WHAT DO THEY THINK?When striving to shape social development, change behaviors and improve the lives of the approximately 6 million people living in Lebanon, a country hosting more refugees per capita than any other country in the world – a starting point is understanding perceptions and culture. In other words, mapping the terrain before navigating. You are reading the highlights of a Knowledge, Attitude and Practice (KAP) survey, which forms the basis of UNICEF’s and the Government of Lebanon’s action plan until 2020; to address demand creation, individual and social behavior change which is an area that is all too often neglected. We’ve spoken to policy makers and practitioners. We’ve visited 7,000 households, Syrian, Lebanese and Palestinian - to be able to mend what’s broken in children’s lives in terms of rights, protection, welfare, education and inclusion. This is the first cross program KAP study in Lebanon, and it clearly shows what deserves a stronger focus. The findings are a platform for change – or call it a map if you like – that gives clear guidance to our interventions in coming years.

Tanya Chapuisat | UNICEF representative in LebanonFebruary, 2018

KNOWLEDGE, ATTITUDE AND PRACTICES OF THE LEBANESE; SYRIAN AND PALESTINE REFUGEES IN LEBANON, 2017

DISABILITIES

18%of the Lebanese, Syrian & Palestine refugees that were surveyed/asked believe that children with intellectual disabilities should go to regular pre-schools & schools 45% of Syrians registered with UNHCR, compared to 55% of

the Lebanese, believe that a physically disabled child should go to regular pre-school and school

Percentage of respondents who believe that children with physical disabilities should be integrated in society

70%56%

48%46%

Syrians registered with UNHCR

Syrians in informal settlements

Palestine refugees in camps

Lebanese “

55% 45%

CHILD RIGHTS

ONE OUT OF TEN RESPONDENTS HAVE NEVER HEARD OF CHILD RIGHTS

right to education

right to participate in family and social life

right to health

right to be safe in an emergency

right to food, shelter, clothing

right to be protected from

exploitation

78%

15%

64%

21%

61%

22%

Three most cited rights, when respondents were asked what child rights entailed

Three least cited rights, when respondents were asked what child rights entailed

INDIVIDUALS WITH DISABILITIES ARE TREATED WELL IN EUROPE BUT ARE MARGINALISED IN ALL ARAB COUNTRIES.“PALESTINE REFUGEE, MOUNT LEBANON, MAY 2017

Syrians in informal settlements

62%

of the Lebanese

Percentage of respondents who believe that marriage under 18 years of age has negative consequences

% of respondents who know that it is wrong to hit a child

86

88

18

believe that children need to be listened to in matters affecting them

38% of Syrian children experience violent discipline in Mount Lebanon compared to 83% in the Bekaa Similarly, 26% of Lebanese children in Nabatieh report violent discipline compared to 85% in the North

Syrians in informal settlements

and

%

TOTAL73%

%of Syrian caregivers in informal settlements

CHILD PROTECTION

Lebanese76%

Lebanese69%

% of the Lebanese, Syrian and Palestine refugees that were asked who find verbal/physical violence to be a useful discipline method for children

Syrians registered with UNHCR

Mother not accessing opportunities such as work or school

Threat to mother’s psychological wellbeing

Threat to mother’s life during pregnancy

64%

Syrians registered with UNHCR

73%

60%Palestine refugees in camps 62%

Palestine refugees in camps

66%

Three most cited negative consequences of child marriage, by all respondents

Only 17% of all respondents - Syrian, Lebanese and Palestinian - believe that a woman would report gender-based violence to formal authorities

While 87% of the Lebanese know that the minimum working age in Lebanon is 18, only 61% of Syrians in informal

settlements do

45%38%38% 17%

verbal violence27%

physical violence15%

EDUCATIONPercentage of respondents who would report child violence to formal authorities

Percentage of caregivers who think girls should be in school until they graduate

91% of Palestine refugees in camps know how to enroll children in public school while only 37% of Syrians in informal settlements do

36%

96% 82% 78%88%

22% Syrians registered with UNHCR

Syrians registered

with UNHCR

Lebanese

LebaneseSyrians

in informal settlements

Palestine refugees in

camps

91%37%

14%

49%

49% of the Lebanese and 14% of Palestine refugees in camps would never enroll a child in public or UNRWA schools

59% of children between 3 and 18 who are currently out of school have never attended school in their life.

For those who did go to school in the past, the following reasons are provided to explain drop-out:

THE MOST POSITIVE ATTITUDE ON GIRLS’ EDUCATION AMONG THE LEBANESE IS FOUND IN MOUNT LEBANON AND THE NORTH, AT 98%, WHILE THE LOWEST IS IN THE SOUTH AT 90%

THERE ARE NO ISSUES ENROLLING CHILDREN IN SCHOOL. THE ISSUES ARE INSIDE THE SCHOOLPALESTINIAN MOTHER, SOUTH OF LEBANON, JUNE 2017

““

14% Syrians in informal settlements

25% Palestine refugees in camps

the child is unwilling to attend school

the child received enough education

the child needsto work

education is not necessary

29%

16%

the child doesnot understand the teachers

17% 27%

15%

WATER, SANITATION AND HYGIENE

HEALTH

Most important times for handwashing, all respondents

Percentage of respondents who know that six rounds are needed to complete recommended vaccines by a child’s first birthday

Percentage of respondents who believe it is important to breastfeed until 24 months

Most important ways to prevent disease transmission

before eating

Lebanese Syrians Palestine refugeesin camps

handwashing before eating

coming back home

before preparing food

proper cooking and cleaning practices

73% 69% 55% 42%

69%

67% 66%

49%handwashing after using the bathroom

62%

of households in Lebanon, paid for the delivery of their last child, be it Syrian, Lebanese or Palestinian

50%Primary reason why Lebanese children are not vaccinated

Lack of knowledge

7%

Vaccine unavailable at clinic

14%

Someone advised against it

11%

Too expensive to reach clinic

6%

Insufficient quality

42%

Unfriendly staff 6%

No vaccinator at clinic

9%

Distrust in clinic’s vaccine

20%

COMMUNICATION FOR DEVELOPMENTPercentage of respondents who never access the internet

60% of all respondents preferred to be informed about UNICEF’s services by mobile phone.

Lebanese 16%

Syrians registered with UNHCR 43%

Palestine refugees in camps 16%

Syrians in informal settlements 85%

Lebanese44%

Syrians in informal settlements 68%

No transport 4%

No money to vaccinate

5%

Vaccination too expensive

4%

The Knowledge, Attitude and Practice Survey was finalized in December 2017. Interviews were carried out with 34,711 members of 7,000 households. In terms of qualitative data; 48 focus group discussions were carried out as well as 42 key informant interviews. The study was conducted by the University of Malmö, Sweden, for UNICEF Lebanon, supported by the Government of Lebanon.

The KAP study was funded by the Governments of Canada, France, Germany, Japan and the United States of America.

UNICEF promotes the rights and wellbeing of every child, in everything we do. Together with our partners, we work in 190 countries and territories to translate that commitment into practical action, focusing special effort on reaching the most vulnerable and excluded children, to the benefit of all children, everywhere. For more information about UNICEF and its work for children visit www.unicef.org

Disclaimer: This study and report were conducted and managed by Malmö University, Sweden.The opinions in this report reflect the findings of the data collection and cannot be attributed to

UNICEF or to any other organization.

Photo Credits: Cover photo: © UNICEF/Simon Lister | © UNICEF/Hedinn Halldorsson | © UNICEF/Bilal Jawish | © UNICEF/Reto Albertalli

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