Dignity for displaced women and girls in Lebanon

Background during and after the implementation of the project; Many refugees live in camps and un-official gatherings in southern and north Lebanon Palestinian refugee camps and un-official gatherings are one of Lebanon’s most crowded locations. We can’t find any place better than Syria. Syria is our country, our mother. Syria held us close. We lived in dignity.” Fatima has been living in Baraksat gathering a year and a half with her husband and five daughters. Through tears, she explains how they left Syria, everything is destroyed, her life is damaged, they are living in two rooms including the kitchen.

Conditions in the camps are extremely challenging, with no clean water and high rates of violence against women and children. Inhabitants of the camps are in constant danger from exposed live electrical wires, a daily threat as the government refuses to supply electricity to the camps. Many refugees cannot get jobs. Lebanese law does not extend citizenship rights to Palestinians or Syrians living in the country, limiting access to public healthcare and education in addition to jobs and increasing social harassment and stigma for refugees.

Yet, despite high levels of poverty, risk, trauma, and violence, which disproportionately fall on women, it is women who are at the forefront of long-term efforts to build community, create sustainable change, and protect and extend human rights.

Women in the refugee camps have a number of unique needs, and healthcare is foremost among them. Access to basic healthcare is an issue; for example, the Works Agency runs just one health center in the camp, and the generic hygiene kits that are distributed by relief agencies ignore women’s basic needs like sanitary napkins and other needs.

Finally, forced and child marriage is common in refugee camps. According to our grantee partners, some families see marrying off their young daughters as an opportunity to keep their daughters safe, to protect family honor, and to get out of poverty given their limited economic options. They do not see it as a form of violence.

Changing gender roles: Since being displaced and, as refugees in Lebanon, many women are having to take on different responsibilities to those they have had previously, including negotiating and arranging for housing for their families.

Lack of options for refugee women facing violence: In situations of gender-based violence, such as violence in the home, women often do not have any option to leave their home as they usually remain dependent on their family for housing. Lack of rights to their home can also be a result of not being named on any lease agreement or not having any separate income or ability to pay rent.

The most highlighted Achievements during the last period;

-          260 adolescent and women participated in the following awareness sessions;

o   Communication skills sessions:: during brain storming no one of them know what are the main positive ways and mechanisms of communication ,they used violence with their children and family ,ten of them mention that they didn’t know who to communicate in good way ,after brain storming all participants were informed about communication ,its kind ,impact of it on the family and children ,how to communicate with other .

o   Stress management session : during brain storming 3 women mention that they had stress and didn’t know how to deal with it and cannot control their feelings, also 25 women mention that it is unacceptable to visit a psychologist because the community believes that the psychologist is only for the insane.so after brain storming they were informed about stress and its negative impact physically and psychologically ,also they have been taught techniques that help them deal with stress .after session participants were very interested and asked for more sessions

o   Workshops on reproductive health:Three awareness sessions have been conducted under the title of vaginitis, personal hygiene and period.

• In vaginitis session:we start our session asking participants if they have any idea about vaginitis, many answers suggested which request our preface to categorize these info within 4 categories, then we distribute sticky note randomly asking them to write on it whatever they know about vaginitis and paste it on the flip chart to be discussed with the attendees classifying it in four categories the first one discuss the reasons of infection, second one discuss the signs and symptoms that may experience pre and per infection, the third group discuss the ways of infection transmission, while the fourth category discuss the ways of protection in addition to discussion we add to their knowledge and correct their misconception about certain concepts closing with random recap from the attendees regarding the session material.    
• In personal hygiene session: we start the session as a completion for the previous sessions (vaginitis and period) by recapping the sessions material with attendees and asking them about the actions that must be taken through these period especially in summer season, many suggested ideas discussed like the frequency of changing pads, wearing cotton under wears instead of polyester, razor after each cycle, using vaginal antiseptic once a week etc…
• While on the other hand some of the attendees had min-understanding and old mentality about taking shower and going through water bath in these period which request our preface to correct their misconception, aiming to highlight through health reports and documented articles the importance of taking care for personal hygiene as a systemic routinely actions especially during period to reduce the risk of getting infected with any bacteria, finishing with recap about the session material and a clear view about our daily personal hygiene.    
• In period session: through open discussion with women we asked them if they have any idea about the difference between period and menstrual cycle, where most received answers was no there is no difference , in addition to asking them some anatomical questions regarding the topic like how many uterus does the women have/how many Oocytes does the women have/what's the additional factors that share in lateness of period, after that we begin the session presenting an anatomical poster for the female reproductive system in order to specify the action of each organ, down to explaining the difference between period and menstrual cycle, factors that disturb period in time, and the required personal hygiene within this situation, recapping the session material through post questionnaire include the same suggested questions we asked before to insure the participants knowledge in topic after the session.

