RESPONSE TO SHELTER CRISIS

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RESPONSE TO SHELTER CRISIS

• APRIL 2009

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INTRODUCTION

• In July 2006, Lebanon was the target of a
  devastating war led by Israel
• The cost of the reconstruction was estimated to
  US 2.8 billions while compensation for the
  housing sector was estimated to 1.4 billion.
• South Lebanon witnessed the heaviest bombing
  more than 130,000 dwelling units were affected.

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Housing Damage Assessment in Southern Lebanon
Totally Destroyed Partially Destroyed Severely Damaged Totally Affected
Number of units 13,108 2,180 115,139 130,427
Source CoS as of 11-01-2008 Source CoS as of 11-01-2008 Source CoS as of 11-01-2008 Source CoS as of 11-01-2008 Source CoS as of 11-01-2008

• The shelter sector reconstruction cannot be
  sustainable without a strategic reconstruction
  plan promoting governance, while focusing on
  socio-economic development, environmental
  protection and urban expansion management.

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STAKEHOLDERS RESPONSE INTERVENTIONS
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1- The Government Shelter Reconstruction Plan

• The main objective of the GoL national recovery
  and
• reconstruction plan was to ensure a safe and
  prompt
• return of the displaced to their towns and
  villages.

Severity of Damage Ceiling Amount USD Remarks
Totally Destroyed 40,000 2 installments (50-50) Shelter reconstruction USD 30, 000 Furniture USD 10,000
Partially Destroyed 28,000 2 Installments. First payment around USD 6,600
Severely Damaged 13,333 2 installments unless damages are less than USD 6,600
Partially Damaged 3,333 1 installment.
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2- Shelter Working Group

• As soon as hostilities started, an emergency
  shelter cluster was established. Cluster meetings
  were co-chaired by the CoS and UN-HABITAT and
  took place on weekly basis in Beirut and Southern
  Lebanon in order to provide shelter assistance.
• The shelter cluster operation focuses on
• coordinating the various interventions.
• Identifying gaps and unmet needs.
• Tracking government housing compensations.

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• At first, the shelter cluster interventions
  focused on
• ? winterization activities (Waterproofing)
• ?cash for repair partially damaged houses.
• The second stage saw a shift in shelter
  intervention
• ? From quick repair to sustainable recovery
  and reconstruction

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3- Stakeholders

• Governmental Organizations
• Non-Governmental Organizations
• Private Consulting Firm (Khatib Alami)
• UN agencies and mainly UN-Habitat
• Donor Countries
• Local Authorities

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SHELTER RECONSTRUCTION
SUSTAINABILITY
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1- Challenges and Gaps

• Financial Challenges Delays in the compensation
  disbursements due to the long administrative
  procedures.
• Legal Challenges Absence of reconstruction
  regulatory framework
• Technical Challenges
• Lack Proper Urban Planning Rules and regulations
• Inaccurate Documentation of housing
• Management Challenges Absence of a defined plan
  and poor community awareness and know-how
• Governance Challenges Governance challenges
  require the continued search for peace, security,
  political stability, transparency,
  decentralization, equity, participation, reform
  in local development strategies, etc.
• Socio-economic Challenges Poverty, unemployment,
  migration, etc.

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2- Strategic Fields of Intervention

• The shelter sector recovery plan main objective
  was to meet two categories of needs
• The short term or immediate needs ensuring a
  prompt and safe return of displaced people
• The Long term needs ensuring the sustainability
  of the shelter reconstruction.
• The fundamental challenge is to reconcile between
  the short term and long term needs in order to
  bridge the gap between the two categories of
  goals and ensure a sustainable reconstruction.

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Socio-Economic Field Livelihood Support

• A vital local economy is one of the key elements
  in
• sustainable recovery and development in South
  Lebanon.
• Employment generation programs must be put in
  place in order to link relief, development and
  reconstruction.
• Promoting sustainable economic development
  consists in creating new dynamics by developing
  existing activities or investing in high added
  value sectors.
• These action plans should focus on SMI and SME
  and on promoting gender equity.

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• Investments should be oriented towards
• Alternative Agriculture
• Organic Agriculture
• Food Processing Industry
• Aquaculture in Coastal Cities
• Tourism

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Urban Planning Field

• The urban fabric in South Lebanon is anarchic.
• Interventions in the urban planning field should
  include
• the following
• Managing the urbanization and avoiding the
  proliferation of informal settlements
• Integration of the informal settlement
• Surveying the villages that were not included in
  the ministry of finance plan
• Highlighting on the identity of historical cities
• Protecting and preserving the agricultural areas
• Solving the squatted public domain problems.

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Environmental Field

• The environmental degradation is accelerated and
• Compromises the shelter reconstruction
  sustainability.
• There is an emergency to recourse to
• Protecting agricultural plains from urban
  expansion
• Protecting spring and underground water and
  littoral from pollution
• Fighting against soil degradation
• Implementing a solid waste management plan.
• Switching to renewable energy solutions

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Governance Field

• The principles of good governance are key
  elements for
• sustainable development and crisis mitigation and
  
• management.
• Empowering Community Organizations and NGOs
• Reinforcing Public Institutions
• Developing Local Governments capacities
• Insuring all stakeholders involvement

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Security Field

• Security conditions in South Lebanon represent a
• major threat to shelter sustainability
• Unexploded cluster bombs
• Risk of another war

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3- Targets Optimization

• Decision-makers, the GoL and municipalities can
• contribute to the target optimization through the
• following initiatives
• Promotion of subsidized micro-credit policies
• Reform inside the fiscal and financial systems
• Implication of repatriated capitals in the
  development strategies while stimulating their
  reinvestment in productive sectors.
• Increasing population awareness about
  socio-economic, urban planning, environmental,
  governance and security issues.

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Thank you