Cash Assistance in Lebanon: Using Short-Term Support to Help Families Survive Economic Shock

The protracted socio-economic crisis in Lebanon that has been exacerbated by the war in Syria continues to be detrimental to the well-being of both Syrian refugees and to the Lebanese communities hosting them. The influx of people from the conflict has affected lives through increased pressure for housing and jobs, as well as engendering social tension and mistrust between communities. Lebanon has seen a 15% increase in poverty rates1 since the crisis began, and 76% of Syrian refugees in Lebanon currently live below the poverty line.

A contributing factor is that Syrian refugees are settling disproportionately within the poorest areas of the country, where work is scarce and services are already overstretched. For refugees, the humanitarian assistance available is inadequate, with fewer than 30% of the most vulnerable people being targeted for support. Local laws that prohibit most refugees from working legally in Lebanon are denying them access to sustainable incomes, leaving three-quarters of refugees in poverty.

With no sign of a resolution to the conflict in sight, the scope is limited for improving the welfare of refugees in this continuing crisis. For local Lebanese communities, social welfare is under-developed and job opportunities are limited. This has meant that an increasing number of households are under stress and have fallen into deep poverty, with only limited opportunities to recover. Social protection policies and programmes are needed to reduce poverty and vulnerability by promoting efficient labour markets, reducing people’s exposure to economic and social risks and enhancing their capacity to manage such risks. This has highlighted the need to improve and harmonize services for both host communities and refugees, including the need to link cash-based assistance with other essential services, in order to create a more cohesive and sustainable system for a longer-term approach to resilience.

This case study describes an attempt by Oxfam in Lebanon to pilot an inclusive shock responsive cash assistance programme for both Syrian refugee and Lebanese households as part of Lebanon’s existing social protection system.