Lebanon, one year after a deadly blast, remains mired in multiple crises
Faced with major inflation and rising unemployment, families are finding it increasingly difficult to cover their basic needs. More than half the population is living in poverty. Water systems are at risk of failing. Children are going to bed hungry, their health, education and futures increasingly at risk.
Widespread poverty means more children are working instead of going to school
More and more families are being forced to resort to negative coping measures, including sending their children to work in often dangerous and hazardous conditions, marrying off their young daughters or selling their belongings. UNICEF is on the ground working with local partners to provide critical water, sanitation and hygiene (WASH) support, education, child protection and treatment for malnutrition. A U
One of many urgent tasks for UNICEF and partners: preventing the collapse of Lebanon's water systems
In the first three months of 2021, UNICEF spent $6.9 million on repairs and maintenance to shore up critical public water systems, but more help is urgently needed to keep those systems operational. UNICEF works closely with public providers to ensure services continue to reach the most vulnerable children and women in Lebanon.
If the public water supply system collapses, UNICEF estimates that water costs could triple as families are forced to get their water from private water suppliers. For far too many households, this cost will be too much to bear.
UNICEF-backed cash grant program — a follow-up to the emergency cash assistance given to families affected by the 2020 blast — aims to reach 70,000 children in need.
UNICEF is also providing mental health support and psychosocial first aid to children who are engaged in child labor, those who have experienced or are at risk of violence and those still suffering the trauma of last summer's port disaster.
UNICEF's humanitarian action plan for Lebanon builds on the WASH and other interventions that were launched in the immediate aftermath of the Beirut port explosion and have already reached tens of thousands of children. COVID-19 prevention and response remains a major focus for teams on the ground.
Determined, concerted action is critical to mitigate the suffering, particularly among the most vulnerable, who are trapped in a spiral of poverty. Children’s well-being and safeguard must be a top priority.
HELP is Needed