Psychosocial support, protection, and economic empowerment for women and girls affected by the protracted Syria crisis in Bekaa, North, and Mount Lebanon areas in Lebanon



Contract partner: Diakonie ACT Austria gemeinnützige GmbH Country: Libanon Funding amount: € 1.500.000,00 Project start: 15.09.2021 End: 31.07.2023

Short Description:

Overall goal


The programme aims at improving access of women and girl survivors of and/or at-risk of Gender Based Violence (GBV) to holistic prevention and response services in Lebanon’s North (Tripoli), Bekaa (Baalbek), and Mount Lebanon regions


Expected results


448 women and girls access holistic and quality response and prevention services at three of ABAAD’s Women and Girls Safe Spaces (WGSS) in North (Tripoli), Bekaa and Mount Lebanon.

157 women and girls have access to temporary safe sheltering at ABAAD’s three midway houses (MWHs) in North (Tripoli), Bekaa and Mount Lebanon.

1,508 women and girl GBV survivors have improved access to quality engendered psycho-therapy and psychosocial support (PSS) services.

180 Syrian refugee women and vulnerable women from host communities have received upskilling training and referrals to job counseling.

180 men with abusive behaviors have improved access to tailored engendered psychosocial support services at ABAAD’s center in the Bekaa.


Target group / Beneficiaries


The project targets vulnerable women and girls who are at-risk of and/or survivors of gender-based

violence (GBV). A total of 6,000 women and girls between 16 and 90 years old and 180 men will be targeted; A total of 6,180 beneficiaries will be reached with refugees composing 60% of the target group and 40% host community. The programme will be implemented by the local partner ABAAD - Resource Center for Gender Equality. Project locations are Furn El Chebek, Sin El Fil, Metn, Mount Lebanon, Zahle, Ras Baalbek; Baalbek, Bekaa and Qobbeh, Tripoli, North.


Activities


Activity 1.1.1: Holistic Case Management (CM) provided by Gender-Based Violence (GBV) caseworkers (CWS) at ABAAD's three Women & Girls Safe Spaces (WGSS) to 448 women and girls.

Activity 1.1.2 Provision of trainings on GBV, PSS topics for ABAAD staff.

Activity 1.1.3: Individualized mental health (MH) services provided to 86 survivors at ABAAD's 3 WGSS.

Activity 1.1.4: Emotional Support Groups for 252 survivors.

Activity 1.2.1: 157 Women and girl survivors of GBV receive holistic care at ABAAD's three emergency safe shelters (midway houses MWHs).

Activity 1.2.2 Women and girl survivors of GBV participate in Recreational Activities in the MWHs.

Activity 1.2.3 Creation of a Child Friendly Space.

Activity 1.2.4 Distribution of Educational Kits for 190 children.

Activity 1.2.5 Implementation of Rehabilitation & Educational Activities for Children.

Activity 2.1.1. Implementation of Basic Lifeskills Program (BLSP cycles); 8 to 12 sessions per cycle to 1,508 women and girls at the 3 WGSS.

Activity 2.1.2: Implementation of awareness sessions and sensitization sessions on GBV core concepts, referral information, on protection laws, and Prevention of Sexual Exploitation and Abuse (PSEA) to 6,000 women and girls at the 3 WGSS.

Activity 2.1.3 Organizing 6 Awareness and Socializing Event (100 participants per event).

Activity 2.2.1. Implementation of 24 upskilling cycles (25 sessions/cycle] and training support to 360 women and girls at the 3 WGSS. Participants who complete the sessions receive referrals to job counseling/livelihood organizations in catchment area.

Activity 2.2.2. Distribution of upskilling starter kits to 360 women and girls at the 3 WGSS.

Activity 2.3.1. Implementation of 12 Anger & Stress Workshops [6 sessions/workshop] for 180 men in the Men Center (Family Support Unit) Bekaa.


Context


Lebanon has been facing multiple crisis since 2020; from socio-economic deterioration, to the COVID-19 pandemic, and the Beirut Blast (August 4, 2020). The collective impact has increased women and girls’ vulnerabilities and risks of Gender Based violence (GBV). Rates of GBV incidents have been reported to have increased globally and in Lebanon during the imposed lockdowns and quarantines; with survivors’ access to lifesaving holistic protection and prevention services hindered. The port blast has exacerbated the already spiraling socioeconomic condition of the country; increasing survivors’ risks. To cope, households have resorted to negative coping mechanisms which include: forced/early marriage of girls, children partaking in worst-forms of child labor, increase use of corporal punishment with children, and domestic abuse.

project number 2694-06/2021
source of funding AKF
sector Humanitäre Hilfe: Maßnahmen zum Wiederaufbau und Rehabilitierung nach Katastrophen
tied
modality Project-type interventions
marker Gender: 2
  • Policy marker: are used to identify, assess and facilitate the monitoring of activities in support of policy objectives concerning gender equality, aid to environment, participatory development/good governance, trade development and reproductive, maternal, newborn and child health. Activities targeting the objectives of the Rio Conventions include the identification of biodiversity, climate change mitigation, climate change adaptation, and desertification.
    • 1= policy is a significant objective of the activity
    • 2= policy is the principal objective of the activity
  • Donor/ source of funding: The ADA is not only implementing projects and programmes of the Austrian Development Cooperation , but also projects funded from other sources and donors such as
    • AKF - Foreign Disaster Fund of the Austrian federal government
    • BMLFUW - Federal Ministry for Agriculture, Forestry, Environment and Water
    • EU - Funds of the European Commission
    • Others - various other donors are listed in ADA’s annual business report.
  • Type of Aid – Aid modalities: classifies transfers from the donor to the first recipient of funds such as budget support, core contributions and pooled programmes and funds to CSOs and multilateral organisations, project-type interventions, experts and other technical assistance, scholarships and student costs in donor countries, debt relief, administrative costs and other in-donor expenditures.
  • Purpose/ sector code: classifies the specific area of the recipient’s economic or social structure, funded by a bilateral contribution.
  • Tied/Untied: Untied aid is defined as loans and grants whose proceeds are fully and freely available to finance procurement from all OECD countries and substantially all developing countries. Transactions are considered tied unless the donor has, at the time of the aid offer, clearly specified a range of countries eligible for procurement which meets the tests for “untied” aid.