Public Spaces: A Right Not A Luxury
Developed By:
Beyond Group
In Partnership With:
Counterpart International
2020
Public Spaces: A Right Not A Luxury
Advocacy Case Study Analysis
CASE STUDIES IN LEBANESE CIVIL SOCIETY ADVOCACY
Within the framework of the USAID Baladi CAP project, Counterpart International supported a research project on civil society advocacy in Lebanon, with the goal of broadening the democratic space for citizen participation in public affairs by creating platforms for informed public debate and increased citizen engagement outside of sectarian and confessional lines. Selected through an open competition, Beyond Group undertook a mapping of advocacy campaigns in Lebanon 2013-18 and together with Counterpart developed five case studies in an effort to highlight best practices and common factors contributing to civil society advocacy’s success or failure and enhancing an understanding of the needs of CSOs working on advocacy to further advance rights and reform in Lebanon.
CONTEXT: PUBLIC SPACE IN LEBANON
UNESCO defines public space as “an area or place that is open and accessible to all peoples, regardless of gender, race, ethnicity, age or socio-economic level. These are public gathering spaces such as plazas, squares and parks, etc. Well-designed and maintained public space is critical to the health of any city. Such gathering spaces allow for social mixing, civic participation, recreation, and a sense of belonging.” Public spaces can take many forms depending on a city’s urban plan, such as roads, squares, and sidewalks; open areas: public parks, gardens, and beaches; facilities: public libraries, government buildings, markets and sport facilities. Public spaces are a crucial component of a city’s make up and plan. They are designed to not only improve the overall visual character of the city, but also to contribute to social connectivity and diversity, making neighborhoods more cohesive, lively, and attractive.
In Lebanon, social connections are vital to society and the shortage of public spaces has made homes, restaurants, malls, and private beach resorts key places for people to meet. The shortage of public spaces can be attributed to several factors:
the civil war divided the capital into several conflicting zones by forming demarcation lines which, although no longer in existence today, still influence how people use public spaces and who accesses them;
an increase in urbanization and lack of proper planning and regulations to protect public spaces;
and the high price of land which makes investors more likely to use public spaces for profitable projects such as residential or commercial buildings.
The increased takeover of public space by private enterprises over the past ten years in Lebanon has mobilized activists (individuals, academics, community groups, NGOs, lawyers, among others) to fight for the right of community members to access public spaces, to preserve what is left of these public spaces, and to reclaim what has been taken. This case study looks at four advocacy interventions calling for the protection and preservations of public spaces.