Social and Economic Development · 58 Social Infrastructure CDR October 2010 Social and Economic Development In the mid-90s, James Gustave Speth, the Administrator of the United Nations

Social Infrastructure58 CDR October 2010

Social and EconomicDevelopmentIn the mid-90s, James Gustave

Speth, the Administrator of the

United Nations Development

Program (UNDP) defined

sustainable human development as

follows:

“The human sustainable

development is development that

not only generates economic

growth but distributes its benefits

equitably; that regenerates the

environment instead of destroying

it; that empowers people rather

than marginalizing them. It is

development that gives priority to

the poor and the environment; that

provides job opportunities and

that is in favor of women. It is

development that emphasizes

growth to engender new job

opportunities, a development pro-

poor- pro-nature, pro-jobs and

pro-women.”

Based on this definition and 18

years after the end of the war in

Lebanon, what is the development

situation in the country and what

are the main characteristics of the

social sector?

According to the human

development report issued

annually by UNDP, Lebanon is a

country with a medium level of

human development. In 2004

Human Development Index

(HDI), it was given the rank of

78th out of 177 countries.

Lebanon (0.774) is ahead of most

of the Arab countries (0.680)

except for some oil-rich countries

such as Qatar, Kuwait and Oman.

According to this index, Lebanon

achieved significant progress

during the last 10 years knowing

that its HDI was 0.729 in 1995.

However, the progress Lebanon is

witnessing at the HDI level is not

necessarily a positive indicator of

the development level in the

country. In fact, social indicators

in Lebanon such as poverty,

deprivation and regional

disparities; and other health and

education indicators, like school

drop-out and retardation, are

relatively high compared to other

medium developing countries.

Besides, they are not in coherence

with high or similar levels of

spending in most of the developed

countries. In fact, during the 2000-

2004 period, spending on social

affairs (in private and public

sectors) accounted for 21% of the

Gross Domestic Product (GDP)

(without retirement allowances

and end-of service benefits). In

2005, public spending on social

sectors represented more than 42%

of the primary expenditures, 27%

of the total expenditures and 8% of

the GDP. Spending on social

safety nets equals 2% of the GDP

and provides a limited coverage.

As for poverty, it is one of the

major obstacles to empowering

and rehabilitating people as the

link between poverty and low

social indicators such as mortality,

school drop-out, illiteracy and

others is unquestionable. Data and

Social Infrastructure 59CDR October 2010

studies showed that two thirds of

the households in Lebanon are

deprived of their essential needs

such as education, health care and

decent housing while 4,4% of

these households suffer extreme

deprivation of these needs. Studies

related to poverty measurement

using monetary indicators suggest

that the lower poverty line in

Lebanon is evaluated at US$ 2.4

per capita per day while the upper

poverty line is US$ 4 per capita

per day.

In this context and in the

framework of the Lebanese

government efforts aiming at

reducing poverty, improving

social indicators and increasing

the efficiency of spending on

social affairs, the social action

plan submitted to Paris III

conference in January 2007 has

been elaborated. It includes a

package of general measures and

recommendations aiming at

reducing poverty and improving

social performance. After the said

conference, the government

sought to implement the

recommendations of the social

action plan which was part of its

reform program. Under the

supervision of the prime ministry

and through the work of the

ministerial committee on social

affairs, detailed action programs

were formulated for the Ministries

of Public Health and Social

Affairs concerning the

interventions each ministry is

entrusted with. Currently, the

progress made in the

implementation is monitored in

the light of these plans and the

major difficulties and problems

undermining the efficiency of

these initiatives are analyzed in

order to solve them.

Two years after the Paris III

conference, the country is

witnessing positive attempts that

would help improve the efficiency

of the social sector performance

and the social indicators; and

promote living conditions of the

poor and marginalized categories.

The most prominent initiatives

are:

- Forming a ministerial committee

for social affairs under the

presidency of his Excellence the

Prime Minister, with the

membership of the Ministers

concerned with social affairs in

addition to the Council of

Development and Reconstruction

(CDR). This commission is

mandated to coordinate and

execute the recommendations of

the aforementioned social action

plan related to formulating a social

development strategy, ending

dualism and overlap of tasks

among the ministries of Health,

Education and Social Affairs; and

following up on the execution of

the social safety nets programs as

well as coordinating and following

up on local development

programs.

- Implementing a national

program to support extremely

poor households by offering direct

cash assistance to them. Until

now, the trial period of targeting

mechanisms through approximate

standards and indicators in three

Lebanese regions has been

accomplished. These mechanisms

shall be subsequently generalized

to all the Lebanese regions and

cash assistance shall be directly

provided.

- Starting the work on a medium

and long term integrated and

comprehensive national social

strategy with the participation of

and in coordination with all

partners and actors concerned with

the social work. This strategy is

coupled with a separate applicable

action plan. During 2009, the first

draft was elaborated and work is

ongoing to reach a national

consensus over it through several

meetings and workshops.

- Developing a webpage aiming at

coordinating national

development initiatives.

Despite the efforts deployed to

date, the country is still facing

major challenges on the road

towards achieving tangible

progress at the social level

whether in terms of reducing

poverty and deprivation rates,

promoting social safety nets,

activating coordination in the

implementation of initiatives

related to local development or

enhancing the efficiency of

spending on social sector. The

most important challenge lies in

guaranteeing security, political

and economic stability and a real

political commitment to achieving

sustainable progress at the social

level and going forward in the

social action plan. However,

alongside these challenges, the

country enjoys several strengths

emanating from the support of the

international community and

donors providing for Lebanon

especially in issues related to

social development and poverty

reduction, in addition to an active

civil society contributing to

promoting development and

empowering marginalized

categories. It is also possible to

enhance administrative

decentralization which could give

leverage to any social strategy or

plan aiming at promoting

development and reducing

poverty.

Integrated Regional DevelopmentProjectsEconomic and Social Fund forDevelopmentThe Economic and Social Fundfor Development (ESFD) wasfounded pursuant to an agreementsigned between the Lebanesegovernment and the EuropeanUnion. Since its foundation, theESFD worked on the elaborationof action programs andmechanisms aiming at combatingpoverty and unemployment. Thefirst period was a trial period ofcooperation with the ESFDpartners (municipalities andnational banks) in terms ofcreating new job opportunities andpromoting local developmentprocess in North and SouthLebanon. After this period, theESFD expanded its scope ofaction and launched newinitiatives in the framework of itsprograms. Its projects set moreaccurate objectives and programs.The ESFD also participated in the

efforts aiming at supporting theeconomic recovery and thereconstruction after July 2006aggression, as a result of signing anew funding treaty (MED) withthe EU estimated at EUR 6million, aiming at carrying outpriority projects by war-affectedmunicipalities.

In 2004, the ESFD published astudy on the national strategy onsocial development whichreviewed the concepts of socialdevelopment adopted around theworld and came up with a nationalconcept of social development.The study relied on a fieldresearch covering the poorestcazas and poverty pockets in anumber of Lebanese regions andsuburbs. As a result, the needs andpriorities of a number of villagesand poverty pockets (82 villagesand regions) were identified inorder to determine the neededgovernmental and civilinterventions and to concentratethese interventions on the neediestregions especially in Akkar,Hermel and Tripoli.

The achievements of the ESFDcould be determined in the light ofits two main components: jobcreation and local development.

Job Creation Component:1- Major Achievements – Period1992-2009Within the framework of thefinancing agreement LBN/B7-4100/IB/99/0225, and consideringthe importance of the servicesprovided by the ESFD through its“job creation” component, US$ 24million have been allocated forfunding lines and the procurementof Business Development Services(BDS). The major achievementsrealized through this componentuntil January 31, 2009 are listedbelow:• Funding private projectsincluding small and mediumenterprises (SMEs) or micro-enterprises in different sectors inorder to increase job opportunitiesin all the Lebanese regions and indifferent sectors by allocatingproduction loans with incentivesmade available by the three bankswhich are partners and funders ofthe ESFD and have branchesspread all over the Lebaneseterritory. Noticeably, thepercentage of businesswomenwho benefited from these loans is15.65% of the total number ofloans.


These loans are distributed among the Lebanese mohazafazats (governorates) and sectors as follows:

3% 12%

20%

33%

20%

12%

Percentage of Loans by Mohafazat

12%

16%

38%

34%

Percentage of Loans by Sector

TradeAgriculture

Industry

Services

BeirutSouth Lebanon

Mount Lebanon

North Lebanon

Bekaa

Nabatieh


Table outlining the main contracts signed by the ESFD in 2009:

AS for the EUR 4.4 billion MED

financing agreement signed with

the European Union in August

2007, the ESFD signed contracts

with three partner banks in March

and April 2009. However, the

implementation of these contracts

only started in the second half of

2009, i.e. two years after the war

of July 2006.

Contract Contract Value (US$)

Funding Source

Implementation Start Date

Expected date of

completion Funding SMEs to create new job opportunities through a funding contract signed with the Credit Libanais Bank

2.845.833 Grant by the EU January 2009 January

2010

Funding SMEs to create new job opportunities through a funding contract signed with the Banque Libanaise pour le Commerce (BLC)

1.381.33 Grant by the EU March 2009 March 2010

Funding SMEs to create new job opportunities through a funding contract signed with the Banque Libanaise pour le Commerce (BLC)

1.381.333 Grant by the EU March 2009 March 2010

Funding SMEs to create new job opportunities new job opportunities through a funding contract signed with the Société Générale Bank (SGBL)

2.762.666 Grant by the EU April 2009 April 2010

A job creation group at the ESFD works on

advertising the loans offered to SMEs through

seminars held in several universities,

institutes and municipalities


•Providing Business DevelopmentServices (BDS) to individuals and

SMEs to enable them to get

financial loans in order to establish

or develop their business. To

achieve this goal, the ESFD had

recourse to experts giving

necessary guidelines to these

individuals and enterprises,

guidelines which would help them

choose the type of activity,

establish action plans, determine

the expected productivity and

prepare a full dossier in order to

get a loan from an ESFD partner

The team of Free Lancers Business Advisors explaining the loans offered by the

ESFD to the visitors of the Forward 2009 Exhibition in Biel

A pastry shop in Minyara – Akkar

contributed to the creation of two jobs

thanks to a LBP 25 million loan

provided by the ESFD

A former detainee in the Israeli prisons benefited from a LBP 12 million loan to equip

a snack bar in Tarik Jdeedeh and contributed to the creation of three jobs

bank. These business development

experts also follow up on these

projects. In 2009, after having

relied on outsourcing for BDSs,

the ESFD formed a team of Free

Lancers Business Advisors to

offer BDSs to 362 beneficiaries

from around Lebanon.

• In 2007 and 2008, training

individuals and parties

representing the potential

borrowers’ category on the good

management of their business

whether they benefited or not from

the loans provided by the ESFD.

