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CAMEALEON Research Agenda 2023-2024
CAMEALEON aims to address critical evidence gaps regarding the effectiveness and accountability of social assistance to affected populations in Lebanon. By disseminating the generated evidence, CAMEALEON seeks to contribute to learning and inform policymaking. To fulfill its mandate, CAMEALEON intends to work with universities, research institutes, policy partners, and consultants on the following research priorities in 2024 and 2025:
The research aims to shed light on the lived experiences of affected populations in relation to misinformation on cash assistance and the pathways through which misinformation contributes to misperceptions and negative outcomes for social stability. It aims to examine the impact of social misinformation on Lebanese and Syrian communities and understand its dissemination channels. The findings will help agencies enhance social stability in their analyses, develop targeted communication plans, and design easily communicable cash programs. Additionally, the insights will inform the creation of “socially friendly” terms and recommendations for monitoring cash-related indicators in communal relations surveys. The results will be shared through the Lebanon coordination structures, learning events, and multimedia products, contributing to more transparent, participatory, and accountable social assistance and humanitarian CVA programs.
The research aims to identify the barriers that People with Disabilities (PWDs) face in accessing Cash and Voucher Assistance programs and social assistance programs (NPTP and NDA) from the perspective of PWDs. It will explore structural and social barriers preventing PWDs from registering for or receiving benefits, considering demographic factors such as gender, age, type of disability, and geography. The study will identify best practices for accurately assessing disability, addressing information gaps, and enhancing targeting mechanisms to better reach those in need.
The research aims to understand the perspectives and experiences of users and non-users of Social Assistance programs in Lebanon (eg: NPTP, ESSN). It will explore the attitudes, perceptions, and experiences of the bottom-poor households regarding the design, targeting, and implementation of these programs, considering factors such as gender, age, disability, and geography. The study will assess the perceived benefits and drawbacks of inclusion and exclusion from these programs on households’ ability to cope with acute and chronic stressors and improve their lives, across various domains such as health, education, food security, employment, and social stability. It will identify the barriers faced by users and non-users in accessing social assistance, including informational, structural, and social barriers, and how these barriers vary by demographics. Finally, the research will develop key recommendations to improve the inclusiveness and effectiveness of social protection programs, identifying best practices for addressing information and coverage gaps to better reach the poorest and most vulnerable households.
In partnership with MOSA, this study aims to investigate the outcomes of participation in Lebanon’s National Poverty Targeting Program (NPTP) on intergenerational mobility. It seeks to assess whether social assistance provided through the NPTP improves wellbeing and economic outcomes in the next generation. Specifically, the research will compare offspring of NPTP beneficiary households with their parents across various indicators including schooling, health status, nutrition, access to income, ownership of durable assets, consumption expenditures, and vulnerability to food insecurity.
The study aims to investigate the influence of increased debt on protection threats among vulnerable Syrian and Lebanese households. It will identify prominent trends in protection threats correlated with high debt levels and determine the primary sources of debt and their impacts on wellbeing. The study will assess how hyperinflation affects HH debt dynamics, explore the effects of debt relief on well-being and social cohesion, and examine the role of different cash assistance modalities in alleviating debt. Additionally, the research will analyze the relationship between debt types and vulnerability levels, identify systemic challenges in targeting the most vulnerable HHs, and evaluate the influence of cultural and contextual factors on cash assistance utilization. Finally, it will determine the effectiveness of cash assistance in reducing debt and vulnerabilities across various sectors such as health, education, and livelihoods. Oxfam will implement the research in close collaboration with CAMEALEON.
The research aims to explore how to effectively link and complement short-term emergency cash distribution with medium-to-long-term livelihoods assistance, assessing its long-term impact on beneficiaries’ livelihoods. The hired consultants will conduct an in-depth evaluation to assess the impact of SI’s and Oxfam’s cash plus livelihoods programming on economic well-being, access to basic services, food security, livelihoods, and overall resilience of beneficiary households in Lebanon. Additionally, the evaluation will determine the effectiveness of the cash plus livelihoods approach in achieving intended outcomes, identify key factors contributing to its success or challenges, and provide recommendations for optimizing programming strategies to enhance their impact and effectiveness on the livelihoods of vulnerable populations in Lebanon. Solidarités International will implement the research in close collaboration with CAMEALEON.
CAMEALEON in partnership with the Arab Reform Initiative (ARI) will co-write a policy brief on the shock-responsiveness of the social assistance response in the South Lebanon and Nabatieh governorates. It will explore its effectiveness in supporting the conflict affected population in meeting their emergency needs. Lastly, it will provide recommendation to inform the development of social protection strategy in Southern Lebanon.
In 2025, CAMEALEON plans to produce a comprehensive Foresight Policy Paper consolidating all major research findings. This document will synthesize key insights and trends from diverse studies, offering a forward-looking analysis of their implications for CVA and Social Protection strategies in Lebanon. By compiling data and outcomes across multiple research projects, the Foresight Summary aims to present a coherent narrative highlighting critical gaps from the research, emerging challenges, and potential intervention opportunities. This paper will serve as a valuable resource for policymakers, practitioners, and stakeholders, informing future program designs and policy decisions.
