The World Bank Support For Social Recovery Needs Of Vulnerable Groups Phase Ii (P506127) Appraisal Environmental and Social Review Summary Appraisal Stage (ESRS Appraisal Stage) Public Disclosure Date Prepared/Updated: 05/25/2024 | Report No: ESRSA03528 Feb 07, 2025 Page 1 of 9 The World Bank Support For Social Recovery Needs Of Vulnerable Groups Phase Ii (P506127) I. BASIC INFORMATION A. Basic Operation Data Operation ID Product Operation Acronym Approval Fiscal Year P506127 Investment Project Financing (IPF) SRP 2 2025 Operation Name Support for Social Recovery Needs of Vulnerable Groups Phase II Country/Region Code Beneficiary country/countries Region Practice Area (Lead) (borrower, recipient) Lebanon Lebanon MIDDLE EAST AND Social Sustainability and NORTH AFRICA Inclusion Borrower(s) Implementing Agency(ies) Estimated Appraisal Date Estimated Board Date International Rescue International Rescue Committee 28-Jun-2024 27-Aug-2024 Committee Inc Lebanon Estimated Decision Total Project Cost Review Date Public Disclosure 23-May-2024 13,600,000.00 Proposed Development Objective To expand support for the immediate social recovery needs of vulnerable groups in Lebanon. B. Is the operation being prepared in a Situation of Urgent Need of Assistance or Capacity Constraints, as per Bank IPF Policy, para. 12? Yes C. Summary Description of Proposed Project Activities As under the original SRP operation, the SRP 2 flows financing to national non-government stakeholders who have a track record in the delivery of critical social recovery services via sub-grants made by a project implementing agency. In so doing, the project aims to: (i) ensure the continuity of these key services, which are helping to meet the near-term needs of vulnerable groups being impacted by Lebanon's multiple, concurrent crises; (ii) support meaningful improvements in the quality of the services, tools and care support under the project, while expanding access to them; (iii) build the capacity of sub-grantee partners in the non-governmental sector, to enhance their impact and sustainably; and (iv) foster strategic collaboration between civil society and government in select priority areas aligned with national strategy relating to the project’s intervention areas. Taken together, this sees the project support in the bridging of the Feb 07, 2025 Page 2 of 9 The World Bank Support For Social Recovery Needs Of Vulnerable Groups Phase Ii (P506127) humanitarian and development nexus in Lebanon, through the lens of social vulnerability. The SRP 2.0’s target groups include survivors and individuals at-risk of GBV; those suffering from deteriorated psychosocial wellbeing; and persons with living with disabilities and older persons. Given the cross-cutting nature of their vulnerabilities, forcibly displaced persons (FDPs) and migrants are also strongly represented across the project’s workstreams. D. Environmental and Social Overview D.1 Overview of Environmental and Social Project Settings The project development objective is to support the immediate social recovery needs of vulnerable groups following the Port of Beirut explosion and will remain unmodified under the SRP Phase 2. However, the geographic coverage of project-supported services will be expanded beyond the current Beirut-Mount Lebanon footprint and will also include limited targeting of the refugee-dense Beqaa valley area under the SRP Phase 2. Beirut, which is the capital and largest city of Lebanon, is densely populated and has been reeling from multiple crises, namely : (i) spillovers from the conflict in Syria since 2011, which led Lebanon to host the largest refugee per capita population in the world; (ii) a financial and economic crisis that has induced systemic macro-financial failures, including, impairment of the banking sector and a balance of payment crisis; an exchange rate collapse; default on sovereign debt; triple-digit inflation rates; and severe economic contraction; (iii) impacts from the COVID-19 pandemic due to consequent lockdowns that further exacerbated economic and financial stresses; (iv) social crises coupled with increasing poverty rates that have led to social unrest and an ongoing political crisis; and (v) the more recent Middle East Conflict which has led to impacts on the South of Lebanon resulting in the internal displacement of populations across the rest of the country for reasons of safety and security. Historically, large socio-economic disparities exist in the country, with the Bekaa governorate having amongst the poorest populations and lowest socioeconomic indicators in the country. The economic crisis has increased Public Disclosure the poverty rate, which