Monitoring and Evaluating the International Rescue

UNCLAS SECTION 01 OF 02 AMMAN 002071 SIPDIS DEPT FOR PRM/ANE, PRM/MCE AND NEA/ARN E.O. 12958:N/A TAGS: PHUM PREF PREL SOCI KPAL KWMN LE JO SUBJECT: Monitoring and Evaluating the International Rescue Committee in Lebanon REF: PRM Monitoring Instructions of 9/26/03 ¶1. As requested ref, regional refcoord and Embassy Beirut poloff monitored PRM-funded activities at Association Najdeh on March 10. Association Najdeh is the local implementing partner of the International Rescue Committee and the Women's Commission for Refugees for the sexual and gender- based violence program for refugees in Lebanon (cooperative agreement SPRMCO03CA117). Regional refcoord, PRM/ANE program officer and Embassy Beirut polFSN also met with Association Najdeh officials in October 2003. Monitoring report is keyed to questions provided ref. ¶A. On March 10, we met with Association Najdeh Director Leila el-Ali, Project Coordinator Fatme Chahine, Project Assistant Buthaina Saad and Counselor Majida Jawad. The meeting was held at the project office, a one-room office near Association Najdeh's headquarters. ¶B. Association Najdeh is doing a good job of conducting domestic violence education and awareness activities, a key PRM-cross-cutting policy goal. However, the persistent social stigma surrounding domestic violence as well as the limited economic ability of abused Palestinian refugee women to seek assistance are limiting Najdeh's ability to fulfill some of the project's objectives. For example, only 18 documented abuse victims have sought Najdeh counseling to date, while the project calls for 100 cases by August 31, ¶2004. Only two cases (of the 50 projected in the grant agreement) have sought legal assistance from Najdeh since September 1, 2003. The problem appears not to lie in Najdeh's implementation of activities funded under the grant (counselors, staff training, advocacy and regional coordination) but instead is rooted in the deep-seated cultural and social reluctance to address these issues and the economic inability of Palestinian refugee women to escape difficult family situations. Continued education and advocacy activities could be one way to address these problems. ¶C. Since the project began on September 1, Najdeh has implemented the following activities: - Five counselors have been hired and are available to provide domestic violence counseling in Najdeh's 26 program centers in Palestinian refugee camps. - Najdeh has organized domestic violence workshops in all 12 refugee camps, attended by 163 participants (132 women and 31 men). - 18 documented domestic abuse victims have sought counseling from Najdeh (vice a goal of 100 for the project). - Two domestic abuse victims have sought legal assistance from Najdeh (vice a goal of 20 for the project). - Najdeh has designed and is now printing Arabic-language posters and pamphlets that advocate for the protection of women and management of domestic violence. - Najdeh has held coordination meetings with UNRWA in Lebanon and Syria, with local Palestinian NGOs in Lebanon and with other women's rights NGOs in the region through the Arab women's NGO network Aisha. - With separate funding from Columbia University, Najdeh has conducted two additional studies on domestic violence in Lebanon's Palestinian refugee camps (similar to its 2000 study),and is coordinating with UNRWA to share its findings with UNRWA-supported women's program centers in Lebanon and Syria. - A representative from the Women's Commission plans to travel to Lebanon in late March to conduct training for Najdeh staff on codes of conduct and reporting. The Women's Commission representative will also participate in a Najdeh workshop on domestic violence for other local NGOs. Najdeh runs its domestic violence program from the 26 kindergartens and vocational training centers it operates in Lebanon's 12 refugee camps. Due to the deep-rooted cultural sensitivities surrounding this issue, Najdeh has introduced the topic of domestic violence in an indirect fashion, holding workshops on gender, discrimination and basic human rights, an approach that el-Ali says lays the groundwork for addressing the more difficult issue of domestic violence. Trained Najdeh counselors also can judge from participants' reactions whether there might be serious problems at home, and then can follow up with private conversations after the workshops. In cooperation with Palestinian refugee youth centers, Najdeh has also formed "men's clubs" where it introduces domestic violence issues to men. Najdeh staff commented that men in the rural Palestinian refugee communities (especially in the Bekaa valley) seem more receptive to women's rights. ¶D. Najdeh admits that it is falling short on some of the key project objectives, due largely to social and economic realities in the camps. Women are often pressured by extended family members not to seek outside assistance for domestic violence issues or fear that they will face social stigma for seeking counseling assistance. (In Palestinian refugee culture, either social or psychological counseling is viewed as shameful, according to Najdeh Director el-Ali.) Moreover, due to the many restrictions on Palestinian refugees' economic activities in Lebanon, refugee women simply do not have the resources to either seek legal recourse or leave their abusive spouses. Project director Chahine reported that while many women have expressed interest in pursuing legal options, all but two were simply unable to afford this option. The options available to refugee women victims of violence are further limited by the lack of any safe houses in Lebanon. Abused women in Lebanon simply have nowhere to go, el-Ali explained. Najdeh also is having a hard time meeting the extremely ambitious project goal of recommending and adopting new policies to address domestic violence among Palestinian refugees in Lebanon, Jordan, Jerusalem, the West Bank and Gaza. While Najdeh meets regularly with counterpart NGOs from throughout the region, Najdeh Director el-Ali believes the more important, and perhaps more achievable goal, is to change refugees' attitudes toward domestic violence, creating an environment where women are able to seek counseling and address their problems without feeling pressured that they have "shamed" their families. In Lebanon, el-Ali added, refugee women also need the economic ability to both seek legal assistance and, if necessary, leave their spouses. With the many legal restrictions imposed on Palestinian refugees in Lebanon, refugee women do not have the economic independence required to exercise their full rights. Finally, it is important to note that Najdeh, as a member of the Palestinian NGO Forum in Lebanon, has a long-standing policy of not accepting funds from the U.S. Government. When asked by refcoord to address this issue, el-Ali explained that Najdeh's financial relationship is with the Women's Commission for Refugees (the direct recipient of funds under this grant) and not with the U.S. Government. El-Ali has not publicized the U.S. role in supporting this project and does not seem willing to acknowledge it in the local NGO community. ¶E. Due to restrictions on USG travel to the Palestinian refugee camps, we were unable to see the full team of project staff in action. Nevertheless, the team of five counselors plus two project managers seems appropriate for the range of activities covered under the grant. ¶F. The project office is just one-room, located near Association Najdeh's headquarters. The room contains a desk, computer, files and a small meeting area. The office appears to be used on a regular basis and all equipment appeared to be in good working order. No equipment was purchased with USG funds. ¶G. N/A ¶H. Continued education and advocacy activities seem to be required before Palestinian refugee women feel comfortable seeking the counseling and legal assistance programs called for under the grant agreement. El-Ali said that greater economic resources were also required to give refugee women the independence required to either seek legal assistance or, if necessary, leave their spouses. Should PRM decide to provide additional funding for this project in FY04, we recommend that greater emphasis be put on education and advocacy activities. With an estimated domestic violence rate of 18 percent in the camps (according to Najdeh's most recent survey),the victims of violence likely will seek the activities supported in the grant only after they are more comfortable addressing the topic. ¶2. Embassy Beirut cleared this message. GNEHM