG members agreed this meeting to be a call for action. A meeting will be held end of August to further discuss the following action points before the next CG to be held in October. These essential reforms that require action on the part of the Government with input from CSOs and funding and technical assistance from the international community: The international community repeated their call for justice and accountability through a transparent investigation into the causes of the explosion; Macroeconomic-fiscal reform was considered the most fundamental reform required to lessen the crises. With essential elements: exchange rate unification; an orderly exit from subsidy schemes; a Capital Controls law that ensures equal depositor treatment; forensic audit of the Central Bank; and Banking Sector reform. Maximising the potential benefits of the IMF Special Drawing Rights due in September through a proper mix of consumptive, systemic and investing measures, decided after an inclusive public debate on the use of the SDR. A budget should be passed for 2021, and more importantly a budget should be prepared for 2022, including a strong programme on social protection, implementing the Emergency Social Safety Net (ESSN) programme and the National Poverty Targeting Programme (NPTP); Independence of the Judiciary law should be passed with principles safeguarding independence reinstated, without further clauses to the contrary; The National Anti-Corruption Institution should be staffed and funded; The Public Procurement law secondary legislation should be passed and EDL’s procurement be conducted within the frame of the Public Procurement law; Installing, staffing and funding a Supervisory Commission for Elections to oversee compliance with campaign spending limits and equal access to media. CSOs will engage with Government and international partners on the eight reforms mentioned above, as well as on an urban strategy for reconstruction and support for the disabled and elderly, in addition to their other activities under the 3RF. 3RF Secretariat will facilitate this contact. CSOs also requested more frequent updates from the Technical Team. CSOs will present their experience of inclusivity in the 3RF at the next CG. The donor base should be widened, also for the LFF, especially to include Arab partners. To facilitate implementation of critical site clearance and waste management inside and outside the port, three critical actions should be taken: operationalize interministerial committee for overseeing the management of waste resulting from the explosion; facilitate access to the Port for site assessments and resulting interventions; and allocate a suitable site for the disposal of non-recyclable rubble and other mixed waste. Aid coordination should be strengthened, ensuring clear monitoring and transparent tracking of aid bearing the humanitarian-development nexus in mind. CSOs requested inclusion in implementation at sector level. CG praised the Army for gathering data from the affected area. And CG encourages further coordination with CSOs to update data and avoid duplication. CSOs requested to work with the 3RF Technical Team and Central Inspection to transform IMPACT as a platform to be more inclusive for citizens and CSOs with oversight by international partners, also to protect beneficiary data. Attendees at the 3RF second Consultative Group meeting: Government of Lebanon H.E. Dr Hassan Diab, Prime Minister H.E. Zeina Akar, Deputy Prime Minister H.E. Raoul Nehme, Minister of Economy and Trade H.E. Ramzi Mcharafiyeh, Minister of Tourism and Social Affairs H.E. Raymond Ghajar, Minister of Energy and Water Mr Georges Adwan, Member of Parliament, Head of the Administration and Justice Committee Mr Marwan Abboud, Governor of Beirut Mr Antoine Choucair, General Director of the Lebanese Presidency H.E. Gebran Soufan, Ambassador and Diplomatic Advisor to the Prime Minister Mr Tony al-Hoyek, Advisor to the Deputy Prime Minister Mr Haytham Sayyad, Advisor to the Governor of Beirut United Nations Ms Najat Rochdi, Deputy Special Coordinator for Lebanon, Resident and Humanitarian Coordinator Ms Natalie Sarafian, Team Leader, Resident Coordinator Office World Bank Mr Saroj Kumar Jha, Regional Director of the Mashreq Department Ms Mouna Couzi, Lebanon Finance Facility Programme Manager Donors H.E. Ralph Tarraf, Head of the Delegation of the European Union H.E. Pierre Duquesne, Ambassador of France H.E. Andreas Kindl, Ambassador of Germany H.E. Nicoletta Bombardiere, Ambassador of Italy H.E. José María Ferré, Ambassador of Spain H.E. Hans Peter van der Woude, Ambassador of the Netherlands H.E. Ian Collard, Ambassador of the United Kingdom H.E. Dorothy Shea, Ambassador of the United States of America Ms Maja Messmer Mokhtar, Chargée d’Affaires at the Embassy of Switzerland Ms Mary Eileen Devitt, USAID Lebanon Mission Director Mr Damien Sorrell, EIB Representative for Lebanon Ms Gretchen Biery, Head of the Lebanon Office of the EBRD Mr Khalil Dinguizli, incoming Head of the Lebanon Office of the EBRD Mr Jamie Schnurr, Head of Development Cooperation at the Embassy of Canada Mr Francois de Ricolfis, Head of the Regional Economic Section at the Embassy of France Ms Alice Thomann, Deputy Head of Cooperation at the Embassy of Switzerland Ms Roula Abbas, Programme Manager Civil Society at the Delegation of the European Union Ms Estelle Akiki, Assistant to the Ambassador of Spain Lebanese Civil Society Anonymous speaker on behalf of victims of the 4 August explosion Ms Asma Zain of the Lebanese League for Women in Business (LLWB) Ms Sylvana Lakkis of the Lebanese Union of Persons with Physical Disabilities Ms Zoya Rouhana of KAFA (Enough) Violence and Exploitation Ms Ghada Jabbour of KAFA (Enough) Violence and Exploitation Ms Mona Harb of Beirut Urban Lab Ms Nada Zaarour of Green Mind Ms Carine Tohme of the Lebanese Association for Taxpayers' Rights (ALDIC) Ms Alia Farhat of the Lebanon Humanitarian & Development NGOs Forum (LHDF) Mr Soman Moodley, Country Coordinator at the Lebanon Humanitarian INGO Forum (LHIF) Ms Sophie Bloemeke, Research Assistant at Beirut Urban Lab 3RF Technical Team Mr Christian de Clercq, UN Resident Coordinator’s Office Mr Stephan Massing, World Bank Senior Strategy and Operations Officer Mr Jose Luis Vinuesa-Santamaria, EU Delegation Head of Section Mr Khalil Gebara of the 3RF Secretariat Mr Jaap van Diggele of the 3RF Secretariat 3RF Independent Oversight Body (observers) Mr Julien Courson of the Lebanese Transparency Association Ms Diana Menhem of Kulluna Irada Ms Reem el-Dana of Kulluna Irada Ms Roula Mikael of the Maharat Foundation

