Call for Proposals: Report on Refugees’ Challenges in Lebanon and the Region

Research Context

• Over the past twenty years, the Middle East has witnessed a significant surge in refugee flows and forced migration. The overlapping, protracted conflicts and crises have disproportionately affected the states within the region, some of which host the largest and densest refugee populations worldwide. While the Syria and Iraq war have contributed to the largest portion of mass displacement, structural problems, economic mismanagement and poor governance in numerous states have also significantly exacerbated the living situation of both refugee and host communities.
• In major host countries such as Lebanon, this has had a profound transformative impact on every aspect of the politics, economies and societies of the state. Whereas displaced populations, primarily made up of Syrians and Palestinians, are often trapped in cycles of poverty and legal limbo, characterized by limited access to healthcare, education, employment and rights, increased socio-economic hardships are also felt by vulnerable strata of the Lebanese population. Added to this, the politicization of the refugee question has led to the scapegoating of Syrians and further fuelled hostilities against them, thus exacerbating the complexity of the situation.
• While it is imperative to shed light on the manifold grievances and hardships, personal stories of resilience, resourcefulness and community solidarity deserve to be highlighted as well. Amidst adversity, individuals, groups, organizations, businesses and private sector initiatives have emerged and are offering innovative solutions that partially fill the vacuum that was left by the dysfunctional Lebanese state. To sufficiently capture these manifold facets, a range of reporting methods is necessary. Some topics may be effectively conveyed through numerical data, infographics, or visual representations. However, others may demand a more immersive storytelling approach, which is human-centred and incorporates various journalistic techniques such as photography, interviews, or audio recordings.

Objective

• Against this backdrop, the Konrad-Adenauer-Stiftung Lebanon Office is looking to commission a Lebanese English-speaking magazine or (multi-)media outlet. The selected outlet must have a proven track record of at least 10 years of in-depth journalistic and policy-oriented reporting in English language. By means of different journalistic / reporting tools, the produced reportages should cover the following aspects:
  • Mapping forced migration patterns in Jordan, Iraq, Syria and Lebanon
  • Infographic or timeline of (historic) migration trigger events in the Middle East
  • Overview of the numbers/influx of Syrian Displaced Persons (DPs) into Lebanon and related demographic trends
  • Analysis of economic dimension of Syrian DPs in Lebanon and impact of Syrian DPs presence on state infrastructure and social cohesion in Lebanon
  • Photo essay and DPs’ narratives
  • Interviews and views “from the street” on the presence of Syrian and Palestinian DPs in Lebanon

Deliverables

• A stand-alone report or reportages in printed and online format with approximately 40 pages (including text, photography, visualizations etc.) with respect to the above-mentioned aspects to be delivered until 31 May 2024
• Furthermore, the selected entity should also play an active role in the dissemination of the report through its website, social media channels, and network.

For more information, visit KAS.