Middle East

Lebanon

Protection of Palestinian refugee children and children from marginalised communities

Terre des hommes (Tdh) has been working since 1986 in Lebanon, and provided an essential psychosocial support to Palestinian refugee children and Dom children in 2011. 4’760 people benefited from the activities implemented by Tdh.

The context

After the end of the civil war (1975-1990), Lebanon has witnessed various internal and external chocks that thwarted the post-war reconstruction efforts. The country is still facing a number of social issues : major wealth disparities, high costs of medical care, regional disparities, quality of the education system, unbalanced economic development, important poverty (28,5% of the Lebanese live below the poverty line), social discrimination…
Lebanon is as well hosting a large number of refugees, despite the fact that it did not endorse the Convention relating to the status of refugees. Since 1948, 425 000 Palestinian refugees have been registered by UNRWA in Lebanon, though it is estimated that only 260 to 280 000 of them are currently living in Lebanon. Despite their longstanding presence in Lebanon, they remain excluded from key aspects of social, economic and political life in the country. Indeed they are barred from owning properties or practicing in more than 30 professions, among which all liberal professions.

Our intervention

Support to the Palestinian refugees

Tdh works in 3 Palestinian refugees’ camps and 12 Palestinian refugees’ gatherings in the South of Lebanon to provide a protective environment for the extremely vulnerable children. The camps and gatherings in the region of Tyre concentrate the worst rates of poverty, education and unskilled jobs. Individual case management, capacity building of the governance actors, and youth micro projects contribute to the protection of all children in these camps and gatherings.

Support to marginalized communities

Tdh conducted an action-oriented research on the Dom community and developed a protection project targeting its children in 8 sites of South Lebanon. This minority ethnic group is present in various countries of the Middle East. The Dom live generally in very precarious conditions and their children face risks related to these living conditions (inadequate shelter for 77% of them) or limited access to basic services (education, health).

Centered at 35.862285 33.854721 7

Places of intervention : Tyre

Projects : Protection of Palestinian refugee children and children from marginalised communities

In joint cooperation with : Swiss Solidarity, AECID

Delegate : Karine Milhorgne

Expatriate staff : 2

National staff : 27

Budget : 734'238 CHF

Gallery

Latest News

8 May 2012 • Child protection systems Lebanon
Lebanon: Palestinian refugee adolescents make their voices heard

Thanks to the support of Terre des hommes, 100 young people held their own conference with players from governance actors and civil society. They all got together in Tyre to talk about protection for children living in Palestinian refugee camps. Read more
3 May 2012 • Child protection systems Lebanon
Lebanon: Teenagers look after younger children in the refugee camps

Many hundreds of adolescents living in the Palestinian refugee camps in Lebanon have become involved in developing micro-projects for the protection and wellbeing of other children in the camps. Terre des hommes has been supporting these youngsters in three camps and three set... Read more

Side Notes

The situation of the children

• Children account for 37% of the Lebanese population, 38% of the Palestinian refugee population and 58% of the Dom community.
• 20% of the Dom children are working and 68% of the school-age Dom children never attended school.
• 8% of the Palestinian refugee children aged 7 to 15 do not attend school.

Results 2011

• Tdh continued its activities in favor of the Palestinian refugees in 15 camps and gatherings.
• 1300 Palestinian children benefited from protection measures.
• 1500 adults, employers and governance actors were trained or sensitized in child protection.
• 17 protection micro-projects were implemented by teenagers.
• Tdh assessed the humanitarian situation of the Dom community and started a protection project targeting 260 children and including hygiene and education promotion. The Lebanese social stakeholders were sensitized to the issue of discrimination faced by the Dom children and their families.

Testimonial

Although the Committee for the Rights of the Child has called upon Lebanon to combat discrimination against refugee children and children living below the poverty line, many of them are still suffering and facing very difficult living conditions.

- Leila, Tdh beneficiary in Lebanon