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Press Release

18 June 2021

UN-Habitat Executive Director, Ms. Maimunah Mohd Sharif advocates for holistic urban recovery for the cities of Beirut and across Lebanon during her first official visit to the nation

Throughout her visit, she interacted with partners and donors supporting these efforts. Her visit aimed to promote and advocate for the necessity of factoring urban dynamics into crisis response and recovery efforts, particularly in support of the people of Lebanon, during these unprecedented times. A tangible evidence-base for the holistic reconstruction of Lebanon’s capital city, is the Beirut City Profile which was launched during Ms. Sharif’s visit. “The need to continue to mobilize the international community to maintain its support and engagement to help Lebanon is paramount. Not only to ensure that the heart of Lebanon is restored, but to assist the people – Lebanese, refugees, and migrant communities – across the country, to overcome the harsh multiple and ongoing crises,” said Ms. Sharif. During her meetings with Government officials, Ms. Sharif emphasized the importance of immediate and scaled up support to reinforce the capacities of local institutions and authorities in Lebanon – because of their front-line role in responding to the needs of the people. She further urged national and local urban development stakeholders, to place adequate and affordable housing at the centre of current and future recovery efforts across Lebanon. The already dire housing situation in the country has been further impacted because of the multiple crises in the country. This has left thousands – including Lebanese, migrant and refugee communities – at heightened risk of eviction, and even more at risk of downgrading their already sub-standard living conditions. “The UN-Habitat Executive Director’s visit to Lebanon follows a visit she made to Iraq. As the two countries are facing complex challenges, there are some similarities that can be adopted in terms of response and recovery of the two nations – ensuring that efforts within each of these countries address their peoples’ respective needs” said Dr. Erfan Ali, UN-Habitat Regional Representative for Arab States To help provide an evidence-base for the recovery of Beirut, Ms. Sharif launched UN-Habitat’s Beirut City Profile that offers a cross sectoral analysis across the urban realm of Lebanon’s capital city, including major challenges. It also sets forth holistic, people-centred recommendations on the way forward, through immediate, medium, and long-term solutions towards a green, inclusive resilient recovery of the city – at city, neighbourhood, and national level. “UN-Habitat remains ready to support the Lebanese people and local authorities technically and operationally, in implementing future reforms that have an urban bearing. While concurrently continuing to support local authorities and communities across Lebanon through targeted urban interventions such as our work in rehabilitating the National HIV and TB Centre damaged by the Beirut Port explosion and our multisectoral urban upgrading project in Mina, Tripoli that we inaugurated during the visit of Ms. Sharif” said Ms. Taina Christiansen, Head of UN-Habitat Lebanon Country Programme. *** About the United Nations Human Settlements Programme (UN-Habitat) UN-Habitat works in over 90 countries supporting people in cities and human settlements for a better urban future. Working with governments and local partners, its high impact projects combine world-class expertise and local knowledge to deliver timely and targeted solutions. The 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development includes a dedicated Goal on cities, SDG 11 – to make cities inclusive, safe, resilient and sustainable.

