Tenders Are Invited For Cash And Voucher Assistance And Debt Among Vulnerable Hhs In Lebanon

Tenders are invited for Cash and Voucher Assistance and Debt among Vulnerable Hhs in Lebanon. Closing Date: Sunday, 23. Feb 2025 Intervention Sector(s): Advocacy & Awareness, Conflict Resolution, Coordination & Information management, Humanitarian & Development Financing Cash and Voucher Assistance and Debt Among vulnerable HHs in Lebanon Research TOR Introduction Oxfam in Lebanon is seeking a qualified and experienced consultant/team of consultant(s)/or consulting firm(s), to conduct a study on CVA and Debt among Syrian refugees and Lebanese HHs in Lebanon. This research is part of the Cash Monitoring, Evaluation, Accountability and Learning Organizational Network (CAMEALEON[1]) initiative to enhance accountability to affected populations through research that shapes policy in an increasingly volatile environment. Notably, this research aims to comprehensively analyze the sources, types, and impacts of debt on the well-being and resilience of Syrian refugees and Lebanese citizens. It seeks to understand household decision-making regarding resource allocation, focusing on how conflict-related vulnerabilities, such as displacement, loss of income, and emergency survival needs, affect the utilization of cash assistance and debt repayment strategies, within the context of hyperinflation and economic instability. Additionally, it aims to assess the effectiveness of cash assistance programs in alleviating debt burdens and reaching vulnerable populations, as traditional coping mechanisms erode under volatile conditions. It will also explore how the dynamics of targeting mechanisms, debt accumulation, and program coverage adapt to the rapidly shifting humanitarian landscape, aiming to inform more responsive and context-sensitive cash assistance strategies. Context The protracted displacement of Syrian refugees in Lebanon has led to the pervasive use of debt as a coping mechanism. According to the 2022 Vulnerability Assessment of Syrian Refugees (VASYR), A staggering 94% of Syrian refugee households find themselves compelled to take on debt, amounting to an average accumulated debt of LBP 11,610,661 per household and LBP 2,764,159 per capita. This represents a threefold increase from 2021, emphasizing the increase of financial struggles. The 2022 VASYR provides a stark depiction of the financial crisis gripping this vulnerable community. Trapped in a cycle of financial instability, most Syrian refugees are unable to meet essential needs without resorting to debt: 93% of them borrow money to cover food expenses, followed by rent (46%) and medicine (35%). The sources of borrowing predominantly include friends in Lebanon (85%), supermarket owners (52%), and landlords (16%). However, its not just the Syrian refugees who are struggling; Lebanese citizens are also increasingly falling into debt. More people, including farmers, are borrowing money to grow crops or pay for their rent, medicine, and food. This financial strain has led many to report eating less and compromising on the quality of their food. According to the latest Integrated Phase Classification (IPC) analysis, 18% of the analyzed Lebanese population are expected to face high levels of acute food insecurity (IPC Phase 3 or above) between April and September 2024. This alarming statistic highlights the widespread and deepening financial crisis affecting both refugees and local residents in Lebanon. Compounded crises in Lebanon (financial, socio-economic, health, COVID19, cholera, etc.) have affected peoples ability to manage and maintain their well-being and quality of life and have led vulnerable individuals to face increasing, and sometimes overlapping, protection threats. In this context, persons at heightened risk of experiencing an imminent protection risk or incident (violence, coercion, exploitation, abuse and deliberate deprivation) due to an emergency shock or an accumulation of risk factors, are more likely to resort to negative coping mechanisms, including resorting to high levels of debt. The persistent escalation of debt levels among Syrian refugees and Lebanese population in Lebanon is prominent despite the prevalence of numerous cash assistance and Social Protection programs, which necessitates an in-depth investigation into the relevance and coherence of existing cash interventions. The 2021 Lebanon Multi-Sector Needs Assessment (MSNA) was conducted to support evidence-based decision-making for the 2022 humanitarian planning cycle process through the provision of updated information on multi-sectoral needs. The assessment showed employment rate was generally higher among migrant individuals, with 67% aged 18 to 59 reported as working outside of their HHs. The situation appeared particularly critical in Baalbek El Hermel and Bekaa and Akkar and the North region, where respectively 86% and 70% of assessed migrant HHs reported at least one member of the HH had lost their work permanently or