1. PROGRAMME DETAILS

Total Budget: EUR 41,618,000

Start Date: 1 July 2014 End Date: 30 June 2018

Reporting Period: 1 July 2016 – 30 June 2017

2. EXECUTIVE SUMMARY

The RDPP Middle East made good progress during the reporting period. With the decision in early

2016 by the Steering Committee to expand the timeframe and budget for the programme, the work

of the programme team during the reporting year has focused on significantly expanding the

portfolio of partnerships across Jordan, Lebanon and Iraq as well as enhancing efforts for stronger

communication and advocacy of the programme objectives and results. The period has been further

defined by strengthening the Programme Management Unit team to enable greater presence across

the three countries through the recruitment of two Project Managers covering respectively Lebanon

and Jordan/Iraq. The team has also focussed on implementing the recommendations of the Mid-

Term Review.

During the reporting period the RDPP Steering Committee met twice, in September 2016 and June

2017. In addition the Steering Committee conducted a visit to Lebanon and Jordan in September

2016, where they visited a selection of projects and met with partners and key stakeholders. These

meetings provided useful guidance to the RDPP team in taking forward the expanded programme.

The security and political situation in Syria remains extremely volatile with neighbouring countries

continuing to bear the burden of hosting refugees. With borders closed, refugee numbers in the three

RDPP countries have largely stabilised, however with limited durable solutions in sight the

protracted situation remains a crisis for both refugee and host populations. The economic situation in

all three RDPP countries remains challenging, signified by high unemployment particularly amongst

youth and women, limited opportunities for self-reliance resulting in refugee populations resorting

increasingly to negative coping mechanisms such as taking loans, child labour and early marriage.

As discussions of de-escalation zones and safe areas come to the fore, calls for returns of refugees

are gaining strength, and in Lebanon in particular anti-refugee rhetoric has become increasingly

prevalent.

During the reporting period the RDPP has expanded its partnerships to 25 active partnerships across

Regional Development and Protection Programme

for the Syrian refugees and host communities

in the Middle East

Annual Report Year 3 July 2016 - June 2016

2

the four thematic areas, resulting in the bulk of the programme budget being committed. This brings

the project portfolio of current and closed projects to a total of 33 projects. Under research thematic

area a new partnership was signed with FAFO and the Government of Jordan to conduct country-

wide research on skills and education levels of refugees with a view to informing policy to meet

commitments under the Jordan Compact. A new partnership was signed with the Forced Migration

Review for a special edition on displacement in the Middle East in 2018 that aims to capture

learning around protracted displacement as the RDPP enters its final year. The livelihoods thematic

area saw the largest expansion with five new partnerships signed in Jordan, three in Lebanon and

one in Iraq, providing skills training, job placement and SME support to both host and refugee

communities. Under the theme of protection, in Lebanon a follow on partnership was signed with

CLDH for legal aid, Mercy Corps for conflict mitigation, and Dar al Amal on child labour. Research

and advocacy components have been mainstreamed through into many of the new projects in order

to ensure that many of the concerns raised by members of the host and refugee communities are

provided with evidence-based solutions as well as dialogue platforms, where their voices are heard.

3. GENERAL CONTEXT

In its seventh year, the war in Syria continues to be the one of the largest humanitarian disasters

affecting millions of people throughout the Middle East. Within the reporting period there remains a

lack of significant progress on the political negotiations towards ending the conflict, and as of June

2017 6.3 million Syrians are internally displaced and over 5 million seeking refuge in neighbouring

countries. Whereas the early months of the reporting period saw an escalation of violence affecting

civilian settlement areas such as the battle over Aleppo and other areas in the north-western parts of

Syria held for years by the opposition, some progress has been noticed in the latter months in less

direct armed confrontation between Government and the opposition forces resulting in slightly more

calm situations in some areas of Syria. Armed confrontations in the latter part of the year have been

more focused around the Syrian Government trying to gain control over areas controlled by the

Islamic State.

Political developments across hosting countries have also impacted the operating context, in

particular in Lebanon where in October 2016, Michel Aoun was elected President of Lebanon

ending a nearly two-year political deadlock, where the country has been run by a caretaker

government. Since taking office and forming a new cabinet, which included a new State Ministry for

Refugee Affairs, the Government of Lebanon (GoL) has progressed on pending issues, including

outstanding loan commitments from the World Bank and new project proposals to the GCFF.

However, division of responsibility of the refugee file between the Ministry of Foreign Affairs and

the new Ministry of Refugee Affairs has led to some diffusion of responsibility and delays. While

the GoL publically announced the intent for a new refugee policy in Brussels, this has yet to be

published and the rhetoric of the GoL, and among the general population, has shifted towards a

stronger public support for a return of the Syrian refugees to Syria in the near future. However, the

GoL remains divided on the means to achieve this, including on the opening channels of

communication to Damascus or support to localised small-scale facilitated returns of militants and

refugees by Hezbollah as has been reported in the past months. Overall this has resulted in a more

3

hostile operating environment for the RDPP and its partners in Lebanon. With elections scheduled to

be held in the coming months, further politicisation of the refugee issue and a more difficult

operating environment might be expected.

In Jordan, as a result of the Syrian Government regaining territorial control over larger areas at the

cost of the opposition, the Jordanian position on Syria is witnessing the strengthening of ties with

Syria in support of mutual key interests. Jordan exercised its influence to exclude southern Syria

from large military operations of Russia and Syria in the past year, and played a role in brokering a

truce in July 2017 in southwestern Syria, along with US and Russia. So far, the truce has held, which

has allowed Damascus to begin negotiations with rebel groups in Daraa. In August 2017, the Syrian

government regained control of the border area of Sweida province, which was not included in the

ceasefire. The key objective of Jordan for the shift in position has been to secure the border with

Syria, whereby the return of the Syrian Army to the border areas near Sweida is viewed positively

by Amman. Expressing satisfaction with the increased ‘stability’ in southern Syria, the Government

of Jordan has stated that reopening of the crossing points between Jordan and Syria would be

possible, if the current situation continues and southern Syria stabilizes. In general, the Government

of Jordan continue to exercise a pragmatic approach to the refugee case load continues with some

policy shifts to a more permissive livelihoods environment.

In Iraq, context during the reporting period was influenced by a number of political and military

events resulting in very fluid displacement flows. After recapturing Falujjah from Islamic State in

June 2016, the Iraqi forces proceed to recapture Mosul, which was achieved a year later by June

2017. These military campaigns have generated new flows of displacement of IDPs from the

southern parts of Iraq into the Kurdistan Region, which was already hosting 234,262 Syrians (97%

of the total Syrian population displaced in Iraq) 1

. In June 2017, as military operations in Mosul

entered their final phase, the rate at which people fled the city slowed, however, the declaration of

the recapture of Mosul from the Islamic State in Iraq and Syria (ISIS) did not halt the humanitarian

crisis. The consequences of the new flows of displacements have heavily impacted KRI, and the cost

of the war against Islamic State for the central Government of Iraq has deepened the existing

economic crisis, causing limited economic resources to be transferred to the Kurdistan Regional

Government (KRG), resulting in many basic protection services for refugee and host communities

being temporarily halted as public servants are not paid or running costs cannot be covered. Public

services and infrastructure, including schools, health, water supply and sanitation remain

overstretched. Further, due to the deterioration of the economic situation for the Syrian refugees, an

increasing number of out-of-camp refugees expressed interest in relocating to the camps, whose

capacities are limited, leading to long waiting lists. Relocating to camps will reduce the living costs,

as they will not need to cover rent and other basic services will be provided for free. Besides the

IDPs, the number of new arrival of Syrian refugees to KRI is limited and admitted mainly for

medical and family visits.

The Peshkabour border points between Syria and KRI witnesses every month fluid movement of

1 Syria Regional Refugee Response - Inter-agency Information Sharing Portal (updated on 31 July 2017)

4

individuals as the Kurdistan authorities allow Syrians to re-enter KRI after having temporarily

returned to Syria. According to the latest estimates, 1,884 spontaneous returns of Syrians occurred

between January and May 20172 from Iraq to areas of Al-Assakeh governorate of Syria, which are

considered more stable.

In April 2017, the KRG announced its intention to hold a referendum on the future status of the KRI.

They formed a committee to build consensus within the region and hold discussions with the Federal

Government of Iraq. Despite this additional pressure not least from the humanitarian crisis in KRI,

the KRG has kept the momentum on the referendum and confirmed it is to take place on the 25th

of

September 2017.