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Press Release

10 June 2021

The United Nations in Lebanon Launches Fund to Support Women’s Rights Organizations to Enhance Women’s Participation in the Beirut Port Explosion Response and Recovery Process

WPHF is a flexible and rapid financing tool supporting quality interventions to enhance the capacity of local women around the world to prevent conflict, respond to crises and emergencies, and seize key peacebuilding opportunities. Supported by the Government of Germany, the WPHF in Lebanon will provide funding to six local women’s rights organizations (details on the six organizations can be found below). The Beirut Port explosion, on 4 August 2020, created significant immediate humanitarian needs and severe long-term consequences. A rapid gender assessment of the Beirut Port Explosion highlighted the large number of female headed households living in the explosion affected areas, and the large number of elderly women. It found that female headed households, elderly, refugees, disabled, LBQT women and migrant workers are particularly vulnerable to poverty and food insecurity as they have less resources to repurchase or replace damaged or destroyed belongings (including documentation), reconstruct damaged shelters (often rented), and buy food and essential items. The assessment recommended, among other things, increasing the meaningful participation of women and marginalized groups in the decision-making for the design, implementation, management and evaluation of national and international response and recovery efforts. With the aim of strengthening small grassroots women’s organizations in Lebanon, the selection of the six women’s rights organizations focused on national and local women-led, women’s rights, feminist, or civil society organizations (CSOs) with a proven track record working with women and girls in their diversity, especially targeting small grassroots and local community organizations. “Congratulations to the six women-led organizations that will carry out a challenging, yet a much-needed and powerful mission to bring about transformative change in Lebanon,” said Najat Rochdi, United Nations Deputy Special Coordinator, Resident and Humanitarian Coordinator for Lebanon. “Women of Lebanon were at the forefront of the humanitarian and relief efforts in the aftermath of the tragic Beirut port explosions as well as other peace-making initiatives. Their leading role must be recognized and strengthened if we are to achieve a just and equitable recovery that leaves no one behind,” she added. “The WPH Fund in Lebanon is a sheer evidence of our continued commitment, along with our long-standing partners, to step up support for women’s leadership at all levels, particularly in places where decisions are required”. Through the work of the selected organizations, the Fund will support women’s participation in the recovery process through a variety of approaches, including the improvement of public disaster management, creation of women’s committees and platforms for dialogue and discussions, as well as advocacy through social media, art and academia. The project activities are expected to begin in June 2021 and end by August 2022. “Lebanese women have been playing remarkable roles in responding to the country’s many crises. They have been central to Lebanon’s protest movements, vital to the relief efforts that followed the Beirut blast, and have been leading numerous civil society groups. However, they still find themselves sidelined from many decision-making processes”, said His Excellency Andreas Kindl, Ambassador of Germany to Lebanon. “By joining forces with the Women’s Peace and Humanitarian Fund in Lebanon and the impressive finalist organizations, Germany hopes to support female activists and provide them with the tools needed to thrive.” About the selected NGOs: Seeds for Legal initiatives (SEEDS) is a Lebanese NGO that works with marginalized groups to raise awareness on Legal rights and advocate for legal reform. Their proposed project, “The Movement for Women’s Lives Matter” will launch a study on the extent to which recovery programs that received funding following the Beirut Explosion succeeded in promoting the participation of women in decision making processes. The results of the study and the forthcoming recommendations will ultimately serve to influence future recovery funds and ensure they are inclusive of women and girls, by raising awareness on the need for a gender inclusive approach in recovery efforts, defining the gaps in current practices and advocating for necessary policy change measures at the donor and CSO levels. Haven for Artists (HFA) is a queer feminist arts NGO that works at the intersection of art and activism, campaigning and advocating for