Currently, Lebanon hosts over 1.5 million Syrians and 500,000 registered Palestinian refugees1, amounting to the highest number of refugees per capita in the world. Even though the Syrian refugee crisis is in its sixth year and there is an abundant ow of international support, policy- makers fail to respond to the crisis adequately and in line with their international obligations.

Local non-governmental organizations (NGOs) and international organizations have repeatedly stepped in when the government has failed to provide basic assistance and services that ensure the safety of refugee and host communities. This paper presents the positions of ten NGOs working in Lebanon on issues relating to refugees’ legal and physical safety. Following extensive collaborative efforts, these organizations have identi ed the lack of access to legal documentation and legal remedy as the main threats to the digni ed living of refugee populations in Lebanon.

By providing insight into the daily realities of Syrian and Palestinian refugees in Lebanon, this paper aims to highlight the gaps in Lebanese policies towards refugees from Syria, and how certain structures – or lack of them – not only deprive refugees of their basic rights, but deny them better prospects for their future.

Finally, this paper seeks to more accurately inform policy-makers and present practical recommendations that can help local and international stakeholders meet the needs of refugees and host communities.

See full report: Legal and Physical Safety_Report

See summary and snapshot: Snapshot Legal and Physical Safety