LIMITATIONS, CHALLENGES AND MITIGATION MEASURES Additional challenges emerged due to the timing and geography of the field deployment, in addition to the presence of many stateless persons of Syrian origins, whose cases were not the prime focus of this study. FIELD CHALLENGES FIELD CHALLENGES Field work during the holy month of Ramadan Syrian nationality and statelessness Because of Covid-19 containment measures, the survey deployment was postponed and then held during the holy month of Ramadan, which was challenging on multiple levels. The surveyors, respondents, and most of the locals were tired and would sometimes be less cooperative. The team tackled these difficulties by adapting the schedule and working conditions according to the needs of the fieldwork’s particular context. The surveyors uncovered many cases of individuals who considered themselves to be stateless in Lebanon, but who had managed to attain Syrian nationality. While they might be also entitled to Lebanese nationality, they did not fall under this study’s scope of statelessness, and many of the surveys conducted with these respondents were disqualified from the sample. However, very few might have passed under the fieldwork’s radar (less that 5% according to our estimations, which are based on cross-referencing with local KIs). In addition, the team encountered many people who were stateless of Syrian origin (holders of ta'arif cards from Syrian mukhtars, for example). These individuals and their households were also not included in this study. Project duration The duration allocated for the entire project, and particularly for the fieldwork, was very tight considering the size of Akkar and the need to cover its main areas. Yet, the team overcame these difficulties by working around the clock and investing extra time and energy into all components of this research. Unsafe environment Many stateless live in remote areas near the Lebanon-Syria border, or in the high hinterlands, which were sometimes unsafe for the team to reach. © 2021 Siren Associates. All Rights Reserved.