Attachments
Context
Lebanon’s existing complex humanitarian crisis has been further intensified by the repercussions of the Gaza war that has affected the country since 8 October 2023. The ongoing conflict has introduced heightened security concerns, creating a precarious environment that poses threats to the population’s safety and stability of the nation. Since late 2019, Lebanon has been facing an evolving complex humanitarian crisis since late 2019, generating urgent, widespread and growing needs for assistance and protection. The devastating Beirut port explosions that occurred on 4 August 2020 compounded an ongoing economic crisis made worse by the COVID-19 pandemic. Notwithstanding such dire conditions, the country still hosts the highest per capita number of refugees worldwide. These conditions have made the road to recovery and resilience a challenging one on multiple fronts.
According to the World Bank, Lebanon’s socioeconomic collapse has spiralled into one of the top three most severe economic crises the world has seen since the 1850s. Over 80 per cent of people in Lebanon are living in multidimensional poverty, which reflects deprivation across areas including healthcare, electricity, water, sanitation, transportation, connectivity and means of income. This represents a doubling of the multidimensional poverty rate from 2019.
The accessibility and quality of healthcare have become particularly concerning. Lebanon’s healthcare system is struggling to recover from the stress of the COVID-19 pandemic and prepare for future threats while the economic crisis continues to spiral. It has become more difficult to source previously subsidized medication; providers have had to cut operations due to reduced fuel, supplies and human resources (the World Health Organization (WHO) estimated in 2021 that 40 per cent of doctors had left the country). According to the latest multisector needs assessment commissioned by the United Nations Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs (OCHA), 71 per cent of Lebanese households and 74 per cent of Palestinian households in-country said they had been unable to afford medical treatment in the previous three months.
Economically, Lebanon faces increased strain as the Gaza war contributes to disruptions in trade, heightened financial pressures and additional challenges for critical sectors. The hostile environment diverts attention and resources away from addressing long-term priorities, hindering the nation’s ability to navigate and recover from the interconnected crises it currently faces.