Over 240 people benefited from

this training, from different

sectors and regions including

Beirut, Sour, Saida, Ain Ebel,

Bekaa, Akkar, Ehden and Tripoli.

This training is to be added to the

training of almost 150 employees

working in all the branches of the

ESFD partner banks in order to

emphasize the role of SMEs in

stimulating the economic cycle

and generalize the concept of

SME lending in Lebanon.

• Conducting feasibility studieson investment opportunities in anumber of cazas: In 2007 and

2008, the ESFD conducted several

economic and social studies

1


including studies on investment

opportunities in a number of cazas

after having studied the labor market

in the concerned regions. It

determined as well the economically

feasible investment opportunities

and carried out detailed studies on

their implementation. The ESFD

conducted 80 studies on investment

opportunities which could stimulate

the private sector in eight cazas: Bint

Jbeil, Marjeyoun, Hasbaya, Jezzine,

Akkar, Minyeh/Danniyeh, Baalbeck

and Hermel. During the studies’

launching and distribution

ceremony, the ESFD introduced to

parties interested in investment

others institutions facilitating

lending in Lebanon such as the

Kafalat institution and the

Investment Development Authority

of Lebanon (IDAL).

2- Main Orientation of TheJob Creation Component -Period 2010-2011 In 2009, the job creation componentrelied on financial resourcesprovided by Revolving Funds toguarantee the financialsustainability of the ESFD.

The ESFD will seek to allocate US$

3.7 million to the Risk Sharing

Scheme (RSS) during a trial period,

provided that it cooperates with

partner banks currently accredited so

as to dedicate US$ 1.166 million to

each bank. As for the remaining

amount of US$ 1.3 million, it will be

offered to a fourth bank.

The decision of going forward with

the RSS stems from the need to

respond to the Lebanese market’s

changes. In fact, the ESFD is acting

through a new model to benefit from

the liquidity available to the

Lebanese banks and urge these

banks to use it in favor of SMEs.

Nevertheless, the ESFD will bear a

part of the risks related to lending to

SMEs, the main goal of this model

being to serve as much SMEs as

possible.

Local Development Component:The local development componentaims at improving living conditionsof the poorest and most deprivedcommunities in Lebanon byproviding grants and technicalassistance to municipalities servingas the link between the ESFD and

these communities.

1- Major Achievements – Period1992-2009 By the end of 2009, in the

framework of the financing

agreement B7-4100/IB/99/0225/LBN,

the local development component

had supervised the implementation

of 20 grant contracts covering 39

Lebanese villages and aiming at

improving living conditions of about

145000 residents in these villages.

An EU grant worth EUR 6.091.867

funds this component in order to

carry out 54 projects in partner local

communities related to three main

areas: reinforcing infrastructure

(27%), improving social and cultural

services (23%) and projects

promoting economic development

(51%).

Thirty four projects were fully

executed with the funding of the EU

and through the ESFD. The

remaining projects have been

prepared before the end of 2008 and

partly implemented in 2009

provided that they be fully executed

during 2010.

Table of the major achievements attained through the local development component – Period2002-2008:

Contract Contract Value (US$)

Funding Source


Expected date of

completion

Agricultural municipal center – Aitaroun – Bint Jbeil 74.250 EU 8/12/2004 31/12/2006

Agricultural municipal center – Mishmish – Akkar 179.814 EU 8/12/2004 31/12/2007

Improving irrigation water supply – Adshit – Nabatieh 219.572 EU 6/07/2007 31/12/2008

Agriculture and Irrigation


Improving irrigation water supply – Adshit Al Quaseer – Marjeyoun 95.200 EU 10/07/2007 31/12/2008

Irrigation basin – Aynata – Bint Jbeil 109.235 EU 21/12/2005 31/12/2008

Purchasing agricultural equipment and machinery – Aynata – Bint Jbeil 56.750 EU 21/12/2005 31/12/2008

Purchasing agricultural equipment and machinery – Rchaf – Bint Jbeil 85.438 EU 30/12/2005 31/12/2008

Establishing a irrigation network – Majdala, Deir Dloum, Mar Touma – Akkar 266.301 EU 29/12/2005 31/12/2008

Establishing a irrigation network – Majdala, Deir Dloum, Mar Touma – Akkar 266.301 EU 29/12/2005 31/12/2008

Enhancing agricultural methods – Mhammara – Akkar 77.125 EU 09/07/2007 31/12/2008

Improving the level of irrigation water supply – Ghozaili – Akkar 150.616 EU 01/07/2007 31/12/2008

Revitalizing the agricultural sector – Danbou – Akkar 157.450 EU 09/07/2007 31/12/2008

Purchasing rehabilitation and maintenancemachinery for the municipality – Adshit -Nabatieh

126.208 EU 06/07/2007 31/12/2008

Purchasing rehabilitation and maintenancemachinery for the municipality – Toulin – Marjeyoun

119.340 EU 10/07/2007 31/12/2008

Wastewater drainage network – Majdala, Deir Dloum, Mar Touma – Akkar 254.436 EU 07/07/2008 31/12/2008

Sanitation

Solid WasteSolid waste collection and disposal – Sabra and 59.164 EU 06/07/2007 31/12/2008 Shatila camps – Ghobeiri

Waste processing plant – Aitaroun - Bint Jbeil 207.659 EU 08/12/2004 31/12/2006

S

31/12/2008

6

–

M

5

30/09/2003 31/12/2007

L

M

7 09/07/2007 31/12/2008


Nursery – Aitaroun – Bint Jbeil 120.814 EU 08/12/2004 31/12/2006

Municipal educational center – Aitaroun – Bint Jbeil 64.750 EU 08/12/2004 31/12/2007

Municipal educational center – Mishmish – Akkar

Cultural center – Tyrie – Bint Jbeil

Social development center – Danbou – Akkar Vocational training center – Mhammara – Akkar

Social Development and Vocational Education

106.188 EU 08/12/2004 31/12/2007

134.250 EU 30/12/2005 31/12/2008

67.141 EU 09/07/2007 31/12/2008

49.050 EU 09/07/2007 31/12/2008

Danbou center for youth sports – Danbou – Akkar

Sports Facilities

49.219 EU 09/07/2007 31/12/2008

Sports courts – Sarbine – Bint Jbeil 105.500 EU 30/12/2005 31/12/2008

Public Health

Improving health services – Sabra and Shatila camps – Ghobeiri

134.773 EU 06/07/2007 31/12/2008

Health care center – Danbou – Akkar 93.090 EU 09/07/2007 31/12/2008

Health care center – Mishmish – Akkar 113.469 EU 08/12/2004 31/12/2007 Local health care center – Toulin –Marjeyoun

204.000 EU 10/07/2007 31/12/2008

Health care center – Rchaf – Bint Jbeil 61.688 EU 30/12/2005 31/12/2008 Roads and Infrastructure Rehabilitation

Public works maintenance – Aitaroun – Bint Jbeil

52.500 EU 30/09/2003 31/12/2006

Rehabilitating the municipal centers’ entrances – Mishmish – Akkar

58.750 EU 01/05/2008 31/12/2008

48.750 EU 30/09/2003 31/12/2007

Landscaping the commercial area locatedon Mhammara international road – Mhammara – Akkar

75.736 EU 09/07/2007 31/12/2008


Photos of some completed projects:

Inauguration of the health care center in Danyou – Akkar Rainwater collection basin for irrigation in Adshit – Marjeyoun

Rainwater collection basin for irrigation in Al-Ghzayleh –Akkar

Project of health care development in Sabra and Shatila camps – Baabda

– A – Nabatieh

3

– Tyrie – Bint Jbeil 1

– Aynata –B

– Rchaf – Bint Jbeil 3

– Ghobeiri

2 31/12/2009

O – Old Mina

r – Tripoli 2 31/12/2009

4 R – Old M – Tripoli

8 10/07/2007 31/12/2009

8 31/12/2009

1

– Danbou – A


2- Progress in 2009In this section, we list thecontracts falling within theframework of the funding treatysigned between the Lebanese

government and the EU, a numberof which has been accomplishedby the end of 2008 with the EUfunding, and contracts signed in2008 between the CDR and

several municipalities in order tocomplete outlined projects during2009 and 2010.

2.1 Table outlining projects achieved in 2009

Lebanese Government

Lebanese Government

Lebanese Government

Project Contract Value (US$)

Funding Source


Expected date of

completion Social Development and Vocational Education

Educational and cultural center – Adshit – Nabatieh

33.225 EU 06/07/2007 31/12/2009 49.188 Lebanese

Government Lebanese

Government

Lebanese Government

22/12/2008

Cultural center – Tyrie – Bint Jbeil 15.625 22/12/2008 31/12/2009

Social and cultural center – Aynata –Bint

139.938 22/12/2008 31/12/2009

Lebanese Government

Lebanese Government

Jbeil Public Health

Health care center – Rchaf – Bint Jbeil 3.125 22/12/2008 31/12/2009

Improving health care services in Sabra and Shatila camps - Ghobeiri

7.500 23/12/2008 31/12/2009

Solid Waste Solid waste collection and processing in Sabra and Shatila camps – Ghobeiri

2.091 23/12/2008 31/12/2009

Other sectors Touristic information center – Old Minaregion – Tripoli

27.433 23/12/2008 31/12/2009

42.893 EU Rehabilitating the old market – Old Mina region – Tripoli

8.175 EU 10/07/2007 31/12/2009 195.155

Electricity Reorganizing electricity network in Sabra and Shatila camps - Ghobeiri

8.093 EU 06/07/2007 31/12/2009

189.125 23/12/2008

Lebanese Government

Sports Facilities Danbou youth sport center – Danbou – Akkar

3.375 23/12/2008 31/12/2009

Lebanese Government


Rescue and tourism center in the Old Mina region –

Tripoli

Center for culture and educationin Aynata – Bint Jbeil

2.2 Table outlining projects partly achieved in 2009 and to be completed in 2010:

Lebanese Government

Lebanese Government

Lebanese Government

Lebanese Government


Funding Source


Expected date of

completion

Lebanese Government

Lebanese Government

Lebanese Government

Lebanese Government

Agriculture and Irrigation

Building and equipping an agricultural guidance center with an olive processing unit – Loubieh – Saida

77.813 EU 10/07/2007 31/12/2010

252.063 23/12/2008

Building and equipping an agricultural guidance and processing center – Al Boustan – Sour

21.288 31/12/2010 381.088 23/12/2008

Irrigation network – Al Marie – Hasbaya 6.688 EU 31/12/2007 31/12/2010 190.188 24/12/2008

Olive press – Akroum – Akkar 5.688 EU 16/07/2007 31/12/2010 374.438 22/12/2008

Revitalizing the agricultural sector – Danbou – Akkar

17.775 23/12/2008 31/12/2010

Building and equipping a diary and fruitprocessing plant – Arsal – Baalbeck

13.750 EU 07/07/2007 31/12/2010

237.875 24/12/2008

Founding a diary processing center – AlKawashra – Akkar

12.281 EU 05/07/2007 31/12/2010 251.781 23/12/2008

Social Development and Vocational Education

Promoting local active NGOs network invocational training and educational activities in Sabra and Shatila camps – Ghobeiri

