SUB-PROGRAMME AND COMPONENT PROJECT

between

The Government of Lebanon
and
UNFPA

1. Rationale for the Population and Development Strategies Sub-Programme:

1.1 The Country and Sub-Programme Context

According to the 1996 Population and Housing Survey, the Lebanese population was estimated at 3.2 million, with about 87 percent of this number registered in urban centers. The 1970-1996 period estimate of the annual population growth rate was about 1.55 percent. The 2000 revision of the World Population Prospects published by the Population Division of DESA (issued in 2001) shows that according to medium variant, the estimated population for the year 2000 is around 3.5 million. The size of the population was projected to increase by about one million persons over the period of 17 years if the future growth of the population would follow the scenario of medium variant.

The current low rate of national population growth is a result of the interplay between the demographic dynamics during the past three to four decades. Both mortality and fertility rates have sequentially exhibited significant downward changes. Life expectancy at birth progressively increased from 64 in 1970 to 71.3 years in 1996 indicating a significant decline in morbidity and mortality and increase in longevity. Concomitantly, total fertility rate had gradually declined from 5 in 1970 to 2.9 live births per woman in 1996, while the overall contraceptive prevalence rate was estimated at 61 percent in 1996, a rise from 35 percent in 1976. The period had also witnessed a steep increase in the age at first marriage for females from 23 years in 1970 to 27.5 years in 1996 and for males from 27 years to 31 years, consecutively.

Host of positive socioeconomic factors has contributed to the marked shift in the vital demographic rates. Literacy rates for males and females have notably ascended. Proportions enrolled at various levels of education have significantly increased and gender gaps in enrollment have succinctly mitigated. In addition, female economic participation and women’s advancement in several civil circles and their involvement in reproductive and productive related decision-making have been widely observed, though in a shy way.

This progress, however, has occurred against a complex milieu. Several populations related issues still constitute formidable challenge in the face of national efforts to sustain equitable economic and social development. Regional differences in social and demographic characteristics are enormous. For example, total fertility rate ranges from 5.1 in North Lebanon to 2.2 in Beirut and illiteracy goes as high as 17.1 percent in El-Nabatiyeh and low as 6.6 percent in Beirut (UNICEF/CAS, 2000). Furthermore, infant mortality rates vary from around 20 per 1000 live births in Beirut to 40 in the Bekaa area (UNICEF/CAS, 2000).

Despite a noticeable increase in contraceptive use, both marital fertility rate and the unmet need for family planning remain high, while the unwanted pregnancies continue to be ponderous. Furthermore, the maternal mortality rate, as derived from the 1994 Lebanese PACHILD data, oscillated around 104 per 100,000 live births.

Recent trends of demographic changes have resulted in larger numbers of youth and adolescents, population ageing and increased urbanization, migration and resettlement. Furthermore, Lebanon has lately registered an increasing trend of unemployment, poverty, social and economic inequalities and the prevalence of HIV/AIDS.

The trends and magnitudes of these issues have been further exacerbated by the fact that population, RH and gender concerns are not well integrated into national and sectoral development planning and the appropriate linkages between socioeconomic and population factors are not adequately grasped. Institutionally, weaknesses in the development performance of the nineties can be ascribed largely to governance issues. The real challenge is to diagnose, identify and address governance failures at the national, sub-national and corporate levels and in understanding the key linkages between them. Government ability to increase transparency and accountability, to increase relevance and efficiency/effectiveness of the public sector, and to combat poverty and achieve sustainable development has been at issue in the past years. The absence of a comprehensive and integrated statistical system is, for a larger part, responsible for the lack of integrated population and development planning, monitoring and evaluation.

Against these challenges, a number of governmental and non-governmental agencies have increasingly taken in national and international efforts to address these population and development issues. Both MOSA and MOPH, in particular, have provided basic requirements for broadening the information base, developing population and RH policies and strategies, and taking an active part in the global population and development agendas and initiatives emanating from the last decade’s UN conferences.

Based on the lessons learned and experiences gained over the current country programme cycle, the country should place its population and development strategy at the center of its long-term vision. In order to comply with its sustainable development agenda, there is a felt need for a comprehensive, dynamic and gender sensitive database for planning, programming, monitoring and evaluating population and development policies and strategies. More than ever before, the government should take major actions for enunciating its national population policy and integrating the policy objectives and interventions in development planning.