reached 82% in 2021, up from 45% in 2019, 30% in 2018, and 27.4% in 2011– 2012. In Bekaa, families are struggling to meet daily expenses and many have lost their jobs due to debt. In addition, in remote places, there is a lack of adequate shelter services capable of housing vulnerable people and promoting social reintegration. The percentage of Lebanese seeking GBV services continues to increase in Lebanon. According to the GBVIMS data of Q3 2022, female survivors continue to constitute the majority of survivors seeking services given the disproportionate exposure of women and girls to GBV. Displaced Syrians continue to constitute the majority of the population seeking GBV services, accounting for 77 percent of all the individuals seeking support during the quarter, followed by Lebanese nationals and Palestinians from Lebanon and Syria, accounting for 19 percent and 2 percent respectively (ReliefWeb Lebanon: Gender-Based Violence Information Management System; Quarter 3 - 2022 Report). D.2 Overview of Borrower’s Institutional Capacity for Managing Environmental and Social Risks and Impacts The International Rescue Committee (IRC) will continue to act as the grant recipient and implementing agency under the proposed additional financing. A Project Management Unit (PMU) located within IRC’s Lebanon office will maintain responsibility for implementing the project. The IRC will enter into sub-grant agreements with local NGO/CSO under the SRP Phase 2 following a similar implementation arrangement as the SRP Phase 1. The E&S specialist and GBV specialist at the IRC PMU have been on-board since the start of the SRP Phase 1 and have been following up and monitoring implementation of the ESCP satisfactorily with submission of biannual progress reports in line with the ESCP provisions. Under the SRP Phase 1, the IRC also ensured that all local NGOs and CSOs from which it procured services adhered to the World Bank's ESF requirements and conducted capacity-building activities to improve their ESF implementation and these were documented in the IRC's progress reports. Both specialists have strengthened their capacity on the World Feb 07, 2025 Page 3 of 9 The World Bank Support For Social Recovery Needs Of Vulnerable Groups Phase Ii (P506127) Bank ESF requirements and have attended ESF capacity building workshops and trainings. The specialists have also been involved in the preparation of the E&S instruments for the SRP Phase 2. The IRC PMU will continue to maintain the E&S specialist and GBV specialist throughout the implementation of the SRP Phase 2. II. SUMMARY OF ENVIRONMENTAL AND SOCIAL (ES) RISKS AND IMPACTS A. Environmental and Social Risk Classification (ESRC) Moderate A.1 Environmental Risk Rating Moderate The SRP Phase 2 is rated as moderate on environmental risks. Similarly to the SRP Phase 1, the SRP Phase 2 will have positive impacts in supporting immediate social recovery needs of vulnerable groups impacted by the port of Beirut explosion of August 2020 and beyond; given that the SRP Phase 2 will expand geographically outside the boundary of Beirut and Mount Lebanon to also include the Bekaa valley; by: (a) Addressing the needs of individuals and households with survivors of GBV; (b) Improving the psycho-social wellbeing of affected individuals and households, and (c) Supporting the elderly and people with disabilities (PWDs). The project will also benefit migrants and refugees working as domestic workers in Beirut. However, the environmental risk is determined as Moderate. Although there are no civil works interventions, for the support of Mobile Medical Units (MMUs) and NGO-run Primary Healthcare Centers (PHCs) in their outreach teams to PWDs (under Component 1.3), there are risks associated with the handling of the medical waste. Even though mitigations measures may already exist, a medical waste management plan was prepared, cleared and disclosed in September 2021 under the SRP Phase 1 project and is being implemented for the MMUs and PHCs' activities to ensure waste is properly handled. The medical waste management plan proposes Public Disclosure mitigation measures for other risks/impacts, although considered as limited, including on the health and safety hazards related to community exposure including on infectious diseases. In terms of road and traffic safety, the IRC has adequate traffic and road safety standards which state rules and regulations for which drivers have to abide to. The IRC Traffic and Road Safety Standards will apply to this Project and maintained throughout implementation. During SRP Phase 1, IRC also prepared, cleared and disclosed in March 2023, the occupational health and safety (OHS) action plan which includes the general workplace OHS. It will remain in effect and implemented by the NGOs receiving financing for Phase 2 SRP. All these risks and impacts are predictable and could be mitigated and reversed with available means while following the WHO and National Guidelines, WBG EHS guidelines and good international industry practices. The E&S Specialist who is in the IRC Implementing Agency will continue to support the project. Moderate A.2 Social Risk Rating The SRP Phase 2 is rated as having 'moderate' social risks similar to the SRP Phase 1 because the potential adverse risks and imacts on human populations are not likely to be significant, the project is not complex and/or large, and does not involve activities that have a high potential for harming people, risks are predictable and expected to be temporary and/or reversible, low in magnitude and the risks and impacts can be readily mitigated. The overall project interventions are expected to have predominantly positive social impacts as they aim to provide support to survivors of GBV in the targeted areas through (i) emergency shelter; (ii) case management; (iii) psycho-social support; (iv) life skills; (v) referrals for tailored services, including medical services and psychosocial and legal assistance, and (vi) provision of education for children in shelters. It will also provide enhanced support to people with psychosocial, and mental health problems including youth, persons who have lost livelihoods, people with disabilities, and migrants in Lebanon. In addition, it will provide enhanced support to people with disabilities and older persons by improving Feb 07, 2025 Page 4 of 9 The World Bank Support For Social Recovery Needs Of Vulnerable Groups Phase Ii (P506127) access to quality healthcare for these vulnerable groups through outreach, at-home health, physiotherapy services, and other interventions. The project interventions are aimed to support all identified vulnerable groups regardless of their nationalities. However, project interventions may involve the following social risks: 1) potential risk of exclusion of intended beneficiary vulnerable groups in the project service delivery design and implementation thus resulting in rising social tensions; 2) exclusion of some intended beneficiaries due to weak outreach or communication plans; 3) weak grievance mechanism which is not able to capture and address concerns in a timely manner resulting in potential reputational risk to the project; 4) the risk for SEA/SH due among others to the risk of beneficiary women groups being subjected to unwelcome sexual advances and requests for sexual favors in return for the services provided through this project. As per the last progress report of the IRC PMU dated November 2023, the grievance mechanism under the SRP Phase 1 did not register any complaints associated with these identified potential social risks (see ESS10 below). The SRP Phase 2 will expand geographically outside the boundary of Beirut and Mount Lebanon (which was the geographic coverage under the SRP Phase 1) to include Bekaa valley. The IRC PMU will continue to ensure widespread communication and dissemination of the project activities and GM as well as through the partner NGOs/CSOs in a similar satisfactory manner as per the SRP Phase 1 in the targeted project areas and in line with the updated SEP. Throughout these activities, the IRC PMU E&S and GBV specialists will continue supporting the partner NGOs/CSOs to ensure continued satisfactory implementation of the ESCP. B. Environment and Social Standards (ESS) that Apply to the Activities Being Considered B.1 Relevance of Environmental and Social Standards ESS1 - Assessment and Management of Environmental and Social Risks and Impacts Relevant Public Disclosure This standard is relevant. While the project is expected to have overall social benefits by providing enhanced support to persons with disabilities and older persons, psychosocial support, and GBV services to survivors, the project design would benefit from a good understanding of the needs and demands, and socioeconomic profiles of the intended beneficiaries. This information will help in the targeted design of the social services to be provided to meet the needs of the project's intended beneficiaries. It is worth noting that the project interventions do not include beneficiary targeting, screening, and selection as the project is inclusive of all those persons with disabilities, the elderly, and those who are seeking GBV support and psycho-social well-being. The project interventions will therefore help enhance and further strengthen these existing services