According to the Bank’s website, Social Safety Net Enhancement and System Building Project for Lebanon, with development objectives to provide social protection benefits to poor and vulnerable populations and to strengthen systems for effective and sustainable delivery of social safety net programs.

Component 1: An integrated package of support to poor and vulnerable Lebanese households, delivering complementary assistance to meet immediate needs and build resilience. Sub-components include Sub-component 1.1: Provision of cash assistance to the poorest households selected through the national social registry platform DAEM using an updated proxy means test (PMT), supported by regular recertification and reopening of registration, with Performance Based Conditions (PBCs) that institutionalize a dedicated state budget line for AMAN and establish routine caseload recertification and application windows; Sub-component 1.2: Access to economic opportunities for unemployed and underemployed members of poor households, with Track 1 providing a sequenced package of asset transfers, technical and non-technical training, and personalized coaching to support income-generating activities aligned with local market demand and women's needs, and Track 2 piloting referrals of eligible micro-entrepreneurs to Microfinance Institutions (MFIs) alongside complementary non-financial services to improve credit-readiness, repayment behavior, and enterprise sustainability, with at least half of beneficiaries being women; and Sub-component 1.3: Social services that continue and expand the early childhood development (ECD) package and initiate other priority service packages such as elder care, gender-based violence support, and services for youths at risk, while institutionalizing partner-supported initiatives.

Component 2: Enhanced Delivery Systems and Institutional Strengthening to improve targeting accuracy, payment efficiency, and program responsiveness. Sub-components include Sub-component 2.1: DAEM Enhancement to strengthen existing modules (including deduplication, payments, and reporting), introduce new modules for case management, profiling and referral, and data analytics, upgrade cloud infrastructure, test voluntary account-based disbursements with licensed banks and non-bank financial institutions, embed the adopted Data Protection Framework until a standalone law is enacted, and establish interoperability with key government registries under a PBC; and Sub-component 2.2: Strengthening Social Development Centers (SDCs) and social workers through workforce planning and development, a quality assurance framework and standards, targeted training, and investments in equipment and digital infrastructure that connect SDCs to DAEM, alongside support to establish an Economic Inclusion Department and adopt its strategic framework.

Component 3: Project Management, Monitoring and Evaluation to ensure effective implementation through a Ministry of Social Affairs (MOSA) Project Management Unit (PMU), covering core staffing, operating costs, equipment and software, post-distribution monitoring, impact evaluations for economic inclusion interventions, verification of PBCs including by an Independent Verification Agent for system interoperability, and integration of the grievance mechanism with DAEM for responsive citizen engagement.

The social risk is rated Substantial and environmental risk is rated Low. The Environmental and Social Standards (ESSs) that apply are ESS1, ESS2, ESS3, ESS4, and ESS10. Project activities involving cash transfers, social services, and institutional strengthening, are expected to pose minimal environmental risks and impacts as the project does not involve any civil or infrastructure works, or impacts on biodiversity and cultural heritage. The main environmental consideration relates to the procurement of IT equipment, which can result in e-waste at the end of its lifecycle and may lead to higher energy usage in some serviced institutions. These effects are limited in scale.

Total Project Cost: US$ 200.00 million
IBRD Commitment: US$ 200.00 million

CONTACT POINT - World Bank

Task Team Leader: Sara Hariz
Title: Senior Social Protection Specialist
Email: shariz@worldbank.org

TTL Contact: Fahmina Rahman
Job Title: Social Protection Specialist
Email: frahman1@worldbank.org

ACCESS TO INFORMATION

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ACCOUNTABILITY MECHANISM OF THE WORLD BANK

The World Bank Inspection Panel is the independent complaint mechanism and fact-finding body for people who believe they are likely to be, or have been, adversely affected by a World Bank-financed project. If you submit a complaint to the Inspection Panel, they may investigate to assess whether the World Bank is following its own policies and procedures for preventing harm to people or the environment. You can contact the Inspection Panel or submit a complaint by emailing ipanel@worldbank.org. Information on how to file a complaint and a complaint request form are available at: https://www.inspectionpanel.org/how-to-file-complaint