Assessment of Reduction of Water Provision in Informal Tented Settlements and its Association With the Livelihood Status of Syrian Refugees in the Bekaa Valley

This study examined the problem of providing less water quantities to Syrian refugees following the funding cuts in the first half of 2018 in the water, sanitation and hygiene (WASH) sector and its association with their livelihood status in terms of employment, expenditures and livelihood coping strategies. To assist them previously in water provision, Syrian refugees in informal tented settlements (ITS) in the Bekaa were supplied with an average of 35 litres per capita per day (l/cap/day). However, this amount decreased gradually from January 2018 following donor funding cuts, and reached half this amount as of March 2018 (approximately 15 l/cap/day). The objective of this study was to assess the association of this water reduction with the employment status of household (HH) members, child labour (CL),
HH monthly expenditures, as well as with livelihood coping strategies.

For the purpose of this study, 364 Syrian refugee households benefitting from WASH programming implemented by World Vision Lebanon (WVL) and funded by United Nations International Children’s Emergency Fund (UNICEF) in West and Central Bekaa were surveyed during the month of May 2018 and asked to report on longitudinal data from December 2017 till April 2018. The survey included sections on demographics, occupation and employment, CL, health status, income and expenditures, water access and coping strategies.