Finally, It is worthy to note that, the next period will continue focusing on Self-Hygiene and dignity, where as through the implementation of the sessions, personal hygiene and dignity kits will be distributed for the participants.

CASE STUDY

Code: EH080 IB

Nationality: PRL

Age: 22 years old

Marital status: Divorced

Address: Ein El-Hilweh camp

Number of children: a girl (6 years of age)

A brief about the case:

The survivor is a 22 year old woman, where she has had many experiences in her life, as she married twice and did not succeed in her marriage. When she was 13 years old she married for the first time and lived with him for 7 years as well as gave birth to her daughter, but she is now deprived of her.

The survivor lived an unstable life as she moved from place to place due to her husband work in many areas which lead to have several problems. She said that her first husband / divorcee is a stingy man who was not paying for the house as he asked her to bring money no matter what. (He was working in the army, which lead his repetitive absence from the house). He used to tell her there was no objection if she brought money from men but she refused to do so and then she went to her parents' house and because of customs and traditions that reside on refusing to divorce a 17 year old girl, her parents were forcing her to stay as she could not reveal what he was doing with her and saying to her until he hits her violently in front of their little daughter. Until she has no patience anymore and she complained in the military court and was divorced from him as they agreed that the girl should stay with her under one condition that she does not get married otherwise the girl will return back to her father. The survivor lived a year with her parents and her child until she met a man who used to be beside her and felt her interest and love. She gets married to him but after spending 8 months she was divorced from him because he is addicted to alcohol and gambling. She could not accept that, especially after her first experience, as she refused to give any justification or any other chance. But after her marriage, her previous husband took her daughter from her and now the girl is living with her father and his wife and goes to her mother one day per week and sometimes he prevents her from meeting her child.

The survivor lives with her parents as she is very angry about life and society, and regarding her psychological state is stated as depressed. She refuses to talk about what stress she is suffering from and what she feels is the rejection of living life as it is, in addition to sadness and anxiety about her daughter.

Intervention method:

After conducting several visits to the survivor and individual sessions for listening and unloading, we have been able to reduce depression, transform negative emotions and refuse living the life to positive emotions in order to think positively to accept conditions and face difficulties. As well as, the survivor was transformed from the state of introversion to the state of integration into society through involving her in vocational training for girls and returns her back to study and to think positively as well as involving her in the targeted group and giving her awareness sessions about stress and how to deal with emotions - how to deal with risks - communication - stress management….

Collecting Information:

- The survivor, her mother and her father.

Recommendations:

- Follow-up the survivor through individual sessions for listening

- Follow up the survivor in the awareness sessions to acquire skills which enable her to cope with life.

- Follow-up the survivor in vocational training

- Trying to help her in getting a job which is convenient for her.

Links:

• Naba'a website

Background during and after the implementation of the project; In a non-camp setting with limited shelter assistance available, the majority of refugees have to pay rent for their housing. Rent continues to be one of the main expenditures of refugees (along with food and healthcare) with the high costs of renewing or regularizing residency visas not even included in the calculations for the Survival Minimum Expenditure Basket for refugees in Lebanon. Finding the money to pay rent is increasingly difficult for refugees in Lebanon, resulting in negative coping mechanisms and the potential for exploitation. With the continued conflict in Syria, safe return is not a viable option and refugees look set to remain displaced and in need of protection and, amongst other things, housing for their families. In accordance with international human rights law, which Lebanon has incorporated into its domestic legislation, all persons have a right to adequate housing, which should include having security of tenure, to guarantee legal protection against forced eviction. In addition, women are entitled to the same rights as men with no discrimination permitted, including for housing, land and property (HLP) rights. Nevertheless, 55% of refugees live in substandard and insecure shelter, there is an increase in the number of informal settlements5 and many refugees are at risk of eviction due to their inability to continue paying rent or for other reasons, often related to so-called security rationale or lack of community acceptance.

Changing gender roles: Since being displaced and, as refugees in Lebanon, many women are having to take on different responsibilities to those they have had previously, including negotiating and arranging for housing for their families.

