The authors of a UNICEF report estimate that famine affects 30% of children in Lebanon, noting that “Lebanese children are suffering the full brunt of one of the world’s worst economic collapses in recent times,” a crisis that affects all aspects of their lives, and faced with the inability to establish social support reality.
UNICEF Lebanon Representative Yuki Muko Says No Improvement In Sight As More Children Go To Bed Hungry
Children’s health, education and future are affected, prices are skyrocketing and unemployment continues to rise. The number of families is in Lebanon, which is forced to take negative adaptation measures in order to be able to resist, such as canceling certain meals to save their price, sending their children to work, often in dangerous working conditions, or resorting to marriage. their minors, or sell their property.
Yuki muko
According to the press release
Over 30% of children in Lebanon slept in bed last month on an empty stomach because they did not receive enough meals. 77% of households do not have enough food or money to buy it. This percentage rises among Syrian families to 99%.
60% of families are forced to buy food by accumulating unpaid bills or by borrowing.
30% of children in Lebanon do not receive the primary health care they need. 76% of households have been strongly affected by the massive increase in drug prices.
One in ten children in Lebanon works
40% of children belong to families where no one works, and 77% of these families do not receive social assistance from any party.
15% of families in Lebanon have stopped sending their children to schools.
80% of caregivers say that children have difficulty concentrating on their studies at home, either because of hunger or because of psychological distress.
Also according to UNICEF would be involved in addition to the economic crisis, the COVID-19 pandemic and the consequences of the two massive explosions that devastated the port of Beirut in August 2020, in addition to the current political instability. They note that Syrian refugees are the most affected at the moment but that the number of Lebanese nationals in the crisis is increasing exponentially.
The UN organization calls on local authorities in Lebanon to develop rapidly to meet urgent needs and provide social protection measures, to ensure access to quality education for every child, and to strengthen care services primary health care and child protection.
This includes taking measures vis-à-vis the most vulnerable groups. For its part, UNICEF is expanding its program, with donor support
Lebanon cannot afford to have children deprived of nutrition, forced to drop out of school, ill health, or face risks of abuse, violence and exploitation. Children are a future Any nation. They are the first and the last investment.
