The armed conflict in Lebanon has escalated dramatically. Children suffer particularly. UNICEF is there on the ground and is providing the population with basic necessities.
The situation
The most recent escalation of the violence has devastating consequences for the civilian population in Lebanon. Hundreds of women, men and children have died in the recent air strikes, and thousands have been injured. More than one million people, among them around 300,000 children, are being forced to flee their homes, seeking shelter in the capital city, in mountain areas or even in neighboring Syria – well aware that it is locked in civil war.
The escalating violence is exacerbating the already precarious situation of tens of thousands of families in Lebanon. In the past years, the country has been rocked by a serious of ongoing crises, including the devastating explosion in the port of Beirut, the consequences of the COVID-19 pandemic and several years of an economic collapse which has led to rapidly rising poverty rates.
“The situation in Lebanon, already teetering on the brink, has moved from crisis to catastrophe. The suffering of children must stop. The only way to do this is through an immediate de-escalation. A full-scale conflict would have a devastating impact on the country’s 1.3 million children.”
How your donation helps
In collaboration with the Lebanese government, UNICEF is providing emergency shelters with essential emergency supplies, including clean drinking water, hygiene sets, educational and recreational materials for children, blankets and sleeping bags, hygiene items for women and girls, food supplements and baby food. UNICEF is also offering psychosocial support in many shelters, including child protection, education and leisure activities.
UNICEF has already initiated urgently needed repairs to damaged water and sanitation facilities, sent out mobile health units to provide lifesaving medical care and vaccinations, and delivered 100 tonnes of medical supplies to hospitals struggling with serious supply shortages. 25 more tonnes of emergency supplies are due to arrive in Lebanon in the coming days, and 53 tonnes are currently being procured. (September 30, 2024)
