CARE Rapid Gender Analysis Lebanon May 2020

Publication Date: 15/05/2020

On February 23rd, Lebanon reported its first COVID-19 positive case. On March 16th the Lebanese authorities responded in a promptly manner by declaring a state of general mobilization and encouraging citizens to observe physical distancing. At the same time the newly formed government adopted a series of measures including movement restriction, curfews, shop closure the temporary suspension of flights. The virus was identified on January 8, 2020 and has since spread to 210 countries, infecting more than 5.33 million people and caused fatalities all around the globe. As of June 16th, Lebanon counts 1,446 COVID-19 positive cases.

The Covid-19 pandemic in Lebanon is a crisis within a crisis. It occurred during a broader socio-economic meltdown that has shaken the country in recent months. In October 2019, Lebanese occupied the streets in various cities across the country demonstrating against corruption, unemployment and sectarianism in the country. Lebanon appears to have responded effectively to the pandemic so far, a number of major challenges await it. With little measures to mitigate the economic impact of the confinement and protesters pushing to return to the streets, the country is entering a challenging era with a major impact on people’s lives; refugees (about 1,5 million) and host communities. It is imperative that measures that address the different needs of women, men, children and youth with particular attention to underlying vulnerabilities of certain groups including displaced people, refugee populations and migrant workers should be adopted in a comprehensive and coordinated way.

The Rapid Gender Analysis (RGA) intends to highlight how COVID-19 in the context of the socio-economic crisis impacts differently women, girls, boys and men and recommend measures to address and mitigate risks related to the protection and wellbeing of affected population. The RGA is looking into the following areas of interest:

• Gender roles and responsibilities
• Decision making, participation and leadership
• Health, mental health and SRHR
• Access to services and resources
• Safety and Protection
• Access to information and technology
• Capacities and coping mechanisms