Since September 2004, DRC has been implementing projects in Lebanon, targeting several needy groups: Palestinian refugees, Iraqi refugees, domestic migrant workers and IDPs. Over the years, the core activities within the programme have changed according to groups’ needs and contexts, covering a range of projects going from advocacy, protection, or livelihood support to emergency (like during the war in 2006). Generally, DRC in Lebanon does rely on local actors to implement projects and as such prioritises the local capacity development.
Displacement
An estimated 240,000-260,000 Palestinians, the majority of whom fled from Palestine in 1948. Approximately half of these people live in 12 official UNRWA camps, while the other half lives in dispersed Palestinian communities called “gatherings”. According to the latest figure from the DRC database, 2,122 of the Palestinians are non-ID refugees, most of whom entered the country in 1970 when the PLO relocated from Amman to Beirut. These people haven’t been able to register neither with Lebanese authorities nor with UNRWA, and therefore remain in legal limbo.
- Some 15-20,000 Iraqi refugees who fled the ongoing sectarian violence in Iraq. DRC estimates that in the area of 15-20,000 Iraqis currently live in Lebanon (10,000 are registered by UNHCR). The majority of these Iraqi refugees do not have legal permission to stay in Lebanon. They live in hiding with no access to social services or legal employment, and they are continuously subject to arrest and deportation. A small number of Palestinian refugees from Iraq also entered Lebanon since 2003.
- Like other countries in the region, Lebanon hosts an estimated number of 200,000 female domestic migrant workers originally coming from Ethiopia, Sri-Lanka, Bangladesh, Philippines or Indonesia. Working as servant/cleaning lady or babysitter in Lebanese houses, some of them have been victims of severe abuses: no employment contract, working for 14 hours-7 days a week, without medical insurance, and sometimes physically mistreated or sexually abused.
- Lebanon is frequently confronted to armed conflicts (either with Israel or internal nature) which trigger massive internal displacement like in 2006. In a few days, hundreds of thousands of people are thrown on the roads from the south or the Bekaa seeking a safe refuge in Saida, Beirut or the Chouf regions and looking for protection, food, shelter or medical assistance.
Palestinian refugees
Activities in support of the Palestinians include advocacy, legal aid, shelter reconstruction and other material support for 2,200 so-called ’non-ID’ (undocumented) refugees, scattered throughout Lebanon. In particular, DRC succeeded in lobbying on Lebanese authorities who finally granted a legal status to non-IDs by providing them with a Special Identity Card. DRC has also studied the legal situation and needs of Palestinian refugees non-registered (with UNRWA). Educational, life skills and livelihood support have as well been offered to 750 marginalised Palestinian youth in the largest and most volatile refugee camp in Lebanon – Ein el-Helweh, in the southern city of Saida.
Iraqi refugees
From 2008 to 2010, DRC’s programme for Iraqis sought to increase direct assistance and the outreach of NGOs providing services to 4,000 Iraqis throughout Lebanon, with an emphasis on under-served peripheral areas, while directly meeting urgent needs not covered by others NGOs. Activities included routine liaison and information exchange with Iraqi refugee communities, mobilization of local NGOs through funded sub-projects, and advocacy at local and national level. Additionally, DRC provided direct support through non-food winterization and educational assistance, and managed a special needs fund to meet urgent individual and household needs on an ad-hoc basis. DRC is looking for funding to resume its assistance programme to Iraqis.
Female Migrant Domestic Workers
DRC has been supporting a Lebanese NGO called KAFA who provides information and legal services to women migrant domestic workers. Information activities include newsletter/brochures providing services and other information relevant to MDW's, in several languages, and legal services including legal counselling and representation. The project also includes advocacy activities that targeted key stakeholders and the general public.
Other projects and coordination DRC has partnered in early 2011 with UNHCR in order to build of the capacity of the Ministry of Social Affairs and its Social Development Centres to address displaced people’s needs at the community level and improve its disaster preparedness response by enhancing the local coordination mechanisms. DRC also coordinates closely with all relevant stakeholders and service providers, including UNRWA and UNHCR, Lebanese and Palestinian authorities, and local and international NGOs.
Partners and donors
