With over one million Syrian refugees estimated to seek refuge in the country, Lebanon has the highest per capita proportion of refugees in the world.1 The humanitarian response in Lebanon, which has one of the most advanced humanitarian cash responses globally, continues to navigate the impact of COVID-19, as well as an unprecedented protest movement, political instability, and a rapid deterioration of the economy leaving it near the point of collapse. There is increasing consensus among practitioners on the usefulness of social assistance, including unconditional cash transfers, to support displacement-affected people meet their basic needs. The needs among Syrian refugees and Lebanese are high, with 89% of Syrian refugees living under the survival minimum expenditure basket (SMEB),2 and extreme poverty registering a threefold increase from 8% in 2019 to 23% in 2020 among Lebanese.3 With the situation not expected to improve in the short-term, it becomes critical to generate learning on cash programme adaptations to inform future interventions.
The Durable Solutions Platform (DSP) and CAMEALEON undertook research to document and assess collective learning and decision-making on the adaptation of selected multi-purpose cash (MPC) and protection cash programmes in Lebanon in light of the economic challenges and COVID-19 response between October 2019 and July 2020.4 The study captures lessons learned from cash programme adaptations to help equip the Lebanon response going forward in a difficult operational and socio-economic climate, and contribute to global learning about adaptation of cash programming in relation to economic and health crises and in a manner that supports progress towards eventual durable solutions to displacement. This brief summarizes the main priorities and considerations for cash assistance in Lebanon over the short and medium-term as the economic and political context evolves in the country.