Tracking and tackling impacts on sustainable human development in neighboring countries: Insights from Lebanon and Jordan

The UNDP regional Bureau for arab States initiated a policy research project in the summer of 2013 to investigate the human development impacts of the Syria crisis and their implications for resilience building efforts in two of the most affected countries: Lebanon and Jordan. The paper is the outcome of this pilot research initiative. it distils and compares available macro and micro-level evidence of the impacts of the crisis in Lebanon and Jordan with a particular focus on the consequences of demographic shock arising from the massive refugee inflows.

Highlighting the discrepancies between humanitarian response plans and emerging challenges and priorities for host countries and communities, the paper makes the case for a strategic turnaround, whereby efforts to build resilience shift gears from a purely humanitarian approach towards a longer term, development-oriented one.