Challenge

• Violence against boys, girls and women, child labour and child marriage is prevalent across national cohorts in Lebanon and rising.

• In Lebanon there are religious and social norms around child-rearing that can often be used to justify the use of violence against children

• The protracted displacement and dire economic situation, amongst both the host and refugees’ communities, has led an increasing number of families to resort to negative coping mechanisms

• Approximately 85% of children experience violent discipline at home

• Among the Syrian population where 35% of women between 20 and 24 were married before they were 18 compared to 13% before the conflict

• The Ministry of Labour in Lebanon raised its 2006 estimate of 100,000 child workers in the country to 180,000

   

Our Social And Behavioural Insight

• National cohorts in Lebanon have a high awareness of the negative impacts and risks of of violence against children and women, child labour and child marriage

• Cognitive dissonance between the disapprobation of violence against children and women and the continued practice of the behaviours

• Deeply held beliefs that violence as a method of discipline is effective

• Stress and fatigue in vulnerable communities contributes to the adoption of negative coping mechanisms

• Notions of control and protection, are deeply entrenched in the collective identity

• Gender inequity plays a role in the experience or perpetration of harmful behaviours and is internalised through gender socialisation

• Social pressure impedes the adoption of positive practices

• The normalisation of harmful behaviours leads to sub-optimal practices;

• The family unit takes primacy over individual wellbeing

• Puberty is associated with the end of childhood

   

What We Did

• Developed a seven year SBCC plan with a corresponding M&E framework and implementation plan

• Developed a master brand for the plan.

• Developed a ToT and cascade training curriculum in English and Arabic

Based on key principles and activities of the SBCC plan, Magenta produced a positive caregiver toolbox to support families in Lebanon.

The toolbox was designed to encourage positive and responsive caregiving behaviours as part of the overall SBCC Plan developed for the Ministry of Social Affairs in Lebanon. Recognising that harmful caregiving behaviours often arise out of a lack of awareness and self-efficacy on the part of caregivers, these tools aim to provide caregivers with the knowledge and skills they need to provide consistent, loving and responsive care to their children.

Magenta Produced The Toolbox Through The Following Steps:

• MAGENTA performed a detailed and comprehensive desk review of existing programmatic and training materials

• Using the knowledge gained from the desk review MAGENTA drafted creative and informational content for each of the 10 tools

• Working with creative partners in Lebanon and in Jordan, MAGENTA produced prototypes of each tool In parallel. MAGENTA developed the creative content for and produced a pilot episode of an Edutainment drama series

• To maintain high standards of quality and ensure that the materials would be effective in use, MAGENTA conducted comprehensive pre-testing in the diverse communities in Lebanon

• Finally MAGENTA developed detailed guidelines for frontline workers on how to use the toolbox materials