Context

Lebanon is facing a humanitarian emergency fuelled by socio-economic challenges and periods of heightened insecurity in its southern region, as a result of the war in Gaza and the spillover of the conflict on its border. Since at least 2019, rising public debt, a high fiscal deficit, and political turbulence have been the driving forces behind Lebanon’s socio economic turmoil. This has led to rising unemployment, increased levels of poverty, business closures, inflation, restricted access to foreign currency and imports, and a decline in foreign remittances.

About 1.5 million Syrian refugees live in Lebanon, along with some 489,300 Palestinian refugees and about 11,600 refugees from other nations. With a population of 5.3 million, Lebanon has the highest ratio of refugee to resident population. Nearly all Syrian refugees in Lebanon live on incomes insufficient to meet basic needs, with around 27% food insecure.

INTERSOS’ intervention

In Lebanon we support the Syrian refugee population and vulnerable Lebanese. In 2023, our staff ensured that people who have survived or are at risk of gender-based violence received psychosocial support, access to safe spaces for women and girls to learn new skills and guidance towards greater independence. INTERSOS also provides legal services and cash assistance to the most vulnerable. Children are also at the centre of our response: we created safe spaces for boys and girls, carried out case management activities and rehabilitated four schools in Beirut and Mount Lebanon, distributed educational materials, provided financial support to families in need and organised remedial classes. 

In addition, in the North, in Bekaa and Beirut, as well as in the South, we have conducted protection monitoring activities, which aim to fully understand the diversity of risks and needs of different groups and individuals according to age, gender and diversity (AGD), by regularly and systematically collecting, verifying and analysing information over a period of time in order to identify rights violations and/or protection risks for the populations concerned and to inform the humanitarian community’s programming. 

Refugees were also supported through housing rehabilitation. Agreements with landlords included rent freezes for the most vulnerable. Cash-for-shelter activities were also carried out, consisting of supporting vulnerable families to pay rent for six months. 

Finally, we carried out projects to rehabilitate and solarise major infrastructures, including sewage systems, schools and street lighting systems. These projects had a great impact on social stability as all communities, including host communities, benefit from these improvements. 

In the South of the country, we have worked in the sector of Disaster Risk Reduction. More specifically, we responded to the emergency in the South through distributions of Non-food items, cash assistance to displaced people, psychosocial support and case management.