Informing humanitarians worldwide 24/7 — a service provided by UN OCHA

Lebanon + 2 more

Research Terms of Reference: Humanitarian Situation Monitoring for the Lebanon response - LBN2403 Lebanon (October 2024, Version 1.0)

Attachments

Excerpt

2. Rationale

Lebanon has been facing an escalating crisis since the conflict started in October 2023. Initially concentrated at the borders, the conflict has expanded to numerous regions, including South Lebanon, Beirut, Mount Lebanon and the Beqaa. Since then, the Ministry of Public Health reported over 2,169 conflict-related deaths and 10,212 injuries. The International Organization for Migration (IOM) reported 689,715 displaced individuals, including more than 300,000 children. Affected populations include Lebanese, Syrians, Palestinians and migrants primarily departing from 14 heavily affected districts.

The conflict has resulted in widespread destruction of infrastructure and disruption of basic services. Over 4,000 residential buildings have been destroyed, with an additional 20,000 damaged. Essential services, including 25 water facilities and 37 health centres, have been severely impacted or closed. More than 978 collective centres for internally displaced people (IDPs) are at full capacity, with many displaced individuals forced to live in cars or on the streets. The number of IDPs has exceeded 186,400, with the number expected to increase as the number of Israeli displacement order is covering wider areas. Nevertheless, people remain in affected areas, either unable to leave due to barriers, or not wanting to leave. Those remaining in these areas are the most vulnerable, being the most impacted by the conflict.

Due to ongoing safety and security concerns, both data collection and humanitarian operations are significantly constrained, limiting the scope and effectiveness of actions on the ground. Given the increased vulnerability of people remaining in active conflict zones, it is crucial to assess their priority needs, living conditions, challenges and the extent of any support received. Moreover, it is imperative to evaluate the impact of airstrikes and ongoing conflict on basic services, including their accessibility and availability. This information is vital not only for immediate humanitarian interventions, but also for planning long-term recovery and rebuilding efforts once the conflict subsides. A comprehensive assessment will ensure that interventions are well-targeted, addressing both urgent needs and the foundational services necessary for sustainable recovery.

In response to the conflict escalation, REACH, in collaboration with the Solidarites International, will implement a “Humanitarian Situation Monitoring (HSM) pilot” in crisis affected cadastres in South, Nabatieh, Bekaa and Baalbeck El Hhermel governorates followed by full implementation frequent nationwide monitoring (exact frequency will be discussed). This assessment will leverage global REACH methodologies in emergency contexts.

This HSM will leverage key informant networks and remote sensing to deliver findings on the impact of airstrikes on access to services within the affected cadastres. Within 2 weeks, from the start of data collection to information output production, REACH will be able to provide humanitarian actors with timely information that can be used for response prioritization in a complex volatile context with access constraints.