5.250 EU 06/07/2007 31/12/2010

101.313 23/12/2008

EU 10/07/2007

– Al Kawashra – A

– Arsal –

B

– Danbou – Akkar

E

– Mhammara – Akkar

3

05/07/2007 3

– Arsal - Baalbeck

4

– Halta – H

– Al Khodr

B

– Old Mina region –

T

1


Capacity building of the women craftcooperative in Kawashra - Akkar

Literacy session at the Education Centerin Mhammara - Akkar

Rehabilitation of the fishermen port in Al-Mina - Tripoli

Lebanese Government

Lebanese Government

Lebanese Government

Lebanese Government

Lebanese Government

Lebanese Government

Lebanese Government

Lebanese Government

Lebanese Government

Craftwork center – Al Kawashra – Akkar

EU

Establishing and equipping a vocationaland educational training center – Arsal –Baalbeck

Health care center – Danbou – Akkar

EU

Vocational training center – Mhammara – Akkar

37.438 30/12/2008 31/12/2010

12.281 05/07/2007 31/12/2010 127.406 23/12/2008

48.813 07/07/2007 31/12/2010 108.500 24/12/2008

Public Health

11.750 23/12/2008 31/12/2010

Building and equipping a physiotherapy center – Arsal - Baalbeck

47.766 EU 07/07/2007 31/12/2010 84.421 24/12/2008

Sanitation

Small wastewater network – Halta – Hasbaya

11.588 EU 10/07/2007 31/12/2010

224.813 24/12/2008 Wastewater network project – Al KhodrBaalbeck

12.875 EU 07/07/2007 31/12/2010

425.200 24/12/2008

Other sectorsPurchasing a touristic rescue boat for

shermen and rehabilitating the alleys -Tripoli

139.875 23/12/2008 31/12/2010

Enhancing the handicrafts sector productivity – Old Mina region – Tripoli

136.888 23/12/2008 31/12/2010

9.531 EU


Table of the main projects currently under implementation within the framework of theMED financing agreement - Period 2009-2011:

Digging an artesian well for the villagesof Al- Boustan, Al-Zaloutiyeh and Al-Thahira – Sour Rehabilitating agricultural roads – Villages of Al-Boustan, Al-Zloutiyeh and Al- Thahira – Sour


Funding Source


Expected date of

completion

191.820 EU grant 21/08/2009 21/08/2010

Building an agricultural basin -Al-Jebbin - Sour

66.720 EU grant 21/08/2009 21/08/2010

Adshit – Nabatiyeh 52.820 EU grant 21/08/2009 21/08/2010

Building a water tank and a pipeline network – Villages of Adshit and Toulin – Marjeyoun

156.083 EU grant 21/08/2009 21/02/2011

Digging an artesian well Kfarhamam Hasbaya

272.857 EU grant 21/08/2009 21/02/2011

Expanding the sanitation network – Al-Fardis - Hasbaya

139.000 EU grant 21/08/2009 21/02/2011

Building water discharge canals and expanding the sanitation network – Rashaya Al-Fakhar – Hasbaya

147.340 EU grant 21/08/2009 21/02/2011

Digging an artesian well – Aytaroun – Bint Jbeil

149.856 EU grant 21/08/2009 20/08/2010

Rehabilitating an agricultural basin – Villages of Ayta Shaab and Rmeich – Bint Jbeil

111.200 EU grant 21/08/2009 21/08/2010

94.520 EU grant 21/08/2009 21/08/2010


Community Development ProjectOn the 29th of July 2002, the

Lebanese parliament endorsed the

Community Development Project

(CDP) pursuant to the law 433, a

project partly funded by the World

Bank (WB) through a US$ 20

million loan. The Lebanese State

contributed to its funding with US$

5 million. The loan expired in June

2008.

This project sought to confirm the

Lebanese government commitment

to conducting a balanced

development process in all the

Lebanese regions to serve all social

categories. It also stresses the great

importance the government

attaches to the difficult living

conditions the neediest

communities are suffering from.

The project helped activate

relations between the State and civil

society institutions through the

carrying out of development and

social projects with the following

objectives:

• Ensuring adequate opportunities

and circumstances to guarantee

access to the main socio-

economic services.

• Improving the economic situation

of low-income households and

communities.

• Elaborating specific social

programs aiming at fulfilling the

youth, women, children, elderly

and disabled needs.

• Documenting experiences and

lessons, benefiting from expertise

drawn from the project

implementation and exploiting

this expertise in coordination with

the concerned ministries in order

to develop a community

development strategy capable of

alleviating social and regional

disparities.

The CDP was implemented under

the management of the CDR

through two main programs:

• A national sectoral programbased on specific community

programs as part of several

primary national sectoral projects

aiming at meeting the needs of

certain categories such as women,

youth, children and disabled.

• A Regional developmentprogram based on the local

communities’ needs and targeting

well-defined communities in

villages suffering from difficult

social conditions and located in

the following geographic regions

(rural poverty regions) : 1- Akkar

caza 2- Cazas of Minyeh and

Zgharta 3- Tripoli city 4- Cazas of

Becharre, Jbeil and Batroun 5-

Greater Beirut 6- Cazas of

Baalbeck and Hermel 7- Cazas of

Rashaya and Hasbaya 8- Cazas of

Nabatieh, Sour, Bint Jbeil and

Marjeyoun 9- Cazas of Aley and

Chouf 10- Cazas of Saida and

Jezzine.

Thanks to prior rehabilitation, the

project resorted to services

provided by a number of NGOs or

international organizations

experienced in the development

work, in addition to a documented

expertise in project implementation.

1- Major Achievements -Period 1992-2008 At the executive level, the CDR

carried out the following activities

within the framework of the CDP:

• A quick social survey was

conducted in the aforementioned

ten regions to spot poverty

clusters and identify the

development needs and priorities

in these clusters after

consultations and deliberations

with local bodies and figures

working in the region.

• In the light of the social survey

results, the CDR convened the

civil bodies willing to participate

in suggesting projects aimed at

addressing the sectoral priorities

outlined in the survey.

Consequently, the CDR managed

to sign contracts on 119 projects

worth over US$ 11.12 million, in

the framework of regional

projects.

• Pursuant to contracts with civil

associations and bodies, the CDR

carried out several small and

rapidly executable projects (each

with a maximum budget of US$

30.000 implemented in a period of

six months) in different regions of

Lebanon. These projects cover

diverse sectors including health,

agriculture, education, training,

skills development, etc. The

value of the 128 executed projects

totaled US$ 3.1 million.

• To address the destructive

repercussions of the Israeli

aggression of July 2006, the CDR

carried out quick rehabilitation

initiatives. In fact, it called on civil

associations willing to take part in

these initiatives to suggest

projects of action in the afflicted

regions with a maximum budget

of US$ 50.000 and a maximum

period of implementation of five

months. The projects seek to

stimulate socio-economic life and

thus help people recover from the

crisis. The number of projects

reached 74 with a total value of

US$ 3.53 million.

• During this period, the CDR

carried out national sectoral


projects at the Lebanese level

covering important issues related

to disabilities, youth and gender.

Civil associations implementing

these projects cooperated with

governmental and non-

governmental bodies working in

these fields in order to promote

partnerships among them and thus

facilitate the application of

adopted measures and improve

the standards related to these

issues to meet the internationally

recognized ones. The value of

these projects totaled US$ 2.22

million.

56%

18%

15%

11%

Spending by Type of Projects

Regional ProjectsQuick rehabilitation initiativesSmall & rapidly executable projectsNational sectoral programs

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Spending by region and type of projects

Small and rapidly executable projects Regional projects Quick rehabilitation initiatives

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As for the categories that

benefited from these projects, they

are distributed as follows: farmers

(35%), residents (29%), youth

(20%), special social cases (9%)

and women (7%). These

categories (except for the

residents) are marginalized and

must be targeted in any action

aiming at improving their living

conditions and extracting them

from poverty according to the

recommendations of many

national studies.

2- Progress in 2008 towardsthe Implementation ofContracts Signed before2008In 2008, a number of projects and

studies have been fully carried out

and were submitted according to

the CDR regulations. These

projects and studies are:

• Study on the follow–up and

assessment of the Community

Development Project, conducted

by the Consultation and

Research Institution. The

consultant carried out his duties

in this regard and submitted

three monitoring reports in the

first stage of the study and a final

report in the second stage.

• The second stage of the works of

the intermediary committee

acting in the national sectoral

program on gender implemented

by the Hariri Foundation for

Sustainable Human

Development. The Foundation

set up a database classified by

gender at the law and media

levels. It has also organized

training sessions to journalists

and university students in order

to raise awareness about the

importance of improving the

women image in the media and

held debate circles on related

issues. The Foundation

submitted three main reports

pursuant to the tasks stipulated in

the contract: “Analytical

Reading in Studies on Women

and Law/ Women and Media.

2005-2007”, “Towards Women

Empowerment in Media for

Equity between Male and

Female Citizens” and “Six Steps

towards Equality” – an analytical

report on the aspects of

discrimination against women in

the Lebanese law.

• Accomplishment of works

related to several regional

development programs and

quick rehabilitation programs

carried out by a number of

NGOs active at a local scale in

Northern and Southern Lebanese

villages. These bodies

implemented projects related to

environment protection,

environmental awareness,

wastewater processing,

agricultural processing, animal

production development and the

promotion of tourism and

handicrafts.

