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Lebanon + 1 more

Lebanon Crisis Flash Appeal 2006

  1. Executive Summary
    The Flash Appeal for Lebanon seeks a total of 150 million dollars to meet the needs of some 800,000 people over the next three months. Funding for the appeal will enable aid groups to carry out programs to feed, shelter, and protect civilians caught in a cruel conflict. The appeal contains programs that require different levels of funding but are all equally important for ensuring a comprehensive response to emergency needs.

Lebanon is yet again experiencing devastating cycle of violence, with the civilian population caught in the middle. With the conflict now in its second week, the humanitarian situation continues to worsen. Hundreds of people have been killed and more than 1,500 wounded. Moreover, an estimated 700,000 people have fled their homes, including some 150,000 people who have crossed the border into Syria. The conflict has also affected more than 100,000 people from 20 different countries who had been living in Lebanon, a large number of whom require assistance to evacuate. Israel too has suffered numerous casualties. Hezbollah missile attacks in Northern Israel have claimed the lives of dozens of people, with hundreds more having been wounded.

The ongoing Israel Defence Forces (IDF) military operation has caused enormous damage to residential areas and key civilian infrastructure such as power plants, seaports, and fuel depots. Hundreds of bridges and virtually all road networks have been systematically destroyed leaving entire communities in the South inaccessible. This profound damage to traffic arteries will pose a key challenge to Government institutions and humanitarian agencies alike in the weeks to come, particularly in remote areas of the South.

As remaining fuel stocks are increasingly exhausted or targeted by the IDF, fuel shortages in many areas of essential public services could plunge the humanitarian situation to a new low. Skyrocketing prices for basic goods (e.g. the price of sugar has risen by 600%, and cooking gas by 400%) further deplete the coping mechanisms of the Lebanese population, particularly those of Internally Displaced Persons (IDPs), people under siege, the elderly, and families already living below the poverty line. Economic life has come to a complete standstill with the extreme level of destruction to the basic infrastructure posing a major obstacle to a quick recovery.

The longer the hostilities last, the more dramatic the humanitarian situation will become. Food, water, health, fuel, and other basic needs will increase; so will the number of IDPs. The situation will be further compounded by the ongoing air, sea, and land blockade that is effectively preventing even basic relief supplies from entering the country. The urgent cessation of hostilities, as called for by the Secretary-General, is thus the best way to prevent the humanitarian emergency in Lebanon from spiralling out of control. Until then, it is imperative that all parties to the conflict, in particular the IDF, meet their responsibilities under international humanitarian law and provide full, safe and unhindered access for humanitarian workers and supplies by air, sea, and land in order to allow them to reach vulnerable populations in Lebanon. Effective implementation of the assistance and protection activities outlined in this Appeal is fully dependent on safe and unimpeded passage for humanitarian staff and goods.

Humanitarian agencies have started a robust build-up of emergency coordination systems, virtually from scratch. Following a consultative process within the Inter-Agency Standing Committee (IASC), the response is designed along the lines of the cluster approach with designated lead agencies and in close cooperation with the Red Cross and Red Crescent Movement. Moreover, a Regional Task Force for Deconflicting and Notification with the Israeli authorities has been established, contingency plans have been updated, and a Joint Logistics Centre is planned.

All these efforts are undertaken in close collaboration with and in support of the Lebanese Government and its Higher Relief Council, the main coordinating body for the current humanitarian crisis. Closer cooperation and partnership is also being fostered with the considerable Lebanese NGO and civil society presence (over 6,000 organisations). As a result of this coordination and cooperation at all levels, the priorities listed in this Appeal have been identified to ensure immediate humanitarian action in the clusters of health, food and nutrition, water and sanitation, logistics, protection, shelter, and common services. Hence, the activities in this Appeal will be subject to further review as the crisis develops, depending on improved access for undertaking comprehensive needs assessments.

In addition to the response inside Lebanon, the Government of Syria and the Syrian Arab Red Crescent Society (SARC) have taken a lead role in registering, accommodating and assisting the most vulnerable of the people displaced there from Lebanon. However, they have indicated that their resources and capacity will be exhausted soon and have therefore welcomed the support of the United Nations Agencies and NGOs. Syria is a strategic transit point not only for those fleeing Lebanon to other countries in the region and beyond, but also for the delivery of humanitarian supplies to Lebanon. Therefore the response in Syria will focus on supporting the provision of protection and assistance to all vulnerable populations fleeing the crisis in Lebanon into Syria and operational backstopping of relief operations in Lebanon.

