1. Background Information
Background on context
According to the United Nations Relief and Works Agency for Palestine Refugees (UNRWA) around 914,000 Palestinians were displaced between 1947 and 1949 as a result of the establishment of the state of Israel. The refugees fled to the Palestinian territories as well as to the neighboring countries Jordan, Syria and Lebanon. Demographic growth has led to more than 5 million Palestinian refugees registered by UNRWA today. About a third of these refugees live in the 58 camps administered by UNRWA in the region. 450,000 Palestinian refugees registered with UNRWA in Lebanon since 1948, of which today approximately 200.000 still reside in 12 camps and 42 informal settlements called ‘gatherings’ spread over five areas (Tyre, Saida, North Lebanon, Central Lebanon -including Beirut-, and the Bekaa Valley). The overall socio-economic situation of Palestinian refugees in Lebanon is dire and levels of food insecurity and poverty follow an increasing trend. More than 70 years after their arrival in Lebanon, Palestinian refugees are still deprived of many basic rights. Among other factors, they are denied the right to own property and face restrictive labor market policies. Almost two thirds of the Palestinian refugees in Lebanon are considered poor and discriminatory laws hamper their ability to improve their living conditions. As a result, Palestinian refugees are forced to rely on UNRWA as their primary service provider. The pressure has become more severe since the beginning of the war in Syria. About 30.000 Palestinian refugees from Syria are residing in Lebanon. The intersection of these two marginalized refugee populations has produced additional material struggles and conflicts of identity. Organizational structures on local level are neither well established nor representative. Furthermore, they are only connected to other organizations on meso- and macro-level in a very limited way, which makes it impossible for them to properly represent the interests of the refugees. Due to the lack of legitimacy, unclear responsibilities and inefficient structures there are tensions and conflicts between the organizations themselves and in the refugee camps. Because of this, the Palestinian refugees and their representing organizations are not able to sufficiently participate in social processes targeting the improvement of their living conditions.
About Strengthening the influence of Palestinian refugees on their living conditions (PART)
The project is part of the Supporting Palestinian Refugees (SPR) Program that is implemented in Gaza, Jordan, Lebanon and the West Bank. It contributes to the program's objective (to improve the living conditions of Palestinian refugees in the region) by strengthening the influence of Palestinian refugees for improving their living conditions in a protracted violent conflict on individual and structural level.
Basic information about INITIATE
TCODE (The Community Organization for Development and Empowerment)-INITIATE,one of our implementing partners in Lebanon, currently registered under the name of ” المنتدى المجتمعي للتمكين و التنمية" is a Lebanese NGO working in both Lebanese and Palestinian communities. INITIATE seeks to enhance solidarity and social cohesion among different groups within Palestinian and Lebanese society, crosscutting divisions of age, class, ability, gender, race, social status, citizenship, place of residence and access. Alongside this, INITIATE aims to increase the participation of civil society actors in social and political processes, with particular attention paid to women and youth. INITIATE’s vision is to enhance social cohesion by empowering individuals and groups to participate in decisions making processes affecting their lives and respond to the collective needs of their communities. INITIATE’s mission is to contribute to a comprehensive community system of social cohesion, by addressing social needs through mutual inclusion and empowerment. INITIATE aspires to empower marginalized groups to participate in community-building activities through integrating opportunities for capacity-building with safe spaces for the expression of individual and collective identity.
INITIATE will catalyze this mission through youth movement, volunteerism and social transformation processes in Palestinian and Lebanese communities to develop the skills of young people, and their capacity to participate within their communities.
2. Purpose of the Consultancy
The overall objective of this consultancy is to develop a five-year strategic plan by ensuring that INITIATE fulfils its mandate.
3. Tasks
The scope of work for the Consultant will include but not be limited to:
4. Deliverables
5. Qualifications
The applicant shall submit an Expression of Interest (EoI) to [email protected] [1] accompanied by copies of all the required documents (listed...
روابط
[1] http://[email protected]
[2] https://daleel-madani.org/sites/default/files/calls_documents/tor_strategic_plan_consultant_-_part.pdf