women’s and queer rights through arts, culture and creative spaces such as festivals, exhibitions and events. Their proposed project, “Raising voices of the marginalized majority” will offer participatory, political and cultural platforms to engage and amplify the voices of women and marginalized communities and enhance their political participation by creating spaces for cross-community dialogue, networking and long-term collaborations between women/ activists across three major cities in Lebanon. Fe-Male is a feminist grassroots collective that works to reinforce the presence of young women and girls in leadership positions and achieve gender equality by amplifying the voices and presence of women and girls in the media space. Their project, “Beirut Blast: The Untold Stories of Women and Girls and their Role in Recovery,” aims to use traditional and social media spaces to amplify the voices of women and girls in Lebanon, document their contributions to peace building and recovery efforts in order to mobilize and advocate towards women’s inclusion in decision-making processes and national recovery plans. High quality documentation and content production related to women’s stories will be undertaken, alongside a media audit and capacity building workshop. Auberge Beity is a Beirut-based NGO that focuses on sustainable social and economic development through capacity building and empowerment of local communities, especially of children, youth and women. Their project, “Women’s participation in disasters management accountability,” aims to enhance women’s participation in governance processes and peacebuilding among local communities and public service providers in two affected areas of the Beirut blast. The project has identified 3 groups of women to engage with, who were most affected or involved in the Beirut Blast including elderly women who live alone; women running their own businesses and/or heads of households; and women frontline activists who took on initiatives to save people’s lives and provide a helping hand and/ or conduct fundraising. It will empower women in local NGOs to meet community challenges and improve disaster management. Madaniyat is a Lebanese NGO that works to create a fairer, more inclusive and democratic society in Lebanon, where politics is more accessible to women and youth. In partnership with Ondes, their project, “REVIVE | WOMEN (Women organized mobilization, empowerment and networking)” aims to address the current marginalization of women from participation in humanitarian action as well as in local decision making and planning of initiatives. Through the establishment of women’s committees, the project will empower and enable increased women’s representation and participation in formal and informal local planning, decision-making, and peacebuilding efforts undertaken by municipalities and other stakeholders. Dar Al Amal is a Lebanese NGO that works to safeguard women and children’s rights, particularly those vulnerable and at risk of violence and exploitation. Their project, “Creating dialogue between vulnerable communities and service providers to promote gender sensitive interventions in areas affected by the Beirut Blast” aims to create and empower a women-led group to influence better access to services and create safe spaces for vulnerable women in Burj Hammoud and Sin El fil. A group of 50 women will participate in awareness raising sessions with the aim of selecting a core group of 10. The core group will be equipped with skills to map, assess the needs of their communities and establish a dialogue mechanism with service providers from the area. *** About the WPHF: The Women’s Peace & Humanitarian Fund (WPHF) is the only global financing mechanism dedicated exclusively to supporting women’s participation in peacebuilding and humanitarian action. WPHF is a flexible and rapid financing tool supporting quality interventions to enhance the capacity of local women to prevent conflict, respond to crises and emergencies, and seize key peacebuilding opportunities. WPHF is an innovative partnership between Member States, the UN, and civil society, with all stakeholders represented on its global Funding Board. UN Women provides secretariat support to WPHF and ensures coordination to implement the decisions of the Funding Board. WPHF donors currently include Australia, Austria, Belgium, Canada, Estonia, European Union (Spotlight Initiative), Germany, Ireland, Japan, Liechtenstein, Lithuania, Netherlands, Norway, Spain, Sweden and the United Kingdom. WPHF is actively supporting over 345 local women’s organizations across 22 of its 25 eligible countries and has mobilized a total of $58 Million USD for grassroots women’s rights and women-led organizations working in settings of conflict and humanitarian emergency.