through the selected NGOs/CSOs to provide the relevant support to the project beneficiary groups. Under the SRP Phase 1, the intermediary implementing agency (IIA), the IRC, has prepared a Socio-economic Assessment (SEA) report under ESS1 (which has been cleared and disclosed) to get a better understanding of the profiles of the vulnerable groups being targeted under this project, and the challenges they face, which will potentially be beneficial for the proposed project as the findings can inform the successful implementation of the project. Amongst the social risks and impacts identified in the socio-economic assessment, the risk of exclusion of intended beneficiaries, the perception of inadequate prioritization or delays in addressing stakeholders’ needs leading to potential alienation on the part of targeted populations, and the potential for SEA/SH related risks were highlighted. The socio-economic assessment proposes mitigation measures to help alleviate the identified social risks and impacts. These interventions to address social issues and risks and their respective mitigation measures, which are also addressed in part in the Labor-Management Procedures (LMP) under ESS2 and the Stakeholder Engagement Plan (SEP) under ESS10, will be mainstreamed through the project design. The socio-economic report will be updated one month after project effectiveness as per the provisions of the ESCP. Feb 07, 2025 Page 5 of 9 The World Bank Support For Social Recovery Needs Of Vulnerable Groups Phase Ii (P506127) ESS10 - Stakeholder Engagement and Information Disclosure Relevant This standard is relevant. The IRC PMU identified the 3 categories of stakeholders as per ESS10 and conducted a consultation session during the preparation of the SRP Phase 2. The main affected parties are vulnerable women, boys and girls, the elderly community in Lebanon (including survivors of GBV), domestic workers, and People with Disabilities. Other interested parties include local and international organizations, Lebanese government and the general public. Vulnerable groups include People with Disabilities and Older Persons, all vulnerable people with Mental Health concerns, refugees at risk of GBV, girls and women at risk of GBV and their children. IRC held three rounds of consultations between October 2023 and March 2024 with a total of 20 national and international actors (Movement Social, LCCE, IDRAAC, Embrace, Tabitha, Caritas Lebanon, Mousawat, KAFA, LECORVAW, LUPD, I’m Possible, SIDC, SKOUN, shareQ, Al Majmoua, National Mental Health Program, Ministry of Labor, Ministry of Justice, UNICEF, UNHCR). During the consultation session, the IRC PMU'S PMU team including the E&S specialist and GBV specialist presented the following: The E&S risks and impacts and respective mitigation measures; relevant E&S disclosed instruments; implementing partners; and project GM. The feedback and questions evolved around the three different components of the project to collect information on the current priorities in each sector, the specified actors’ existing campaigns and strategies, shelters, existing systems and mechanisms, the most relevant actors to consider for this project and budget estimation for the accomplishment of some key outcomes. Most of the experts expressed interest in the project activities confirming that it tackles major needs of vulnerable groups and populations in Lebanon. Two Feedback and Complaints Officers for IRC based in Bekaa and North Area (Akkar and Tripoli) are responsible for managing the hotlines, feedback boxes, help desks, and face to face channels. IRC’s hotline numbers are 81666914 for Tripoli, 76064550 for Akkar, and 76350050 for Bekaa, Beirut and Mount Lebanon. IRC’s email address is feedback.lb@rescue.org. Focal points for every sub-grantee as well as hotline numbers and/or e-mail Public Disclosure addresses and/or websites will be identified once sub-grantees are selected. The feedback and complaints are registered on a database and referred to the relevant focal points for handling. IRC’s feedback and complaint database organizes beneficiary feedback into the following categories: 1) requests for assistance; 2) requests for information; 3) programmatic complaints; 4) non-programmatic complaints; and 5) external referrals (to non-IRC service providers as needed). Each category within the system is then further disaggregated into sub-categories. For this SRP Phase 2 and depending on the capacity assessment of the sub-grantees and their existing structures, either the sub-grantees already have existing dedicated accountability teams to receive public grievances, or the IRC will work with the sub-grantees to