The refugee numbers in the three focus countries for the RDPP have remained reasonably stable

during the reporting period, mainly due to the borders to Syria being largely closed, reduced

opportunities for onward movement to countries beyond the neighbouring region, and limited return

options to Syria. In Jordan, the number of registered refugees as of 30 June 2017 is 660,8363, which

is a slight increase from the previous year which saw the Hashemite Kingdom host 657,433

(UNHCR). In Lebanon, the continued suspension on registration has resulted in a 3% decrease in the

number of registered refugees, currently numbering at 1,001,051. In the Kurdistan Region of Iraq

(KRI), the number of registered refugees also slightly decreased to 236,1314 from 241,057

5 the

previous year.

Following the positive surge in support for Syria and the neighbouring countries after the London

conference in February 2016, where the Jordan Compact and Lebanon Statement of Intent were

launched, several funding initiatives have been rolled out. Efforts have been made in the host

countries to also address the impact of the displacement beyond the immediate humanitarian needs

with multi-year commitments and addressing the medium- to longer-term development needs for

refugees and host communities. The Global Concessional Financing Facility (GCFF) was launched

by the World Bank as new instrument to enable middle-income countries hosting large refugee

populations to access to loans for development projects benefitting host communities and refugees,

the funding for the EU Regional Trust Fund in Response to the Syrian Crisis (Madad) was

significantly increased with the Trust Fund reaching the target of 1 billion Euro in 2017, and several

other larger donor initiatives have boosted the response to the Syrian displacement crisis. Following

from this the “Supporting the Future of Syria and the Region” conference was held in Brussels in

April 2017, which reaffirmed the strong commitment from the international community pledging 6

billion dollars in support this year and underlining the need for a holistic approach including the

urgent need for a political solution for the conflict in Syria. Despite the efforts and pledges

expressed during these international conferences the regional countries have in the later months

expressed a beginning concern that the emphasis on supporting the region expressed in 2016 are

beginning to dwindle and a fear that this trend might continue, noting other large-scale humanitarian

2 Mixed Migration Monthly Summary – Middle East July 2017

3 UNHCR - External Statistical Report on UNHCR Registered Syrians as of 30 June 2017

4 Syria Regional Refugee Response - Inter-agency Information Sharing Portal (updated on 31 July 2017)

5 UNHCR Iraq: Syrian Refugee stats and locations, 30 June 2016

5

crises, and slow disbursement of pledges.

While in general a certain degree of hosting fatigue and a reduction of the protection space is

observed across the RDPP countries with growing refugee vulnerability, some positive policy

developments have been witnessed as described below, in particular around the residency fee waiver

in Lebanon and work permits in Jordan.

4. CONTEXT DEVELOPMENTS RELEVANT TO THE RDPP MIDDLE EAST

Protection

The protection space in RDPP countries of operation remains constrained for Syrian refugees, and

during the reporting period has seen a deterioration in Lebanon. Even where a slightly less restrictive

protection environment is observed in Jordan and KRI, the majority of refugees continue to be

largely reliant on the support of the international community in order to meet their basic needs.

Access to territory is severely impeded by the closure of the borders of Syria’s neighbouring

countries in all by very limited circumstances, making it nearly impossible to seek international

protection except through illegal border crossing and smuggling. Options for durable solutions

remain marginal for the vast majority of refugees as conditions for safe and voluntary return are not

yet in place, local integration is not an option being considered by any of the host governments, and

resettlement spaces in third countries remain insignificant in terms of dealing with the needs. Anti-

refugee rhetoric has increased particularly in Lebanon with the further imposition of arbitrary

restrictions such as curfews, placed on refugees in some areas, as well as public campaigns calling

for return.

Lack of, and inability to access, legal residency remains a huge impediment to safe and dignified

lives for refugees in Lebanon and Jordan, with associated implications on freedom of movement,

risk of arrest and detention, and inability to access services. In Lebanon, after considerable advocacy

around the implications of lack of legal stay on refugees freedom of movement and ability to access

services, the Government committed to waiving the renewal fees for some segments of the Syrian

refugee population. While a positive development, this still leaves large segments of the refugee

population without access to the waiver, and the implementation of the waiver so far remains slow

and inconsistent, partly due to the General Security Offices either not having capacity to process

applications at the required rate, or interpreting the instruction in arbitrary ways.6 Advocacy

continues to press for expanded coverage of the waiver. Registering births, deaths and marriages

remains complicated for refugees with potential implications for those unregistered for eventual

return.

The Government of Jordan (GoJ) requires that all Syrian refugees register with the Ministry of

6 Arbitrary ways for example by requesting additional documentation, fees or refusing to issue residencies for working age males. Refugees are eligible for the fee free renewal as long as they had registered with UNHCR prior to January 1st 2015 or obtained residency through a UNHCR certificate at least once in 2015 or 2016. The waiver does not apply to Syrians not registered with the UNHCR and Palestinian refugees from Syria.

6

Interior (MoI). However, several challenges (e.g. loss of original documentation; associated costs

and fees or simply ineligibility) continue affecting the capacity to obtain the Ministry of Interior

(MOI) cards, which is crucial to access public services including health care and educational

services. Syrian refugees’ legal status in Jordan depends on their previous phases of displacements7,

and in September 2016, NRC estimated that at least 17,000 refugees were ineligible to receive the

MOI card8. Refugees are often unable to update their registration and documentation status, apply

for work permits, access essential services, and continue to face difficulty moving safely in Jordan.

The humanitarian space for Syrian refugees in Jordan continues to erode, with an increased number

of cases of forced return to the camps being reported by UN agencies and international NGOs.

As the length of the displacement is prolonged and the situation becomes further protracted, the

depletion of assets and resources over time and increasing reliance on negative coping strategies

result in rising protection concerns. As reported in the Lebanon Crisis Response Plan 2017-2020,

91% of Syrian refugees in are in debt, with an average accumulated debt of $857. In Jordan, over

93% of Syrian refugees are reported to be living below the poverty line living on $88 per month or

less9, while 87% of Syrian households living outside camps are reported to be in debt, and the

average debt per refugee household is $1008 USD (Jordan Response Plan 2017-2019). RDPP

partners have reported that child labour, including the worst forms of child labour, and early

marriage have increased in recent years, and protection actors report increased transactional sex and

exploitation.

In Lebanon, the reporting period witnessed a spike in evictions of refugees from their

accommodation, in particular in April 2017, the Lebanese Armed Forces issued sudden notices of

eviction to nearly 15,000 individuals living in informal settlements in the town of Riyak located in

the Bekaa Valley. The reason provided was the close proximity of the informal settlements to a

military air base that would be used more frequently in the coming months. In addition to this,

small-scale evictions by landlords and municipalities continue, and the Mayor of Zahle issued a

large-scale eviction notice. Evictions are both traumatic and costly to refugee families, and in many

cases families experience recurring eviction from new accommodation. The loss of refugee families’

physical shelters results in additional financial burdens and they often lose the rent that was paid in

advance, as well as having to cover relocation transportation costs. Due to the huge number of

refugees in Lebanon and hosting community fatigue as well as the no camp policy, it is difficult for

refugees to find alternative locations to move to.

In Jordan, in addition to the registered refugee population, a group of approximately 60,000

Syrians10

remain stranded at Jordan’s northeast desert border area with Syria. They fled ISIS-held

7 Officially, upon arrival to Jordan, all refugees must have gone to one of the refugee camps jointly managed by GoJ and UNHCR and

should have been provided with a “Proof of Registration” document. Prior to July 2014, refugees were allowed to move out of camps and register with UNCHR in a host community. Those who did this choice obtained (or are still eligible to obtain) UNHCR’s Asylum Seeker

Certificate. Until January 2015, the Jordanian authorities allowed Syrians to apply to leave refugee camps and move to host communities

through a “bailout” process. Bailout was suspended in January 2015. In order to be eligible to obtain an MOI card, Syrians need to have UNHCR’s asylum seeker certificate. 8 NRC, “Securing Status-Syrians and the documentation of legal status, identity and family relationships” (November 2016)

9 UNHCR operational update January 2017

10 WFP Country Brief July 2017

7

areas and due to the border being closed remains trapped in an uninhabited desert area; a transit

corridor between Syria and Jordan referred to as “the berm”. The stranded refugees have limited

access to services as aid agencies has difficulties gaining access to the areas in order to provide

adequate assistance and protection. Advocacy continues to find a solution to this caseload and allow

them entry to Jordan.