Inspired by these needs, the proposed UNFPA-supported CP (2002-2006) pledges a considerable proportion of its resources for the PDS Sub-programming initiatives. This sub-programme strives to incorporate the national population policy objectives into the country’s development agenda, to contribute to national capacity building and to create an enabling environment for achieving its anticipated results specified hierarchically in the CP Logframe Matrix (Annex I). As appropriately defined by the CP, the purpose towards which the PDS Sub-programme outputs should contribute is: "To have contributed to integrated population, gender and reproductive health dimensions in national and sectoral development planning".

The proposed outputs that are planned to occur as a consequence of the sub-programme activities are as follows:

1) Strengthened national capacities for the integration of population, RH and gender dimensions into sectoral planning and programming.
2) Increased availability of sex-disaggregated population related data by region.
3) Increased awareness and understanding of priority population, RH and gender issues among policymakers, parliamentarians, media and opinion leaders.

Upgrading the institutional, policymaking and planning capacities is essential for effectuating the integration of population policy objectives and interventions in planning and programming at sectoral and local levels. For the integration to be efficient and timely, the sub-programme must focus on sharpening official and public awareness of the intricate relations between population, poverty, environment and development. Any genuine efforts to mainstream gender issues in development policies and plans require better understanding of causes and consequences of gender gaps in political, legislative and civil circles and functions. To this extent the sub-programme will ensure identification and upgrading of focal units with clear terms of reference and defined responsibilities and tasks at various public institutions for optimizing integration of population, RH and gender concerns into sectoral planning and programming.

Empowering the national capabilities for increased availability of sex-and region-disaggregated population related data, through, inter alia, supporting training and research, broadening population and development database and updating qualitative and quantitative indicators are all prerequisite for appropriating integration, monitoring and evaluation of population, gender and RH issues in development planning.

Strong evidence-based advocacy is indispensable to create a positive climate for the integration of population, RH and gender issues in development policies, strategies and planning. Equally important, is the immense need to promote policy dialogue for resource mobilization for integration, monitoring and evaluation and for sustainability of the sub-programme deliverables.

1.2 Past and Related Activities and Assistance

1.2.1 Previous UNFPA Assistance

UNFPA is the primary and only source of external funding in the area of population and development strategies. Under the first UNFPA CP for Lebanon (1997-2001), the PDS-Sub-Programme/project has provided support in the areas of research, training and population policy formulation. The Sub-programme provided technical assistance for conducting data processing, analysis, demographic projections and in-depth studies in a number of pertinent socioeconomic and demographic areas. These studies were published and widely disseminated to policymakers, academic and research centers, media circles and others.

The wider access of population related information and the dissemination of research findings have significantly contributed to the formulation of the national population policy. With full coordination of the National Permanent Population Committee (NPPC), the policy formulation had encountered several modifications before it was submitted to the Council of Ministers, in September 2001, for endorsement. The Council "took note of the policy" and concurred with the need to develop a Plan of Action for the integration of the proposed policy objectives and interventions in development planning and programming.

Concomitantly, some rudimentary advocacy activities in support of the national population policy and its background data and indicators were performed. Guided by MOSA, MOPH, LFPA and other NGOs, a variety of workshops, round table meetings, and media programmes were organized to raise public and official awareness on the rationales for population policy formulation, its fundamental principles, goals and objectives as well for policy institutional and coordinating mechanisms.

With regard to the technical capacity of the NPPC, limited support was provided to establish and activate its Technical Secretariat by providing training on basic methods and materials of demography, projections, GIS and SPSS. As a result, two competent and devoted professionals in the areas of population, gender and applied statistics are actively engaged in materializing the specified mandates of the Technical Secretariat of the NPPC.

1.2.2. Major drawbacks and Lessons Learned from first PDS Sub-programme (1997-2001)
Clearly the previous PDS Sub-programme resulted in lessons learned and critical issues that need to be taken into consideration throughout the development of the current sub-programnme as follows:

1.3 Coverage

While most of the PDS Sub-programme/project activities are nation-wide in scope and content, some elements of it will address sector-specific or area-specific issues. At the macro-level, this sub-programme will focus on drafting and integrating the population policy objectives and plans of action into national and sectoral planning and/or strategies and activities. Quantitative and qualitative indicators for monitoring and tracking the implementation and performance of these plans of action will be established at national, sectoral and regional (local) levels. Moreover, the advocacy component of the PDS sub-programme/project intends to change attitudes and positions in favor of the national population policy, its objectives and interventions at central, regional and local levels.

