Co-funded by the European Union Co-funded by International Centre for Migration Policy Development (ICMPD), United Cities and Local Governments (UCLG) and United Nations Human Settlements Programme (UN - HABITAT). MEDITERRANEAN CITY - TO - CITY MIGRATION www.icmpd.org/MC2CM All rights reserved. No part of this publication may be reproduced, copied or transmitted in any form or by any means, electronic or mechanical, including photocopy, recording, or any information storage and retrieval system, without permission of the copyright owners. This publication has been produced with the assistance of the CITY MIGRATION PROFILE European Union (EU) and the Swiss Agency for Development and Implemented by Cooperation (SDC). The content of this publication is the sole BEIRUT responsibility of the authors and can in no way be taken to reflect the views of the EU or SDC. EXECUTIVE SUMMARY VIENNA LYON TURIN MADRID LISBON TUNIS BEIRUT TANGIER AMMAN MIGRATION PATTERNS This document is a synthesis of the Municipality of Beirut Migration Profile and Since the second half of the 19th century most of Lebanon’s economic and cultural Priority Paper drafted in the framework of the Mediterranean City - to - City Migration activities have taken place in Beirut. The city currently boasts the country’s main Project (MC2CM). The project aims at contributing to improved migration govern- port, its only international airport, houses the government offices, and is the main ance at city level in a network of cities in Europe and the Southern Mediterranean cultural and educational centre. Beirut has therefore attracted various waves of region. More information is available at www.icmpd.org/MC2CM. newcomers, such as rural migrants, elites and low - skilled refugees from peripheral areas of Lebanon, Armenian and Christian refugees from Ottoman Turkey and other GENERAL OVERVIEW (2015) areas, Arab refugees and migrant workers from neighbouring countries, South East Asia and Sub - Saharan Africa. Municipal Beirut has a clear demarcation as a city with a dual status of a governorate and a Often settling at the periphery of the city, these migrants have contributed to redefine municipality. It has a surface area of 19.6 km2 the contours of the city. Following the Lebanese Civil War (1975 – 1990), which and a population of some 400 000. The built environment is estimated to occupy around forced entire populations to flee the city or settle at its borders, reconstruction pro- 66% of its total area. jects reaffirmed the physical expansion of the city. Political and Greater Beirut is an ambiguous term encom- administrative context passing Beirut and its surrounding suburbs. Its borders are not clearly defined and stretch MIGRANT POPULATION from the Damour River to the South of the air- There are about 300 000 refugees are settled in Greater Beirut, but estimates sug- port, Nahr al - Kalb River to the North, the hilly gest a share of refugees in the city of up to 20%. More than half of refugees (58%) areas of Mount Lebanon to the East, and the are from Syria, around 41% are Palestinian and 1.4% Palestinians from Syria. Most Mediterranean to the West for an estimated Palestinians (74%) are settled outside the official camps of the United Nations Relief surface area of 67 km2 and Works Agency for Palestine Refugees (UNRWA) in the Near East in low - income 403 337 (Municipal Beirut, 2012) Population neighbourhoods along with Lebanese as well as Syrians and other migrant workers. 2 226 000 (Greater Beirut, 2012) Out of the 200 000 migrant workers in Lebanon, more than 70 000 are Ethiopians, Share in national urban 7.7% (Municipal Beirut) followed by about 50 000 Bangladeshis and 25 000 Filipinos, most of them being population 42.3% (Greater Beirut) female domestic workers. 270 608 registered Syrian refugees (2017) Number of refugees in the city (Greater Beirut) 28 449 registered Palestinian refugees in 3 UNRWA camps (2014) LOCAL MIGRATION POLICY Share of refugees in the city Due to a plethora of pressing needs and limited resources of municipalities, migra- 13.4% (Greater Beirut) tion has not been, until recently, at the top of the local authorities’ agenda. It is only Share of foreign born in with in the wake of the Syrian refugee influx that local authorities have stepped up 34.2% (including refugees) national population their role. Their intervention was particularly crucial in the early years of the crisis 1 (2012 – 2015) when there was a gap left by the lack of a clear policy or intervention their access to work has been restricted to three sectors, namely: construction, agri- strategy for this humanitarian crisis. Besides, due to Lebanon’s ‘non - camp’ policy, culture and domestic labour. In practice, however, only a small percentage of Syrians refugees