IRC SECuRE II 2021-2024

The programme in Jordan and in Lebanon includes both refugees and host populations. The ratio between these two groups vary from activity to activity - in some cases refugees are in majority and in some cases it is the other way around. IRC-Lebanon has noted that since the programme is accessible to all community members, it has contributed to positive social cohesion between Lebanese and Syrian participants of the programme. One very successful result in Jordan was the securing of one-year contracts with employers during 2022 for 150 women who participated in employability training. Another positive result from Jordan (by mid-2023) was the 94 new job positions which were created as a result of 111 female entrepreneurs receiving small business growth grants through the programme. As for results during the first year of the programme it can be noted that generally it is more difficult to achieve sustainable results within the ERD-component, especially the context in Lebanon is unfavorable with restrictions on refugees´ employment opportunities and the massive social and economic crisis the country is going through, which affects the majority of the population. IRC reports that many of their clients increasingly are using negative coping mechanisms such as buying food on credit and changing dietary habits and quality of food. It should also be noted that the individualized nature of the ERD-support (vocational training, apprenticeships, on-the-job training, small business grants etc.) is such that it often does not reach large numbers of people, and the often substantial support to each individual tend to continue over lengthy periods. The WPE-component includes many activities that are of such nature that they reach a large number of people, e.g community outreach activities often focused on awareness raising, gender discussion groups, women and girls safe spaces (WGSS), adolescent girls´progammes etc. Within the WPE-component, the GBV case management services show very good results in both Jordan and Lebanon, where the large majority of cases are managed and closed in a satisfactory way. In e.g. Lebanon, 97 % of GBV-survivors who received case management services and/or individualized psycho-social support reported satisfaction with the services they had received. Sida finds that the programme has been successful despite a very challenging context in both Lebanon and Jordan. It has delivered the expected results in relation to the results framework. Sida also finds that IRC is an agile organization with built-in flexibility and adaptation of project activities when the context changes. Positive results have been achieved in important areas such as increasing the engagement with men and boys, as well as with the inclusion of disabled women and girls. Another notable dimension of IRC´s work is the increased efforts on localization and the mutuality and complimentary that characterize IRC´s collaboration with local partners. All these achievements are aspects that Sida has been pushing for in the dialogue with IRC. On a positive note, Sida also observes that IRC during the second year of the programme initiated collaboration with another Sida-supported programme in northern Lebanon, the RESLOG-project, managed by Swedish SALAR. Below are just a few examples of results achieved during the second year: - Through WGSSs (Women and Girls´Safe Spaces), the IRC provided comprehensive GBV services to 7,926 clients, consisting of 7,212 women and 714 girls in Jordan. The IRC offered tailored services, including Girl Shine sessions for adolescent girls, and introduced Engaging Men in Accountable Practice (EMAP) curricula for male engagement in awareness efforts. The WGSSs continue to serve as entry points to provide case management services for GBV survivors. Legal Officers at WGSSs furthermore offered legal information sessions to 867 clients and legal counseling to 604 clients, addressing topics such as early marriage, human rights, refugees' convention and the significance of official documents. - IRC and its Jordanian partners reached 17,358 clients with outreach activities, with 76% of these clients reporting an awareness of where to seek assistance and support in the event of experiencing violence or knowing someone facing such a situation. - In Lebanon, the IRC has focused on a holistic approach to community development, integrating various elements of its programmes to foster impactful change. One key intiative has been the formation of womens comitttees with the aim of capacitating women to build networks and build informal protection and safe referral mechanisms for GBV. Over the first two years, IRC enrolled 127 women in these committees and the latter ones went on to establish four new committees. Through capacity building, peer-to-peer support and other social activities, these committees have come to play an important role at the local level for the protection, psycho-social wellbeing, community awareness and safe referrals of GBV cases, as well as taking on an active role in the current crisis response in Lebanon. - During the second year, IRC Lebanon furthermore piloted a male committee initiative in Bekaa, creating a space that allowed men to discuss and address concerns and challenges in the community regarding gender roles. This allowed for the opportunity to correct misconceptions, actively contributing to the mitigation of GBV risks and promoting positive behaviors for men as allies to women and girls. Members of both male and female committees reported a heightened sense of empowerment and an ability to disseminate critical information within their communities. - IRC Jordan and its local partner INJAZ have collectively delivered high-quality business incubation services, training, and mentorship to aspiring and newly established women-owned businesses. This business incubation initiative positively impacted 25 women, comprising 18 Jordanian, 6 Syrian, and 1 Iraqi entrepreneurs. Out of the supported 25 female entrepreneurs, 17 managed to start selling their products and services, 5 of them have employed staff, 12 have started to generate income and one of the female entrepreneurs have secured investment. - In order to assist women seeking formal employment, IRC Jordan collaborated with two local partners, Afaq Alriadah and Kareem Hypermarket, enabling 63 women to enroll in apprenticeship programs during the second year. These programs offered technical training in various fields such as butchery, cashiering, customer service, and dairy sales. Subsequently, 90 clients from the first two years were presented with employment opportunities in these professions post the apprenticeship program. These partnerships have particularly been advantageous for unskilled clients, especially youth residing in vulnerable communities.

The overall goal of the project is: Women and girls are safer and are economically and socially resilient. The project has three sub-objectives: - Women safely generate income and assets and are able to safely use and control resources. - Women and girls are empowered and supported to shape and contribute to their communities and homes. - Women and girls are protected and supported to recover from the consequences of Gender-Based Violence (GBV).