3- Progress in 2009The progress achieved in 2009 can

be summed up in three projects

which contracts have been

amended in 2008 due to

unexpected circumstances (factors

related to security, climate and/or

a hike in the prices of construction

materials). However, through

intensified action, they have been

fully executed in 2009 according

to the agreed conditions and

deadlines. The following table

outlines these projects:

0

0

The projects are distributed among different sectors as follows:

egatnecreP rotceS

Agriculture 25 Education, vocational education and training 19

Culture and entertainment 14 Agricultural industries and handicrafts 12

Health 10 Infrastructure and environment 10 Social affairs 10



Funding Source

Establishing and equipping a sports 50.000 WB and Lebanese Government

WB and Lebanese Government

Lebanese Government Rehabilitating infrastructure and ensuring drinking water –Jayroun/Caza

78.628

Reinforcing drinking water infrastructure – Zgharta caza

85.083

Innovative Partnership toPromote InterregionalCommunication throughLocal Development (ARTGOLD Lebanon)ART GOLD project was launchedon the 22nd of September 2006.Representatives of the Italiangovernment and UNDPparticipated in the ceremonywhich was held at the CDRheadquarters. The Lebanesegovernment was also representedin the ceremony since it is thenational executing partner. At theinternational level, the launchingtook place at an internationalconference held in Geneva in theend of September 2006, attendedby the chief of the Lebanesepermanent diplomatic mission inGeneva, representatives of theCDR, the ministry of Interior andMunicipalities, UNDP, Arab andinternational donors, municipalunions and European developmentinstitutions as well asrepresentatives of Lebanesevillages and municipal unionsfrom regions covered by theproject.This project is part of theinternational “ART Initiative” set

by a group of UN organizations,including UNDP, in order topromote strategic and practicalcontact between donors,Development and DecentralizedCooperation institutions andprograms supporting localdevelopment policies so as toachieve the MillenniumDevelopment Goals (MDGs) andto strengthen local bodies’potentials in approaches aiming atreducing poverty. Consequently, ithas been agreed that the projectimplementation shall include, inthe first stage, regions classified as“the poorest” based on officialnational data and statistics. Theseregions are:1- North Lebanon: Three cazas:Akkar and Minyeh-Danniyeh andTripoli - Bab El-Tibaneh. 2- South Lebanon: Five cazas:Marjeyoun, Bint Jbeil, Nabatieh,Sour and Hasbaya.3- Bekaa: Two cazas: Rachayaand Western Bekaa.4- Beirut Southern suburb (addedlater due to the damages caused byJuly 2006 war).The project duration was fixed at36 months while it was dedicateda US$ 8,292,383 budget as a grant

from the Italian government. Themethodology of the project wasbased on forming local, nationaland international working groupsin order to find frameworks ofcoordination and cooperation inthe carrying out of activities at thelocal, national and internationallevels.

1- Major Achievements – Period1992-2008• Issuing the Council of Ministers’Decision No 115/2007 dated30/10/2007 which ordained theformation of the Program NationalCommittee headed by the CDR toensure compatibility of localplans, initiatives and activitiesimplemented within theframework of ART GOLDLebanon Program with nationalplans and policies. The committeealso includes the Director Generalof the Ministry of Economy andTrade, the Director General oflocal administrations and councilsin the Ministry of Interior andMunicipalities and the DirectorGeneral of the Ministry of SocialAffairs. The director of UNDPand the representative of theItalian Embassy, in its capacity as

S


the funding party of the Program,are also members in thiscommittee. The committee held itsfirst meeting in December 2007 toreview the Program’s annualaction plans and reports on theprogress achieved. It is worthy tonote that the internationalpreliminary committee wasformed in the light of theinternational conference held inGeneva in September 2006. TheCommittee includesrepresentatives of the NationalCommittee mentioned above,representatives of Europeanorganizations, institutions andunions concerned with localdecentralized development, inaddition to the partners whodeclared their intention tocontribute financially to theprogram. The internationalcommittee held a meeting in Parison September 24, 2007 to reviewthe progress of work on theProgram and to propose future

steps. • Forming 308 municipal workinggroups, 19 regional workinggroups and 19 sectoral workinggroups in the regions covered bythe Program.• Holding individual meetingswith representatives of donorparties working in Beirut toacquaint them with the Programand to urge them to join the localdevelopment process through thisProgram. These included the EU,the embassies of France, Belgium,Spain, Italy and Canada.Consequently, the Italiangovernment agreed to increase itscontribution by US$ 1.5 millionand Belgium decided to contributeUS$ 3 million. The Spanishgovernment will provide US$ 2.5million in a three year period(starting from 2009) to supportinterventions identified by localworking groups in the four areasof the Program, especially thatrelated to local economic

development.• Signing the first cooperationprogram between the Program andthe Catalan Agency forDevelopment to implement threerehabilitation projects in WesternBekaa and the South for anamount of EUR 270,000 duringthis year. Another amount of EUR10,000 was contributed by LesAmis du Liban A Monaco NGO toimplement an educational projectin Rashaya and Western Bekaa.ART GOLD Lebanon Programmanaged to attract a number ofdecentralized cooperation partnersin Italy, Spain, Belgium, and theprincipality of Monaco to providetechnical assistance andspecialized training; and tofacilitate networking betweenthese international partners andlocal Lebanese directorates. Thefollowing table summarizes themain initiatives launched during2007 and 2008:

ART GOLD Region of Action International and Decentralized Cooperation Partners Sector

North Lebanon - Umbria Region - Compagnia dei Parchi

Beekeeping and ecotourism

Western Bekaa - Les Amis du Liban A Monaco - Principality of Monaco- Catalan Region

Primary health care and agroindustry

South Lebanon - Coordination of the Italian Local Entities for Peace andHuman Right- Catalan Region

Solid waste management, water management, renewable energy, improving education level, supporting youth communities and agro-industry

Beirut Southern Suburb - Tuscany Region - Arezzo Municipality - ARCI International Network

Primary health care and youth social integration


• Allocating over US$ 2,500,000

thousand for the implementation of

priority projects as a preparatory

stage towards the launching of a

local development process in each

region of the Program action regions

during 2007 and 2008 related the

fields of education, environment,

primary health care, agriculture and

essential infrastructure.

• Organizing training sessions and

providing technical assistance to the

members of local working

committees formed in order to

strengthen their skills in elaborating

local action plans. In the same

context, a socio-economic

consultant was recruited to work

with the Program work team and

local working groups in order to lay

down the necessary principles to

crystallize the local socio-economic

component for the targeted regions.

The consultant is assisted by a

specialist in Maps of Risks and

Resources who started his work in

July 2007. In the light of the

consultant work, unofficial Local

Economic Development Agencies

will be formed in the first stage to

propose the economic development

plans and to follow-up on the

implementation of the relevant

programs.

In order to carry out these activities:

- Four Regional Working Groups

(RWGs) were formed to serve as a

nucleus to launch afterwards Local

Economic Development Agencies

(ADEL).

- Thirty four specialized workshops

and meetings were held by these

four working groups to discuss

competitiveness features

distinguishing their regions and,

with the participation of over 550

beneficiaries, training sessions were

held on local economic development

concepts and mechanisms.

- A number of local banks were

assessed in order to study the

possibility of engaging them in the

framework of the action of the

ADELs to be formed in the ART

GOLD action regions.

2- Major Achievements in2009In 2009, ART GOLD Program

engaged in the second stage that

focuses on the sustainable

development strategy and strategic

planning in order to set the priorities

of the executed programs and

projects. The Program raised this

year additional funds offered by

several donors, a fact that promoted

the process of sustainable socio-

economic development in the

targeted regions. Its major

achievements in 2009 are in brief the

following:

• Forty seven projects were executed

in the Program’s regions of action in

partnership with local working

committees in coordination with the

concerned ministries and

municipalities in addition to the

decentralized cooperation partners.

The projects were distributed among

different sectors according to the

primary needs of each region and

targeted the sectors of local

economic development including

health, environment, education,

youth and infrastructure. These

projects had a positive impact on

living conditions in the targeted

regions especially among

marginalized categories.

Local economic development/ Access to credits and other services

Local economic development/ Income generation and job creation

Environment

Primary health care

Youth


• Communication and coordinationwith the competent authorities,such as the Ministry of Interiorand Municipalities, the Ministryof Public Health and the Ministryof Agriculture, have beenintensified in order to guaranteecoherence between the Program’sgoals and the nationaldevelopment priorities, acoherence ensured by the NationalCommittee of the Programpresided by the CDR. At the locallevel, coordination with 300municipal councils has beenmaintained and led to partnershipswith more than 100 municipalitiesso far.• At the international level, thegoals and activities of the Programhave been promoted amongEuropean donors anddecentralized cooperation partnersthrough the ART office in Genevaand UNDP, in cooperation withART offices in Rome and Seville.The efforts attracted severaldecentralized cooperation partnersfrom Italy, Spain, Belgium andMonaco, raising the number of

partnerships to 45. LocalLebanese and Europeaninstitutions exchanged technicalvisits that contributed to theexchange of the best practices andexpertise in areas of commoninterest.Within the framework of theessential components of ARTGOLD (local economicdevelopment, participativeapproach and decentralizedcooperation), the majorachievements of 2009 are thefollowing:

a-Local Economic Development(LED):• Four Local EconomicDevelopment Offices – LEDOswere established and equipped inthe Program’s four regions ofintervention. Besides, a LEDexpert and an expert in businessdevelopment were designated toassist these offices. The expertstook part in training session onLED issues and the Program’saction mechanism.• The primary foundations of the

Lending Program and itsGuarantee fund have been laiddown. The Program signed amemorandum of understandingwith the ESFD affiliated to theCDR on the management of thefund. In addition, a national bankwas selected to execute theLending Program that will targetSMEs.• Three cooperatives (Diary,beekeeping and agriculture) wereestablished and technicalassistance was provided to 550farmers, most of them in theNorth, the Bekaa and the South,and to over 100 owners of SMEsand cooperatives that wereassisted at the organizational andmanagerial levels.• Training session were organizedto Lebanese beekeepers and anItalian expert conducted a studyon the quality of the Lebanesehoney and submitted suggestionsthat would help it access theinternational market and becompetitive at the internationalscale.

The mayor of Tripoli, the UNDP director in Lebanon and thepresident of the Association for “Cooperation, Development andHealth” distributing certificates to 132 female participants to asession on health awareness held in Bab El-Tabaneh, Baal Mohsenand Al-Kobbe.

Right to left: The Belgian Ambassador to Lebanon and theMayor of Baalbeck during the inauguration of commercialkiosks in front of Baalbeck Citadel.

78 CDR October 2010Social Infrastructure

Right to left: The UNDP Resident Representative in Lebanon,the advisor at the Italian embassy, the head of Bint Jbeilmunicipalities’ Union, the CDR representative and therepresentative of the municipalities of Turin distributingcertificates to trainees.

Right to left: The Mayor of Al-Kasr, the First Secretary at theEmbassy of Spain, the UNDP Resident Representative in Lebanonand the head of Hermel municipalities’ Union during theinauguration of a primary health care center in Al-Kasr village.

b- Participative Approachand Working Groups:• Twenty-two regional workinggroups were formed, including 18thematic ones, such as theagricultural working group, thehealth working group, the youthworking group, etc. These groupsenjoyed a technical assistanceaiming at building their capacitiesand allowing them to forgepartnerships and exchangeknowledge in diverse domainsthrough different missions to andfrom Lebanon.• Cooperation amongmunicipalities at the regional levelwas promoted and ART GOLDworked with them in order toelaborate local plans and priorityprojects in terms of localdevelopment.

c- DecentralizedCooperation:• A plan has been set out in orderto organize decentralizedcooperation missions, improve theresults, help determine thedecentralized cooperation partnersand adjust the projects to local

priorities. The year 2009witnessed more than 30 missionsfrom and to Lebanon.• Partnerships built betweenLebanese municipalities andEuropean partners ofdecentralized cooperationincreased by 20% compared to theyear 2008.