temporarily in the year prior to data collection (2022). The main reason reported by HHs to explain difficulty in meeting essential needs was financial. However, some specific access and availability issues were reported for both health and electricity needs. The MSNA results indicate that a significant proportion of households do not have access to adequate food (13% of the assessed were facing moderate hunger). On the level of negative coping mechanisms, overall, 33% of Lebanese HHs reported having sold productive assets and/or means of transport. The main coping mechanism reported by HHs was reducing food expenditures. Oxfam uses cash-based interventions, as part of a package of complementary activities, to achieve protection outcomes in response to threats of violence, coercion, and deliberate deprivation. The cash-based interventions aim at supporting persons of concern to reduce temporary vulnerabilities or increasing their capacity to deal with specific threats, and to ultimately remain safe. For example, in 2023, Oxfams protection humanitarian program in the Bekaa, supported 1036 individuals with cash assistance (see below summary table of emergency cash assistance beneficiaries). The individual protection assessments conducted by Oxfam showed that 78% of the cash beneficiaries (68% of which were Syrian refugees) were dealing with an accumulation of rental debt which they were not able to reduce because of overlapping protection threats (exploitation at work, arrests, restrictions on internal movement, gender-based violence, deprivation of civil documentation, etc.) and exacerbated by sudden shocks (loss of employment, death of breadwinner, illness, steep increase of cost of rent and first necessity goods and services, etc.). Additionally, Oxfam has documented cases of exploitation by landlords and shop owners which have either demanded free labor or have systematically taken portions of the in-kind assistance (food parcels) received by the debtor/tenant. Sudden illnesses or health crises often lead, very quickly, to an increase in the amounts of debts contracted, reaching at times thousands of dollars. UNHCRs coverage of health costs has been decreasing significantly in the last years and the percentages of the patients shares have simultaneously increased, leaving vulnerable families with no other choice than to contract debt. Emergency cash assistance beneficiary summary table: Total # of supported cases Gender Nationality Age range Disability F M Syrian Lebanese Other Below 18 18-59 years old 60 and above Yes No 1036 71% 29% 67% 32% 1% 12% 82% 6% 12% 88% With the conflict in Lebanon having largely subsided over the past two months, yet ongoing attacks persisting in the south, early indications suggest that financial hardships are deepening. Displaced and affected families continue to struggle with immediate needs such as emergency health care, food, and shelter, exacerbating financial strain and a loss of livelihoods. Preliminary observations suggest that households may be turning to high-risk borrowing from informal or exploitative lenders, particularly in regions where access to formal credit remains limited. Additionally, the destruction of civilian infrastructure and continued affects of the war are disrupting community networks, straining traditional support systems, and leaving individuals more vulnerable to protection risks such as exploitation and coercion. These dynamics underscore the critical need to assess whether cash assistance programs are effectively reaching newly vulnerable populations and whether they are adaptable enough to address the evolving pressures of conflict. Oxfam in Lebanon, a leading cash actor in Lebanon, recognizes the critical need to understand the intricacies of debt among Syrian refugees and Lebanese citizens, and the dynamics between cash support and debt levels. On one hand, this research aims to understand the impact of debt on Syrian refugees and the Lebanese population and identify prominent trends of protection threats correlated with increased debt levels. On the other hand, the research seeks to assess the effectiveness of different cash modalities on debt levels and associated protection threats. Finally, the study also endeavors to examine the effects of debt on the general well-being of vulnerable populations struggling with the compounded pressures of displacement and economic hardship. This study will investigate these emerging issues to ensure that cash interventions can mitigate heightened vulnerabilities and support households as they navigate socioeconomically induced financial stressors. Ultimately, this research is expected to provide crucial insights to enhance the design and implementation of cash programs, ensuring they align with the overarching goal of mitigating vulnerabilities within the refugee and host communities. Additionally, Tender Link : https://daleel-madani.org/civil-society-directory/oxfam-italia/calls/tendercash-and-voucher-assistance-and-debt-among-vulnerable-hhs-lebanon