To address the urgent humanitarian concerns of displaced and war-affected populations in Lebanon and Syria, the United Nations and its partner agencies are requesting support for a total of US$149,048,677 All dollar figures in this document are United States dollars. Funding for this plan should be reported to the Financial Tracking Service (FTS, fts@reliefweb.int), which will display its requirements and funding, continually updated, on the CAP 2006 page. to cover an initial period of response of three months, which will be reviewed during the period of the appeal. Given the urgent need for an ongoing revision of available data, the document focuses principally on those areas considered to be of most concern to the civilian population.

Flash Appeal for the Lebanon Crisis 2006
Summary of Requirements - by Cluster* as of 24 July 2006
http://www.reliefweb.int/fts

Compiled by OCHA on the basis of information provided by the respective appealing organisation.

Sector
Full requirements ($)
Proposed CERF allocations
Unmet requirements
HEALTH
32,428,200
1,000,000
31,428,200
FOOD & NUTRITION
14,500,000
[<br>]
14,500,000
WATER AND SANITATION
13,742,250
1,500,000
12,242,250
LOGISTICS
38,581,326
2,500,000
36,081,326
SHELTER, SITE MANAGEMENT & NON-FOOD ITEMS
28,053,230
[<br>]
28,053,230
PROTECTION & MINE ACTION
16,580,000
[<br>]
16,580,000
EDUCATION
100,000
[<br>]
100,000
COMMON SERVICES
5,063,671
[<br>]
5,063,671
TOTAL
149,048,677
5,000,000
144,048,677

The list of projects and the figures for their funding requirements in this document are a snapshot as of 24 July 2006. For continuously updated information on this appeal's projects, funding requirements, and contributions to date, visit the Financial Tracking Service (www.reliefweb.int/fts).

*NOTE: evolving practice is to show funding per cluster, to be in accordance with the structure on the ground and in the appeal document. Funding per sector is also tracked (see Annex II) because sectors are a fixed standard that allows comparison across appeals. For the time being, FTS on-line tables will continue to group projects by sector rather than cluster.

2. Context and Humanitarian Consequences

2.1. STRATEGIC CONTEXT

In Lebanon, ongoing hostilities between Hezbollah and Israel have resulted in the deaths of more than 350 people (45% of them children, according to Save the Children) and more than 1,500 injured. Israel has not escaped unscathed with some 34 killed and an estimated 200 injured across northern cities and towns. Sustained, heavy shelling and air strikes by the IDF, which have particularly targeted southern Lebanon, southern suburbs of Beirut and the Beqaa Valley, have caused widespread destruction of the country's public infrastructure, including hospitals, schools and road networks preventing the humanitarian community from accessing vulnerable populations and civilians fleeing war-affected areas. The IDF's sea, air and land blockade of Lebanon is worsening the already-mounting hardships confronting the civilian population, and has had devastating consequences. To ensure the consistent delivery of relief assistance, the humanitarian community has proposed developing humanitarian corridors.

While lack of in situ information has further impaired the provision of humanitarian assistance, estimates put the number of persons affected by the conflict at approximately 800,000 persons, including internally displaced, those under siege, refugees and asylum seekers. Thousands of displaced people have fled their homes in cities and villages such as Tyre, Nabatyeh, Zahrani and Bint Jbeyl, as well as the southern suburbs of Beirut. Many have taken shelter with relatives and friends or in schools, mosques and public spaces in the safer eastern parts of Beirut, or in the northern and south-eastern districts of Lebanon such as Akkar and the Chouf Mountains. Those that have been fortunate enough to escape the most heavily-affected regions in the south have headed to larger towns such as Sidon while thousands of others have crossed into Syria. Further displacement is expected if the conflict continues to escalate. With neighbouring countries now feeling the human toll of ongoing hostilities, the humanitarian response to the crisis is now being planned at a regional level with surge capacity and assistance being established in partnership in neighbouring countries.

The country outside Lebanon that has been most affected is Syria. More than 150,000 Lebanese, 1,000 Palestinians, and 20,000 Third Country Nationals (TCNs) have fled across its borders, mainly through the Aarida border crossing. While the majority of these arrivals are staying with relatives and friends, more than 20,000 people are currently being accommodated and assisted by the Government of Syria and the SARC; this number is expected to increase. Although the Government and SARC have been able to respond adequately, they have indicated that their resources will be exhausted by early August and have, therefore, welcomed the support of the United Nations and NGOs, both national and international. The strategy in Syria will be twofold: a) to support the provision of protection and assistance to populations fleeing the crisis in Lebanon into Syria; and b) operational backstopping of relief operations into and in Lebanon, given Syria's position as a strategic transit point for the delivery of humanitarian supplies.

