Executive Summary
This report examines the impact of multi-purpose cash assistance on children, specifically looking at child outcomes and child protection outcomes, in Lebanon. The impact of the Lebanon Cash Consortium MCA program was measured using a variety of indicators for shelter quality and consistency, child education, economic activity and exploitation of children, general medical and dietary health, negative coping strategies, protection issues, psychosocial wellbeing, and family separation.
The study was based on a rigorous mixed-methods design, using surveys, key informant interviews, and focus group discussions as data collection methods. The research team developed customized tools for each data collection method as well as for each target group –children and adults. Descriptive and multiple regression analyses were used to measure impact. To measure average treatment effect, the study compared results from those receiving MCA for at least three months (beneficiary) and those that previously qualified but have not received MCA to date (control).
The conceptualization, tools, and overall research design represent key contributions to research on Syrian refugees in Lebanon. This research also has implications for the humanitarian community, especially those using cash-based programming. To the knowledge of the research team, this is the first study to rigorously compare caretakers and their children who are receiving cash to those not receiving cash, and to do so in a gender-sensitive manner.
Results from this study indicate the following impacts of LCC MCA:
Education. Figures from caretaker KIIs and surveys suggest that those receiving cash more often enroll their children in school (beneficiaries: 60.7%; control: 51.5%) their children attend school more consistently (12.3% of beneficiary group children and 27% control group children did not attend school in the winter), and, while still a barrier, engagement in child labor is less so for the beneficiary as opposed to control households.
Child labor. 9.9% of households reportedly engaged in some form of child labor, yet much of that labor is opportunistic, sporadic, and often menial. Additionally, 7.3% of beneficiary households and 13% of control households report not enrolling their children in school because they need to work.
The effect of MCA on child labor is unknown at this time. More research in this area is recommended.
Health. Children are often sick, suffering from a variety of illnesses ranging from common cold symptoms to chronic illness. Data does not directly indicate that the beneficiary households are seeking more medical care, it does however suggest that the beneficiary households are more consistently seeking medical attention from qualified doctors rather than alternative sources such as traditional healers. Cash assistance is reducing the probability of experiencing a lack of resources to cover food expenses by .105, and increasing the overall diversity in children’s diet by .04%.
Protection. Receiving MCA represents a 4.5%1 reduction in protection insecurity2 for adults. Findings reiterate that children from households receiving MCA exhibit lower levels of protection-specific insecurity.
Disability. Findings suggest that disability is a marginalized issue within the LCC framework. Only included in the targeting survey, disability is calculated as the percentage of children under 18, elderly above 59, and disabled adults in the household who “cannot go to toilet unaccompanied’.
Moreover,