UNHCR is working to reduce the strain on Lebanese host communities and institutions. In 2017, UNHCR allocated USD 33.9 million to support host communities and institutions (compared to USD 26.8 million in 2016).
This included USD 18.9 million (2016: USD 16.5 million) in direct support to the Ministry of Education and Higher Education (MEHE), the Ministry of Public Health (MoPH), the Ministry of Social Affairs (MoSA), the Ministry of Interior and Municipalities (MoIM), the Ministry of Foreign Affairs (MoFA), the Ministry of Energy and Water (MoEW) and the Ministry of State for the Displaced Affairs (MoSDA), to cover equipment, trainings, supplies, and operational staffing costs.
The most vulnerable Lebanese communities benefitted from USD 15 million (2016: USD 10.3 million) in support through community support projects and infrastructure upgrades. Through host community and institutional support for public services, UNHCR strives to ensure that humanitarian interventions are linked with national and municipal plans and structures that are supported by key development actors.
The planned combined budget for 2018 totals USD 29.2 million, comprised of USD 9.5 million for institutional support and USD 19.7 million for community support projects.
Since 2011, UNHCR has invested more than USD 217 million in institutional support and host community support, including:
- USD 148.5 million for institutional support to key government ministries: MoSA, MoPH, MEHE, MoIM (staffing, capacity-building, equipment, medications, etc.), MoSDA, MoE and MoEW; and
- USD 68.5 million for host community support projects that bring needed services to mitigate impact of crisis.