Short Paper ART GOLD#35B141
ART GOLD LEBANON PROGRAMME PRESENTATION Over 80% of the Lebanese population currently lives in urbanized areas of the country, out of its estimated population of four million people. Lebanon enjoys a diverse and multi cultural society; but is a country characterized by marginalization of its peripheral areas, mainly Akkar in the North, Bekaa in the East, and South Lebanon. The South Lebanon marginalization was often exacerbated by the long-lasting occupations and wars. UNDP ART GOLD Lebanon is being implemented in the four neediest areas where the scores of poverty rates mount high, the socio-economic problems are enormous, and the convergence between deprivation and the effects of the July 2006 war took place. The ART GOLD Lebanon main aim however is to support the Lebanese national government and local communities in achieving the UN Millennium Development Goals (MDGs). UNDP ARTGOLD Lebanon utilizes the Local Development methodology, which relies upon the territorial networks and partnerships, which are extremely poor in the Lebanese target areas. To this end, the first steps of the programme aimed at building and strengthening the Relational and Social Capitals of the target territories. Establishing 297 Municipal, 4 Regional Working Groups (RWGs) and 22 Regional Thematic Working Groups. At the same time, regional planning exercises started in the selected sectors. The RWG requested trainings on participatory Strategic Planning, and UNDP ARTGOLD Lebanon will provide it within the forthcoming months. Governance, Local Economic Development, Social Welfare, Health, Environment, Gender Equity and Education are the UNDP ART GOLD main fields of interventions at local and national levels. To support the Regional Working Groups efforts, UNDP ARTGOLD Lebanon facilitated the set-up of a number of decentralized cooperation partnerships between Lebanese and European communities.
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