recruit/assign and train dedicated focal points sitting in the sub-grantees’ organizations to receive public grievances. The IRC will work with the sub-grantees to develop a contextualized database for the sub-grantees to log, monitor, refer, and handle feedback and complaints. Under the SRP Phase 1 SRP, the following organizations were considered as partners: ABAAD, KAFA, Tabitha, Red Oak, Nusroto, Caritas Lebanon, IDRAAC, Embrace, Mousawat, Makhzoumi, LCCE. All partners participated in a 2-hour training session on grievance management, covering essential topics such as complaint categorization, reporting critical complaints to ECU at IRC, and communication materials. This training aimed to ensure a unified understanding among partners for successful grievance mechanism implementation. Nusroto received an additional refresher session to enhance their capacity in grievance management, supported by IRC supplying necessary equipment like complaint boxes and user- friendly flyers. Under the SRP Phase 1, the GRM was functioning satisfactorily. Eight out of eleven partners received a total of 678 complaints, with LCCE, Red Oak, and Makhzoumi receiving none. All complaints were successfully closed, with 224 categorized as low priority and the rest as medium priority. No high/critical complaints were submitted. Low-priority complaints mainly consisted of feedback to partners on the pilot training sessions delivered, while medium-priority complaints focused on requests for assistance, particularly from the Mousawat organization. Some Feb 07, 2025 Page 6 of 9 The World Bank Support For Social Recovery Needs Of Vulnerable Groups Phase Ii (P506127) examples of the nature of complaints received included: request support for transportation fees, complaints about the shelters restricting smoking and mobile usage on the premises and request for cash assistance/ food assistance/ hygiene kits. All grievances were addressed in a timely manner. No incidents of GBV/SEAH or OHS were reported under the SRP Phase 1. The IRC and implementing partners will ensure data privacy measures are implemented at all times. ESS2 - Labor and Working Conditions Relevant This standard is relevant. The project will involve direct workers and contracted workers. The direct workers will be the project management unit (PMU), staff at the IRC and or consultants who could be hired. Contracted workers will include those specialized CSOs and NGOs who may be contracted by the IRC to provide expertise support for the realization of the project objectives such as for procurement of services that would be available to women in the safe houses including life skills, and the GBV Information Management System (GBVIMS). The project workers may be exposed to occupational health and safety risks due to the improper handling of medical wastes and potential SEA/SH (low). Under the SRP Phase 1, Labor-Management Procedures (LMP) has been prepared, cleared and disclosed by the IRC IIA to align with ESS2 requirements on OHS requirements, health, non-discrimination, prevention of child labor, SEA/H, and GM. The LMP, which is a living document, applies to the SRP Phase 2 and will implemented throughout project implementation. On occupational health and safety (OHS), at the request of the World Bank, IRC prepared, cleared and disclosed an OHS action plan under the SRP Phase 1 that includes measures specified in the LMP in line with ESS2. The OHS action plan is in effect and implemented by the NGOs receiving financing. It includes general workplace OHS, COVID-19-related, and OHS due to waste handling and other services. The OHS action plan will apply to the SRP Phase 2. IRC also has in place an Emergency Preparedness and Response system in place, under IRC Public Disclosure Contingency Plan. It is an existing document at IRC that is activated in case of emergencies. ESS3 - Resource Efficiency and Pollution Prevention and Management Relevant This standard is relevant. Although there are no civil work interventions, the support to Mobile Medical Unit (MMUs) and their outreach teams to people with disabilities (PWDs) and NGO-run Primary Healthcare Centres (PHCs) presents risks in the handling of medical waste. A medical waste management plan has been prepared, cleared and disclosed by the IRC under the SRP Phase 1 to address risks associated with medical waste and disposal and includes recommended mitigation measures. At MMUs and PHCs level, IRC will continue to identify and develop plans (for new MMUs and PHCs) to be implemented as well as implement and monitor existing plans throughout project implementation. IRC undertakes (and will continue) assessments of the MMUs and PHCs to