During the reporting period incidences of refoulement have been observed. In Jordan, it is estimated

that between 700 to 2,700 individuals have been deported to Syria since the beginning of 2017,

under the rationale of national security concerns, however cases have also been reported as a result

of petty crime and allegedly establishing contact with terrorist organizations.11

Deportations have

often, if not always, occurred in circumstances in which deportees were unable to contest the reasons

for their deportation in court. Many refugees are not afforded an opportunity to access legal or

humanitarian counsel or assistance in the course of the deportation. A number of “spontaneous”

returns have also been observed, which may be family members of those deported, where the

reunification of the family reunification is a push factor. Starting in June 2017 several movements of

combatants and refugees from Arsal in North East Lebanon were organised by a Hezbollah into

areas in Syria. While these movements take place in a smaller-scale, localised context, evidence that

the refugees who joined the convoys were doing so under truly voluntary conditions is missing. The

assessment of the safety of their destinations inside Syria were also missing. This potentially

constitutes a precedent for more wide scale non-voluntary returns from Lebanon.

Gender-based violence remains systemic across RDPP countries and a prohibitive legal framework

in all countries obstructs survivors seeking redress. Frustrations around protract displacement,

changing gender roles as women increasingly enter the workforce when men cannot, early marriage,

unsafe living conditions and conflict, all contribute to high rates of GBV in all countries. In KRI,

girls and women fleeing former ISIS-controlled areas are in need of assistance and psychosocial

support after surviving conflict-related sexual violence, but access to adequate response measures is

hindered by the lack of available survivor-centred services. In Lebanon, 32 % of displaced Syrian

women aged 20-49 years were married before their 18th

birthday (LCRP).

Livelihoods

The operating context for livelihoods programming in RDPP countries is mixed. All countries are

facing slow economic growth, for example economic growth in Lebanon is currently averaging at

1.8 % as opposed to 9.2 % between 2007-2010, while Jordan is averaging 2.8 % as opposed to 5.8 %

between 2007-2010, and KRI is in the midst of an economic crisis as described earlier.

Unemployment rates remain high, particularly among youth and women, and the business

environment is not conducive to large-scale job creation. As a result, livelihoods remains a key area

of host refugee tension. However, there has been some positive progress in Jordan on refugee

livelihoods and some limited progress in Lebanon with the lifting of the pledge not-to-work.

Jordan represents the greatest opportunities for effective livelihoods interventions as refugees have

greater access to the formal labour market. Prior to the conflict in Syria, nearly 70 % of the

11 Ibid

8

Jordanian population was reported to be living below the poverty line.12

Most of the Syrians, who

have sought refuge in Jordan, are living in extreme poverty, with 26 % being reliant on the income

generated by exploitive, illegal and socially degrading jobs to meet their basic needs.13

In 2016,

Jordan secured pledges for $1.7 billion in grants and concessional financial support for the Jordan

Response Plan, as well as pledges to simplify the Rules of Origin to export to the European

market14

. The GoJ has pledged to create nearly 200,000 jobs for Syrian refugees, which they aim to

achieve also through the formalisation of existing jobs and the replacement of migrant workers with

Syrians refugee labour. However, Jordanian employers face challenges in finding staff to meet their

needs and report difficulties in staff retention and commitment levels. This is mainly due to a

number of obstacles still faced by Syrians; legal framework gaps and limits in the work permit

legislation, which still leads to the further expansion of the informal economy, characterized by low

and declining wages, long working days, and poor safety conditions. Between January 2016 and July

2017, a total of 54,871 work permits have been issued or renewed to Syrians (52,349 men and 2,522

women), which contributes to the target of 200,000 work permits to be issued by the government

outlined in the Jordan Compact. The number amounts to 9 % of the foreign workforce in Jordan,

where the remaining 58 % is represented by Egyptians and 33 % by other migrants. As a result of

the Jordan Compact 21 companies have been provided with technical assistance and matchmaking

with EU buyers linked to the easing on the Roles of Origin, which intends to increase exports and

result in further job creation. In August 2017, the Government of Jordan announced the release of

new work permits, which would be the region´s first non-employer15

and non-position specific

permits. The applicant for the work permit is obliged to sign up for insurance as opposed to the

costly social security subscriptions that were a requirement in the previous application process. The

new work permits are another positive development, which will hopefully give Syrian refugees more

opportunities to improve their livelihoods and quality of life in Jordan.

In KRI, both unemployment and poverty rates have soared, exacerbated by the austerity measures

the Kurdistan Regional Government has been forced to adopt. Government salaries have been cut or

delayed and more than 6,600 government-funded projects employing tens of thousands of workers

have been suspended. Agricultural production has also witnessed a noticeable decrease resulting in

migration to urban areas in order to ensure food security.16

Large numbers of refugees and IDPs

have expressed their inability to pay for basic needs due to increased debt resulting in a reliance on

negative coping strategies. A cutback in food vouchers as well as a noticeable decrease in basic

services has also further exacerbated dire livelihoods conditions for many families. A policy of free

movement in and out of the camps and the facilitation of work permits allows refugees and IDPs to

freely pursue employment opportunities. However, the protracted economic crisis currently heavily

impacting the private sector, which in turn is struggling to integrate the any new labour force

resulting in heightened rates of unemployment. Further, refugee skills sets do not always match the

labour market needs. Within the camps, the small camp populations limit the number of businesses

12 Jordan Response Plan, 2017-2019 13 Ibid 14 A new trade agreement between Jordan and the EU was signed, which allowed for the relaxation of the Rules of Origin. The scheme

applies to 52 product groups for a renewable period of ten years. It covers a range of manufactured products produced in 18 specified

industrial areas and development zones. 15 Previously, the employer would apply for the work permit on behalf of employees for specific sectors. 16 Iraq Humanitarian Response Plan, 2016-2017

9

that can be run successfully in these settings, which is a further impediment to livelihoods activities.

Lebanon continues to provide the most difficult environment for refugees seeking dignified

employment that would allow a greater degree of self-reliance. Syrian refugees continue to be

restricted to employment in the three defined sectors of agriculture, manual labour and construction,

for which they still need a work permit. Widespread reports of exploitation of both registered and

unregistered refugees also continue.17

Due to the residual effects of the prolonged presence of

Palestinian refugees scattered across various camps throughout the country, Syrian refugees have

been exposed to incredibly stringent restrictions to improving their economic situation. Many

Syrians throughout Lebanon have seen their business closed abruptly based due to administrative

shortcomings that very few Lebanese businesses possess to in rural areas. As discussed in previous

sections, the increased anti-refugee rhetoric coupled with perceived competition for jobs has also

resulted in heightened tensions between members of the host and refugee communities. The tension

has resulted in increased calls by local communities to close Syrian-owned business and prevent

Syrians from gaining dignified work in their villages. In addition many refugees, particularly

working-age men unable to renew their residency by themselves, have been requested by GSO to

find a sponsor under the “kafala” system to support their application, which provides opportunities

for exploitation and abuse. Unfortunately, the current politics in Lebanon does not lend itself to

assessing that there might be opportunities emerging for a positive change in the near future in terms

of livelihood for Syrians in Lebanon. The restrictions imposed is aimed at reducing space for

Syrians in the labour market, as the current policies are geared towards preventing any long-term

settlement in the country.

Advocacy and Research

While the international and regional attention on the Syrian crisis has not shifted, competing

humanitarian crises and political shifts in Europe necessitate high-level advocacy at the international

level to keep the support for Syria and the refugee-hosting neighbouring countries and on the map.

Refugee vulnerability continue to increasing over time, and as host governments explore how to

fulfil their commitments for example on the Jordan Compact and Lebanon Statement of Intent,

research and evidence-based policy options become ever more necessary. This is evidenced by the

request from the Government of Jordan to work with MoPIC and FAFO to provide needed evidence

on refugee skills and education levels, which can inform their policy work and enable them to fulfil

commitments on the agreement with the EU. As the crisis progresses and as anti-refugee,

xenophobic rhetoric rises, evidence on the impact of the crisis and best practices on how to provide

assistance to both refugees and host communities are ever more in need.

