Lebanon — protection
Image: Plan International
Lebanon is facing compounding crises. As in many countries around the world, COVID-19 has had significant economic and health impacts, further pushing vulnerable populations into poverty. On top of this, the Beirut Port Explosion in August 2020, one of the world’s largest non-nuclear explosions, destroyed large parts of the capital, including some 300,000 homes.
A currency and banking crisis has rocked the economy, with the Lebanese currency losing more than 85% of its value over an 18-month period, sending the costs of food and essential items skyrocketing and wiping out families’ savings. According to UNHCR, between October 2019 and June 2021, the cost of food in Lebanon increased by 404 per cent.
Lebanon is also estimated to host to one of the largest per-capita populations of Syrian refugees, as the crisis continues into its 12th year. This group is especially vulnerable, facing high levels of extreme poverty, food insecurity, and a lack of suitable housing. Economic pressure has forced refugee families to adopt negative coping strategies, such as keeping children out of school, arranging child marriages or engaging in child labour.
Women and girls are still disproportionately exposed to various types of gender-based violence (GBV) in the community. According to the country’s GBV records, physical assault and psychological/emotional abuse were the most reported types of GBV in January-March 2023, accounting for 35% and 32% of all reported incidents respectively. Child mothers, early married girls, unaccompanied and separated girls, women and girls with disabilities, older women, and female heads of households continue to be the most at risk.
Cultural and social norms contribute to the normalization of GBV and discourage women and girls from seeking help or reporting incidents. Children are experiencing heightened risk of violence, and some are separated from their families or have lost their caregivers.
The AHP Response
Above: A video showing some highlights from AHP protection work in Lebanon between 2021-2023.
The AHP Response to the Lebanon economic crisis has focused on two key areas: protection and livelihoods/winterisation. This builds on an earlier AHP response in Lebanon between 2017 and 2021.
The livelihoods/winterisation component was completed in early 2023, while work on protection is continuing until October 2024 with the support of the Australian Government.
Plan International Australia is leading on the protection area, in partnership with International Medical Corps and local NGOs Himaya (2021-2023) and Mouvement Sociale (2023-2024).
The deepening economic crisis has put children, girls and women, people with disability, and refugees at greater risk of abuse, violence and exploitation. The AHP response will address immediate protection needs of vulnerable groups through gender-based violence and child protection services, community education, case management, cash for protection, and emergency assistance, while also working on prevention strategies at the individual and community levels to address root causes of violence.