The overall situation in Lebanon remains fluid, with consequent limits on planning the humanitarian response. The range of likely scenarios is broad, yet it is necessary to plan for each. Thorough needs assessments and appeal revision will follow as soon as practical. What is clear is that, given the extraordinarily rapid onset and expanding scale of the crisis, there is an urgent need to strengthen the UN Country Team's capacity to conduct and coordinate an effective humanitarian response.

2.2. Humanitarian Consequences

Who are the most affected?

Approximately 800,000 people are affected by the conflict. Many of them have been internally displaced and are in need of assistance and protection or remain essentially trapped in the South. Others have become refugees and/or asylum seekers. Particularly vulnerable groups include the elderly and chronically ill - especially those confined to hospitals, women and children. Lack of access to water and sanitation, basic health care, and food are also affecting those communities under siege. Those who can - both Lebanese and third country nationals - have either fled or been evacuated to Syria and other countries in the region.

Whilst some have the means to survive following their arrival in Syria many have been forced to flee their homes with only a few meager belongings, and have paid hundreds if not thousands of dollars for their transportation costs to flee Lebanon and thus arrive with little resources. Between 20,000 - 45,000 of the most vulnerable of the Lebanese arrivals have been provided with assistance at the border to facilitate immigration procedures, registration and family tracing services. After this they have been transported to temporary accommodation facilities and provided with food, water, medical services, and psycho-social help as well as with household items, hygiene kits and sanitary materials. In addition some 1,000 Displaced Palestinian Refugees required special assistance for their immigration procedures, and Third Country Nationals have been assisted during their transit to their country of origin or other destinations.

What are the needs as a direct and immediate result of this crisis?

Comprehensive assessments of the protection and assistance needs of the affected population have been seriously constrained by access difficulties, particularly in the South. Therefore, reliable information on the numbers affected and the magnitude and scope of impact and needs is not yet available. However, reports indicate that there is a lack of essential goods, with needs particularly acute in villages along the Israeli-Lebanese border, which have been isolated by the conflict. There are reports that food supplies in some villages have been exhausted. The widespread destruction of public infrastructure, including roads and bridges, as well as the targeting of commercial trucks, has seriously hampered relief operations. Additionally, the ongoing hostilities continue to prevent access to affected populations and free movement of relief staff and goods.

What are the priority sectors for response?

Given the widespread destruction of public infrastructure and threat of a total collapse of essential services, humanitarian partners, in close collaboration with the Governments of the affected countries and relevant authorities, have identified the following priorities for response: health, food and nutrition, water and sanitation, logistics, protection, shelter and non-food items, and common humanitarian services.

In Syria, the priorities for response are: identification of appropriate shelter, in light of the imminent reopening of schools where most displaced populations are being accommodated; support to site management and maintenance; provision of basic food commodities; increasing and maintaining water and sanitation facilities at sites; provision of hygiene and sanitary kits; provision of basic health services, reproductive health support; provision of non-food items, in particular household items and clothing; transportation of displaced populations; logistical support for storage, handling and transportation of relief items; coordination and information support; and assistance to Palestinian refugees. The projection is that the total number of those fleeing the crisis in Lebanon into Syria will mount to 300,000 Lebanese, of whom 75,000 will require assistance and support; as well as 15,000 Palestinians and 20,000 Third Country Nationals over the next three months.

Key to responding to needs of the most vulnerable will be the partnership between the United Nations agencies, funds and programmes and the UN Department of Safety and Security (DSS). As hostilities continue in many areas of Lebanon and the conditions of the population in those areas worsens, DSS working in close collaboration with the security components of UN agencies will strive towards developing a relief programme and operational environment that will bring much-needed assistance to the Lebanese population while minimizing the risk to UN humanitarian workers.

TABLE OF CONTENTS

1. Executive Summary

2. Context and Humanitarian Consequences

2.1. Strategic Context
2.2. Humanitarian Consequences

3. Response Plans

3.1. Health
3.2. Food And Nutrition
3.3. Water And Sanitation
3.4. Logistics
3.5. Shelter, Site Management And Non-Food Items
3.6. Protection And Mine Action
3.7. Education
3.8. Common Services

4. Roles and Responsibilities

4.1. Lebanon
4.2. Syria

ANNEX I ACRONYMS AND ABBREVIATIONS

ANNEX II Summary of Requirements - by Sector

ANNEX III List of projects by appealing organisation

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Note: The full text of this appeal is available on-line in Adobe Acrobat (pdf) format and may also be downloaded in zipped MS Word format.

Full Original Appeal [pdf* format] [Zipped MS Word format]

* Get the Adobe Acrobat Viewer (free)

For additional copies, please contact:

UN Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs
Palais des Nations
8-14 Avenue de la Paix
CH - 1211 Geneva, Switzerland

Tel.: (41 22) 917.1972
Fax: (41 22) 917.0368
E-Mail: cap@reliefweb.int

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