5. PROGRAMME PERFORMANCE PROGRESS

The current reporting period was a year of accelerated implementation for the RDPP, with 15 new

partnerships signed and an upscaling of PMU staffing following the recommendation of the decision

of the steering committee in February 2016. The revised structure in particular ensures an expanded

presence in Jordan for better coordination and contact with partners and allows for increased

17 IRC, Vulnerability Assessment of Syrian Refugee Men, 2016

10

monitoring of engagements and dialogue with government in Iraq. The former Programme Manager

did not extend his contract beyond November 2016, therefore the position was advertised in July

2016. Due to no adequate applicants applying for the position, a decision was taken to re-advertise

the vacancy. This resulted in a gap in filling the position of three months. The new Programme

Manager took up the position in February 2017. Due to expansion of the office staff the Jordan

office was moved from the Dutch Embassy to a separate office space.

The current reporting period focused on the selection and contracting of new partnerships across the

three countries, and in particular expanding the livelihoods portfolio. Ten new livelihoods projects

were launched across the three countries during this reporting period. The projects aim at building

the capacity of host and refugee communities, advocating for greater access to labour markets for

refugees, and creating new employment opportunities for both refugees and host communities. The

new initiatives allow the RDPP and its partners to further engage with governments, local authorities

and build the resilience of vulnerable communities most impacted by the ramifications of the war in

Syria.

In addition to the livelihoods projects, partnerships were concluded across the other thematic areas

bringing the total committed programme funding at the end of year three to EUR 30.1 million (73 %

of the total budget) with EUR 18.1 million disbursed (59 % of committed funds). The portfolio of

partnerships has increased substantially to thirty-three projects with a diverse portfolio of UN,

national and international organizations. The RDPP currently has a total of twenty-five active

partnerships to date with ten under implementation in Lebanon, seven in Jordan, three in Iraq and

five regionally. A further eight partnerships has been completed, bringing the total number of closed

and current partnerships to 33. In terms of funding distribution, the total budget for the committed

partnerships for Lebanon amounts to EUR 14.5 million, for Jordan to EUR 10.2 million and for

EUR Iraq 4.3 million.18

During the reporting period the PMU also focused on taking forward the recommendations of the

Mid-Term Review. A key area of focus has been strengthening visibility and communications so

that the RDPP brand and objectives are clear to all stakeholders. A communication and visibility

strategy was developed for the RDPP, branding made consistent, and guidance on visibility

developed and shared with all partners. Partners now submit a communications plan at the start of

their projects outlining their strategy and forums for communicating the results of the RDPP

supported projects. These efforts have led to greater consistency in use of logo and attributions to the

RDPP. A website for the programme was also developed, which is averaging 500 visitors per month.

Further, the EU website on RDPP was updated

https://eeas.europa.eu/delegations/lebanon/7895/rddp-regional-development-and-protection-

programme-refugees-and-host-communities-lebanon-jordan_en and a feature profiling the RDPP

was posted on in the Danish Foreign Ministry website.

18 For further details about the specific approved projects, please see Annex III (summary table of projects), as well as Annex IV (project

fiches), and Annex II for financial details.

11

5.1. ACHIEVEMENTS AGAINST APPROVED ANNUAL PLANS

1) Thematic Programme: Research

Four Partnerships: World Bank – Regional (Oct 14 – Sept 15), DRC-led Consortium (with NRC and

DRC) – Regional (June 16 - Dec 17), UNDP Sub-Regional (June 16 – Dec 17), MoPIC and FAFO

(May 17 – Jan 18)

With the Syrian War entering its seventh year, the need for evidence-based research is required more

than ever in order to better inform governments, international/local organizations, beneficiaries and

other stakeholders impacted by the crises. With all partnerships under this theme signed and under

implementation, the RDPP is becoming increasingly known for its research products and the

programme is expecting key research outputs to published in the upcoming year. In addition to the

research specific projects under this thematic component, most partnerships signed under other

thematic components in the last year also have an integrated research or lessons learnt element in the

project. Emphasis will be placed in the coming year on disseminating findings resulting from

research projects and ensuring they are incorporated into advocacy initiatives in order to strengthen

the advocacy efforts.

During the reporting period, and at the request of the Government of Jordan, a partnership was

signed with FAFO to conduct a survey on the skills of refugees in Jordan, which will support the

Government to better develop policy to meet their commitments under the Jordan Compact. An

MoU was signed between the Jordanian Ministry of Planning and International Cooperation

(MOPIC) and the RDPP and the research phase of the project has commenced. The initiative brings

together various bodies within the Jordanian government to work on the “Research on the

Education, Skills, Work Experiences and Work Preferences of Syrians in Jordan (RESW)” report

and the findings will be ready for initial sharing within stakeholders of Jordanian Government by

December 2017. The final report is expected by early 2018. A steering committee will be overseeing

and advising on the process, which will be led by MoPIC and participation by RDPP PMU.

Two research projects that were signed in the previous reporting period have since progressed in

their implementation and provided a stronger base for evidenced based advocacy throughout the

programme. The first project, led by UNDP, focused primarily on the development of evidence-

based policy options and frameworks for the accommodation of refugees in countries affected by the

Syria crisis. In December 2016 a regional consultation process held by the UNDP with the five

governments hosting refugees was held in Dubai. This meeting brought government representatives

from the Lebanese Ministries of Social Affairs and Labour, the Jordanian Ministry of Planning and

International Cooperation, the Egyptian and Turkish Ministries of Foreign Affairs and the Ministry

of Planning in KRI. The meeting allowed for the government representatives to be together for the

first time to discuss approaches to the refugee influx, including economic impacts and the

development of crisis response policy, as well as lessons learned.

In addition, UNDP together with ILO and WFP conducted a research report entitled “Jobs Make the

12

Difference”. The study focuses on how host governments, international actors, and private sector

partners can create new economic opportunities and expand access to existing economic

opportunities. The global launch of the “Jobs Make a Difference Study” was held on the sidelines of

the Supporting the Future of Syria and the Region Conference in Brussels in April 2017.

The Durable Solutions Platform (DSP) consisting of DRC, IRC and NRC, after a slightly slow start

due to recruitment issues, has now become recognised in the region for its outputs. During the period

of November 2016 and March 2017, a small number of voluntary returns to Syria from Turkey into

northern Syria was observed and the Durable Solutions Platform has conducted a research study on

return motivations and mobility intentions among returnees. The results of the research were

featured in a study entitled “Unsafe but Home”, and findings were disseminated through five

briefing sessions to donors and stakeholders. In order to benefit from the momentum of the “Unsafe

but Home” study, a follow up research on returns is planned and expected to be implemented in the

third quarter of 2017. The DSP has also commenced a research project on the law and politics of

safe zones focussing particularly on Lebanon and Jordan. The findings will feed into dialogue and

advocacy efforts in the RDPP focus countries, as increased rhetoric around safe zones and returns is

observed.

A durable solutions framework assessment tool for returns has also been developed by the

consortium, and has been piloted in three areas in Syria utilising existing humanitarian data.

Consultations on the use and further development of the tool are ongoing. In order to ensure

inclusive participation and the voice of displaced Syrians is heard, fourteen roundtable discussions

with members of Syrian civil society have been held in Turkey, Lebanon, and Jordan by the DSP.

Unfortunately, and due to external contextual issues, roundtables in Turkey with civil society

organizations had to be postponed and may have to be cancelled, if the situation does not allow for

the activities to take place.

The World Bank research project has completed its activities however; dialogue continues between

the RDPP and UNHCR, as co-funders of the study, and the World Bank to reach agreement about

how the findings will be disseminated.

2)Thematic Programme: Protection

a) Legal Aid and Advocacy:

Three Partnerships: CLDH 1 -Lebanon (May 15 – Dec 16), CLDH (June 17 – June 18), AJEM-

Lebanon (Jul 15-Sep 16), JCLA-Jordan (Dec 15 – Jun 17)

During this reporting period, the RDPP was able to grow considerably in this area of intervention

with the number of direct beneficiaries reached rising to 18,118 from 12,728 from the previous

reporting period. The rise in beneficiary reach is largely due to increased implementation of

programme activities by the Justice Centre for Legal Aid (JCLA) in Jordan.

