BEIRUT— The number of Lebanese families registered for two long-awaited cash social assistance programs has reached 410,000, or 1.6 million individuals, from different regions across Lebanon, according to a statement issued Monday by Social Affairs Minister Hector Hajjar’s office.

Here’s what we know:

    • According to data from the IMPACT platform, the largest number of families registered is from Akkar, followed by Baabda, then Tripoli, Baalbek, Beirut and Zahle.

    • Data also indicates that 59 percent of registered individuals are unemployed, according to the statement.

    • Applicants are signing up for two programs on the platform: the World Bank-funded Emergency Social Safety Net program and a government ration card.

    • The statement also points out that most complaints received by the complaints center specific to registering for the programs revolved around technical issues.

    • People who are stateless or do not possess an identity card also faced difficulties registering and voiced concerns, the statement said. Additionally, the center received complaints about “mokhtars” — local officials responsible for personal records — refusing to issue identity cards and others asking for money in exchange for helping families to register, the statement added.

    • Registration remains open until Jan. 31, 2022 on daem.impact.gov.lb.

    • The registration platform for the World Bank-funded Emergency Social Safety Net and the government's ration card program was launched at the beginning of December some two-and-a-half months after it was initially due to launch.