Certain activities of the sub-programme/project will focus on achieving results in limited, however critical, areas or segments. For instance, a number of proposed research topics will address issues related to youth, adolescents, ageing, etc., while others will deal with problems associated with urban centers, impact of population on environment, RH conditions in target areas, etc. In addition, some other activities will operate to introduce population dynamics in the curricula of university faculties and to establish focal units in line ministries and organizations for policy implementation, follow-up and evaluation.

1.4 Stakeholders

Virtually, the primary stakeholders of the PDS sub-programme/project are the people of Lebanon, in general, and those in reproductive age span, the youth, adolescents, the elderly and the poor, in particular. Invariably, these groups will be targeted by the data collection, data analysis, research strategies, policy plans of action and advocacy and policy dialogue to be conducted under this sub-programme.

The secondary stakeholders of the PDS sub-programme/project are numerous and vary according to its anticipated activities. These are composed mainly of the relevant staff of MOSA, MOPH, staff of TS, representatives of the NPPC, CAS, various NGOs including LFPA and the National Commission for Lebanese Women (NCLW), relevant line ministries and focal units that will integrate population, RH and gender dimensions into their sectoral planning and programming, selected university faculties, and the RH managers at national and local levels. These personnel will benefit, directly or indirectly, from the technical assistance to be provided by the PDS Sub-programme activities and will contribute to achieving the outputs of the PDS sub-programme.

The key or tertiary stakeholders include the NPPC, CDR, MOSA, CAS, the Parliament and the Balamand University and other high-level policymakers, politicians, opinion leaders, and the media etc., who are instrumental in the success of the sub-programme given their significant role in influencing the sub-programme. The role of UNFPA and other related donors is essential for ensuring the continuity of the activities for supporting and monitoring the implementation of the sub-programme activities in line with ICPD and ICPD+5 as well as other global initiatives.

1.5 UNFPA Support

As the lead agency for population and development policies and strategies in the country, UNFPA is well-positioned to promote, in a proactive and a catalytic approach, a broad agenda on population and development covering interrelated deliverables and activities towards placing population, RH and gender issues at the center of sustainable development.

UNFPA, building on its comparative advantage in the provision of technical and advocacy assistance for the country’s population, gender and RH programme areas, will continue to have an active role in achieving the PDS Sub-programme results expected to occur over the new CP period (2002-2006). Towards this end, the UNFPA will adopt a Results-Based Management (RBM) approach in programme planning, management, monitoring, evaluating and reporting. This approach will broaden the conducive opportunities for the PDS area so as to best leverage its limited resources and to build strategic alliances and partnerships, especially with the UN system, bilateral donors and NOGs in support of the sub-programme activities.

UNFPA, in close collaboration with its national and international development partners, will identify possible options to improve national capabilities in helping the country to cope with fast-changing demographic and socioeconomic environments through realigning the national population policy and its plans of action with the development planning and strategies; improving the national capacities in the areas of population and development related analysis, research, projections and databases; and promoting policy dialogue and advocacy on the interrelations between population dynamics, poverty, migration, population ageing, urbanization, environmental resources and globalization.

2. Linkages between Outputs and Activities

As stated before, three outputs were identified by the sub-programme logframe with a view to contributing to the stated PDS purpose of: "to have contributed to integrated population, gender and reproductive health dimensions in national and sectoral development planning" and, thereby, to the CP goal of: "to have contributed to improving the quality of life of the Lebanese people through (a) improved reproductive health status, (b) reduced gender gaps in education and socio-economic sectors; and (c) achieved balance between population, dynamics and socio-economic development". The sub-programme logframe (Annex 1) presents its anticipated outputs, purpose and the goal and their corresponding OVIs, MOVs and the risks/assumptions that may have a bearing on its implementation.