13

JCLA was able to reach 12,926 beneficiaries (33.3 % refugee, both Syrian and non-Syrian) through

awareness raising sessions on topics such as refugee rights and status, labour law and domestic

violence. Females, from both host and refugee communities participated heavily in the awareness

sessions, constituting 75 % of the beneficiaries that were reached. Beneficiaries were also able to

benefit from legal consultations. 1048 individuals (35 % refugee) received consultations, with 716

being females and 332 being male. Approximately 95 % of beneficiaries who participated in

awareness raising sessions reported that they were better equipped with knowledge of their rights

and applicable laws as a result of the project. Finally, 808 beneficiaries were represented by legal

professionals as a result of RDPP projects in Jordan. Refugee participation was lower than originally

planned in the design of the project for all activities due to the partner reporting difficulty in

reaching the targeted population with host community members representing 78 % of the

beneficiaries reached through legal representation. Previous discussions with beneficiaries

highlighted the lack of trust of the legal system from the displaced communities in seeking

assistance, especially when lacking legal status. JCLA has tried to involve Syrian refugee’s lawyers

to mitigate the problem and act as facilitators to gain the community trust and invested additional

efforts in targeting the community through awareness activities. Despite the lower percentage of

refugees reached, the project was able to reach its target group of vulnerable host and refugee

community members in need of legal assistance.From the cases and consultations that were

represented, 50.2% dealt with incidents of domestic violence.

RDPP partnerships with two national NGOs, CLDH and AJEM, in Lebanon continued to provide

legal aid to those that were in need of their services. Lawyers continued to follow up with court

cases of the most vulnerable inmates such as refugees risking deportation, administrative detention

and illegal Migrant workers. Due to the summer judicial holidays during the final period of the

CLDH and AJEM projects no new cases were taken on although follow up on existing cases was

provided, and so assisted cases were reporting in the previous reporting period. During the final

months of the CLDH project two reports were produced19

, and roundtable discussions were

organized with representatives of Government, the judiciary and local and international NGOs. The

“Legal Challenges faced by Refugees from Syria in Lebanon” study advocates for frameworks that

address the legal stay of refugees that take into consideration the safety and security concerns that

they have. During the reporting period the CLDH and AJEM partnerships completed and at the end

of the reporting period a follow on project was signed with CLDH to continue providing legal

assistance.

To date 76 % of cases that were supported by all RDPP partners were redressed. The cases

successfully redressed have been defined as those that resulted in release from prison; had their

cases closed or reduced sentences; had undergone fair trials; reduced bail or fines; transfer of verdict

to appropriate court or prison; provision of sufficient legal information at the legal centers; or safe

voluntary repatriation/resettlement residency renewal.

19 The two reports are entitled: “Legal Challenges faced by Refugees from Syria in Lebanon” & “Shadow Report: Submission to the

Committee Against Torture in Relation to its examination of the Initial Report (March 2016)”

14

b) Community Empowerment and Conflict Mitigation:

One Partnership: Mercy Corps – Lebanon (June 15 – March 16), Mercy Corps 2 (Dec 16 – March

18)

Based on the success of the pilot project that completed during the last reporting period, and in

recognition of increasing tensions between host communities and refugees in Lebanon, RDPP

decided to fund a second phase of the conflict mitigation project implemented by Mercy Corps in

Bekaa Valley, which hosts the highest number of refugees in the country. The overall aim of the

project is to build the capacity of local communities, in order to establish the mechanisms that are

required to alleviate tensions between host and refugee populations.

During the reporting period memorandums of understanding were signed with nine municipalities in

the Bekaa that demonstrated a record of host refugee tensions. Local groups were formed in each

municipality and are comprised of an equal number of participants from host and refugee

communities, with 50 % female participation. The head of each municipality participates and leads

the local groups in order to ensure ownership and sustainability for the project.

After the completion of the first phase of training on conflict mitigation, the participants will receive

training on proposal writing, project design and how to conduct a needs assessment. The skills

acquired will be utilized in the development of small community-rehabilitation projects that will

benefit local communities the groups reside in.

c) Capacity Building of National Institutions on Protection and Asylum Issues:

One Partnership: UNHCR - Lebanon (Dec 14 – Dec 17)

The front line of response to refugee crisis is often the municipalities and law enforcement agencies.

The UNHCR led project engages with Lebanese Security Forces to build their capacities on

respecting human rights and upholding international humanitarian law in their interactions with

refugees and vulnerable populations, the Ministry of Interior and Municipalities to enhance the

practices of municipal police when dealing with the refugee population, and collaborating with

Universities to develop research products that shed light on many of the challenges that have

resulted from an influx of refugees into Lebanon.

UNHCR conducted training sessions for the Lebanese Internal Security Forces (ISF) and Army

(LAF) in September 2016 and for the Lebanese General Security (GSO) in October 2016.

Customized training modules were developed in order to address the operational needs of the

security agencies during their interaction with refugees and vulnerable individuals’ protection on

issues including human trafficking, child protection, gender-based violence, women’s rights, non-

refoulement, detention/ill-treatment, and civil status documentation. The trainings involved 225 ISF

officers, 48 high-level LAF officers, and 187 GSO officers. During the reporting period 5 ISF, 12

GSO and 5 LAF officers were further provided with ToTs, with the aim to rolling out future

15

trainings within their respective agencies.

At a local level, an official circular was distributed by the Ministry of Interior and Municipalities

(MOIM) to all 1,058 municipalities in order to encourage them to apply for a training on local

policing practices. Approximately 37 municipalities, of which 7 were pilot locations, applied to

receive the above mentioned training. The MOIM has had significant engagement with the project

and has stated that they feel the intervention is an example of best practice on institutional support to

local municipalities on conflict mitigation and social stability. The course on local policing practices

will be provided through a curriculum developed by the ISF Academy and UNHCR. The final

approval process for the curriculum are delayed due to awaiting final approval from the ISF and the

Shura Council.20

Currently, seven municipal police forces have been trained, including one of the

role model forces.21

The training of the police forces was designed to coincide with regional

workshops that were held across Lebanon involving 282 participants including municipal police and

local authorities. The regional workshops reviewed the tasks and functions of municipal police

according to local laws and regulations as well as the challenges faced by both the host and refugee

communities. The component of the project on training the municipal police gained the interest from

various donors, and work with the municipal police has been expanding through funding from the

Governments of Canada and the Netherlands. Furthermore, in September 2016, six regional dialogue

sessions were held with governors, qaimaqams 22

, heads of municipalities, municipal police officers

and civil society organizations to discuss issues related to the presence of refugees in local

communities.

The other component of the project with UNHCR is the engagement with university students who

participated in international refugee law and human rights learning initiatives including a series of

panel discussions. In November 2016, 116 students participated in weeklong module on refugee

studies and a course on human rights protection of vulnerable groups was taught in March and April

2017 for masters students. The courses complimented two research projects that were completed in

collaboration with Saint Joseph University, with an additional 19 student research papers that are

expected to be completed prior to the end of the project. During this reporting period, the “Survey on

Perceptions of Syrian Refugees in Lebanon” conducted in 2015 was repeated. Some of the key

findings of the report were that nearly 90 % of Syrian refugee respondents stated that they felt

unwelcomed in Lebanon and that they felt that there is a direct link between not having legal

residency and their safety. Approximately 50 % of Lebanese respondents stated that they felt

threatened by the presence of Syrian refugees and they do not feel safe in their own country.

d) Child Labour

Three partnerships: ILO – Lebanon and Jordan (June 15 – Oct 17), Dar Al Amal - Lebanon (Aug 16

– Nov 17), Beyond Association- Lebanon (June 16 – Oct 17)

20 The Shura Council is the state consultative council that needs to give final approval on all materials produced by ministries after verifying its constitutionality. 21 Role model forces are members of municipalities who have signed a pledge to adopt the SOPs and Code of Conduct Guidelines developed by the project once officially endorsed. 22 A Qaimaqam is a provincial governor

16

During the reporting period two new partnerships were launched in Lebanon with the objective to

tackle the issue of child labour in Lebanon. In both Jordan and Lebanon, the three projects were able

to reach 4847 direct beneficiaries, of which 64 % represented the refugee community, and 26

households from both host and refugee communities. RDPP partners were able to build on previous

year’s work which focused on engaging with local and national stakeholders in Jordan and Lebanon

that raised their awareness and ensured their contribution to minimizing the negative effects of child

labour.

Engaging children in addressing the root causes of child labour and identifying possible solutions to

the issue was the motivation behind the establishment of functional children’s podium by the ILO.

The children’s podium seeks to provide a forum for children to discuss their concerns with local and

national authorities in both Lebanon and Jordan. The podium gave media coverage to the issue of

child labour from regional and international media, and an ex-child worker from Lebanon

represented his former peers in the World Day Against Child Labour, which was held in Geneva on

June 12th

2017 and organized by the International Labour Conference (ILC). In order to allow for

greater ownership by duty bearers, the ILO project also engaged with approximately 480 staff from

local and national authorities in Jordan and Lebanon. 340 staff from key Ministries in Jordan and

Lebanon participated in training sessions on prevention strategies as well as new methods and

utilization of information management systems related to child labour in Jordan and Lebanon. The

project also engaged with the private sector in both countries in order to raise awareness on issues

related to child labour, specifically on the negative impacts on the social development and economy

of Jordan and Lebanon. ILO staff visited 40 employers in Jordan and 30 employers in Lebanon in

order to discuss child labour, especially in the respective supply chains, and on the harmful effects it

can cause on the children and the companies.

