ATTACHMENT_J.12_Background_Information.pdf

ATTACHMENT J.12 BACKGROUND INFORMATION

Socio Economic Issues: The Lebanese state faces chronic, social and political challenges which are exacerbated by long-standing economic inequalities combined with increased demographic, environmental and security challenges. With approximately 1.5 million people displaced into Lebanon from Syria since the beginning of the Syrian crisis in 2011, Lebanon currently hosts the largest number of refugees per capita in the world, placing enormous pressure on the country and its citizens. In a context of limited economic growth and shrinking national resources, Lebanon’s ability to deliver basic services and mitigate social tensions is overwhelmed. The Syrian conflict has placed unprecedented strain on Lebanon, affecting the country’s capacity to deliver and sustain services to both Lebanese and refugee populations across education, health, and community-level infrastructure, while also inhibiting the country’s socio-economic stability.

The CSP aims to help municipalities provide essential services to communities and individuals.

Essential services are services which, if interrupted, would deteriorate the health, personal safety, or well-being of a significant portion of the population. The lack of essential services to address these priority community needs represents major concerns and sources of tension and instability.

USAID envisions that priority community needs will be identified by the implementation contractor, working closely with local stakeholders, through appropriate needs assessments.

Community needs under CSP may include but is not restricted to solid waste management, access to potable water, affordable and reliable electricity, small-scale infrastructure, housing, transportation and environmental protection, and necessary social services such as education, training, public health facilities. There is also a need for communal security services such as lighting in public places, trained and equipped first-response units, adequate road safety signs, and secure community spaces. Meeting the needs of local communities under CSP may also include activities to increase economic opportunities, such as job creation, income generation, improved livelihoods, building employability skills, and access to markets and finance. Full engagement of community members for priority community needs identification will guide planning, implementation and monitoring of project activities.

The development challenge being addressed by CSP is that unmet local needs are fueling tensions, creating friction and leaving communities vulnerable to outbreaks of violence.

Vulnerable and needy communities envisaged for assistance under CSP include areas where mitigation and prevention of social, economic, ethic, and other tensions/stressors is needed;

underserved areas where there is little or lack of essential services; and communities that host large numbers of refugees. CSP will utilize and build on available data in the selection of vulnerable and needy communities. Such data will include but is not restricted to, United Nations International Children Emergency Fund (UNICEF) map (below) and other relevant formal and informal information. The identification of communities could include qualitative human knowledge, on-the-ground observations, reviews of local press and other contextual analysis will likely be utilized to select areas for assistance.

Project Purpose: The purpose of the Community Support Program (CSP) is: Priority Needs in Underserved and Vulnerable Communities Met through full engagement of community stakeholders from government, civil society and the private sector. To address major causes of tensions that lead to violence in these communities, the project intends to provide access to essential local community services and economic opportunities, and to develop local capacities to collaboratively and efficiently mobilize resources for sustainable local development, local stability, and conflict mitigation. The project will work towards achieving community resilience against destabilizing factors where competition over resources is highest and tensions exist that often lead to violence.

The Community Support Program has been designed to meet priority needs for underserved and vulnerable communities, in coordination with local stakeholders including the local government, civil society, and the private sector. By meeting such priority needs, the CSP will be contributing to addressing stressors that cause tensions and/or violence. The CSP will support the provision of community services, provide economic opportunities, and enhancement local capacities for the aim of promote local development, local stability, and conflict mitigation.

Theory of Change: CSP’s theory of change is that full engagement - including mobilizing local resources - and collaboration of community members including local governments, civil society and the private sector will address critical, unsatisfied community needs that contribute to tension and instability. Participation of Lebanese and refugee stakeholders in the North, South and Bekaa regions in CSP activities will contribute to community resilience against destabilizing factors, where competition over scarce resources and jobs is highest and tensions that often lead to violence exist. Although not designed to directly counter terrorism and extremism, this project addresses a number of the causes for this situation.

Support for CDCS: The CSP supports the USAID Mission’s Country Development Cooperation Strategy (CDCS) Development Objective (DO) 1 Improved Capacity of the Public Sector in Providing Transparent, Quality Services across Lebanon. The CSP focusses on low income, underserved areas, often with a high number of refugees as compared to Lebanese residents. These areas are also characterized by a serious lack of essential services and resulting competition for resources which has resulted or will result in tensions leading to conflict and violence.