Urban October: A month of reflection and action for UN-Habitat Lebanon
Beirut, 28 October 2020. Lebanon has been struggling with protracted crises — socioeconomic, political, and financial — which are now compounded by COVID-19 and most recently the explosions at the Port of Beirut. These crises have shown us that the need for sustainable urban development and recovery is even more critical. The UN-Habitat Country Programme in Lebanon has been working with national and international actors to ensure that progress which has been made in the nation’s sustainable urban development sphere is not lost during these difficult times. In addition to continuing to collaborate with partners to work towards achieving Sustainable Development Goal 11.
To mark Urban October, a month which centres itself on reflecting on the state of cities and towns, here is an overview of UN-Habitat Lebanon projects focused on the themes of health, dignity, safety, inclusion and well-being in alignment with Urban October’s #Housing4All campaign.
Health: mitigating the spread of COVID-19
Prior to the World Health Organization’s (WHO) declaration of the novel coronavirus outbreak as a global pandemic, preventative measures were outlined to be taken by people globally to reduce the transmission of COVID-19; including frequent hand washing and staying at home. However, for people without adequate housing which would give them regular access to clean water and enough space to self-isolate and quarantine at home, these measures aren’t realistic. To address these challenges from a hygiene perspective, UN-Habitat Lebanon installed the country’s first communal handwashing stations in different neighbourhoods in Beirut and Mount Lebanon.
In addition to this UN-Habitat, through the United Nations Central Emergency Response Fund (CERF), in partnership with the Popular Aid for Relief and Development provided almost 1,000 families with hygiene protection kits with priority given to the additionally vulnerable, including female-headed households, women, girls, the elderly and people with disabilities. The kits, which included detergent, bleach, laundry powder, shampoos, soap bars, rubbish bags, surface cleaning cloths and a bucket, enabled 4,500 residents to adopt proper hygiene practices for two months. Similar hygiene distribution activities will take place in Tripoli, through a local NGO Utopia, to 360 families.
Dignity: valuing our heritage
In order to lead a dignified life, individuals also need to take pride in their individual identity and history as well as that of their country. This ultimately gives them a sense of belonging to their neighbourhood which leads to an ultimate feeling of responsibility for its preservation and maintenance. For this to happen, heritage buildings and historical landmarks at the national and community levels need to be preserved continuously and rehabilitated regularly to improve structural conditions, making them habitable.
UN-Habitat Lebanon carried out a project focused on empowering communities through the preservation of cultural heritage while enhancing housing and living conditions in two main Lebanese cities: Haddadine, Tripoli and the Old Town of Saida. Funded through the British Council’s Cultural Heritage Protection Fund, the project applied a multi-sectoral approach to enhancing the overall living conditions of targeted communities in Haddadine and Old Saida. In addition to rehabilitating cultural heritage buildings and homes the project also worked to preserve the memories of ancient cities in Lebanon and empower youth and municipalities while mainstreaming the value of heritage into the development of local touristic action plans.
Safety: the lifesaving power of streetlights
Beddawi Highway Lighting project and Jabal Beddawi Lighting project have improved safety for people travelling by car and by foot. The Beddawi highway which stretches for 7 km and links Tripoli to Akkar governorate has thousands of people driving through it on a daily basis. The old lighting system dated back to the 1990s and used low efficiency halogen lights with more than 75 per cent of the lights not working. This was a major safety issues causing many accidents on a daily basis.
“Thanks to the lighting projects on Beddawi Highway and Jabal Beddawi, there is a decrease in public electricity consumption due to the installation of an energy efficient lighting system — LED and solar — reducing the Municipality’s costs. This lighting has also contributed to the feeling of safety and security of residents in the neighbourhood and has brought down the number of accidents on the highway and other streets in Jabal Beddawi by 70%.” — Mr. Hassan Ghemrawi, President of Baddawi Municipality
Fully funded by the Swiss Development Cooperation, the Jabal Beddawi Lighting project has not only made it possible for people to feel safe to move around the area at night but has also led to a 15% increase in revenue for small businesses in the area as they can now operate into the night with potential customers feeling safer than before.
“Customers can easily come to the store on foot, as the neighborhood has become comfortable for everyone following the installation of solar lighting.” Issam Abou Ahmad, Mini Market Owner
Inclusion: accessible public spaces for all
Public spaces, if planned well, can play a crucial role in bringing communities together and decreasing social tension. They shape community ties in neighbourhoods and have the power to connect people and cities. In Mina, North Lebanon UN-Habitat established the first inclusive public park in the region with funding from the Swiss Development Cooperation and full support of Mina Municipality. It is fully designed to accommodate for the needs of the physically and visually impaired. The park has made a significant positive impact in its community, with neighbours reporting increased safety and security as well as a significant increase in wellbeing.
Well-being: bringing host and refugee communities together
Community spaces and shared facilities for diverse population groups, needs and cultural activities must be considered when designing houses and settlements and planning for a better urban future.
The Abjad Centre serves as a sanctuary for citizens seeking protection-related support and personal development. It is a nest which fosters activities that improve human security through social, cultural and economic empowerment for both the host and refugee communities of Jabal Mohsen and Bab EL Tabbaneh. It is open to people from all walks of life: adults, children and adolescents, and provides beneficiaries who are Lebanese citizens with a space to enhance their knowledge regarding their rights, entitlements and social duties and encourages civic engagement through training students and educators, specifically women and youth.
Learn more about the Centre through this video:
