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Arab News
14-03-2025
- Business
- Arab News
Lebanon pushes social safety net plan
BEIRUT: Lebanon's Prime Minister Nawaf Salam said on Friday the government's top priority is to restore confidence in the country by prioritizing social policies and economic reforms. The remarks came at an expanded meeting at the Grand Serail, Salam's official residence, on social safety nets in Lebanon, under the theme 'The Next Phase of Reform.' The event, organized by Social Affairs Minister Haneen Sayed, drew numerous diplomats and officials from UN-affiliated agencies. Salam underscored Lebanon's profound ongoing social crisis, saying stability could not be maintained without addressing social issues. He said poverty rates were already high before the recent war between Israel and Hezbollah, reaching a nationwide 44 percent. Young children are the most vulnerable, with their poverty rates surging to unprecedented levels. The prime minister added that food insecurity and limited access to healthcare remain significant risks. In a statement, his government committed to establishing a comprehensive social protection system and to increase social spending. According to the proposals, the government — through the Ministry of Social Affairs — will implement the National Social Protection Strategy. This involves strengthening social safety nets, including for those in poverty and needing disability support programs. The government said it aims to ensure adequate healthcare coverage for the most vulnerable through primary healthcare centers, secure the minimum educational requirements for children and adolescents in public schools and vocational institutions, and support the poor in integrating into the labor market through economic inclusion programs. Salam, who previously pledged that his government was committed to implementing reforms, reiterated on Friday his desire first to enact change in the National Social Security Fund. 'We are committed to ensuring the highest levels of transparency and accountability in our programs,' he said. Currently, social assistance covers only 55 percent of Lebanon's poor. Approximately 800,000 Lebanese, or 166,000 families, receive support through the Aman program. Around 20,000 people with disabilities benefit from a cash allowance program, and approximately 170,000 people receive emergency cash assistance. Social Affairs Minister Sayed stated that her ministry aims to 'expand direct cash support, strengthen ties with social services, build institutional capacity and infrastructure, and enhance coordination and system alignment.' She added: 'Due to the rising poverty rates following the recent war, the poor are facing severe food insecurity, malnutrition, and limited access to healthcare. 'Children under the age of 5 are at the greatest risk, suffering from alarmingly high poverty rates and receiving the least coverage through social safety nets.' Under the slogan 'The government's commitment to increasing social protection spending from the state budget,' Sayyed announced the launch of the reform workshop in collaboration with the prime minister's office. Her ministry will also activate the Social Safety Net Task Force to enhance collaboration among ministries and partners, improve internal systems, and upgrade development service centers. It will also propose a Social Safety Nets Law to ensure the long-term viability of the reform efforts. In a related move, Health Minister Rakan Nasreddine introduced the 'Aqwa' program (Arabic for 'stronger') in collaboration with UNICEF. This program aims to provide support and care for children who were injured during the recent war in southern Lebanon. It will be implemented in partnership with the International Network for Aid Relief and Assistance and the Ghassan Abu Sittah Children's Fund. According to the Health Ministry, around 1,500 children have sustained severe and moderate injuries, many of whom require reconstructive surgeries and ongoing mental healthcare. Nasreddine emphasized the immense suffering of these children, highlighting both the number and the severity of their injuries. He underscored that the launch of the program is a testament to the government's unwavering commitment to rebuilding everything that the war has destroyed, both in terms of infrastructure and human lives. 'The program goes beyond traditional surgical interventions to encompass mental health services, physical therapy, and reconstructive surgeries, among other critical care for children under 18,' he added. At the end of last February, UNICEF released a report revealing the devastating impact of the recent war on children, which affected almost every aspect of their lives. Many urgently require support to heal, rebuild their lives, and cope with the lasting effects of this conflict, the UN body said.
National News
14-03-2025
- Politics
- National News
Salam heads meeting on Social Safety Nets, Reform Strategy
NNA - Prime Minister, Nawaf Salam, on Friday chaired an expanded meeting at the Grand Serail on social safety networks in Lebanon, organized by Minister of Social Affairs Haneen Al-Sayyed under the theme "The Next Phase of Reform." The meeting brought together several ambassadors, representatives from international organizations, and key stakeholders in Lebanon's social sector. Discussions focused on strengthening social safety programs, addressing rising poverty, and ensuring broader access to essential services. Salam emphasized that Lebanon was facing a deep social crisis following years of economic hardship, the COVID-19 pandemic, the Beirut Port explosion, and the recent Israeli war, which caused large-scale destruction and displacement. He stressed the need to restore confidence in Lebanon, particularly among its youth, and to prioritize social policies alongside economic reforms. The PM noted that poverty rates had already been high before the war, with young children being the most vulnerable. Issues such as food insecurity, limited healthcare access, and human capital losses have worsened over the years, requiring a comprehensive social protection system. Salam added that 'as part of its ministerial commitments, the government will reactivate the ministerial social committee and take steps to implement the National Social Protection Strategy, with a focus on expanding poverty-targeting programs and disability support, ensuring access to primary healthcare and public education, promoting economic inclusion through well-designed employment programs, and implementing pension reforms to secure dignified retirement. Recognizing that economic reforms could be challenging for some segments of society, Salam stressed the need for significant support for these social measures, while ensuring transparency and accountability in all programs. In turn, Minister Al-Sayyed outlined the ministry's strategic framework for expanding social safety nets, focusing on expanding direct cash assistance, strengthening links to social services, building institutional capacity and infrastructure, and enhancing coordination and aligning systems. The Social Affairs Minister further highlighted that poverty levels have surged since the recent war, exacerbating food insecurity, malnutrition, and healthcare access issues, with children facing the highest risks. 'Despite existing programs such as the Aman Program, the cash allowance program for people with disabilities, and emergency cash assistance, coverage remains insufficient, reaching only a portion of those in need,' the Minister explained. Al-Sayyed went on to propose various scenarios for expanding social safety programs, emphasizing the government's commitment to increasing social spending from the state budget. She also announced plans to strengthen coordination between ministries and partners, improve internal systems, and propose a Social Safety Nets Law to ensure sustainability. ==========R.H.