In Lebanon, the two new projects implemented by two national NGOs, Beyond Association and Dar

al Amal, were able to reach 211 local and national stakeholders and 4,808 children, who are

involved in or at risk of being involved in worst forms of child labour (WFCL), and were provided

with trainings or were referred to agencies to address their needs. Training topics covered National

and International laws and decrees against WFCL, and challenges in combatting child labor in light

of the refugee crisis and street children in Lebanon, safe spaces for children involved in child labor,

as well as guidelines, management, and curricula as well as how best to communicate concerns

raised by child labour with various stakeholders. Additionally, 240 parents and caregivers were

supported with skills development to enter the job market themselves as an alternative to child

labour. 163 key stakeholders, which included members of municipalities and shawishes23

,

participated in sensitization sessions on the worst forms of child labour, international norms and

mitigations measures that can be adopted. RDPP partners were also able to train 39 social workers,

who are employed by Social Development Centres (SDCs) and Labour Inspectors working at the

Ministry of Labour on topics that included to Child Rights, Lebanon’s ratification of relevant

conventions, Lebanese labour law and the current situation pertaining to the enforcement of the

23 A shawish is the term given to a resident of an informal settlement who is tasked with functioning as a focal point/liaison with organizations and local authorities by the land owner.

17

laws.

While where possible families are provided with alternatives to child labour, it does not negate the

need to address the needs of children who are currently working and cannot immediately be

removed from labour. Partners were able to provide 207 children with safety tools in order to

minimize work related injuries. 424 children, between the ages of 14 to 18, participated in vocational

training programs based on assessments that were conducted in order to provide participants with the

best possible employment opportunities, once they enter the job market. RDPP partners also focused

on ensuring that children that require specialized services are provided with support required. 2350

children were referred to specialized service providers to address psychosocial support and

education needs in order to provide alternatives to child labour. In total, 26 families who had

children at risk to the worst forms of child labour were provided with alternative employment

opportunities. RDPP partner projects targeted parents and caregivers to draw greater attention to the

negative effects the worst forms of child labour can have on the families, with 240 parents

participating in awareness raising sessions. As a result of the ILO project in Lebanon, the Ministry

of Labour committed to providing work permits to adults who removed their children involved in

the worst forms of child labour, resulting in 270 children being withdrawn from their work. The

parents of the children that have been removed accessed labour permits through General Security,

Farmer’s Union and the Ministry of Labour for agricultural work, construction and cleaning.

c) Thematic Programme: Advocacy and Political Dialogue

Two partnerships: ABAAD (March 15 – March 16), FMR 2 (June 17 – March 18)

Advocacy and political dialogue, at a local and national level, has been a crosscutting theme across

all of the RDPP’s partner projects. Various interventions have resulted in the engagement with

national level duty bearers through meetings, roundtable discussions, workshops and trainings of

their key staff. By allowing for a greater understanding and raising awareness of national

stakeholders, more opportunities are created to advocate for the concerns and needs of host and

refugee communities with government officials in Lebanon, Jordan and KRI. Advocacy efforts from

ABAAD have yielded policy change, and combined efforts from RDPP partners have influenced

positive policy changes more widely e.g. residency fee waiver in Lebanon. The RDPP has also

joined donor advocacy efforts particularly in Lebanon around various issues including the proposed

“attestation” scheme, which was considered to replace legal residency for refugees, evictions and

refoulement. Building on the research outputs anticipated during year 4 of the programme the RDPP

will leverage advocacy efforts to effect positive policy change for refugees.

The RDPP was featured in the interventions of UNDP and Denmark at the Top Donor Group for

Syria meetings that were held in Kuwait in 2016 and 2017, as well as Qatar in 2017. The meetings

bring together the government representatives from the neighbouring countries, Heads of UN from

the region, and representatives from the Gulf States and top donors to review the developments in

Syria and to follow up on the pledging for support to Syria.

18

The RDPP was also provided a platform during the side-event ‘Supporting the Resilience of Host

Communities and Refugees’ during the Syria conference in Brussels in April 2017, where the RDPP

was highlighted as an example of a joint European effort to assist the refugee-hosting countries in

the region and as an example of bridging the humanitarian-development divide.

In terms of the RDPP partner activities contributing to advocacy efforts the RDPP funded initiative

led by ILO, through the engagement of national stakeholders, was able to advocate for nearly 200

parents of children involved in the worst forms of child labour to receive work permits from the

Lebanese Ministry of Labour. Similarly, through the sustained efforts of RDPP partner ABAAD the

Lebanese Parliament repealed Law 225 in August 2017, which allowed rapists to escape conviction

if they married their victims. ABAAD had engaged national awareness raising campaign and

engagement with duty bearers in order to eliminate the law. While the RDPP partnership with Abaad

ended in March 2016, they have continued work with the national stakeholders on the issue of GBV,

building on previous RDPP funded activities. Based on the achievements of the last project,

ABAAD continued to build the capacity and ability of national institutions to provide better services

to survivors of GBV, national standard operating procedures (SOPs) on the prevention and response

to GBV were rolled out in collaboration with the national GBV taskforce. RDPP has negotiated a

new partnership with ABAAD to take forward elements of this work, which will be reported in the

next reporting period. A new partnership has been signed with ABAAD on July 1st 2017, and will

build on previous efforts.

Advocacy has also been mainstreamed into many of the new partnerships signed during this

reporting period. For example the six new livelihoods projects for Jordan contain advocacy work-

streams that will build on evidence collected through the projects and challenge operating space for

the livelihood engagements aimed at refugees. Through its livelihoods initiative, Oxfam in Jordan

aims at addressing the barriers preventing MSME development at local and national levels through

campaigning and advocacy for changes to the legal and regulatory framework as well as changes in

perception amongst Jordanian communities towards vocational training. Similarly, Finn Church Aid

will promote a number of advocacy actions towards the Jordanian government and the international

community to improve the socio-economic status of Syrian refugees, especially in terms of

promoting policy initiatives to identify labour market solutions that build the resilience of host

communities and refugees.

During this reporting period the RDPP decided to fund a new special edition of the Forced Migration

Review, which will focus on displacement in the Middle East. The edition aims to capture some of

the learning since the previous edition in 2014 around responses to protracted crises and provide a

space for partner organizations to submit articles for publication to share learning generated through

their RDPP projects. The call for articles has been launched and the volume will be published in

early 2018. This time it will be accompanied with a series of events, lectures, roundtables to profile

some of the topics and articles, share learning and generate discussion. Additional copies in English

and Arabic has been ordered and will be distributed to relevant institutions and partners in the

region, as well as RDPP donors for their advocacy efforts.

19

d) Thematic Programme: Livelihoods

Fifteen Partnerships: UNDP – Lebanon (Nov 14 – Dec 16), DRC - Lebanon (June 16 - Dec 17),

AMEL (May 16 – Nov 17), Sheild - Lebanon (Aug 16 – Jan 18), UNDP - Jordan (Jan 15 – Jan 16),

UNDP 2 - Jordan (Dec 15 – Mar 17) Relief International - Iraq (June 16 – Oct 17), DRC – Iraq,

(June 16 - Sept 17), IRC – Lebanon (Jan 17 – June 18), Save the Children – Lebanon (March 17-

June 18), ACF – Iraq (May 17-June 18), Oxfam – Jordan (March 17 – June 18), Lutheran World

Forum - Jordan (April 17 – June 18), Finn Church Aid –Jordan (March 17- June 2018), World

Vision International – Jordan (May 17 – June 18), IRC – Jordan (Jan 17 – June 18).

After the successful launch of ten new livelihoods initiatives, the RDPP was able to reach 3,460

direct beneficiaries and 1,363 households this reporting period with livelihoods activities. Partner

activities includes job placement, vocational training, working with MSEs and nascent businesses,

awareness raising sessions and promoting incoming generating activities in order to alleviate the

economic hardships that refugee and host communities have been exposed to as a result of the

Syrian crisis. Many of the partnerships are currently just starting up, and it is expected that a

significant increase in beneficiary reach will be reported in the next period. The programme budget

for livelihoods has committed into partnerships (with the finalisation of contracts under discussion)

and the RDPP is expecting to meet all of its targets.