In order to materialize these results, the formulation of the PDS sub-programme proposed a set of key activities that will be undertaken to deliver the three outputs. It is worth noting that the PDS sub-programme consists of one component project only hence all suggested sub-programme activities are also applicable to the PDS component project. These outputs and their related key activities are presented in the following order:

Output 1 (O1): "Strengthened national capacities for the integration of population, RH and gender dimensions into sectoral planning and programming". A series of interrelated key activities have been identified and suggested to deliver the first output and the elaborated inputs have been acknowledged. These key activities are the following:

1.1 Develop national population policy plans of action (PoAs), through realization of the following:

1.1.1 Synthesize similar countries’ experiences in POAs formulation.
1.1.2 Conduct expert group meeting to review and finalize PoAs structure and TOR for their formulation.
1.1.3 Establish 4 multidisciplinary task forces (MTF) to formulate PoAs in areas of a) population and development; b) RH; c) gender equality and empowerment of women; and d) environment.
1.1.4 Conduct 4 MTF meetings to produce draft PoAs documents.
1.1.5 Map out structural units and departments of line ministries and administrations for the establishment of focal units
1.1.6 Ratify and enunciate the PoAs
1.1.7 Integrate PoAs into sectoral plans.
1.1.8 Undertake initial assessment of policy implementation assessment
1.1.9 Undertake the second assessment of policy implementation assessment.

1.2 Advance institutional and technical capacities of the NPPC, TS and Focal Units in line-ministries and NGOs, to be realized through the following:

1.2.1 Institutionalize a permanent and competent Technical Secretariat of the NPPC within the existing structure of MOSA/NPPC.
1.2.2 Recruit and retain 2 additional research assistants specialized in one or more of the following: RH, demography, sociology and economic planning at the TS/NPPC.
1.2.3 Conduct local training workshop on PoAs integration, monitoring and evaluation techniques for the staff of TS, CAS and other Focal Units.
1.2.4 Local courses (flagship course) for TS staff on management, organizational, matters, population/demography, etc.
1.2.5 Conduct workshops on gender mainstreaming in planning (total of 3)
1.2.6 Participation of selected NPPC and TS in technical regional meetings/seminars/conferences in support of integration (2 study tours and 2 short-term fellowships per annum in the region).
1.2.7 Conduct 2 meetings per annum to deepen political and financial commitment to the integration of PoAs in line-organization’s activities.
1.2.8 Procure and install EDP, office and AV equipment at the TS premises.
1.2.9 Retain existing TS staff (ie 1 technical advisor and 1 senior research assistant)

1.3 Integrate population and RH course in University Curricula, to be realized through the following:

1.3.1 Design course materials and/or update existing relevant courses on population, reproductive health and RH.
1.3.2 Organize expert group meeting to assess course materials designed.
1.3.3 Integrate and initiate the implementation of the course.
1.3.4 Evaluate the relevance and content of the course work.
1.3.5 Duplicate best practice in other relevant academic setup (ie Lebanese University and other universities/relevant faculties).

Output 2 (O2): "Increased availability of sex-disaggregated population related data by region". A series of interrelated key activities have been identified and suggested to deliver the second output and the elaborated inputs have been acknowledged. These key activities are the following:

2.1 Establish a national population related database, to be realized through:

2.1.1 Conduct needs assessment of national integrated information system/database:
- Review available information systems/database, practices and gaps.
- Hold expert group meeting to review findings of the above review
- Disseminate findings of the expert group meeting of above
2.1.2 Establish population policy/programme databank (PPD) at the TS/NPPC.
2.1.3 Hold yearly expert group meetings to disseminate updated PPD.

2.2 Develop Quantitative and qualitative National Indicators Framework in line with CCA/UNDAF, to be realized through the following activities:

2.2.1 Hire a national consultant to prepare an operational blueprint for indicators framework.
2.2.2 Hold a national workshop to review and adopt the proposed indictors framework.
2.2.3 Prepare and disseminate the proceedings and findings of the national workshop on indicators framework.

2.3 Undertake in-depth and specialized studies in priority areas, to be realized through the following activities:

2.3.1 Identify and conduct 2 studies per year on priority topics based on secondary data covering issues such as: migration, urbanization, gender gaps, poverty and development, population and environment, population ageing and globalization, etc..
2.3.2 Disseminate priority research findings of 2.3.1

2.4 Undertake RH country-programme tailored data collection activities/surveys, to be realized through the following:

2.4.1 Undertake 3-4 RH-related operation research/baseline surveys and situation analysis (i.e. client satisfaction, women access to control over resources from the gender perspective, male involvement/participation, and other baseline studies) that will be necessary to refine gender practical and strategic needs and priorities and set up a plan of action and monitoring and evaluation system (including gender indicators);
2.4.2 Analyze and produce RH sub-programme related data and indicators.
2.4.3 Disseminate findings of the studies.
2.4.4 Take part in Multipurpose/PAPFAM Survey data collection and analysis.

