Syrian refugees in Lebanon struggle to secure their basic daily needs, such as food - drinking water - rent expenses as well as transportation expenses - medicines and health care Due to the economic crisis that hit the country and the repercussions of the covid-19 pandemic.
It has become unfortunate that the Syrians' living conditions continue to deteriorate to the extent that they are not able to secure the minimum standard of living and pay housing rents due to the lack of resources due to the lack of stable or sufficient sources of income. UNHCR’s response with the international community is limited to temporary assistance, which is specific and limited, without meeting the needs of Syrian refugees, or providing durable solutions to lift Syrian refugees out of extreme poverty. The temporary aid is not enough to provide food for one person per month, given the economic inflation in the country.
According to the statistics, the Syrian refugees may face a humanitarian catastrophe if their living conditions continue in this way, for example, food insecurity and the like.
According to a press release by the World Bank; nearly 90% of Syrian refugees are unable to secure what is the minimum level of survival. It is estimated that the Corona pandemic crisis has led to an increase in poverty rates by about 56% among Syrian refugees.
According to a UNICEF report; 99% of Syrian families lack enough food, or enough money to buy food. One in five families lacks enough drinking water
According to the UNHCR; a 2020 vulnerability assessment of Syrian refugees in Lebanon concluded that 89% of Syrian refugee families in Lebanon were living below the extreme poverty line. And due to the increasing needs, many refugees have found themselves forced to adopt negative coping mechanisms such as reducing the number of refugees Meals, getting their children out of school, child labor, indebtedness, and moving out of desperation to take trips by sea to Cyprus, many refugees were also expelled from their homes due to their inability to pay the rent.
we request from the representative of the UNHCR in Lebanon, Mr. Ayaki Ito
- An urgent press conference was held, urging the international community to mobilize support, to prevent a humanitarian catastrophe.
- Expand the volume of humanitarian assistance provided by the UNHCR, in proportion to the economic inflation in the country, and the rise in the prices of basic materials, for example foodstuffs - medicines - rents.
- Increasing the number of beneficiaries of the humanitarian aid provided by the UNHCR.