have been scattered across the country leaving municipalities to provide in Lebanon apply for work permit, and most of them work informally. for these populations with limited financial and human resources. In the framework of the MC2CM project, 3 priorities have been pre - identified togeth- There is no explicit migration policy in Lebanon, apart from the 1962 law regarding er with the Municipality of Beirut: the entry, stay and exit of foreigners which regulates movement, stay and employ- ment of non - Lebanese in the country. Decisions are made through ad hoc rules and 1. The creation of a Migration Observatory for Beirut, supporting regulations. capacity - building in the field of data collection and analysis 2. A Community Guidance and Assistant Unit, serving as a platform Employment of non - Lebanese either follows the labour law, bilateral agreements for migrants, refugees and host communities with countries of origin or the consent of a sponsor (or kafala). Access to labour 3. Building social cohesion at neighbourhood level to ease tensions courts of migrant workers, who fall under the kafala system, is often obstructed by between communities employers. There are reports from the NGOs KAFA and Anti - Slavery International that some of these migrant workers are at times subjected to violence and exploita- tion. Formally, a domestic worker has to be sponsored to enter Lebanon on a 3 - month work visa, paid and arranged by either an individual employer/sponsor MAINSTREAMING MIGRATION (kafil), or an agency. However, most of foreign labourers operate in the informal The municipality of Beirut promotes itself as a ‘culturally diverse’ city. Despite this sector. vision, the city does not yet have a clear strategy on how to address the subject of migration in its various and multifaceted dimensions. On the other hand, urban ser- Refugees face specific regulations. Lebanon is not party to the 1951 Geneva Con- vices provided by the municipality and its subcontracted providers are universal and vention relating to the status of refugees and the Memorandum of Understanding made available to all and do not discriminate against any population based on their signed with the UNHCR in 2003 only grants limited guarantees to refugees. Pales- nationality. Yet, access to basic rights for migrants in Beirut can be a challenge given tinians have been treated as foreigners since their arrival in Lebanon as of 1948 and the complexity of legal regimes in the country. face numerous restrictions regarding employment and private property. Without access to public services, health and compulsory education are provided by UNRWA. The exclusion of Palestinian refugees from the public and economic spheres intends to safeguard their right of return, while securing employment for Lebanese nationals. Prior to the crisis, Syrians made up most of Lebanon’s foreign workforce and enjoyed greater cross - border movement. Policies and regulations have however changed in the wake of the Syrian refugee influx. Due to security concerns Syrian refugees have recently been subjected to restrictions on their movement (entry, curfews), and, in response to economic concerns related to unemployment among Lebanese citizens, 2 3 Migration governance stakeholders at local level Civil Society Organisations active in the areas of migration and integration in the city Elected officials, they are local state administra- Local officials Promotes the socio - economic and civic rights of the unprivi- tors and document birth, marriage, death registra- Amel Association level (Mukhtars) Local Local tion at the local level leged in Lebanon Council of 24 elected for 6 years operating in different fields and representing the different city Serves Syrian refugees and host communities in Shatila Basmeh and Zeitooneh districts and religious sects. City councilors can Camp and other parts of Beirut/Lebanon set up committees working on specific issues. Due to the institutional blockade, municipal coun- Elected municipal council cils are the only directly elected institutions in Caritas Lebanon Provides services and protection to migrants in Beirut and 7 years and benefit from a reinforced legitimacy. Migrant Centre elsewhere in the country Despite its financial and administrative autonomy, municipal governance and capabilities remain weak Centre for Refugee Advocates and campaigns for Palestinian refugees’ right of Beirut Municipal Council Rights Aidoun return Elected head of the Council, the Mayor has mainly Beirut Mayor a representative role Domestic Workers Union Advocates for domestic migrant workers’ rights Elected state-officials, the governor chairs Governor (Muhafez) the executive power at the local level Dream of a Refugee Supports Shatila camp’s youth with training