Dignity for displaced women and girls in Lebanon

Background during and after the implementation of the project; According to the Vulnerability Assessment Framework conducted by UNHCR, approximately 25% of Lebanon’s current population is refugees from Syria 2015 -2016, and based on the updated assessment conducted by Naba’a during December 2016 which aim to address the main priorities and needs of the Syrian refugees and highlighting the main gaps within the services, the most highlighted findings of the assessment showed the followings;

• All displaced Syrians (Syrian Refugees from Syria) Responded that the situation is not good at all in the Palestinian refugee camps (Ein ElHelweh, El Buss, Rashydieh, Naher El Bared and Baddawi camps). camp. SRS children are afraid; the families as a while feel generally unsafe.  The conditions are overcrowded. All SRS interviewed have been in camp for 2-5 years.
• With the influx of Syrian refugees the most marginalized areas such as Old town of Saida and Lebanese gatherings have become overcrowded and very unsafety.
• The rates of early marriage are high among Syrian population groups, with over 50% of females reporting marriage before age 18.38. It is to be noted that marriage under 18 is a culturally accepted practice in Syria, especially among rural populations, and predates the current crisis. However, fear of rape is quite prevalent that refugee families are marrying off their daughters very early. In some cases, families in refugee settings resort to early marriage, usually to an older male relative, as a safeguard to their ‘honor’ or to hide the fact that a girl has been raped. It is also important to note that some surveys indicate that young Syrian girls are subjected to significant pressure to marry older men. Some women indicated that “Arabs men think women are cheap” because they can command a less expensive dowry. Hence, neighbors and strangers are more likely to approach a family with marriage proposals for their young daughters.

Naba’a Achievements; We aimed to address unmet reproductive health and psychosocial support needs of adolescents and young persons in marginalised and impoverished communities by protecting them from the followings;

• Sexual Transmitted Infections
• Protecting youth and adolescents from risky behaviors
• Gender based violence, particularly focusing on early marriage, forced marriage, sexual abuse and harassment, sexual transmitted infections.
• Responding to the needs during the reporting period, we targeted the most marginalized young and adolescents (Lebanese, Syrian and Palestinians),  it is largely based on a model of integrating reproductive health services, with health advice, counseling and health promotion.
• A reproductive health team including (Gynecologist as a referral, urologist, nurses and psychosocial counselor) offered a social, health and psychosocial counseling.
• General health advice and counseling.  Team members also conducted health awareness and out reach activities.
• A referral system established for cases such as (STDs, sexual abuse, early marriage girls, young mothers, etc…) in coordination with Primary Health Clinics.
• A Peer to Peer team consisting of 20 members (the peer to peer team played a role as health educators in the community. One is made up of young people to raise awareness and to be a source of information and positive role models in their communities.
• 2000 Young persons, children and adolescents empowered to become active agents of risks facing adolescent and young girls such as abuse, early marriage, etc…through monthly raising awareness sessions through different methodologies;
• A Consortium member consisting of NGO’s is established
• 100 Advisory classes implemented in Schools and VTCs targeted 400 young adolescent and girls
• Local Community and active members particularly the popular committee, political factions and active stakeholders, municipality in Ein El Helweh, Old town of Saida and Rashiydieh camp are made aware about risks facing adolescents and young girls. 

Case Study

- Date of Birth: 2001

- Nationality: P / L

- Grade and school: X

- Interests: Driving a car

- Sex; Female

- The number of family members: 7

- Ranked among her brothers: 1

About the life of the child: the child lives in a very small house and her economic situation is bad, she is the oldest among her brothers. Her relationship with her father and brothers is very bad, as they are not listening to her opinion. As she mentioned his father is always angry and nervous which makes the family to live in a tension and frustrated life. The girl always complain about the situation of her family.  

Economic situation :The economic situation is bad, the father is a farmer and they are living in a very small house. The father is always complaining about the income of the family which is not satisfied and affordable to buy their basic needs.  The health situation: The girl suffers from allergic asthma

Social Situation; The relation between the girl and her father is not good, as he is communicating with her in a very bad and violent ways.

-      The relation between the girl and her mother is good

-      The relation between the girl and her brothers is not good, she feels jealous from them, as they are free to do anything, which she is obeying the rules of the family.

The problem that the girl is suffering from: The girl is suffering from her bad relation with her family particularly with father and brothers, this effect badly on her academic levels and grades and her social life and relation with her friends.

Intervention;

1. One to One session 2. Awareness sessions3. self-confidence and self esteem activities4. Breathing exercises to reduce tension Recommendations:1. Follow-up to the girl on a weekly basis2. Intensify activities and relaxation one to one session to reduce the psychological problems of the girl3. Engaging the girl in the voluntary activities within Naba’a programs