UNICEF and Ministry of Social Affairs ink 'National Plan to Safeguard Children and Women in Lebanon'

H.E. Minister of Social Affairs Rashid Derbas and UNICEF Representative in Lebanon Ms. Annamaria Laurini signed today at the Grand Serail in Beirut a memorandum of understanding for the implementation of the Ministry of Social Affairs new 'National Plan to Safeguard Children and Women in Lebanon'. The signing ceremony was attended by Ambassador Angelina Eichhorst, Head of the Delegation of the European Union to Lebanon.

The 18-month implementation of the National Plan is funded by the European Union with $11.6 million out of a total amount of $18.9 million. It aims at providing high quality protection services to the most vulnerable young girls, boys, women and their caregivers in Lebanon. It will focus on strengthening the existing capacities of the Ministry of Social Affairs, both at central and regional levels to provide integrated social services as well as the capacities of associated civil society and community-based structures. The plan will initially cover 57 localities where Ministry of Social Affairs social development centres are located.

“Over the past six months, UNICEF and the Ministry of Social Affairs worked together to ensure that the Ministry and all its departments are placed in the best position to deliver most needed services to children and women in Lebanon” said Ms. Annamaria Laurini, UNICEF Representative in Lebanon. “The integration of the Ministry’s regular national programme with the immense challenges of the Syrian crisis will necessitate a stronger and most reliable child protection system,” she added.

Ambassador Angelina Eichhorst said: “It is encouraging to see an increase in Lebanese ownership of the response to the crisis". "The European Union has supported the Ministry of Social Affairs and its centres since our very first decision in the summer of 2012 to support Lebanon not only with humanitarian assistance, but also with development funds. In fact, 74% of the protection component of this plan is already financed by the European Union through UNICEF, " she added.

His Excellency Mr. Derbas commented on the cooperation with UNICEF saying that this plan to make the process of protecting children, women and families more systematic was developed with an eye on increasing our cooperation with UNICEF towards public policy and a forward-looking implementation plan. This plan with ensure that the interventions of the civil society is consistent and structured under the supervision of the Ministry of Social Affairs. Aiming to trigger the role of the ministry as a coordinator and supervisor beyond the Syria crisis.

His excellency added that the need was understood and received immediately by the European Union, BPRM, DFID, as well as the governments of Japan and Italy who sought to support the government of Lebanon and its ministries and strengthen its infrastructures. Not only to help in the relief efforts for the Syrian refugees but to strengthen the capacity of the Ministry of Social Affairs to adequate and needed protection services to children and women.

The signature of the memorandum of understanding for the implementation of the National Plan will allow UNICEF to transfer up to $7million in cash and $4million in supplies to the Ministry of Social Affairs thanks to the contributions already made by the European Union. These funds will cover significant improvements in the areas of child protection, gender-based violence and health with the aim of improving livelihoods and mitigating the risk of vulnerability facing the most marginalised women and children in Lebanon.

During the programme implementation period, it is estimated that over 198,000 children and adolescents will have access to basic and structured psychosocial support and primary health care services; additionally, more than 410,000 individuals of all ages and communities will benefit from information, orientation, counselling and awareness-raising on availability of services provided to the most disadvantaged.

From an institutional perspective the project will ensure that the 57 social development centres (SDC) will be provided with specialised human resources, technical equipment, drugs and vaccination.