Attachments
1. EXECUTIVE SUMMARY
Now in its eleventh year, Lebanon remains at the forefront of one of the worst humanitarian crises of our time and continues to host the highest number of displaced per capita and per square kilometre in the world, showing tremendous commitment to displaced Syrians and vulnerable populations within its borders. Lebanon constitutes a unique case as a host country, further facing the devastating impact of the unprecedented economic, financial, social and health crises of the last two years. As of October 2021, the Government of Lebanon (GoL) estimates that the country hosts 1.5 million Syrians who have fled the conflict in Syria, including 844,056 registered as refugees registered with UNHCR, along with 257,000 Palestinian refugees.2 These populations live across all governorates in Lebanon. Since 2015, Lebanon has received over US$8.2 billion in support for displaced Syrians, vulnerable Lebanese and Palestinian refugees under the Lebanon Crisis Response Plan (LCRP).
The assistance made possible by donor contributions and implemented by humanitarian, Government and development partners under the LCRP, along with the exceptional hospitality of Lebanese communities, has brought substantial, vitally-needed support across all sectors and has prevented an even greater deterioration of living conditions for the poorest groups. In 2021, an independent Strategic Review of the LCRP 2017-2021 response plan was carried out which confirmed that the LCRP is a strong plan with confident and innovative implementation and a supportive external environment. The review confirmed that the design of the LCRP is appropriate and has sufficiently addressed the immediate and medium-term needs to both refugees and host communities. The LCRP review also identified some key areas for adaptation of the response moving forward.
Achievements under the LCRP and through Government to date, include: support to Lebanese public institutions and critical infrastructure, such as water and waste management; a wide range of initiatives helping municipalities address livelihoods and service provision for their communities and to help mitigate tensions at the local level; extensive cash assistance bringing life-saving support to the poorest groups while boosting the local economy; support to health centres and hospitals around the country; substantial advances in helping the Government of Lebanon enrol children in public schools every year; and contributions to a protective environment for vulnerable people, including an annual improvement in the registration of Syrian births.
More than ten years into the crisis in Syria, the impact of the situation continues to rebound in Lebanon, on its economy, institutions and people across the country. Since 2019, Lebanon has further faced an unprecedented and multifaceted economic, financial, social and health crisis. As a consequence, vulnerable populations supported under the LCRP have been deeply affected by a sharp increase in socio-economic needs, gaps in critical supply chains and limitations on access to food, healthcare, education, employment and other basic services. In 2021, almost nine in ten displaced Syrian households were living in extreme poverty, with poverty levels also rising dramatically among Lebanese and Palestine refugee populations.
In 2022, the LCRP, a joint plan between the Government of Lebanon and its international and national partners, will continue to respond to these challenges in a holistic, comprehensive and integrated manner through mediumterm, multi-year planning to achieve the following strategic objectives: ensure the protection of displaced Syrians, vulnerable Lebanese and Palestinian refugees; provide immediate assistance to vulnerable populations; support service provision through national systems; and reinforce Lebanon’s economic, social and environmental stability.