be supported to document the status of implementation of medical waste management measures as per the national guidelines and requirements of the ESS3. ESS4 - Community Health and Safety Relevant This standard is relevant. The SEA/SH risk assessment is moderate and the SRP Phase 1 has prepared a SEA/SH Action Plan which was cleared and dsiclosed in July 2022 that lays out mitigation measures including the signing of codes of conduct by all project actors, awareness-raising, and a GM sensitive to SEA/SH complaints with referral pathways and the principles of confidentiality and anonymity which are already in place at the IRC as outlined in the GM chapter of the SEP. The SEA/SH Action Plan will continue to be implemented under the SRP Phase 2. Data privacy measures will be implemented at all times. Other risks, even though limited, include road safety issues and solid waste. However, Feb 07, 2025 Page 7 of 9 The World Bank Support For Social Recovery Needs Of Vulnerable Groups Phase Ii (P506127) IRC has acquired experience in managing these risks including developing policy, guidelines and plans to address these aspects. Moreover, these risks and impacts are predictable and could be mitigated and reversed with available means, while implementing the WBG EHS guidelines and good international industry practices. ESS5 - Land Acquisition, Restrictions on Land Use and Involuntary Resettlement Not Currently Relevant This standard is not relevant. No investments will be supported that require the involuntary taking of land resulting in temporary or permanent resettlement impacts. ESS6 - Biodiversity Conservation and Sustainable Management of Living Natural Not Currently Relevant Resources This standard is not relevant. The Project is not expected to support any greenfield construction works or other activities that might jeopardize the integrity of biodiversity or living natural resources. ESS7 - Indigenous Peoples/Sub-Saharan African Historically Underserved Traditional Not Currently Relevant Local Communities ESS7 is not currently relevant as there are no traditional communities meeting the criteria of this standard. ESS8 - Cultural Heritage Not Currently Relevant ESS8 is not relevant. The project is not expected to support any construction or rehabilitation activities outside of the Public Disclosure current footprint of existing facilities that could have an impact on tangible or intangible cultural heritage. ESS9 - Financial Intermediaries Not Currently Relevant ESS9 is not currently relevant. There are no financial intermediaries involved in the project. B.2 Legal Operational Policies that Apply OP 7.50 Operations on International Waterways No OP 7.60 Operations in Disputed Areas No B.3 Other Salient Features Use of Borrower Framework No The Borrower's framework is not considered under this project Use of Common Approach No The common approach will not be applied under this project Feb 07, 2025 Page 8 of 9 The World Bank Support For Social Recovery Needs Of Vulnerable Groups Phase Ii (P506127) C. Overview of Required Environmental and Social Risk Management Activities C.1 What Borrower environmental and social analyses, instruments, plans and/or frameworks are planned or required by implementation? The ESCP SEP for the SRP Phase 2 will be cleared and disclosed before appraisal on the IRC website. The MWMP, OHS Action Plan and SEA/SH Action Plan of the SRP Phase 1 will continue to be implemented for the SRP Phase 2 throughout project implementation. The SEA will be updated one month after project effectiveness in line with the provisions of the ESCP. As per the ESCP, the LMP of the SRP Ph 1 will be updated as needed throughout the project implementation. The IRC will ensure regular reporting arrangements on E&S requirements in line with the ESCP throughout the implementation of the project. During implementation, the E&S and GBV specialists within the IRC IA will monitor and ensure satisfactory implementation of all the mentioned instruments and will submit periodic progress reports following the provisions of the updated ESCP. III. CONTACT POINT World Bank Task Team Leader: Marcelo Jorge Fabre Title: Senior Social Development Specialist Public Disclosure Email: mfabre@worldbank.org TTL Contact: Jeremy Mark Tomlinson Job Title: Social Development Specialist Email: jtomlinson@worldbank.org IV. FOR MORE INFORMATION CONTACT The World Bank 1818 H Street, NW Washington, D.C. 20433 Telephone: (202) 473-1000 Web: http://www.worldbank.org/projects V. APPROVAL Task Team Leader(s): Marcelo Jorge Fabre, Jeremy Mark Tomlinson ADM Environmental Specialist: Linda Khalil ADM Social Specialist: Zeina Azar Feb 07, 2025 Page 9 of 9