3- Main Orientation ofART GOLD Lebanonduring 2010ART GOLD will focus onconsolidating the gains of theprevious years by emphasizing thesustainable aspect of the achievedresults and encouraging nationalownership. To this end, it willintensify follow up efforts on thecoordination between the CDRand the concerned ministries at thenational level, and the workinggroups and the municipalities atthe local level. The Program willalso continue working on thestrategic planning based on theframework set in 2009 that definesthe priorities of each region.In the same time, the Program willkeep building partnerships with

international parties that supportits goals and action mechanism incooperation with UNDP Hub forInnovative Partnerships inGeneva, in order to promote theProgram’s activities and resultsamong European donors anddecentralized cooperationpartners. Technical visits will becontinuously organized betweenLebanese and European localinstitutions in order to facilitatethe transfer of knowledge,expertise and best practices incommon areas.During 2010, the Program willseek to achieve financialsustainability and thesustainability of the LEDOs’future operating costs by buildingthe capacities of the members ofthe LEDOs’ founding entitiesthrough workshops and theexchange of technical visitsbetween Lebanese and Europeanlocal institutions so as to facilitatethe transfer of knowledge,expertise and best practices. Inaddition, the launching of theLending Program will contributeto the promotion of LEDOs’ future

“Demining and Socio-E

” in

p

– S

U

-

-

79CDR October 2010 Social Infrastructure

financial sustainability.It is noteworthy that ART GOLDLebanon Program has beenselected among 18 countries tohost a study mission gatheringrepresentatives of the UNDP’sOffice of Development Studies –New York, and 12 membersbelonging to UNDP offices inEastern Europe, North Africa,North America and Syria. Themission will visit Lebanon fromthe 2nd till the 4th of February2010 to review the best practicesthat have been adopted in theframework of ART GOLDProgram and to discuss the lessonsdrawn from the Lebaneseexperience.

Socio-EconomicDevelopment Program inSouth Lebanon1- Major Achievements - Period2000-2007The action of the program wasfocused on the freed villages in thecazas of Marjeyoun, Hasbaya,Bint Jbeil and a part of Sour. Byproviding support to localinstitutions and bodies in order to

strengthen their capacities andameliorate their performance, thisprogram aims at improving theeconomic cycle in the region in away that urges people to stay intheir villages and displaced andemigrants to go back to the freedSouth.During this period, the programcarried out several initiatives andactivities with municipalities,cooperatives, youth and freedprisoners organizations. It alsoheld monthly meetings withinternational, civil and non-governmental organizations activein the South in order to coordinatedevelopment efforts and exchangeinformation. It is worthmentioning that the programprovided continuous support tosouthern villages and townsduring and after the July 2006 war.

Thanks to exceptional relationswith donor countries, the programmanaged to raise additionalresources to carry out thefollowing activities:• Formulating a quick intervention

strategy to launch works and

projects as soon as theaggression stopped. It is worthnoting that the action of theprogram was expanded to newcazas which are Nabatieh,Jezzine, Saida and Sour.

• Conducting a comprehensivesurvey of damages inflicted byJuly 2006 aggression in war-affected southern villages andcities, directly after the end ofhostilities in coordination withmunicipalities, local authoritiesand representatives of theconcerned villages and cities.

• Removing rubble and openingroads in 101 affected villagesthanks to a US$ 800.000 grantprovided by the UNDP’s Bureaufor Crisis Prevention andRecovery to the program.

• Forming the Information andMapping Unit whichencompasses all informationabout organizations andassociations active in the Southand their type of action; andposting this information on thewebsite.

2- Progress in 2008This table outlines the contracts of the following projects:

# Project Project Value Bene ciaries Major Achievements

1 “Demining and Socio-Economic Development Project in South Lebanon” in partnership with the UN Mine Action Coordination Center – South Lebanon (UNMACC-SL)

US$ 1 million

18 villages in the cazas of Nabatieh, Jezzine and Saida, covering 18 agricultural cooperatives and 18 local municipalities

- Organizing vocational training and technical skills sessions to 195 deminers and local community members in the affected regions

- Completing the local municipalities training project and implementing 11 projects with them.

- Organizing training workshops for agricultural cooperatives and starting the implementation of 15projects with these cooperatives

80 CDR October 2010Social Infrastructure

- Forming nine additional groups for youth and carrying out youth activities with them

2 The project of early intervention for rehabilitation with the Swedish government (2)

US$ 1.057 million

106 southern cities and villages in the cazas of Nabatieh, Saida, Jezzine, Sour, Bint Jbeil, Marjeyoun and Hasbaya

Rehabilitating internal roads lighting networks, wastewater drainage network and storm waterdrainage ditches; purchasing machinery, carrying out development projects and rehabilitating commercial markets

3 Project of income sources rehabilitation and job opportunities creation through socio-economic support, funded by the Austrian government

US$ 150,000

15 agricultural cooperatives, with a focus on women cooperatives in the cazas of Nabatieh, Saida, Jezzine, Sour, Bint Jbeil, Marjeyoun and Hasbaya

Fifteen project promoting agricultural production (providing agro-industrialequipment and machinery…)

- Project of demining and socio-

economic development in South

Lebanon.

- Completing of the vocational

training project at the end of

which 171 trainees obtained

certificates in the following

specialties:

• Accessories and jewelry

manufacturing

• Mobile phone maintenance

• Computer maintenance

• Tree trimming and

hybridization

• Irrigation network installation

• Garden maintenance

The ceremony during which

certificates were delivered to

trainees.

Figures handing certificates and

felicitating the trainees (Right to

left): The UNDP Vice

Representative, the CDR

Representative, the Japanese

Ambassador, the Director of the

project and the Minister of

Agriculture.

- Completing the municipalities’

projects executed in 18 villages

and towns in the cazas of

Nabatiyeh, Jezzine and Saida.

- Completing the agricultural

cooperatives’ projects that

targeted 18 agricultural

cooperatives in the

aforementioned cazas.

Holding training session on the

techniques of presentation and

sales, targeting the members of

agricultural cooperatives

Continuous action with 18 youth

groups, as follows:

The ceremony during which certificates were

delivered to trainees.

Figures handing certificates and felicitating

the trainees (Right to left): The UNDP Vice

Representative, the CDR Representative, the

Japanese Ambassador, the Director of the

project and the Minister of Agriculture.

81CDR October 2010 Social Infrastructure

• Workshop on conflict resolution

through theater

• Summer camp on gender

• Workshop on training skills and

training of trainers

• Workshop on strategic planning

• Workshop on photography to

execute the project “My story in A

Photo” in order to subsequently

organize a photo exhibition

• Visit by members of youth

groups to the Exhibition of

professions

• Trip to the city of Saida to visit

its archeological sites and watch

an educational movie

• Sports session assembling youth

groups from different cazas

3-Socio-EconomicDevelopment Project inSouth Lebanon – SecondPhaseIn May 2010, the launching of the

second phase was approved,

provided that this phase covers:

• Supportig cooperatives to enable

them to participate in multiple

festivals, exhibitions and

occasions in all villages in order to

present and advertise their

products.

• Organizing a recreational

gathering day on the occasion of

the UN Day with the participation

of agricultural cooperatives, youth

groups and local and international

associations active in the South, in

addition to the United Nations

Interim Force in Lebanon

(UNIFIL).

• Taking part in Beirut Marathon

2010 through pre-prepared healthy

meals provided by Southern

agricultural cooperatives and

through the participation of young

people.

• Founding a network of women

cooperatives as part of the general

network of cooperatives that the

program intends to support in the

South, with the objective of

improving the quality of

production at the least possible

cost.

• Submitting suggestions on

training issues to municipalities

and agricultural cooperatives.

• Preliminarily defining the

villages targeted by the program in

addition to setting a list of eligible

beneficiaries.

• Conducting preliminary survey

of agricultural and artisanal

Agricultural cooperatives at a foodexhibition in Zkak Al-Blat.

Youth participating to the UN Day festivities

Youth initiative in Shakra village

Youth gathering during a visit to the BielCareer Orientation Forum

82 CDR October 2010

cooperatives active in the South

and previously supported by the

program, knowing that a

comprehensive survey of the

region’s potentials and natural

resources is currently underway.

• Establishing a cooperation

framework and exchanging

information with the Lebanon

Mine Action Center affiliated to

the Lebanese army, allowing the

exchange information on the

victims of mines left by the war of

July 2006 in order to assist them

through productive development

projects and vocational training.

• Activating 16 youth groups

among those founded by the

program since 2000.

• Executing 16 activities/projects

with the activated youth groups.

• Founding 5 new groups in the

caza of Sour, based on a

comprehensive and detailed

survey of the villages and towns in

this caza.

• Calling the youth to participate

in the Career Orientation Forum

2010 in Biel.

• Regularly holding weekly

meetings with youth groups and

working with them on a plan of

action for each group, in addition

to carrying out different activities

in the regions.

• Founding a youth committee

mandated to publish a youth

magazine and to start collecting

information.

• Engaging youth in local working

groups founded in the framework

of ART GOLD Lebanon to enable

them to participate in the

development process in their

villages.

• Following up on the program of

coordination between the

organizations and associations

active in the South on one hand

and public institutions and

directorates on the other hand, in

order to carry out projects that

promote the local development

process. The program will

continue holding monthly

meetings targeting concerned

associations, noting that, in every

meeting, a specific problem will

be discussed by experts and

representatives of concerned

ministries.

4- Rapid Intervention Projectafter July 2006 WarThe Program continued following

up on the socio-economic projects

that have been executed and

financed by the Swedish and

Austrian governments and the

European Union.

Socio-Economic DevelopmentProgram in AkkarSince mid-2003, UNDP is

implementing this program in

cooperation with the CDR. At the

first stages, the program focused

on three regions in Akkar: Jerd Al-

Kati’, El Joumeh and Central

Dreib. In 2007, the action was

expanded to the regions of Sahel

Al-Kati’, Al Sahel, Lower and

Higher Dreib. The program sought

to develop the capabilities of

municipalities, civil associations

and youth groups in order to

activate their participation in the

local development process and lay

down a cooperation mechanism

which would organize relations

with public directorates, NGOs

and donors.

1- Major Achievements – Period1992-2008The program contributed to

developing local capacities to

ensure development readiness of

many municipalities and build the

capacities of local social workers

at the development and

management levels in addition to

reinforcing youth activities. In this

context, it is worth to mention a

number of activities carried out in

this regard:

- Conducting a comprehensive

field survey of El Joumeh region

based on the GIS technique in

collaboration with Fares

Institution, El-Joumeh

Municipality Union and Balamand

University. The survey covered

over five thousand households.

- Setting up 90 village profiles and

diagnostic reports for 34 villages

identifying the village situation

and its material and human

resources, as well as cooperating

with 20 municipalities to complete

local development plans.

- Carrying out 25 projects funded

by the program’s budget in

cooperation with municipalities,

cooperatives and local bodies in

the areas of agricultural

infrastructure, agricultural

guidance, production quality

improvement, environment

protection, education quality

improvement, culture promotion

and youth action activation.