In Lebanon, 3,126 members of vulnerable communities, local and national stakeholders and staff at

key ministries participated in RDPP partner implemented livelihood projects. 723 participants

benefited from activities to improve their professional skills by taking part in vocational trainings,

apprenticeships and on the job trainings by employers. Thorough needs assessments of gaps in

human resources in local markets and the professional aspirations of beneficiaries participating was

conducted. The DRC led consortium produced a briefing paper on legal challenges to livelihoods

opportunities present in existing Lebanese laws and presented recommendations on how best to

overcome them. One of the key aspects of the study highlights the existing restrictions on some

professions for foreign workers in Lebanon, and presents the absence of the legal barriers in the

Labour Law and corresponding legal mechanisms. In order to compliment the briefing on legal

barriers to employment, the consortium also produced a market study in order to identify any skills

gaps in local markets. The study found that if integrated in the formal market, foreign workers can

contribute to the growing need of skills gaps in local MSMEs.

Nearly 60 % of direct beneficiaries targeted by RDPP supported livelihood projects were from host

communities, in line with Government guidelines and to assist in reducing many of the tensions that

exist and the criticism that most international aid that is provided is allocated only to refugees. The

livelihood partnerships also targeted 35 new micro small and enterprises (MSMEs) as well as

nascent businesses, who provided employment opportunities to participants of the project and

assisted in reducing the reliance on negative coping strategies.

In KRI, the RDPP partners were able to target 1,063 households of which nearly half belonged to

refugees and IDPs. 304 households participated in cash for work initiatives in Erbil and Duhok,

20

which contributed to the rehabilitation of 12 schools, 3 kindergartens and 4 municipal buildings.

Cash for work projects were selected based on close cooperation with other INGOs present in the

area as well as municipalities and the Bureau of Relief and Humanitarian Affairs. 597 heads of

households throughout KRI also participated in vocational training programs, which included

hairdressing and sewing, and had the ultimate aim of enhancing technical skills in order for them to

enter the labour market upon completion. One RDPP partner assisted in the establishment of 13

value chain groups, who led on assessments to help identify the vocations that the trainings were

based on. Livelihood projects in KRI also supported MSMEs, with 175 heads of households

receiving business management training with 131 receiving small start-up grants in order to launch

their enterprises. Beneficiaries were trained on how to develop a business plan and conduct a basic

market analysis. Some the value chains that were selected are yogurt product, pickle production and

bakeries.

During this reporting period, an RDPP livelihood project led by the UNDP in Jordan was able to

successfully reach 385 beneficiaries and 300 households. 208 Jordanian and 92 Syrian households

reported an increase in their income as a result of skills exchange component of the activity. Syrian

households were trained over a period of six days on the methods to transfer their technical skills to

their Jordanian counterparts. Jordanian and Syrian beneficiaries’ soft skills capacity was also

developed and included communication, leadership, time management, presentation, conflicts

resolution, and acceptance of others. Additionally, 179 Jordanian and Syrian beneficiaries, of which

nearly 60% females, received direct skills development training not in the peer exchange format. 100

Jordanian entrepreneurs were provided with start-up grants through the UNDP project for their

microbusinesses based on their commitment to receive daily mentorship support of Syrian mentors

while 101 Jordanians were provided with access to employment opportunities through referral

mechanisms, including job fairs and interviews.

6. RISKS

The programme continues to be exposed to a number of shifting risks due to the nature of its

activities and the continuously evolving context. This section provides a highlight of the main risk,

which has changed relevant for the past period and the coming implementation year. Annex V

provides a full-detailed analysis of the risks through updating the Programmatic and Institutional

Risks for the thematic areas of the RDPP.

During the reporting period and looking forward to the final year of the RDPP most of the risks

identified remain. While the war in Syria continues and security remains highly volatile,

neighbouring host countries are retaining their closed borders to Syria meaning a dramatic change in

refugee number is unlikely. While the security situation in countries of operation remains volatile,

the risk of deterioration has been downgraded as conflicts remains localised and largely outside of

programme areas. This has been reflected in the annex.

Refugee-host tensions and anti-refugee rhetoric are increasing over time as the protracted nature of

the displacement continues. Calls for the creation of safe zones and returns are being heard and

21

specific cases of refoulement and facilitated returns are being observed, however agreement across

the political spectrum in host countries and a clear plans for roll out of returns are not in place, and

so the risk of large scale returns leading to a significant decrease in refugee numbers during the final

year of RDPP remains low.

The risk of lack of cooperation or obstruction of conducting activities has been reduced as good

cooperation in general has been established with host governments and following the London and

Brussels conferences commitments to livelihoods opportunities are present. The risk of research not

being used for advocacy due to challenging the dominant narrative has increased.

Due to lack of cohesion among ministries, diversified responsibilities vis a vis the crisis, a

forthcoming election and ministry staff turnover the risk of weak institutional context to engage in

dialogue has upgraded to likely. This applies mostly to Lebanon.

For further details, please refer to the Risks Annex where changes are highlighted in red and in

deleted format.

7. ANNUAL PLAN FOR THE FOLLOWING YEAR

Following the recommendations of the Mid Term Review, the Steering Committee and lessons

learnt from the last reporting period the RDPP will focus in the coming year on the following key

areas as outlined to the Steering Committee in June 2017.

The PMU will focus finalising any pending contracts in order to ensure the remaining balance of the

RDPP is fully programmed. In parallel, there will be a focus on supporting partners to ensure timely

implementation and disbursement as the programme moves towards the end of its final year. With

the increased staff capacity in the PMU, project monitoring will be increased in particular with a

focus on the new partnerships and in Iraq. In addition, there will be a focus on supporting partners in

their efforts towards anti-corruption and fraud through increased monitoring and a two planned

specialist-led trainings for partners in November 2017.

Leveraging the gains made on communications and visibility during the last reporting period, as well

as research findings that have been generated, a key priority for the final year will be advocacy. An

internal strategy will be further developed and efforts to share findings and evidence stepped up to

support partner advocacy as well as engaging in direct advocacy with host governments and other

relevant stakeholders.

Finally, during the coming year, the RDPP will undergo an EU ROM review and undertake an

external impact evaluation. These two exercises will generate learning to inform the new phase of

RDPP. During the third quarter of 2017 with the support of a consultant, the RDPP will be scoping

the new phase, identifying coverage, sectors and priorities for presentation to the Steering

Committee, and start up during the second quarter 2018.

22

8. FINANCIAL STATUS

The budgetary portfolio of the RDPP remains at EUR 41.6 Million after the contributions that were

committed during the last reporting period by Denmark, Norway, Switzerland and the Czech

Republic. From the overall commitments, EUR 37.1 million has been received as outline by the

table below.

INCOME SUMMARY

TOTAL

Donor Committed for 4 years RECEIVED %

EU 12,300,000 € 8,029,633 € 65%

DK 23,405,000 € 23,405,000 € 100%

IRL 2,500,000 € 2,500,000 € 100%

CH 1,411,000 € 1,411,000 € 100%

NL 500,000 € 350,000 € 70%

UK 500,000 € 499,618 € 100%

NO 452,000 € 344,436 € 76%

CZ 550,000 € 550,000 € 100%

TOTAL 41,618,000 € 37,089,687 € 89%

Of the total budget, the livelihoods sector continues to be the biggest recipient of all the thematic

interventions in terms of committed and disbursed funds. Compared to financial status of the last

reporting period, an increase in disbursed funds can be seen throughout the RDPP’s budget and is a

reflection of the new partnerships that were signed and launched, as well as the PMU’s emphasis on

allocating all remaining funds in the upcoming year.

23

During this reporting period, the total committed funds has reached 73 % of the total budget with 59

% of the committed funds disbursed.

EXPENDITURE SUMMARY

BUDGET COMMITTED DISBURSED

41,618,000 30,475,159 18,031,722

73% 59%

However since the end of June 2017, the RDPP has signed an additional five partnerships which will

bring the total committed funds to Euro 34,188,854 and 82 % of the total budget. Furthermore, an

additional five partnerships are under finalisation with a combined budget of approximately 4

million Euro.