Lack of options for refugee women facing violence: In situations of gender-based violence, such as violence in the home, women often do not have any option to leave their home as they usually remain dependent on their family for housing. Lack of rights to their home can also be a result of not being named on any lease agreement or not having any separate income or ability to pay rent.

The most highlighted Achievements during the last period;

-          Establishment of girl’s committee participated in developing out an action plan for the advocacy campaign about free and compulsory education for the girls till secondary grades, as they have presented it to the mayors of the municipalities in the north and south Lebanese villages, knowing that, the mayors welcomed the launching of the advocacy campaign and suggested to be partners in this event.

-          250 adolescent girls have been targeted in communication, social skills, and decision making workshops. Where 220 sessions have been implemented in 9 villages in Akkar and Tripoli. Knowing that, the awareness sessions were implemented by the peer to peer girls committee whom were trained on different techniques and methodology, such as (simulation, role play, group discussion , educational games, storytelling and music and art activities as well, for the purpose of providing all of the participants with an equal opportunity to be aware about the main issues related to them such as (risks of early marriage, child abuse, importance of education, etc..)

-          Nabaa' has provided different methodologies in order to raise awareness among local communities by providing not only awareness sessions but also by health services and drop- in clinics as it targeted 986 women and girls where 520 female out of 986 were above 25 years of age, whereas 400 aged between 19 -24 years of age, while 66 aged between 13 – 18 years of age.

-          It is worthy to note that, the women, adolescents and youth acquire certain skills as personal hygiene, communications skills, dealing with children and other life skills in which it is being shown daily with their behaviors'. Moreover, in Saida, Tyr and Mount Lebanon area, 5687 Syrian and 3654 Lebanese have been targeted in SGBV.

-          The number of Syrian beneficiaries that have been sensitized on sexual and gender based violence "SGBV" in Mount Lebanon is estimated 1234, whereas 3445 in Saida and 4398 in Tyre.

-          In addition to that, women and men developed attitudes towards better health choices. On the other hand, Men have been involved in awareness workshops in UNRWA clinics.

-          Hence, they started to take action for early detection, making mammography and Pap smear periodically especially those above 40 years of age. As well as, pregnant women become more aware to importance of following a healthy diet during her pregnancy. A gender balanced approached enabled boys and girls to participate in all activities and express their views on equal basis. The most important aspect is reside on the great need for continuing the work since topics like sexual abuse and early marriage have become issues of a common debates.

CASE STUDY

Code: RCF41219

Age: 34

Number of family members: 6

Her arrangement within the family: mother

Economic situation:

The economic situation is very bad as the husband does not work and the number of children and their requirements are many which forced her to work in sewing to support her family, but concerning money wise it did not help her to secure the expenses of raw materials. And the husband underwent surgery that prevented him from working and thus she carried the burden of husband and children together.

Social situation:

The woman lives with her four children and her husband in a very small house where there is no kind of privacy since it is only a one-room, kitchen and bathroom.

The problem in which the women is suffering from: When the lady started the sessions, she was suffering from anxiety and tension, in addition to sorrow and constant crying since there are problems within the family (family husband) as it is worth mentioning that because she lives with them, this influenced her negatively. Hence, she is unable to work because they refused and she could not complete her daily life in a normal way because of the anxiety that she was facing as it prevented her from practicing her life in a normal way.

Factors that made the situation more worse:

1 – The bad behavior of the husband's family

2 - The huge responsibility of children as one of them apply to the official certificate but she doesn't own money to help her in studying.

3 – The surgery that prevented her husband from working.

Objective of the case study:

• Helping women ease their feelings about what she is going through
• Help her to find alternatives to work outside the home to secure her family's requirements
• Support her psychologically and empower her through workshops that she was participating in.

Collecting information:

The information was collected through the woman herself.

Steps to Intervention:

1 - Individual listening sessions.

2 – Her Participation in workshops and awareness sessions for mothers in the center.

3- Her Participation in psychosocial support activities

4 – Her referral to an association which gives sewing classes to help her find work that believes in her strength.

Results obtained so far:

1 - A clear difference in the way she is living with regard of how to take care of her children.

2. She became more able to deal with the problems she is facing, as it is worth mentioning that whenever she had a problem she started to solve it by crying.

3. Herself confidence has increased, where she used to look at herself and say she doesn't deserve anything and life as well.

4. The self-care program we used to apply in the listening sessions helped her to make her lifestyle healthier and psychologically advanced.

Recommendations:

- Work to find a work of good financial benefit in which she can depend on to support her family in a good way.

Links:

• Naba'a website