Output 3 (O3): "Increased awareness and understanding of priority population, RH and gender issues among policymakers, parliamentarians, media and opinion leaders". A series of interrelated key activities have been identified and suggested to deliver the third output and the elaborated inputs have been acknowledged. These key activities are the following.

3.1 Hold advocacy strategy workshop to develop audience, message, and media channel strategy
3.2 Conduct assessment of the awareness, knowledge and perceptions of decision makers regarding content and scope of population policy and its proposed interventions.
3.3 Establish media network in support of population, RH, and gender issues.
3.4 Enhance the awareness and understanding of media network members
3.5 Launch advocacy activities to advance policy dialogue among parliamentarians, decision-makers, and other influentials at national and community levels on population, RH and gender issues to be realized through:

3.5.1 Develop a roaster of professional speakers/advocates for the various population, RH, and gender priority issues.
3.5.2 Conduct a series of thematic round table discussions, meetings and workshops on the following topics (as well as others as deemed necessary):
- International migration
- Adolescents/youth RH
- Gender gaps
- Female literacy
- Urbanization
- Globalization
- Population ageing
- Poverty
3.5.3 Develop and disseminate user-friendly brochures/kits/policy briefs on the national population policy and its PoA (2 material documents per year).
3.5.4 Produce media programmes and messages in support of priority population, RH, and gender issues as identified by the advocacy strategy workshop.
3.5.5 Conduct training for selected TS, population focal points, and IEC unit members on RAPID (version 4) or similar advocacy packages.
3.5.6 Arrange for a limited number of study tours
3.5.7 Establish links with Population related Parliamentarian Committees (such as the Education, the Public Health and labour, the Youth and Sports, the Woman and Child, and the Human Rights Committees) and involve them in relevant advocacy activities.

3. Cross cutting dimensions

3.1 Gender Equality and Empowerment of Women.

Within the broader framework of the ICPD and ICPD+5 and other relevant global initiatives, the PDS sub-programme/project will effectively contribute to mainstreaming gender issues in development and to adequately integrate them in national population policy plans of action.

The analysis of women status in Lebanon needs to relate to many factors, which can affect their empowerment, access to and control over resources including RH services, place in the society, relationships with men in the private and public life and participation in sustainable development. The factors are as follows: a) men and women physical and psychological factors (gender framework); b) social, cultural, and traditional environment; c) values, concepts and trends of communities, and d) individual decisions, practices, and behavioral criteria. It is worth noting that the society in Lebanon inclines towards family financial and social security, a male dominated issue. The male parents in the family are the decision-makers as well as the organizers of the society.

Since they constitute half the community, Lebanese women must be politically empowered so that they can participate in the decision making process and can draw up the general policies that aim at improving women’s status and conditions. The climate in Lebanon is conducive to achieve this orientation. Regarding participation and empowerment of women, some of the ongoing national interventions by the National Commission for Lebanese Women (NCLW) and other entities to address gender mainstreaming setup are the following:

Specific recommendations and activities to be addressed in the sub programmes (through both PDS and RH) particularly in integration of population/gender/RH, advocacy and data collection and analysis, include the following:

Several proposed key activities are designed to help the NPPC, TS, CAS and Focal Units in line ministries and NGOs to collect, analyze, utilize and disseminate gender-sensitive at national and local levels. These will assist in sharpening knowledge on causes and consequences of gender gaps in all aspects of life, including RH rights and services, and the sources of discrimination against women.

Some key activities intend to support studies on topics that have bearing on GEEW. By examining the interrelations between gender gaps and population dynamics, poverty, urbanization, migration, environment and globalization, the PDS sub-programme will promote evidence-based policy dialogue towards GEEW and will advocate for the creation of effective national and international alliances and partnerships for the elimination of all forms of discrimination against women.

Finally, some key activities will support the establishment of sex-disaggregated data and indicators. The realization of this result will enable the planners and programme directors track the progress towards integrating gender concerns in development planning and protection of high-risk and vulnerable groups, especially women, children and adolescents.

