Supporting Productive Sectors Development Program in Lebanon

Results achieved at the end of the project (March 2024): (1) strengthened gender-responsive legislation by amending 4 laws and regulations that previously discriminated against women's rights and economic participation. These amendments were the result of a comprehensive assessment of 10 laws and regulations coupled with insights gathered from consultations with 119 stakeholders including parliamentarians representatives from the public and private sectors academia labour unions civil society organizations and businesses; (2) supported 283 micro small and medium enterprises (MSMEs) including 217 women-led businesses to improve their access to local and international markets. This support included providing market intelligence through various e-portals such as those detailing food safety requirements legal and quality standards for international markets and agri-food investment opportunities; (3) supported 40 MSMEs (54% women-led) in enhancing their knowledge and skills to improve environmental practices with 93% expressing satisfaction with the support received; (4) enhanced the agricultural practices of 406 farmers (61% women) through participation in training on good agricultural practices and occupational safety and health with 70% adopting environmentally sustainable agricultural practices for safer higher-quality produce; (5) strengthened the entrepreneurship abilities of 218 entrepreneurs (95% women) with 20 of them fully developing their business idea; (6) strengthened the abilities and skills of 517 vulnerable youth (57% women) through a workplace learning program that included internships and apprenticeships. This facilitated the transition of 77 vulnerable youth (49% women) with 56% being Lebanese and 44% Syrian from education to employment; and (7) created 1 117 jobs (78% women) with the retention of 1 344 jobs (60% women).