Since 2016, the Vulnerability Assessment of Refugees of Other Nationalities (VARON) has been a key tool for advocacy and program design. The survey aims to represent non-Syrian refugee households.
For over five decades, refugees from the Middle East and Africa have sought protection in Lebanon. These include refugees from Iraq, Sudan, Ethiopia, Egypt, Yemen and other countries, many of which have been in Lebanon prior to the Syrian crisis. The compounded crisis in Lebanon, including economic deterioration and rising inflation, COVID-19 outbreak and the Beirut port blast has impacted all persons living in Lebanon, including refugees of all nationalities.
The key objectives of the VARON include:
• Providing a multi-sectoral update of the situation of refugees from Iraq and other countries in Lebanon through an annual household survey. The survey covers key indicators related to multiple sectors including protection, shelter, water and hygiene, health, livelihoods, socio-economic vulnerability, food security and more
• Enhancing the targeting for the provision of multipurpose cash assistance. The data gathered through the VARON, particularly on expenditure, is used to build econometric models, which are used to determine eligibility for multi-purpose cash and food assistance