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Press Release

01 June 2021

Lebanon Sinking into One of the Most Severe Global Crises Episodes, amidst Deliberate Inaction

In the face of colossal challenges, continuous policy inaction and the absence of a fully functioning executive authority threaten already dire socio-economic conditions and a fragile social peace with no clear turning point in the horizon. The Spring 2021 edition of the LEM, “Lebanon Sinking: To the Top 3” presents recent economic developments and examines the country’s economic outlook and possible risks. For over a year and a half, Lebanon has been facing compounded challenges: its largest peace-time economic and financial crisis, COVID-19 and the Port of Beirut explosion. As The Deliberate Depression (LEM - Fall 2020) already laid-out, policy responses by Lebanon’s leadership to these challenges have been highly inadequate. The inadequacy is less due to knowledge gaps and quality advice and more the result of: i) a lack of political consensus over effective policy initiatives; and ii) political consensus in defense of a bankrupt economic system, which benefited a few for so long. With a history of a prolonged civil war and multiple conflicts— Lebanon is identified by the World Bank as a Fragility, Conflict & Violence (FCV) State— there is growing wariness of potential triggers to social unrest. The increasingly dire socio-economic conditions risk systemic national failings with regional and potentially global effects. The World Bank estimates that in 2020 real GDP contracted by 20.3 percent, on the back of a 6.7 percent contraction in 2019. In fact, Lebanon’s GDP plummeted from close to US$55 billion in 2018 to an estimated US$33 billion in 2020, while GDP per capita fell by around 40 percent in dollar terms. Such a brutal contraction is usually associated with conflicts or wars. Monetary and financial conditions remain highly volatile; within the context of a multiple exchange rate system, the World Bank average exchange rate depreciated by 129 percent in 2020. The effect on prices have resulted in surging inflation, averaging 84.3 percent in 2020. Subject to extraordinarily high uncertainty, real GDP is projected to contract by a further 9.5 percent in 2021. “Lebanon faces a dangerous depletion of resources, including human capital, and high skilled labor is increasingly likely to take up potential opportunities abroad, constituting a permanent social and economic loss for the country,” said Saroj Kumar Jha, World Bank Mashreq Regional Director. “Only a reform minded government, which embarks upon a credible path toward economic and financial recovery, while working closely with all stakeholders, can reverse further sinking of Lebanon and prevent more national fragmentation”. Conditions in the financial sector continue to deteriorate, while a consensus among key stakeholders on the burden-sharing of losses has proved elusive. The burden of the ongoing adjustment/deleveraging in the financial sector is highly regressive, concentrated on smaller depositors, the bulk of the labor force and smaller businesses. More than half the population is likely below the national poverty line, with the bulk of the labor force -paid in Lira- suffering from plummeting purchasing power. With the unemployment rate on the rise, an increasing share of households is facing difficulty in accessing basic services, including health care. The LEM Spring 2021 also highlights in its Special Foci section two potential economic triggers that are under increased scrutiny, and which can have significant social implications. The First Special Focus examines Lebanon’s foreign exchange (FX) subsidy for critical and essential imports, which presents a serious political and social challenge, and discusses when and how to remove it. The current FX subsidy is distortionary, expensive and regressive; its elimination and replacement with a more effective and efficient pro-poor targeted program would improve the balance of payments—meaningfully extend the time-till-exhaustion of remaining BdL reserves—while helping to cushion the impact on Lebanon’s poor. However, these would still be temporary, suboptimal solutions. Only a comprehensive and credible macroeconomic stabilization strategy can prevent the country from running out of reserves and being forced into a disorderly and highly disruptive exchange rate adjustment. The Second Special Focus of the LEM discusses the impact of the crises on four basic public services: electricity, water supply, sanitation and education. The Deliberate Depression has further undermined already weak public services via two effects: (i) it has significantly increased poverty rates, with a higher number of households unable to afford private substitutables, and thus becoming more dependent on public services; and (ii) it has threatened the financial viability and basic operability of the sector by raising its costs and lowering its revenues. The delivery of essential public services is critical to the wellbeing of residents. The sharp deterioration in basic services would have long-term implications: mass migration, loss of learning, poor health outcomes, lack of adequate safety nets, among others. Permanent damage to human capital would be very hard to recover. Perhaps this dimension of the Lebanese crisis makes the Lebanon episode unique compared to other global crises.

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