Overview Of Gender Actors & Interventions In Lebanon

This report aims to present a general overview of the current local gender actors and their interventions in Lebanon. It also aims to shed light on the complex relationship between women’s organisations in Lebanon and their donors. In this context, it is important to ask to what extent the funding tends to shape project design at a local level? And moreover, does funding of short-term and service-oriented projects edulcorate the political change that these organisations could bring?
Based on a survey done by Lebanon Support during 2015, it gives an overview of the main gender actors, their areas of focus as well as their approaches and modes of intervention. Two main research findings can be drawn based on the survey and fieldwork: gender actors voiced concern regarding unbalanced relationships with their funders, additionally, they all criticised the negative consequences of short term projects on their work, sustainability and collaboration. The report presents two thematic cases from the field (labour rights & women in Lebanon, sexual and reproductive health and rights) showing a certain gap between actual needs identified by gender actors themselves and projects implemented by the same actors. It concludes with recommendations for action directed to local actors, the state, and donors.