Legal Protection of Women and Children in the MENA region: An Integrated Approach
Despite significant protection efforts in Middle East (ME) so far, major gaps remain particularly for complex legal-protection cases. This intervention in Lebanon, Iraq, Jordan, and North-West Syria will address selected complex legal-protection issues through integrated legal assistance and protection casework, and aims to improve the overall protection environment in the ME through development of information resources, capacity building for local actors and awareness raising for authorities.
| Topic | Period | Budget |
|---|---|---|
|
Migration Humanitarian Assistance & DRR Gender
Forced displacement (refugees, IDP, human trafficking)
Protection, access & security Sexual & gender-based violence |
01.04.2023
- 31.03.2026 |
CHF 808’400
|
- Norwegian Refugee Council
-
Sector according to the OECD Developement Assistance Commitiee categorisation GOVERNMENT AND CIVIL SOCIETY
EMERGENCY RESPONSE
GOVERNMENT AND CIVIL SOCIETY
Sub-Sector according to the OECD Developement Assistance Commitiee categorisation Facilitation of orderly, safe, regular and responsible migration and mobility
Material relief assistance and services
Ending violence against women and girls
Aid Type Project and programme contribution
Project number 7F11101
| Background | Many fragility factors are common across the ME region and continue to challenge Lebanon, Jordan, Iraq and Syria. Over five million Syrian refugees are spread across the region, an additional 6.8 million internally displaced persons (IDPs) remain in Syria, and 1.2 mio in Iraq. Despite the presence of a range of legal aid and protection actors, effective casework on complex legal-protection cases which are sensitive and resource intensive, remains a gap. As a result, many vulnerable women and children are increasingly marginalized in the ME. The prevalence of these complex legal protection cases is difficult to capture from existing datasets, but is estimated to be at 5-10% of the total legal assistance caseload. Many such cases are presently dormant or labelled as ‘closed unsuccessfully’. A more responsive and coordinated approach by humanitarian actors, using integrated legal and protection approaches, would likely result in enhanced protection for the concerned vulnerable individuals and contribute to their reintegration within local communities. |
| Objectives | Human rights of conflict-affected and vulnerable persons are better upheld through effective prevention and response to complex legal and protection risks in the Middle East. |
| Target groups |
In Jordan, Lebanon, Iraq and North-West Syria (NWS): 1. IDP and refugee women, children and other vulnerable groups requiring legal support, and who are facing significant protection risks in claiming their rights (680 direct beneficiaries, 1’360 indirect beneficiaries) 2. Humanitarian, legal and protection workers (360 direct beneficiaries) 3. Local authorities (with the exception of NWS) |
| Medium-term outcomes |
Outcome 1: Conflict-affected and vulnerable women and children are better protected through equitable access to specialized services. Outcome 2: Conflict-affected and vulnerable women and children are better protected through improved policies and legal frameworks. Outcome 3: Conflict-affected and vulnerable women and children are better protected through increased capacity of stakeholders. |
| Results |
Expected results: Outcome 1: Beneficiaries with complex legal and protection needs have better access to services. Local partnerships established. Outcome 2: Guidance produced for legal aid and humanitarian actors on legal protection issues. Improved gender responsive programming. Raised awareness amongst international stakeholders of legal protection issues. Outcome 3: Stakeholders have increased their knowledge and capacity to respond to common legal and protection challenges across the region. |
| Directorate/federal office responsible |
SDC |
| Project partners |
Contract partner International or foreign NGO |
| Coordination with other projects and actors | Consistent with the Framework for the Centrality of Protection signed between SDC and NRC, this project sets out a regional approach to shared Protection problems in Lebanon, Jordan, Iraq and NWS. It builds on conclusions from the SEM funded Information Counselling Legal Assistance (ICLA) programmes in ME, contributing to Swiss engagement on durable solutions. NRC works extensively with UN agencies, donors, host countries and third states for effective coordination and advocacy. At technical level, teams actively participate in Protection Clusters in all contexts (except Iraq), as well as sub-clusters such as the Durable Solutions, Housing, Land and Property, Evictions, Legal, Gender Based Violence (GBV) and Child Protection (CP). |
| Budget | Current phase Swiss budget CHF 808’400 Swiss disbursement to date CHF 222’997 |
| Project phases | Phase 1 01.04.2023 - 31.03.2026 (Current phase) |
