The ration-card program voted

The ration-card is a government cash assistance program voted by the Lebanese Parliament, which would allow $556 million cash transfers to be made to households in need. This program is financed by the Lebanese government. Registration to the program was planned to start on 15 September 2021, with program implementation scheduled for the same month. It has since been delayed amid questions about funding and eligibility criteria. As of December 2021, the program is not operational. The ration card-program constitutes the Lebanese government’s only response to the ongoing crisis, that is meant to address social protection issues. In line with the paradigm that has dominated social protection policies since the postwar period, the government’s response is founded on an emergency-based approach.