Lebanon Appeal

The escalation since 16 September 2024 has led to a surge in mass displacement across Lebanon. Lebanon’s Prime Minister announced that collective shelters were being set up to accommodate up to one million IDPs. More than 346,000 internally displaced people (IDPs), including 121,000 children, were counted by September 2024, according to IOM (DTM round 48). More than 100,000 Lebanese and Syrians fled Lebanon for Syria according to UNHCR. 

Lebanese authorities have opened more than 800 collective shelters, which were hosting over 140,000 IDPs by September 2024, according to the Disaster Risk Management Unit. 

The majority of shelters is located in public schools, and educational institutions across the country are closed for learning, following the postponement of the new school year and temporary suspension of classes by the Ministry of Education. Damage to public infrastructure has been reported, including more than 25 water facilities damaged since October 2023, affecting the water supply for over 360,000 people. Nearly 30 primary health care centres (PHCCs) were closed by September 2024 due to security risks. 

On 28 September 2024, the UN Humanitarian Coordinator for Lebanon activated the Humanitarian Country Team’s (HCT) planning scenario of an uncontrolled conflict affecting 1 million people.

The escalation has further compounded the economic and financial crisis that pushed 44 per cent of the population in Lebanon into poverty, according to the World Bank. Updates on the humanitarian situation in Lebanon are available on UNICEF’s reports accessible here. 

The psychological toll on all displaced people, and especially women and children, is profound. Many have been displaced multiple times, compounding trauma from exposure to violence and the stress of living in overcrowded and unsafe conditions. UNICEF has been providing psychosocial support to women and children, focusing on resilience-building and trauma recovery, as well as dignity kits, lifesaving GBV services, and violence prevention initiatives since the start of hostilities in October 2024. UNICEF's overall support package seeks to create a safer environment for women and girls in a very challenging and dangerous environment.

UNICEF has adapted its programmatic response to focus on the urgent needs of IDPs in transit locations, while addressing pre-existing vulnerabilities, in order to mitigate social tensions related to short and long-term secondary displacement. The response prioritizes WASH, child protection and cash, while delivering a multi-sectoral package addressing education, health, nutrition and youth's humanitarian needs. 

UNICEF is scaling up its on-the-ground presence, including the rapid mobilization of capacities in displacement hotspots and expanding partnerships with actors able to reach high-risk zones. 

UNICEF is expanding its pre-existing programmes delivered through public and private schools, multi-service community centers, specialized child protection service centers, operational support to water establishments and wastewater treatment plants, primary healthcare centers and hospitals across the country, to support IDPs living in host communities. UNICEF is balancing support to IDPs through its regular programmes with outreach to those remaining in stranded areas. UNICEF’s Palestinian Programme will continue supporting vulnerable children and families living in Palestinian camps in Lebanon. 

A Rapid Response Mechanism (RRM) will serve as a critical, agile, and timely response framework to address sudden population movements, including displaced or returning IDP children, families, and host communities. It will provide essential lifesaving supplies coupled with measures on Accountability to Affected Populations (AAP) and Risk Communication and Community Engagement. 

UNICEF’s response strategy includes the following components: 

• Expand channels for IDPs and host communities to provide programming input and feedback in a timely and dignified manner per AAP standards.
• Strengthen localized and multisectoral operations with the government at national and subnational levels, including disaster risk reduction (DRR) and disaster risk management (DRM) Units. Support governorates' emergency preparedness and response planning.
• Enhance gender-responsive and disability-inclusive programming, targeting affected populations regardless of nationality, balancing humanitarian-development needs, following a ‘do no harm’ approach.
• Mainstream prevention of sexual exploitation and abuse and mobilize trusted community leaders to disseminate accurate information on available services and conduct by response workers.
• Enhance UNICEF’s regular programmes to ensure they are shock-responsiveness by prepositioning emergency supplies and diversifying operational modalities to deliver services and goods.
• Integrate solar equipment and solar repair services in response activities to ensure energy supply for the continued provision of essential services. 

UNICEF’s humanitarian strategy is aligned with Inter-Agency humanitarian sector priorities. UNICEF co-leads the WASH, education, nutrition, and child protection (sub) sectors, and participates in the health, basic assistance, livelihoods, and protection sectors, including the GBV Working Group.