Lebanese CSOs fail to address key sectors as entrepreneurial and IT-related work

Lebanon’s civil society organizations (CSO) are mainly focused on vocational training and leave key sectors as entrepreneurial and IT-related work largely out of their activities, according to a new report released by local consulting firm and social business Beyond Reform and Development. “Mapping Civil Society Organizations in Lebanon”
Reasons for hindering the CSOs impact on society are, besides capacity needs for training on advocacy/lobbying campaigning and especially on connecting the organization’s work with the media, a weak cooperation culture among organizations working in the same sector: 45% of all CSOs do not have a membership in any type of network. A weak interconnectivity is also visible between organizations and national or local authorities with 54 % of Lebanese CSOs not participating in any dialogue with politicians. Another problem was stated relating to capacity building programs. Often their content does not address the real needs and the teaching methods rely more on lectures and fact-giving than on mentoring and coaching on the actual projects of the participants.
These and other findings have been concluded by the consulting firm and social business “Beyond Reform and Development”  in their report “Mapping Civil Society Organizations in Lebanon“. The project aimed to provide “up-to-date, reliable information on the state of CSO’s in Lebanon, their capacity needs and engagement in policy making”. Also a database of 1445 CSOs working in Lebanon has resulted from their work.
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