Objetives

The objective of this project is to contribute to the economic protection of Palestinian female refugees who are the most vulnerable economically in Lebanon. At the end of the project, at least 50% of the 120 beneficiaries will be able to increase their economic incomes by 200%. The system established until now is mainly based on charity than in a competitive based production of embroidery. In the identification process established by Cives Mundi it was discovered that from a sample of 100 potential beneficiaries, these women contribute between 10 and 20% of the basic expenditures on housing (between 50,000 and 100,000 Lebanese Liras – approximately 25 and 50 euros per month) due to the production and sales of embroidery work which they undertake in their spare time. Therefore through this aim, their incomes will increase substantially (in time and quantity) and will be between 180 and 300 USD per month, which will cover 90% of the housing expenditures. These monthly incomes would allow these women to reach economic independence through the acquisition of means of production and all benefits derived from it. By achieving economic independence their social independence will follow, since by controlling their own incomes, women will be able to wean themselves from being dependent on others (generally families or Islamic charity associations), keep their own house and manage their own resources which will positively impact their social status/position. This activity aims indirectly to serve as an example and inspiration to other women in the camps not participating in the training sessions.
The main challenges faced by this action in obtaining its results are two-fold: On one hand, to break the beliefs and local cultural practices that exclude women as full actors in the process of economic development in the camps. On the other hand, the commercialization of goods in times of a global economic crisis. The first challenge, the inclusion of women in the labour market is a growing phenomenon in the camps although largely only in the informal market. Given the high unemployment rate of men, the working female Palestinian refugees are more and more accepted in the camps since their incomes are necessary in addition to those of the men to cover housing expenditures. According to the UNRWA, the number of family members oscillates between 6 and 10 members with an average of 4.1 children for each Palestinian refugee woman.

The activity proposed is considered a revolutionary one since it not only includes women’s economic contribution to the household but also achieving 90% of economic independence and management of their own income. The management of their household’s accounts will result in their inclusion at the social level as full actors in the economic life interacting as an equal with sellers and landlords. It is the socially accepted that women who have lost the breadwinner of the family (the husband according to the local culture) and have consequently become dependent and a burden for male relatives assuming responsibility of them to enter the labor market to maintain their offspring. This implies that the project intends to take advantage of a negative aspect such as the exclusion of women from the economic sphere and transform it into an exceptional asset in which these women can exceptionally access the labour market on socially acceptable terms. This society accepts that socially excluded women (widowed and divorced) fully participate in the economy contrary to married women who depend on their husbands who are in charge of securing an income for the family. This activity aims also to increase the acceptance of women’s economic empowerment through employment and control over economic resources to the rest of the men and women in the camps.