UNDP - United Nations Development Programme

Purpose

The project aims to contribute to the economic empowerment of Lebanese women and Syrian refugee women in Lebanon. This project is part of the UNDP’s Lebanon Host Communities Support Programme (LHSP), a national initiative launched jointly with Lebanon’s Ministry of Social Affairs as a comprehensive response to the Syrian Refugee Crisis and its implications on Lebanon. The project supports women-led businesses and women to actively participate in the local economy, and strengthens the role that local authorities (such as municipalities, municipal unions and local economic development organizations) play in advancing women’s economic empowerment in Lebanon. Project activities include: (1) providing training, paid internships, coaching and mentoring to Lebanese women and Syrian refugee women to strengthen their abilities to integrate into the economic sphere; (2) offering training, mentoring, marketing and financial support services to women-led businesses in order to improve their productivity and competitiveness; (3) organizing advocacy and awareness-raising activities to strengthen public support of women’s economic empowerment and reduce social barriers; and (4) providing technical, strategic and management training and support to municipalities to better mainstream gender considerations into economic development strategies and interventions. The project is expected to reach 103,000 individuals through training, direct services and awareness campaigns, and to create or maintain up to 700 jobs.