WASH Assessment of Syrian Refugee Households in Akkar Governorate

As the Syrian Crisis enters its fourth year, numerous water, sanitation, and hygiene (WASH) needs remain to be filled among Syrian refugees living in Lebanon, who now number more than 1.1 million. Needs may be greatest in regions such as Akkar Governorate in northern Lebanon, which now hosts more than 110,000 Syrian refugees registered with UNHCR, a figure somewhere between one quarter to one third of the Governorate’s population (according to Lebanese population estimates).
 
Historically underdeveloped, Akkar has seen its already fragile infrastructure placed under additional strain by the significant population increase. At the request of the WASH Working Group in Akkar, and supported by UNHCR, REACH conducted an assessment of water, sanitation, and hygiene in Syrian refugee households in Akkar.
 
The report finds that refugees in Akkar live in a variety of shelter contexts and conditions, in which very different water, hygiene and sanitation needs can be observed. While some refugees, particularly those living in houses and apartments, may face conditions similar to those of Lebanese host communities, others may be much more vulnerable and face a range of communicable diseases as a result of poor hygiene and sanitation. This assessment founds that specific needs, such as access to water, latrines, and waste management, differ greatly by shelter type. However, the overall scope of assessed knowledge, attitudes and practices may present limitations that would be receptive to broader improvements.