Mid-term Evaluation of the Lebanese Host Communities Support Project

In view of the deterioration of the socio-economic conditions in host communities affected by the Syrian crisis, the Ministry of Social Affairs (MoSA) jointly with the United Nations Development Programme (UNDP) launched in 2013 the "Lebanese Host Communities Support Project" (LHSP) as a comprehensive, coordinated and durable response towards the Syrian Crisis and its implications on the 251 most vulnerable communities. LHSP aims to achieve the following outputs: (1) Increase the livelihoods and economic opportunities mainly in affected areas; (2) Strengthen the capacity of local and national actors to assess and respond to the needs and risks in a community participatory driven and conflict sensitive approach; (3) Improve the local level dispute resolution and community security; and (4) Strengthen the capacity of the Lebanese Government to respond to the influx of displaced Syrians.

The main objectives of this evaluation report are to: (i) Assess the level of progress made towards achieving the outcome of the project; (ii) Capture lessons learned and best practices from the implementation of the project; and (iii) Provide concrete and actionable recommendations; and (iv) define future interventions for LHSP.

The evaluation team relied on various sources of information: (1) desk review of existing primary and secondary sources; (2) key informant interviews with UNDP officials, government representatives, donors, UN agencies and local stakeholders including municipalities, Social Development Centres (SDCs), governors, mayors, MSS working groups, etc..; and (3) Focus groups with beneficiaries of livelihood projects and of the municipalities’ basic services.