Lebanon

5.4

Population 2022 (Millions)

0.71

HDI Score
2021 (Max. 1)

67.5

SDG Score
2023
(Max. 100)

0.43

Gender Inequality
Index Score
(Max. 1)

74

Internet Inclusivity
Index 2022
(100 countries)

Sources: 1. World Bank (2022), 2, UNDP (2021), 3. Sustainable Development Report (2023), 4. UNDP (2021), 5. Economist Impact (2022)

Overview

Lebanon, located on the eastern shore of the Mediterranean Sea, is perhaps best characterized as a mix of many elements. These includes cultures (Greek, Phoenician, Arab), languages (Arabic, French, English), and religions (Islam, Christianity, Druze). While these mixtures have created a vibrant society, there are also many challenges confronting the country. Perhaps the most well-known is the 2020 explosion in Beirut, which killed and injured many and caused massive economic damage. As with much in Lebanon, the roots of calamity can be traced back to corruption. Beyond corruption (or perhaps as a result) Lebanon has weathered multiple financial crises and is currently dealing with the economic fallout from the pandemic and regional instability (particularly from the Syrian Civil War).

Projects

Leveraging Big Data Sources for COVID-19 Response, Policy Evaluation and Analysis in Lebanon and Jordan
  • Jordan, Lebanon, Middle East and North Africa (MENA)
  • July 2020 - May 2021
  • Resilient Livelihoods and Ecosystems
  • Partner(s): Central Administration of Statistics (CAS) - Lebanon, Department of Statistics (DoS) - Jordan, UN ESCWA (Funder)

Following an initial collaboration with UN ESCWA for the assessment “Leveraging Behavioral and Humanitarian Data Sources to Analyze the Development Challenges Faced by Syrian Refugees and Host Communities in Lebanon”, this project focused on utilizing non-traditional Big Data sources, such as social media and Google search data, to provide timely insights in crisis settings on key topics (economic indicators, access to food, sentiments around specific policies, etc). The DPA team collaborated closely with the Central Administration of Statistics (CAS) of Lebanon and the Department of Statistics (DoS) of Jordan and held several trainings and workshops around the project output.

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Leveraging Behavioral and Humanitarian Data Sources to Analyze the Development Challenges Faced by Syrian Refugees and Host Communities in Lebanon
  • Lebanon, Middle East and North Africa (MENA), Syria
  • September 2019 to April 2020
  • Geographies of Inequalities
  • Partner(s): UN ESCWA (Funder)

In partnership with United Nations Economic and Social Commission for West Asia (UN ESCWA) and the Qatar Computer Research Institute (QCRI), this project aimed to understand the extent to which particular sets of non-traditional data sources — or crumb — and methodologies related to Artificial Intelligence can provide insights on the living conditions of Syrian Refugees and host communities in Lebanon. In particular, indicators related to human capital, poverty and demographics were explored. Data from the Central Administration of Statistics (CAS), UN agencies, telecom operators, social network data, amongst others, were used to shed light on the living conditions and interactions of Syrian refugees and local communities in Lebanon. Grounded in the Lebanese context, the project showed how these types of approaches may help national, international and local organizations develop better policies and programmes to meet these populations’ needs, while also providing pathways for them to weigh in on access to data about them.

Publication
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