YOU HAVE THE RIGHT TO REMAIN UNEMPLOYED In addition to high unemployment rates, the region, like the entire country, is burdened with low average incomes, especially after the deterioration of the Lebanese Pound (LBP). Interestingly enough, respondents who say they are unemployed still say they have some income on a monthly basis. • The average income of stateless persons in Akkar and Tripoli never exceeds the minimum wage (which was in September 2021 equivalent to less than $40 at the market rate). Even the Lebanese in Akkar earn an average income that is lower than the minimum wage. • Wages in Akkar and Tripoli are very similar. There should be greater disparity, given that the averages in Tripoli were calculated three years ago, before the pound lost 90% of its value. • Thirty five percent of stateless are employed yet receive insufficient income through their labor. The jobs they hold include construction work/metal scrapping (34%), farming and agricultural work (24%), working as a shop clerk (14%), and driving (8%). Other jobs involve music and street performance (4%) – held by stateless from Dom communities in particular – in addition to irregular cross-border economic activities (4%), and being a concierge (3%). • Furthermore, a sizeable portion of unemployed stateless (44%) declare earning some income. These stateless individuals are not employed in the sense defined in this study, but have small, daily jobs that secure them a certain income. As such, unemployment does not indicate a lack of labor activity. Fig 26. Average personal income comparison (in LBP) 501,000 344,000 471,000 322,500 Stateless in Stateless in Lebanese in Lebanese in Akkar Tripoli Akkar Tripoli 588,500 LBP 243,000 LBP income average of employed stateless income average of unemployed stateless © 2021 Siren Associates. All Rights Reserved.