Engagement between diverse SOGIESC and humanitarian actors for inclusive protection : The case of Lebanon

Abstract: Practitioners and academics agree that greater engagement between local diverse SOGIESC (sexual orientation, gender identity, gender expression and sex characteristics) actors (LDSA) and international humanitarian actors (IHA) is needed to make humanitarian responses more inclusive. Despite sector-wide commitments to inclusion and localization, there is a persistent uncertainty about how to meaningfully engage with each other, particularly in insecure contexts. As a starting point for researching this form of engagement, this thesis investigates the current inter-organizational engagement (IOE) between LDSAs and IHAs in the insecure Lebanese context and its implications for inclusive protection. By interviewing staff from the two key stakeholders this study examines challenges to diverse SOGIESC inclusion, their understanding of meaningful engagement, and the current dynamics of this IOE. The single case of Lebanon was chosen because the contrast between relatively visible LGBTIQ+ organizing and the legal, social, and political discrimination against LGBTIQ+ communities provides a unique avenue to explore the research problem. The study found multiple obstacles to diverse SOGIESC inclusion and asymmetrical dynamics of IOE. The former included a lack of diverse SOGIESC expertise and integration, attitudinal barriers, and inadequate funding. The latter focused on power imbalances grounded in funding and control mechanisms as impediments to meaningful engagement. Based on the findings, lessons learned for more meaningful IOE were identified, including mutual capacity-building, context-sensitive diverse SOGIESC trainings, greater prioritization and adequate funding as well as creating engagement opportunities, shifting power to LDSAs, taking safety precautions and an intersectional queer approach.