Finally, the following graph gives an overview of the programme expenditures across all three

countries, where the RDPP is currently implementing:

0

5,000,000

10,000,000

15,000,000

20,000,000

25,000,000

30,000,000

35,000,000

40,000,000

45,000,000

BUDGET

COMMITTED (SIGNED) FUNDS

DISBURSED

24

For further details on financial status, please refer to Annex I.

9. CHALLENGES AND MEASURES ADOPTED

External Challenges

I. Structural challenges and different priorities for key ministries

The creation of the new Ministry for Refugee Affairs in Lebanon following election of the President

and formation of the new Government in 2016 has resulted in diffusion of responsibilities for the

Syrian refugee file and a lack of clarity operationally vis a vis the Ministry of Social Affairs as well

increased scrutiny of projects. In addition, the recruitment of new Government staff and assignment

of new focal points for coordination necessitated a briefing process that caused further delays. The

introduction of the new Ministry has also resulted in the process of consensus to be delayed as there

is another body that has entered into the equation. Municipal elections in 2016 also resulted in

turnover of municipality staff and relationships had to be built up from scratch, which delayed some

project activities.

Mitigation: The RDPP, and its partners, has taken a proactive approach to increase its engagement

with government officials in order to proactively share information, and reach mutually acceptable

solutions to the challenges stated above. The DRC-led livelihood consortium in Lebanon has created

a technical steering committee on which the Advisor to the Minister of Social Affair participates.

Where possible, the RDPP has approved the readjustments of project timelines through no-cost

19,082,442

10,994,322

6,405,045

14,488,142

10,244,022

4,256,661

9,505,802

4,975,261

3,157,005

0

5,000,000

10,000,000

15,000,000

20,000,000

25,000,000

LEBANON JORDAN IRAQ

BUDGET

COMMITTED (SIGNED)

DISBURSED

25

extensions as well as budget reallocations in order to address the delays. PMU has also maintained

dialogue with partners around these challenges and provided supportive advocacy where needed.

II. Operating space for livelihoods

The operating space in particular as pertains to livelihoods in Lebanon is constrained to certain

activities, and quotas on targeting, which constrains innovation and limits the scope of project

activities.

Internal Challenges

I. Partners Implementation, Reporting and Capacity

Similar to the last reporting period, partner capacity continues to be one of the most significant

issues resulting in untimely implementation. Submission of poor quality proposals has resulted in

drawn out finalisation processes and delayed project start dates. The lack of consistent quality in

partner proposal development and reporting, and delays in implementation could be partly due to

high rates of staff turnover as well as challenges and delays in recruitment, in part due to challenges

around securing visas and work permits for expat staff. Delays in programme implementation have

led to no-cost extensions being requested and approved throughout the duration of the programme

are also a challenge. While it has been made very clear to partners that there is no possibility of a

further extension beyond June 2018, there is a risk that some partners will not manage to fully

deliver their programme as planned resulting in underachieved targets and an underspend in the

budget.

Mitigation: The lengthy proposal finalisation process has been well noted, with delays on both

partner and RDPP sides. RDPP is reviewing the proposal review process in order to address the

inefficiencies that are identified. In order to speed up proposal finalisation the PMU has been

inviting partners for working sessions to address questions on the spot. Additional support for

partners who are struggling continues to provided and, in some instances, results in working group

meetings being held at the project design phase. With increased staff capacity in the PMU field

monitoring of projects has been made more regular in order to assess and address any shortcomings

on an ongoing basis. Through the NGO forum LHIF RDPP supports advocacy around visas and

work permits for partner staff.

II. Funding Regulations and Mechanisms

RDPP operations continue to be challenged from the EU funding regulations, which have caused

some procedural delays in implementation. The regulations continue to present challenges mainly

due to the lack of flexibility in budgeting which impacts the ability of the programme, and its

partners, to conduct budget reallocations to address changes on the ground, or cost extensions to

projects that are performing well

26

Mitigation: Lobbying on more flexible EU procedures will also continue with relevant decisions

makers in the appropriate fora.

10. LESSONS LEARNED

1. Alignment and ownership of governments: RDPP continued to benefit from past lessons

learned, to ensure that all projects are aligned to the priorities of governments in countries of

implementation. While the approach may present challenges during the inception phase of

the project, the engagement with authorities will help further increase the sustainability of the

planned interventions.

2. Research: The programme has filled an important gap left by other funding mechanisms who

often overlook research in favour of immediate, lifesaving interventions. However, research

outputs have been slow to be finalised and so greater work will be done to build on the

evidence gathered from the research component of the program to benefit the other thematic

interventions and so the knowledge produced by the research studies assists in project design,

policy development and advocacy of RDPP and its partners.

3. Continue to build on successful initiatives: RDPP funded initiatives have yielded positive

results through the activities that they implement. An example would be successful projects

run by AJEM and CLDH being supported for an additional year. By building on previous

successful initiatives it also lessens the strain on the PMU and partners as the familiarization

with the project and activities is already present.

4. National NGOs: While the resources required to implement projects through local NGOs is

greater for the RDPP, the long-term investment is worth it. Sustainability as well as greater

acceptance and access to local communities is more likely to occur through local NGOs and

the RDPP continues to prioritise them as partners.

5. Soliciting quality and innovative concept notes: through the reporting period RDPP tried

various methods of identifying partners to submit concept notes – through mapping and

selected call, direct contracting and an open call for concept notes. To date it has been

challenging to solicit innovative proposals and ideas, as well as to engage non-traditional

actors. RDPP will further review this going into the formulation phase for the new RDPP.

6. Partners, both national and international, require support and monitoring on compliance with

EU guidelines particularly as related to finance and procurement. This has been addressed

through conducting capacity assessments for all NGO partners, and closer monitoring. A

short briefing document on the key points is under development and will be shared with

partners.

7. Greater information sharing between partners as well as partners and donors will be

conducted in order have a community of practice where learnings and best practices are

exchanged. Currently, many of the partners are not interacting with each other and

opportunities to learn from similar projects is being lost. Engagement with donors will also

allow for partners in potentially influence funding opportunities as a result of the projects

that they are implementing.

8. Indicator Performance Tracking Tool: A tool needs to be developed that allows the PMU to

track the progress of partner projects against indicators. Currently, the progress of the

27

partners is only monitored through reviewing narrative and financial reports, and an

additional source to track performance will assist in noticing any poor performance related to

implementation.

11. RECOMMENDED CHANGES AND ADJUSTMENTS (INCLUDING RE-

ALLOCATIONS) FOR APPROVAL

1. RDPP has notified the EU of its intention to use the program contingency budget lines for

programming. The usage of the contingency funds does not require pre-approval by the EU, the

process only requires pre-notification. The contingency budget has been factored into current

programme allocations to ensure full disbursement by the end of the programme.

12. FOLLOW-UP TO PRIOR RECOMMENDATIONS

1. Good progress was made during the reporting period on implementing the recommendations of

the MTR, in particular on visibility and communications, staffing structure of the PMU and

Jordan/KRI in country presence, programming and disbursement of funds, as detailed above.

2. Delays in implementation do remain for some partnerships, for example several cost extensions

were found to be well justified and approved during the reporting period. With the new structure

of the PMU, and increased staff resources, more regular monitoring of projects will endeavour

to support partners to reduce delays, and for RDPP staff to engage partners earlier in

possibilities for corrective measures to reduce delays.

3. Inclusion of national NGOs has been a priority during the reporting period. National NGOs have

been encouraged to apply to the recent call for proposals, as well as partnerships with national

entities being prioritised in the review of concept notes.

4. Longer-term Partnerships: It was recommended in the MTR that projects signed should be

longer than one year. While some projects were signed for a duration of 18 months, longer term

projects should continue to be sought in order to increase the prospect of sustainability, however

the end date of the current RDPP has imposed limitations in this regard.

5. With the increased staff presence in Jordan the RDPP has been able to be present in more fora to

support coordination around programming and advocacy.

6. New partnerships have included advocacy components, and the RDPP has led on sharing of

research outputs such as holding donor briefings for the work on returns from the Durable

Solutions Platform, and is planning for roundtables and discussions around the new edition of

the Forced Migration Review. Moving into the final year the RDPP will finalise a more detailed

advocacy plan and prioritise this capitalizing on outputs coming from projects.

7. During the final year, as the partnerships yield increased results RDPP will facilitate increased

sharing of lessons learned and communication between partners, through thematic meetings to

ensure cross learning.

ANNEXES:

28

I. General Programme Results Framework

II. Financial Report

III. Summary of Projects Supported by the RDPP

IV. Project Fiches

V. Updated Risk Matrix

VI. List of Media References