In a bid to reduce the number of Syrians across Lebanon, the Council of Ministers passed new residency rules that impose new regulations on refugees. The new regulations require all refugees residing in Lebanon, regardless of whether they have previously been registered with the United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees (UNHCR), to pay an annual fee of $US 200. Refugees will also be required to provide identification documents, most of which refugees will tend to have lost, in order to lodge their application. As many refugees are unable to afford the renewal fees, they face the prospect of losing their legal standing in Lebanon. According to the UNHCR, 70 per cent of Syrian refugees fall below the poverty line and rely on aid in order to survive. Meanwhile, out of 40 refugees who were interviewed by Human Rights Watch between February and November 2015, only two individuals successfully renewed their residency with the UNHCR and two other individuals through sponsors. Of those Syrian refugees who were able to get sponsored, many complained of sexual harassment by their employers. Five Syrian women interviewed by Human Rights Watch revealed that their employers…
