The Minister of Youth and Sports in the caretaker government, George Kallas, and the Representative of the United Nations Children's Fund (UNICEF) in Lebanon, Edward Beigbidder, signed a joint work plan document for the period from 2023 to 2025. This document aims to achieve three main objectives through 10 major activities and programs, with a total budget of $310,000. The document reflects UNICEF's and the Ministry of Youth and Sports' commitment to collaborate over the next three years to enhance the well-being of children and their families in Lebanon, through activities outlined in the work plan, under regular assessment of progress made.
The signed work plan seeks to implement programs that achieve the following objectives:
1. **Strengthening the national system for designing and implementing inclusive and gender-sensitive policies and enabling a supportive environment that allows for the economic and social empowerment and meaningful participation of vulnerable adolescents and youth to improve their well-being:**
- Establishing a joint inter-ministerial committee to implement the main recommendations of the National Youth Policy Action Plan.
- Creating an effective national youth body to participate in and follow up on the implementation of the national youth action plan.
- Supporting the ministry in hosting "Beirut, Capital of Arab Youth 2023."
- Enhancing the capacity of sports, youth, and scouting clubs on standard frameworks, including codes of conduct, life skills, psychosocial support for youth, and youth protection policies.
- Developing new guiding and standard frameworks, including standardized operating procedures for implementing initiatives to protect adolescents and youth.
2. **Empowering adolescents and young people to access quality education supported by job opportunities and providing them with a comprehensive package of informal learning, skills training, life skills, civic engagement, and employment skills training, especially for vulnerable youth, including those in prison, sex workers, and drug addicts.**
3. **Enabling vulnerable adolescents and youth to engage in meaningful civic participation on issues affecting their well-being:**
- Strengthening the capacity of youth leaders, especially girls.
- Enhancing national and local community platforms and attracting and engaging youth through volunteer work.
- Increasing inclusive and gender-responsive youth participation in decision-making.
- Providing specific courses to improve well-being, life skills, and empowerment for girls and young women.
The signing was attended by Joseph Saadallah, Head of the Youth Department at the Ministry; Mohammad Awidat, Head of the Sports Department; Hassan Sharara, Head of Public Relations; administrative staff Cynthia Maalouf; and the Minister's advisors Mirna Sabra, Dr. Raja Labaki, and lawyer Ibrahim Al-Shuwairi, along with UNICEF's Georgia Varisco, Director of the Adolescents and Youth Section, and Abeer Abu Zeid, Youth and Adolescent Development and Engagement Specialist.