- Building the capacities of local

development actors

(municipalities, cooperatives, civil

associations). In fact, 622 people

followed training sessions on local

development methods, the

elaboration of projects and the

preparation of project documents.

- Forming youth working groups

in ten villages in Akkar, holding

training sessions on youth

mobilization methods,

volunteering, citizenship and

Social Infrastructure

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83CDR October 2010

dialogue; organizing the Youth

Gathering in 2006, 2007 and 2008

and the summer youth camp

(August 2005, 2007 and 2008) and

launching the mobile cinema club

in the villages.

In this context, it is worth

mentioning that the program faced

difficulties due to social,

economic, environmental,

educational and health problems

that Akkar region is suffering

from, problems that made Akkar

the neediest region in Lebanon.

These problems are to be added to

difficulties emanating from the

institutional reality in this region

which is witnessing a lack in

material and human municipal

capabilities and shortage in active

cadres in local communities. In

fact, these cadres often seek new

perspectives out of Akkar and thus

villages are deprived from

competent workforce. As a result,

capacity building becomes a more

difficult task for the program. In

2007 and 2008, the program also

faced difficulties due to security

incidents in the region, especially

the developments in Nahr Al

Bared camp, which had a negative

impact on the level of Akkar

region in general and forced a

suspension of many activities

carried out by the program.

2- Major Achievements in 2009The Program maintained the

cooperation with municipalities in

order to fully carry out the

contracts signed in the end of 2008

which implementation has been

completed in 2009. The contracts

cover the following projects:



Local Contribution

Funding Source

Date of Completion

Building a sports eld in Korkof village

15.650 5.248 CDR April 2009

Building a sports eld in Sheikh Mohammad village

17.595 5.879 CDR May 2009

Building a sports eld in Tel-Bireh village

16.670 5.100 CDR October 2009

Building an agricultural irrigation canal in Aayat

11.470 2.960 CDR October 2009

Building an agricultural irrigation canal in Burqayel

8.280 2.205 CDR May 2009

Rehabilitating and paving an agricultural road in Al Ouainat village

16.269 5.423 CDR March 2009

Rehabilitating and paving an agricultural road in Al-Dibabieh village

14.850 5.100 CDR February 2009

Rehabilitating and paving an agricultural road in Humaira village

15.085 4.998 CDR March 2009

- Cooperating with municipal

working groups to set out the

diagnostic reports and the local

developments plans after having

finished the survey of primary

development needs in 12 villages

and local developments plans in 8

villages.

- Holding sectoral workshops and

training sessions to the members

of the new municipal working

groups, the agricultural

cooperatives and the civil

associations in the region on the

methods of local development

and management.

- Holding meetings and collecting

data on Wadi Khaled region, as a

84 CDR October 2010

prelude to the project’s

intervention in the region during

the second phase of execution.

- Training a group of young

people on theater acting and

producing a play staged by the

youth themselves at the Fourth

Youth Gathering.

- Founding a new youth group in

Tel Bireh village in the plain of

Akkar.

- Organizing training workshops

for youth groups on organization

techniques of children camps and

activities, holding the Fourth

Youth Gathering in Akkar

(October 2009) and organizing the

Fourth Youth Camp in Akkar

(August 2009) during five days

with the participation of 60 young

men and women.


Sector Number of Projects Number of Bene ciaries 00852erutcurtsarfnI

Agriculture 12 14290 Environment 3 12000

00167noitacudEYouth 9 12050

Table of sectoral projects executed during the period 2003 – 2009:

3- Main Orientation of theProgram – Period 2010-2011Analyzing the 2004 poverty map

confirms that the caza of Akkar is

still the poorest in Lebanon. This

fact urges the Lebanese State,

represented by the CDR, to keep

cooperating with UNDP to support

the development process in this

caza with a special focus on

poverty. The upcoming period is

expected to witness a growing

interest by donors to allocate

programs and budgets to Akkar,

ensuring the sustainability of the

program considered as a crucial

link between these interventions,

thanks to the confidence it enjoys

and the development readiness it

built in this region.

In the tripartite evaluation meeting

held in February 2010, it has been

agreed to launch the second phase

of the project in order to:

- Continue working with the

municipalities that have carried out

local development plans in order to

help them built partnerships with

donors to execute development

projects, some of which are

financed by the program’s budget.

- Follow up on the work of the

municipal councils that will be

elected in May 2010 and build their

ability to sustain the local

development plan launched earlier.

- Launch the action in the region of

Wadi Khaled in order to crystallize

the local development plan and

help establish partnerships with

donors, in addition to the execution

of a number of economic

development projects based on the

program’s budget.

In the framework of the local development plan carried

out in the village of Korkof, the local development

committee suggested building the youth capacities and

ensuring the infrastructure that would allow them to

efficiently organize activities. A land was made available

by the municipalities to build a mini-football field in

cooperation with the Program. In fact, the latter

contributed US$ 15650 while the municipality contributed

US$ 5248, in addition to the land. This field is the first of

its kind in the region of Sahel Al-Kati’ in Akkar and is

used by the sports teams of the neighboring villages.

85CDR October 2010

Joint Projects with UNOrganizations Working inLebanonSupport to the Achievement ofthe Millennium DevelopmentGoals-MDGsThe CDR and UNDP signed the

project “Support to The

Achievement of The Millennium

Development Goals” on

24/07/2008. The project aims at

helping the Lebanese government

carry out policies and activities

that contribute to the attainment of

MDGs by 2015, as agreed by

Lebanon and the countries of the

world. The project seeks as well to

build the capacities of concerned

governmental parties in terms of

statistically following up

indicators and making them at the

disposal of citizens, decision

makers and civil society

institutions.

1- Major Achievements –Period 2008-20091.1 Communication andAdvocacyIn 2009, the Second National

Human Development Report

(NHDR) (2008) was published

after the First NHDR issued in

2003. Based on available

information, the NHDR

summarizes the advancement

achieved based on the indicators

used to measure the progress

towards the MDGs. The report

sheds light on the efforts deployed

by all concerned ministries and

administrations in order to achieve

these goals. It points to the

available chances of realizing

more progress as well as to the

obstacles to this progress.

According to the report, the

number of people living under the

poverty line – estimated at US$

2.4 per capita per day – decreased

from 10.1% to 8% in 2004.

However, this percentage is still

significantly high compared to

the goal of 4% to be achieved by

2015. Regional disparities

remain one of the main

characteristics of poverty in

Lebanon. In fact, the extremely

poor living in North Lebanon

represent 46% of Lebanon’s poor

compared to less than 1% in

Beirut city.

1.2 Environmental SustainabilityIn 2008, in line with goal 7 of theMDGs related to environmentalsustainability, the project carriedout an environmental awarenesscampaign, targeting decision


Working with youth groups aims at building the

youth capacities in order to activate their

contribution to the local development plan.

With the participation of more than 220 young

men and women in the region of Akkar, training

workshops are considered as one of the crucial

components used by the Program to achieve its

goals.


makers and the population, on theenvironmental risks in Lebanonand the need to quickly findsolutions to these risks. Thecampaign was launched incooperation and partnership withthe Lebanese Ministry ofEnvironment. It shed light on therisks endangering naturalresources, on climate change,water conservation and energyresources. The campaign relied on“shock” tactics to alert citizens byusing photos that show theenvironmental situation we couldwitness if the current trend ofenvironmental degradationpersists; compared to a bettersituation coupled with theprotection of environment. Thesephotos were distributed on over500 bill boards around Lebanon. Moreover, the project organized abig exhibition with theparticipation of private sector andcivil society representatives inaddition to a number of experts, inorder to promote the idea ofpartnership between the privateand public sectors especially interms of natural resources’monitoring and management.

2- Main Orientation of theProject – Period 2010-2011In the upcoming period, theproject will keep seeking toachieve its goals by carrying outthe following activities:First – Mainstreaming MDGs intopublic policies and developmentplans, in particular in the partsrelated to the distribution ofresources, knowing that the mainpurpose of this activity will be todevelop a national strategy againstpoverty, to be submitted to the

Lebanese government forapproval.Second – Carrying out programsand interventions aiming atstirring progress in the MDGindicators. The two poorestregions in Lebanon will beselected to execute these projectsin order to help them reducepoverty in partnership with localentities in terms of planning andexecution.Third – Building the capacities oflocal communities to conductplanning, to manage and follow upon the MDG indicators, through apilot project to be conducted witha municipality selected based oncertain criteria, in order to test apackage of services. This activityshall be coupled with the draftingof a report on the MDG indicatorsat the local level.Fourth – Reinforcing thestatistical capacities of concernedpublic organs especially withregard to the statistical andanalytic aspects related to theMDGs, provided that the MDGmonitoring database (DEVINFO)be institutionalized and adjusted toLebanon’s particularities.Fifth – Drafting a strategy ofcommunication and advocacy topromote support to the effortsaiming at advancing towardsMDGs at the national level. In thiscontext, the project will prepare areview of the progress achievedtowards the MDGs in 2010 andthe impact of the global financialcrisis on it, as part of the ThirdNHDR, after the publication of thefirst two reports in 2003 and 2008.This report will be a tool ofcommunication with decision-makers, citizens and civil society

institutions.

National Human DevelopmentReport “Towards a Citizen’sState”The UNDP, in cooperation withthe CDR, prepares the NationalHuman Development Report(NHDR) of Lebanon. Thisperiodic reports aims at analyzingpublic policies and programs inorder to improve them and ensuretheir equity, in addition toproviding a statistical image ofhuman development indicatorsand a quality analysis of nationallyimportant issues.

The latest report entitled“Towards a Citizen’s State”studies the relationship betweenthe State and the citizen throughits social, political and culturaldimensions. In all its stages, thereport adopts a wide participatoryapproach which aims at engagingdecision makers in a dialogue withmembers of civil society, theprivate sector, academics andexperts at different levels. In thiscontext, a number of Lebanesescholars and intellectuals havebeen commissioned to prepare thebackground papers of the basicaspects in order to identify thedeficiencies that hinder theprocess of building the citizen’sstate and to clarify how to developa road map to reach a new civilcontract.

1- Major Achievements – Period2006-2008The project working grouporganized a series of workshops todiscuss the background paperswhich preparation was entrusted


to Lebanese researchers accordingto the three basic dimensions ofthe report. Finally, a finalworkshop will be organized toanalyze the results of the firstthree workshops and to proposerecommendations to activatecitizenship in Lebanon. Thisworkshop will be entitled“Towards a New Civil Contract”.

In the first workshop with thetheme of “Political Citizenship”,participants discussed therelationship between the state andthe citizen as defined by theconstitution and personal statuslaws, the ramifications ofsectarianism on certain aspects ofcitizenship and the external andinternal influences on selectedcitizenship practices. Topicsdiscussed included legislation,personal status laws, democracy,public employment and media.