3.2 National Capacity Building

Building on the experience emanating from the last CP, the PDS sub-Programme/project provides opportunities for building the national capacity in its operational and programmatic activities. Efforts will be geared towards strengthening the various relevant partners, primarily through two in-country training modalities in areas that exhibit shortages of national expertise. These are a) short-term in-country training on population data analysis, projections, demographic estimations, GIS, and gender mainstreaming, and b) in-country university-based studies on population dynamics and RH. In addition, limited support will be provided for short-term training in regional and, possibly, international training institutions, particularly in the areas of integration of population, gender and RH issues in development planning.

The complexity inherent in the PDS activities related to national capacity building requires a more systematic advocacy on the part of the UNFPA and the government to seek a broader range of partnership with multilateral and bilateral agencies, local universities and the private sector to build a critical mass of experience and human resources in the PDS which will eventually contribute to improved rehabilitation programmes and to the sustained social development policies in Lebanon.

3.3 Advocacy

Advocacy efforts have been programmed within the context of the PDS sub-programme/project as a key strategy in the achievement of the PDS and RH sub-programmes’ related outputs and activities. These efforts are considered catalytic resources for high-quality work at both policy and programme levels, and at various operational functions.

As programmed, the advocacy component will work toward reducing barriers obstructing appropriate integration of population, RH and gender issues in development and the uptake of better-quality and comprehensive reproductive services and information to vulnerable groups, such as adolescents. The advocacy strategy that will be developed will include array of initiatives focusing on sensitizing, expanding policy dialogue and broadening knowledge and commitment of policymakers, parliamentarians, media, academicians, political- opinion- and community-leaders, etc in favor of the integration and the creation of positive climate for placing population, RH and gender at the center of development.

The data collection, research and dissemination activities under the PDS Sub-programme will be utilized for establishing and conducting evidence-based advocacy initiatives in support of the CP and its sub-programme areas. In addition, the national population policy and its action plans will constitute a viable framework for energizing advocacy efforts in support of PDS, RH and GEEW policies and programmes.

4. PDS Sub-Programme/project Execution and Implementation Modalities

Building on the synthesis of experiences, lessons learned and best practices stemming from the operational aspects of the current CP and its thematic areas and based on the assessment of the inherent comparative advantages embedded in a number of national institutions, the sub-programme will be nationally executed and proposes a variety of execution and implementation modalities that should be considered.

First and foremost, the PDS sub-programme/project will be implemented by the Ministry of Social Affairs. The PDS sub-programme/project will also continue to be executed jointly by a variety of national institutions and NGOs – through sub-contracts- and the UNFPA CO. For this modality to achieve its expected results, it is essential to safeguard the preponderance of an improved working arrangement and coordination mechanism. This condition will largely be met with an active involvement of the Council for Development and Reconstruction (CDR) in all critical stages of the sub-programme demanding the high-level coordination of inter-sectoral and interdivisions efforts in support of the CP and its sub-programmes.

UNFPA CO will continue to work closely with the CDR to ensure that the sub-programme is in accordance with the national goals, objectives and priorities and provide a conducive coordination mechanism at various stages of sub-programme implementation as well as to realign inter-ministerial efforts and inputs to actualize the anticipated results. In addition, the CDR and the UNFPA will work with national counterparts, multilateral and bilateral agencies, and civil society to ensure that the PDS Sub-programme/project will significantly contribute to the effectiveness of the social development policies and to help achieve better quality of life of all individuals.

At the operational level and as mentioned earlier, CAS, selected NGOs, research institutes, academic settings and UNFPA will be entrusted with the execution of various components of the PDS sub-programme/project while the overall implementation is entrusted to MOSA as described below. All entities executing components of the projects shall be accountable to MOSA and UNFPA.

MOSA has shown growing capabilities in executing and coordinating population, RH social development related programmes during the past decade. Through its fruitful working relations with UNFPA and other international and regional development partners, MOSA has expanded its inherent capabilities in operational and financial execution of population and development projects’ activities, including those in support of the NPPC/TS to accomplish its assigned responsibilities. Directly by its built-in resources or through subcontracting other relevant national agencies, the NPPC/TS will implement a set of planned interrelated activities namely under outputs 1 and 2. Specifically, the NPPC/TS will be responsible to execute the following activities: development of the population policy PoAs; integration of population, RH and gender concerns into development planning; monitoring and follow up; development, updating and dissemination of population database; undertaking of a set of policy research and dissemination activities; and development of blueprint for indicators framework, and other activities as deemed necessary.

