Since the Syrian conflict began in 2011, 11 million people have been internally displaced or have fled to neighboring states. This has put an incredible strain on the hosting societies, particularly in Lebanon,Jordan, Iraq and Turkey.
In May 2015, the Lebanese authorities instructed UNHCR to temporarily suspend registration of Syrian refugees, including individuals already in the country and new arrivals.
The private sector has long been a major contributor to humanitarian action. At the community level, businesses frequently use their materials and resources to aid people affected by crises. As local markets recover and supply chains are repaired, crisis-affected people are once again able to access basic goods and, in some cases, resume livelihoods. Large national, regional and multinational firms are also closely involved in supporting humanitarian objectives, whether indirectly, by resuming operations in crisis affected areas, or directly, by providing cash and in kind donations of goods or...
The humanitarian aid system is growing and expanding, and so surely its capacity to meet these challenges should also be growing.
Yet despite the enormous resources, in the more complex, less high-profile and difficult contexts, MSF teams in the field have seen that humanitarian responses to displacement emergencies have not occurred in a timely and effective way. This is especially the case in conflict areas.
These observations have prompted MSF to conduct this review, to better understand how the humanitarian system is responding to acute displacement emergencies. The review is based on...
This report is this first of a three-part series focusing on the current status and lessons learned relating to transitional justice and policing initiatives in opposition-controlled Syria. • Part I focuses on the effects of the departure of judicial and security elements of the Syrian state has had on conditions on the ground currently and on the nascent justice institutions that have emerged in this void (including levels of institutionalisation, Islamic law, and the legal systems currently being debated and trialed in some areas). • Part II examines the variety of institutions and...
This paper examines the situation of impunity in Lebanon that has persisted since the 1975–1990 war. It highlights the price of the Lebanese authorities’ failure to address the legacy of past conflict.
This study recommends a holistic approach to crafting a comprehensive and victim-centered transitional justice process in Lebanon. An incremental approach to reform would be of value, given the likely challenges to pursuing accountability in the country. Programming must involve state and nonstate actors—political and community leaders, civil society, and the broader public. In addition, human...
Global civil society alliance, CIVICUS, has released a revised version of what is probably the world’s most comprehensive compilation of commitments made by governments on civil society rights.
Originally released in 2008, and now fully updated, the compendium consolidates various international standards and commitments made by governments at the regional and global levels to protect civil society and ensure participation in public processes.
In addition to collating relevant portions of major UN documents, the compendium also includes commitments made by regional bodies such as the Arab...
In December 2013, NRC launched a report entitled ‘The Consequences of Limited Legal Status for Syrian Refugees in Lebanon: NRC Field Assessment in Aarsal and Wadi Khaled’ (Part One) based on the findings of an assessment that NRC conducted between
Briefing papers on the preservation of cultural heritageInstitutions and individuals from the Middle East and North Africa experience many shortcomings in legislation, policies and current practices impeding the sustainable preservation of cultural heritage. In order to obtain a systematic overview and a sound basis for engaging in lobby and advocacy work for improved governance of the cultural sector, the Modern Heritage Observatory contracted local lawyers and researchers to analyze and assess current regulations, policies and practices concerning the preservation of cultural heritage in...
Briefing papers on the preservation of cultural heritage Institutions and individuals from the Middle East and North Africa experience many shortcomings in legislation, policies and current practices impeding the sustainable preservation of cultural heritage.
This thematic report provides an overview of available lessons identified from assessments undertaken concerning the humanitarian situation in Syria as well as the situation for Syrian refugees in host-countries.
The “Review of the Public Procurement Legal Framework in Lebanon” introduces the Sustainable Public Procurement (SPP) in Lebanon and elaborates on the legal of the country’s procurement and sustainability laws that may offer a legal possibility for the adoption of SPP principl
Disability & Vulnerability Focal Point (DVFP) have been developed based on the observation that one of the greatest difficulties following a crisis is not only to identify and to access to vulnerable people including people with disabilities, but also to accompany them wit
Over 57,000 displaced Syrians are receiving protection and assistance in Lebanon through the efforts of the Government of Lebanon and UN and NGO partners.