The second workshop discussedthe role of school curricula inbuilding the citizenship culture inchildren and the various aspects ofcitizenship and affiliation inselected art and literature works.The effects of sectarianism oncivil society groups and theoutcomes of a recent survey oncultural identity and Lebaneseaffiliations were also discussed.

The third workshop addressed thecitizenship relationship withsocial justice and publicexpenditure with a special focuson a social justice approach fromthe citizenship perspective anddevelopment of a proposal formeasurement of social justice and

social deprivation. Thedevelopment of the state role inproviding social services and themain constraints which limit theeffectiveness of this role, as wellas the effects of sectarianism onpublic expenditure, were alsodiscussed.

In 2008, the following two reportswere issued:First: The “Education andCitizenship” Report. It adoptedan international approach tocollect information on democracyvalues related to citizenship andparticipation and their impact onstudent aged below 14 years. Thestatistical survey was conducted incooperation with the Ministry ofEducation and Higher Educationunder the supervision of aguidance committee includingrepresentatives of the ministry, theEducational Research Center(ERC) and UNDP. The report waslaunched in late 2008. It unveiledthe importance of promotingcitizenship values in Lebanonamong a generation deeplyaffected by the prevailingpolarization.

Second: The “100 Stories toTell” Report. It covers a numberof initiatives launched by civilsociety members andorganizations in order to promotecitizenship and participation.These initiatives proved thedynamism of the civil society interms of adopting sound initiativesand citizenship values.The publication of both reportswas covered by media campaignsengaging several media outlets

and aiming at explaining thecontent of the reports andtriggering vital debate over issuesthey raised.2. Progress in 2009On the 30th of June 2009, theCDR issued the National HumanDevelopment Report 2008-2009during a ceremony held inPhoenicia Hotel, under the title“Towards A Citizen’s State” incooperation with UNDP andunder the auspices of the Presidentof the Republic, the Speaker of theHouse and the Prime Minister.The ceremony was attended by theMinister of Education and HigherEducation, the CDRRepresentative, a number of MPsand ministers, in addition torepresentatives of the Arab andinternational diplomatic corps, aswell as representatives of NGOsand active UN organizations inLebanon.

The report is divided into sixchapters (300 pages). It waspublished along with acomprehensive statisticalappendix on human developmentindicators in Lebanon containingregional and gender-relatedindicators. A special website hasbeen launched with all the reports,statistics and information relatedto the report preparation.

3. Main Orientation of theProject – Period 2010-2012During this period, the fifthNHDR (2010-2012) draftingprocess is expected to be launchedafter identifying its theme, theadministrative measures and workmethodology to be adopted.


Capacity Building for PovertyReductionThe main objective of this projectis to enhance the pivotal role ofthe Ministry of Social Affairs(MOSA) in promotingconsiderations related to socialpolicies in national decision-making processes, as well as tocontribute to the formulation andimplementation of social policiesat the national level especially atthe MOSA level. The project alsoseeks to undertake a national fieldinvestigation on living conditions.This investigation would provideaccurate and comprehensivestatistical data used to formulatepolicies aiming at reducingpoverty. The project also ensuressupport to the MOSA incrystallizing a social protectionplan and reorganizing its servicesprograms, as well as revitalizingthe role of development servicescenters as a major factor in theregional development process.

The parties participating in thisproject are the MOSA, as theexecutor, and UNDP. This projectis seen as complementary to otheractivities carried out by theMOSA in the context ofmodernizing its structure. Theproject covers the 2002-2010period. However, the goals andpriorities of the upcoming periodare expected to be reconsidered.

1. Major Achievements -Period 1992-2009The project carried out a numberof activities and achieved progressat different levels, as summarizedin the following section:• Studies and Reports:

- Households Living ConditionsReport for 2007: In partnershipwith the ILO and the CAS andwith the support of the project, anational field investigation hasbeen conducted on householdliving conditions in 2007 and theimpact of the Israeli aggressionon the Lebanese householdliving conditions in the aftermathof July 2006 war. In early 2009,the final report of thisachievement was issued.

- “Poverty, Growth and IncomeDistribution in Lebanon”: Thisreport provides data on povertyin Lebanon (poverty line,poverty gap, etc) based onmonetary indicators onhousehold spending. It alsooffers a comprehensive view ofthe characteristics of the poorbased on gender, age, professionand geographic distribution,stressing the link between thesefactors and household spending.The project provided thepossible technical andadministrative assistance to theUNDP experts mandated to workon the publication of the finalreport, verify the draft report andformulate their remarks. Itoffered as well data and helpedupdate statistical database. Thereport was issued in early 2009.

– Mapping of Human Povertyand Living Conditions inLebanon-2004: To measurepoverty, this map adopted themethodology of unmet basicneeds measurement by using themost telling indicators of socio-economic characteristics of thepopulation. It compared the

outcome to the poverty resultsbased on monetary indicators.Issued in early 2009, the maphelped displaying acomprehensive image about thecharacteristics and regionaldistribution of poor. This imagefacilitated the crystallization ofdevelopment interventions thatwould improve living conditionsand reduce poverty.

- Statistical Bulletins: Theproject kept issuing a series ofstatistical bulletins based on dataprovided by the national studyon household living conditionsfor 2004 and 2007. During thisperiod, several statisticalbulletins on elderly, youth andchildren in Lebanon werepublished. They depict theirgeographical distribution andsocial reality.

- Crystallizing an analyticalpaper on the Impact of theValue Added Tax Raise onPoverty in Lebanon, incollaboration with the AmericanUniversity of Beirut (AUB). Thispaper will be discussed byscholars, experts in developmentand representatives of the Ministryof Finance to take note of theirremarks before publication anddistribution on concerned parties.- Completing comparative tablesof indicators and data frommany national surveysconducted during the last fewyears and then publishing thosetables through the InformationBank of the DemographicStrategies Project attached to theMOSA in cooperation withUNFPA.


• NGO Support UnitThis Unit aims at enhancing thecapacities of NGOs through freeaccess to resources and trainingprograms, improving networkingamong NGOs and between NGOsand donors; and enablingassociations to act as advocacygroups capable of supportingnational development. It waslaunched officially on July 6,2004. During the reference period,it issued reports on the NGOssituation and needs in Lebanon interms of capacity building. TheUnit started working on setting upa comprehensive database of itsprograms and scope of action. TheUnit undertook the followingactivities:- Setting up a database of the

associations in Lebanon incooperation with the CanadianFund for Social Development(Oxfam – Quebec) and the“Lebanon Support” association.This database includescomprehensive information onthe associations, their activities,geographic scope of action andbeneficiaries. It is used asreference to issue a guide oncivil society organizations andcrystallize a website on theaction of associations inLebanon, to be at the disposal ofthe public. By the end of 2009,information about more than1000 civil associationsconcerned with social anddevelopment affairs wasavailable. The guide is expectedto be launched in the beginningof 2010.

- Organizing an autumn schoolfor associations in the end of

2009 in cooperation with BeyondConsulting and Training for thefifth year in a row. The programincluded six training workshopsbringing together 127 traineesrepresenting 46 associations.

- Conducting a study to assessthe capacity building needs ofassociations, a project financedby Oxfam – Quebec, with thepurpose of elaborating anintegrated program to developthe capacities of associationmembers in line with theirneeds. The final report of thestudy was issued in March 2009.

- Issuing an analytic report on“The Reality of CivilAssociations in Lebanon” incooperation with the AmericanUniversity of Beirut (AUB). Thereport will rely on the outcomeof the “Associations Survey”conducted by the CDR in 2005in the framework of the socialdevelopment project and isexpected to be issued in thebeginning of 2010.

- Providing free legal consultingservices to all associations incooperation with a law firm. In2009, the Unit started offeringfree consulting services inproject drafting to all interestedassociations.

2. Main Orientation of theProject - Period 2010-2011 In the next two years, the projectaspires to activate its role as theadministrative secretariat of theministerial committee of socialaffairs by deploying relentlessefforts aiming at crystallizing a

national strategy of communitydevelopment and detailed relevantaction plans. The secretariat willcomplete the formulation of adetailed report on dualismbetween the Ministries of PublicHealth, Education and SocialAffairs in order to enhance theefficiency of social services andprograms offered by theseMinistries. The Secretariat willalso publish a mapping ofimplemented or underimplementation localdevelopment projects and set up adatabase which will beperiodically updated according tothe results of the surveyconducted through ART GOLDLebanon project in 2008. Theproject will seek to develop awebsite that coordinates executedor ongoing local developmentinitiatives and providesinformation about developmentpriorities in every region.

During this period, the projectwill continue deploying efforts topromote the role of the NGOSupport Unit in the program bycrystallizing an integrated actionplan to strengthen theassociations’ capacities in thelight of recommendationsconcluded by the needs studyconducted by the project.Alongside these activities, theproject will enhancedecentralization in offeringservices and carrying outactivities related to associations toreach small ones in remote areas.Finally, the project will seek tomake available national data,studies and statistics on povertyand living conditions in the


country, in addition to continuallyplaying its role as a support unit tothe MOSA especially in issuesrelated to reform andrestructuring.

Transfer of Knowledge throughExpatriate Nationals- TOKTENSince 2006, UNDP started theimplementation of TOKTENproject in cooperation with theCDR in order to transfer andbenefit from the knowledge ofLebanese expatriates, throughministries and public institutionsso as to promote nationaldevelopment efforts.

1. Major Achievements - Period2006-2007 During this period, the projectcooperated with Lebaneseexpatriate consultants to carry outseveral advisory tasks including:Ministry of Industry: Merging ofsmall Industries • Ministry of Tourism: Touristic

strategy to attract Lebaneseexpatriates in Brazil

• Ministry of Works andTransportation: Bridges’rehabilitation and maintenanceand geotechnical training

• Ministry of Public Health:Action plan for the accreditationof public hospitals

• Ministry of Labor: Coordinationof labor unions affairs

• Ministry of Agriculture:Modernizing the mechanizationsystem of agriculturalcooperatives

Progress in 2008In 2008, the project contributed tothe execution of the followingtasks:

Ministry of Public Health:Developing Cancer TreatmentProtocols (2007-2009)Upon the request of the Ministryof Public Health, the project wasable to benefit from a grantoffered by the Lebanese expatriateMonzer Hourani. Thanks to theproject, cancer treatment protocolswill be developed by Lebaneseexpatriates specialized inoncology and working in theinternational MD AndersonCancer Center, in coordinationwith the National Committee forTumors Treatment Protocolsformed pursuant to a specialministerial decision. The Ministryof Public Health will abstainafterward from covering the costof any treatment outside theseprotocols. Most of the protocolswere accomplished in the end of2009 and are expected to beratified by the Minister in thebeginning of 2010.

General Directorate of Cooperatives:Developing Credit UnionsThis task aims at gatheringinformation about the currentsituation of credit unions andsuggesting recommendations torevitalize them in order to providemicro-credits to SMEs.

Lebanese Center for EnergyConservationA TOKTEN expert worked withan international expert inexploring the demand control inorder to propose ideas andscenarios which conserve energyand reduce CO2 emissions in

Lebanon; and to formulate theadequate recommendations.