MOSA will ensure that funds appropriated in its budget will be timely and befittingly disbursed against the approved project budget lines, in order to implement project objectives in conformity with the project workplan and with adequate recording of the project expenditures. As UNFPA requires that all projects are audited yearly, services of a Government and/or independent audit firm will be secured to provide a systematic examination of the project’s accounting records and equipment. Auditors will be selected, subject to the joint agreement of the Government and UNFPA. MOSA is expected to meet all reporting and audit requirements for the PDS sub-programme/project. Thus the supporting financial documents, statements and vouchers will be furnished, as requested, to UNFPA. Moreover, at the end of each calendar year, a financial statement of the expenditure of UNFPA regular funds as well as Government contribution, certified by an independent auditor, must be prepared and submitted to UNFPA and MOSA..

It would be very essential for MOSA to ensure its commitment for institutionalizing the PDS sub-programme in terms of securing its human resources and financial resources by the end of the second cycle. In other words, with the aim of ensuring ownership and sustainability of the PDS programme, MOSA must exert maximum efforts to absorb by the end of the cycle (ie 2006) the local staff recruited under this sub-programme and the previous one within its respective structural units and/or departments. Equally important is the continued commitment of MOSA to take on the initiative for exercising its direct financial responsibility of funds particularly for non-technical project staff as well as some administrative issues.

With regard to output 2, MOSA will establish a coordination mechanism with CAS and other relevant bodies/ministries and will ensure that input and support is provided by the CAS with regard to the development of a quantitative and qualitative national indicators framework in line with CCA/UNDAF. Also, in the event a national population survey and/or PAPFAM survey materialize in the context of the PDS sub-programme/project, maximum efforts must be exerted to ensure full involvement and execution by Central Administration of Statistics (CAS) which by virtue of its mandated functions in data collection, compilation, analysis and dissemination of data on demographic, social and economic dynamics and structure, constitutes a potential organ for executing and implementing a set of PDS activities, particularly those related to the Multipurpose-PAPFAM Survey in the CP target areas. In interaction with relevant governmental and non-governmental line-institutions, CAS will be better positioned to gather population related and gender-focused data and indicators disaggregated by sex and geographical and administrative areas. It will also be strengthened to establish statistical definitions and standards and provide hard and software infrastructure for analysis, dissemination of information and creation of national database.

UNFPA CO will be entrusted with execution of some components of the PDS project particularly in terms of sub-contract for undertaking research and studies as well as other activities such as the integration of population and RH in curricula of the University of Balamand (Faculty of Health Sciences) as a pilot project. This university faculty has shown interest and capability in conducting such a course in a most rewarding, cost-effective and sustainable manner. Distinctively and in collaboration with UNFPA, this faculty in the past couple of years has developed and exercised, through students’ club and certain outreach programmes, community-oriented and evidence-based research and activities that are directly linked to reproductive health. Through flexible and dynamic interdisciplinary course works, the faculty stimulates scientific thinking and creative research endeavors and promotes networking and partnerships with national and international centers having interest in population and RH disciplines. It is envisaged that by the end of the current cycle, this successful practice may be replicated in other universities at the national level such as the Lebanese University as well as other interested ones.

In addition, UNFPA CO will be largely involved in the execution of the advocacy activities in support of population and RH along with selected partners such as line ministries and public administrations, Lebanon Family Planning Association as well as National Commission for Lebanese women and selected NGOs, the media, selected academic institutions, and other relevant entities. The advocacy output will be implemented with support provided by the IEC unit and in collaboration with the PDS and RH sub-programmes. The selection of NGOs and other entities must be made in accordance with established criteria, comparative advantage, and previous experience in the relevant area(s) such as advocacy, awareness creation, etc.

Finally, UNFPA CO will, necessarily, shoulder some specific execution responsibilities, namely: procurement of equipment, hiring national consultants and fielding regional experts (and international if deemed necessary) and building national capacity in RBM to optimize the use of resources and to manage for results.

The UNFPA CO will seek the provision of technical services of the Country Support Team (CST) advisors in critical stages of the sub-programme implementation, monitoring and evaluation as requested by the implementing agency. Additional technical assistance may be sought, as deemed necessary, by national and/or international consultants on part time basis, sub-contracts and/or special services agreements. Priority will be given to utilizing South-to-South and/or regional resources before resorting to international resources. Furthermore, the CO in collaboration with the PDS sub-programme will recruit a National Professional Project Personnel (NPPP) for technical support, supervision and monitoring of and reporting on the progress of the sub-programme activities. The services of a logistic/administrative support staff may be required for a period of 14-16 months for supporting the CO including the AR and the NPPP as well as the PDS project in monitoring PDS activities. The recruitment of the NPPP and logistic support staff will be carried out in accordance with UNFPA’s rules and regulations on recruitment.

