This project, implemented in partnership with the Movement for Peace (MPDL) and funded by the Spanish Agency for International Development Cooperation (AECID), aims to strengthen the resilience and protection of the most vulnerable persons with disabilities and their families in the Bekaa Valley (Baalbek and Bar Elias), whether refugees or from host communities.
The project gives special priority to intervening with women and girls with disabilities who are at risk and/or survivors of gender-based violence (GBV), in order to reduce the impact of the humanitarian crisis in Lebanon on this group.
Key Achievements and Activities
Cash Assistance
- Emergency cash assistance (200 USD distributed over 4 installments) was provided to a total of 864 persons with disabilities (510 women and 354 men) following a detailed needs assessment and determination of vulnerability levels.
Capacity Building and Data Updating
- A comprehensive database of persons with disabilities in the Bekaa was updated to include 2,691 persons (1,592 in Baalbek and 1,099 in Bar Elias), helping to plan the response.
- A team of local staff and volunteers was trained on completing standardized questionnaires and types of disabilities.
Protection and Psychosocial Support (MHPSS)
- Individual and group psychosocial support sessions were implemented, with psychological intervention completed for a total of 142 persons, focusing on women, girls, and the elderly.
- Focused psychosocial support groups were formed (groups for families of persons with disabilities, groups for women with disabilities, and groups for girls with disabilities) to enhance self-confidence, resilience, and problem-solving skills (36 women and girls with disabilities).
- 26 women benefited from case management services for moderate and high-risk cases.
Awareness and Empowerment
- 7 awareness sessions were implemented with groups of women (totaling 66 women), focusing on disability, gender-based violence, and reporting mechanisms.
- Specialized awareness sessions were conducted on the intersection of disability and gender-based violence, targeting 155 women and girls with disabilities or mothers of persons with disabilities.
Coordination and Partnership
- A specialized workshop and 10-day training were implemented for local and international partners (11 participants from 10 organizations) on “Prevention, Detection, and Response to Gender-Based Violence among Persons with Disabilities,” aiming to institutionalize inclusive services.
This project actively seeks to reduce the gap in humanitarian response and ensure that persons with disabilities, especially women and girls, receive protection and services that enhance their dignity and well-being.