Ministry of Energy and Water:Al Janni DamThe consultant reviewed andassessed the study on a dam in Al-Janni region which would ensuredrinking water to the regions ofJbeil and Jounieh and submittedsuggestions and solutions to thisproject.

Ministry of Industry: AgadirAgreementThe female Lebanese expertprepared a report assessing thebenefits Lebanon would reap fromjoining the Agadir agreement bysigning the Euro-Mediterraneanprotocol on the rules of origin. Shealso identified the industrial sectorwhich will be positively affected ifLebanon joined the Agadir club.

National Center for ScientificResearch (NCSR): The Dossierof Hydrocarbon in LebanonThe female expert report includedinformation about geological basisof hydrocarbon exploration,scientific and technical facts aswell as estimations of deep waterand the role of the NCSR in theexpected exploration of deepwater. She also participated in aworkshop during which shereviewed suggestions concerningthe needed field work to beundertaken in Lebanon as a firststage towards getting theauthorization to explore deepwater.

3. Progress in 2009Ministry of Tourism - PublicSafety in Ski and Beach Resorts(1) and (2)An expert visited the ski and


beach resorts and drafted adetailed report on the public safetysituation. He also examined thelaws and regulations on inspectionand elaborated a system of actionto the ministry’s inspectors.

Moreover, the expert trained theministry’s inspectors on theinspection methods and aworkshop on public safety relatedto ski and beach resorts wasorganized with the participation ofrepresentatives of the Ministry ofTourism, the Ministry of PublicWorks and Transportation, thecivil defense, the Lebanese redcross, the resorts owners and civilsociety.

National Center for ScientificResearch (NCSR) – RemoteSensing CenterAn expert studied the uses of theradar on landslides and trained theCenter’s employees on these uses.Ministry of Economy and Trade(MOET)An expert conducted a feasibilitystudy on the founding of aninstitution of food industries in theNorth.

Ministry of Interior andMunicipalities – InternalSecurity:Transportation/Traffic Crisisand Traffic Congestion inBeirut CityAn expert studied the situationand elaborated a draft documentsetting the solutions to theproblem after collectinginformation, holding meetingswith officials concerned withtraffic and transportation andvisiting the sites of congestion inBeirut City and its major axes.

4.Main Projects underPreparation – Period 2010-2011During the following two years,the planned tasks will target thefollowing ministries andinstitutions:- The Ministry of Public Health- The Internal Security Forces- The Directorate of the Maritime

and Land Transportation- The Remote Sensing Center- The Ministry of Tourism- The General Directorate of

Cooperatives- The National Center for

Scientific Research- The Climate Change Project

Women’s Affairs / Population IssuesDuring the last decades, there wasa growing national, regional andinternational interest in womenissues due to awareness of thetight link between these issues andthe different dimensions ofdevelopment; and theirrepercussions on economic,social, health and demographicconditions in any country. In fact,there is no scope to anydevelopment process thatmarginalizes the participation ofwomen who represent half of thesociety, not to mention the qualityloss due to women exclusion ormarginalization at different levels.To promote women contributionto development, every womanmust have access to material,human and social resources thatare necessary to enable her tomake strategic choices in her life.

Based on this and as long as theCDR is concerned, it is worthmentioning that the Councilstrived for years to take care ofnational initiatives promoting

Lebanese women conditions indifferent sectors, while it soughtto meet the needs in terms ofconstruction and basic socio-economic infrastructure. Thisinterest was translated in differentareas starting with theparticipation to the Fourth WorldConference on Women held inChina (Beijing) in 1995 and itscontribution to the preparation forthis conference by appointing arepresentative in its preparatorycommittee which was entrustedwith the formulation of the“national report” on Lebanesewomen conditions. In addition toparticipating to theimplementation of programs andprojects aiming at promoting theinstitutional capacity of nationalbodies concerned with Lebanesewomen empowerment andcapacity building; and taking partin management committeesconcerned with achieving theobjectives of these projects byworking in coordination with UNorganizations active in Lebanonand concerned civil and publicentities, the CDR is stillcooperating and coordinating withthe National Committee forLebanese Women (NCLW).

Sectoral National Projecton GenderFinanced by the World Bank, theHariri Foundation implementedthis project in cooperation withthe CDR within the framework ofthe CDP.

The project adopted two axes: lawand media, these two axes beingconsidered as the main gatetowards changing the Lebanesewomen’s situation, addressingflaws in legal texts unjust


regarding women and putting lawsin the service of women’s needs.These steps could positively affectthe woman’s image in the mediaon the way towards achieving heractive participation in society andher empowerment.

In this context, a series ofworkshops were held with theparticipation of CDRrepresentatives in order toempower women in the media andlaw fields by introducing thegender concept to the media workmethodology. These workshopsalso aimed at forming a networkgathering representatives of publicand civil bodies and membersworking in law and media fieldsso as to make this network thenucleus and human branch of themedia and law observatory whichis set to be a tool ensuring theproject’s sustainability.

The project issued the followingstudies:- Analytical Reading in Studies on

Women and Law/ Women andMedia (1995-2006)

- Analytical report on the aspectsof discrimination against womenin the Lebanese law / 2008,entitled: “Six Steps towardsEquality”.

- Report on women empowermentin media: “Towards Equitybetween Male and FemaleCitizens”.

Economic and Social Fundfor DevelopmentThe CDR’s project of Economicand Social Fund for Development(ESFD) is guiding localdevelopment projects towards agender-sensitive organizedintegration in terms of planning

and implementation. In fact,gender-related issues shall be themost important issues to be raisedin programs of training andprofessional and technicalempowerment targeting categoriesbenefiting from the localdevelopment component. Womenare a target category in the Fund’saction in terms of engaging themin local development planformulation or choosing a pro-women project. It is worthmentioning that loans provided towomen managing businesses bythe ESFD represent 13.6% of thetotal number of loans.

Lebanese Woman Rightsand Nationality LawSupported by UNDP, the NGOCommittee for the Follow-up ofWomen’s Issues is implementingthis project. This two-year projectaims at ensuring equality betweenmen and women in Lebanese lawsand seeks to amend the nationalitylaw so as to enable a Lebanesewoman married to a foreigner topass her citizenship to herhusband and children.

A decision council attached to thisproject was formed with themembership of the CDR, theLebanese Council of Women(LCW), the Lebanese WomenNetwork, the Lebanese WomenDemocratic Gathering, theInstitute for Human Rights at theSyndicate of Lebanese Lawyers inBeirut, the Press Syndicate, theLebanese Council to ResistViolence against Women(LCRVAW), the LebaneseAmerican University (LAU), theInstitute for Women’s Studies inthe Arab World and male andfemale representatives of pro-

women and legal NGOs andconcerned unions.

As the UNDP financing of theproject ended, the NGOCommittee for the Follow-up ofWomen’s Issues takes over thismission since it is the entity that isseeking to amend the nationalitylaw, a mission that is at the heartof the Committee’s interest.

The project carried out severalactivities, at the top of them:– Launching a study on “The

Situation of Lebanese WomenMarried to Foreigners”.

- Elaborating a training guide onnetworking, advocacy andsupport in favor of theamendment of the nationalitylaw in Lebanon.

- Organizing an awarenesscampaign on the idea of lawamendment through radios andtelevisions.

Monitoring Public Actionon Women’s IssuesWork is still ongoing on thisproject implemented by theNCLW in cooperation withUNIFEM. The project includesthe following three componentsaiming at activating the action ofthe NCLW institutional structures:- Expanding the database of the

Lebanese Women Center,founded in 2004.

- Building the capacity to produceinformation on the progress ofwomen status.

- Building the capacity to promotethe “Convention on theElimination of all Forms ofDiscrimination against Women(CEDAW)”.

The NCLW organized a series ofworkshops on CEDAW with the


participation of representatives ofpublic directorates and NGOs aswell as judges and trainee lawyersin order to deepen the knowledgeabout CEDAW content amongscholars and jurists.

Women Empowerment:Peaceful Action for Peaceand Security (WEPASS)In collaboration with UNFPA, theNCLW is implementing thisproject which aims at empoweringwomen in regions affected by July2006 war. The project is beingcarried out in cooperation withmunicipalities, women’scommittees, development servicescenters and local associations.

WEPASS was launched in tenvillages affected by the war ofJuly 2006. It was later extended tocover ten other villages that meettwo criteria: having women indecision-making posts –particularly in municipal councils– and being classified as a villagewith residents living underpoverty line based on the CDRstudies.

By May 2010 – the end date of theproject, several achievementswere made such as raising theawareness level on women rights,activating the role of women andengaging them in the developmentprocess through local committees,some of which launched womenassociations and cooperatives.

Reproductive Health Information,Education and CommunicationProjectThis project is being implementedby the MOSA with the support ofUNFPA. The CDR played a roleas member in the project’s

“Committee for the Coordinationof Information and TrainingActivities” which includesnational partners from ministries,local and international agencies,universities, concerned UNorganizations and the privatesector.

The project aims at raisingawareness in the Lebanese society,especially among adolescents, onreproductive health issues. It seeksas well to improve access toservices and the procurement ofhigh-quality information related toreproductive health to women andyouth.

The project realized severalachievements most important ofwhich are training sessions foryouth on how to use thereproductive health trainingcalendar produced by the project.These sessions covered over 75people responsible for raisingawareness in schools anddevelopment services centersattached to the MOSA in order toreach out to the largest number ofyouth.

Population and DevelopmentStrategies ProgramIn the framework of the executionof the main activities set by thePopulation and DevelopmentStrategies Program and the actionplan of 2009 – the last year of theproject cycle, the followingactivities were carried out:- Formulating executive action

programs for demographicpolicies in different sectors.

- Founding a national informationsystem/bank of demographicdata and its special website.

- Conducting in-depth andspecialized studies on priority

issues, including five studieslaunched in 2007 by the programdealing with the impact of July2006 war on Lebanon. Thesestudies are expected to havegreat impact on the developmentaction at the national andcommunity levels since they willserve as a basis for a contingencyaction plan to be adopted in timeof crisis and programs, seekingto improve living conditions ofthe most vulnerable categoriestargeted by these studies whichare elderly, female heads ofhousehold and disabled.

In cooperation with the NCLW,the program organized a workshopentitled “Women Facing theImpact of the Global EconomicCrisis on Development inLebanon”, aiming at sheddinglight on the impact of the crisis ondevelopment in general andwomen in particular and raisingawareness on their role in the faceof the potential effects of thecrisis.

According to the recommendations ofthis workshop, the program issueda booklet that constituted amotivational tool and crucialreference to all parties concernedwith development and womenaffairs under the global economiccrisis.

Documents

Social and Economic Development · 58 Social Infrastructure CDR October 2010 Social and Economic Development In the mid-90s, James Gustave Speth, the Administrator of the United Nations