Enhancing the protection of adolescent girls and young women against sexual and gender based violence (SGBV) through innovative emergency response interventions In order to address the heightened vulnerabilities of Syrian, Palestinian and Lebanese young women and adolescent girls in Lebanon, and in line with the Lebanese Crisis Response Plan (LCRP) for SGBV, DRC proposes to deliver an innovative intervention focusing on enhancing the protection of adolescent girls and young women, by preventing and mitigating the life-threatening impact of early marriage and increasing access to services. Through response services to those adolescents identified as at risk of early marriage, or already married, alongside addressing contributing factors and root causes, DRC’s proposed project fills an important life-saving gap in the SGBV response in Tripoli Lebanon. 
The project aims at the following objectives:

1.	To limit the life-threatening impact of child early and forced marriage (CEFM), through reaching the most vulnerable adolescent girls and engaging girls’ brothers, husbands, and caregivers: 
Building on an existing partnership with the Women’s Refugee Commission (WRC), DRC will deliver a SGBV intervention, successfully piloted in 2015/16, focusing on both identifying and responding to the risks associated with CEFM. Through a door-to-door rapid assessment of the vulnerability of adolescent girls’ households (“Girl Roster’), at risk adolescent girls will be identified. Following initial engagement, DRC will conduct a Participatory Ranking Methodology (PRM) to deliver a 17-week, context specific, adolescent girls’ life skills curriculum to increase girls’ protective assets. In addition, DRC will deliver an 8-week curriculum to caregivers, including a separate dedicated curriculum for males i.e. husbands, fathers, brothers. Two men’s groups will be established in order to promote behavioural changes and encourage men to self-identify as change agents against GBV in their communities. Multipurpose cash will be provided to participating girls’ households when eligible with referral to other DRC interventions i.e. livelihoods, maximized. Adolescent girls who completed the 17-week life skills curriculum in DRC’s previous 2015/16 pilot project will be invited to be part of a mentorship scheme. Empowered and enabled mentors will help other adolescent girls to reach their full potential and build their social protective assets to limit the life threatening impact of CEFM. 

2.	Access of vulnerable women and girls and GBV survivors to quality services is improved: Through direct service provision (Tripoli) DRC will deliver services in women’s safe spaces (Women Resource Centers) –where a range of psychosocial support and case management services will be provided to young women, adolescent girls and SGBV survivors. For those women and girls facing imminent security risks and direct life threats, cash grants will be made available to secure their immediate physical safety (through other complimentary funding). Specialized case workers will follow up on these life-saving interventions and elaborate with the survivors a safety plan for the future. Training and advocacy on services targeting adolescent girls will also be delivered to other service providers.