5. PDS Sub-Programme/project Coordination

UNFPA will coordinate its activities implemented by line ministries and institutional bodies under the overall guidance and coordination of the Council of Development and Reconstruction (CDR).

For improving linkages and interactions between and among the expected activities and results pertaining to the PDS and RH sub-programmes and for fostering teamwork, ownership, accountability, efficiency and joint reporting, a Sub-Programme Steering Committee will be formed from representatives of CDR, MOSA, NPPC/TS, RH programme of MOPH, CAS, Ministry of Information, Ministry of Youth and Sports, Ministry of Education, Faculty of Health Sciences/University of Balamand, relevant NGOs and women’s committees and UNFPA FO- as well as additional entities as deemed necessary. This committee will ensure an integrated, systematic and coordinated inputs and activities towards the achievements of the time-bound deliverables and contribution to higher-level results. Terms of Reference will be developed jointly with the PDS and RH programme managers as well as CDR.

6. PDS Sub-Programme/project Monitoring and Evaluation

The monitoring and evaluation exercises will follow the standard UNFPA guidelines. The PDS Sub-programme/project implementation by MOSA will be closely monitored by the UNFPA CO and the PDS NPPP. To ensure effective operationalization of the results-based management approach, the UNFPA country office would develop a monitoring and evaluation plan. A standard form for results-based reporting would be developed on an annual basis at all levels of programme management. Field monitoring visits will be undertaken with the aim of identifying technical issues for backstopping missions, identifying technical and/or operational strengths and weaknesses, deciding with the implementing agency on corrective measure. Annual project review and sub-programme review meetings will take place annually to follow up on recommendations from previous year, to review progress made in the sub-programme outputs and activities on basis of the PDS logframe, and to identify and discuss any reasons for problems encountered and determine corrective actions and recommendations indicating when, by whom and where they are to be taken. The mid-term programme review (MTR) is held in the middle of the programme and examines the status of implementation of the country programme based on the established outputs and respective OVIs and may propose changes in the programme directions and duration on basis of progress, achievements, constraints and obstacles in implementation. A Final Project report is due at the end of the cycle that aims at recording all the activities undertaken by the component project and its contribution to achieving the PDS sub-programme outputs by providing summation of the achievements of the component project and recommendations for the effective utilization of the component project experiences and results. The closure of the project will entail financial and operational completion of the project and will be carried out jointly with the UNFPA CO in accordance with the established UNFPA procedures. The end of programme/project evaluation would be conducted at the end of the cycle and aim at assessing the extent to which the PDS sub-programme/component project has achieved its outputs in light of the OVI established and develops lessons learned from this analysis in terms of contribution, performance and complementarity of each component for the achievement of the sub-programme outputs. Monitoring and evaluation would be based on quantitative and qualitative indicators linked to each of the programme goals, purposes and outputs. UNFPA will exert maximum efforts to make use of national experts for the undertaking of various monitoring and evaluation exercises. During the monitoring and evaluation tasks, participation of CST advisors as well as Headquarters programme/technical staff may envisaged.

The indicators set forth in the logframe matrix (Annex I) will be used to assess both processes and performance of the sub-programme towards the attainment of its anticipated results.

7. Related Activities and Other Sources of Funding

The proposed PDS activities are viewed as both resource and client for other public policy issues. The development of PoAs and creation of gender sensitive and community based data and indicators will furnish a renewed and reliable operational mechanism for providing baseline information for RH subprogramme interventions and for the integration of population, RH and gender concerns into sustainable development planning and its aligned rehabilitation programmes. Further, the research findings and the derived indicators will be used for capturing the degree of progress towards the ICPD PoA and other global initiatives, and will add a fresh input to common data systems and to updating the CCA and UNDAF.

On the other hand, the activities carried out under other related programmes and initiatives will provide additional support to the PDS activities. The UNFPA regional programme in support of PAPFAM, and the surveys conducted by several national ministries, civil society- including NGOs, research institutes and others- and the relevant United Nations agencies- including UNICEF, UNDP, WHO, UNESCO, etc- will bring new ingredients to the PDS activities.

Back to top