Attachments
Glide №:
OT-2021-000171-LBN
DESCRIPTION OF THE EVENT
Lebanon has been in the grip of a complex humanitarian crisis since late 2019, generating urgent and widespread needs for assistance and protection. It is in this context that two powerful explosions occurred at the port of Beirut on 4 August 2020, leaving devastating impacts as the country grapples with the interconnected economic and financial crises, political volatility, the effects of the COVID-19 pandemic in addition to hosting the highest refugee population per capita in the world. The combined effects of these crises are leaving growing numbers of people in dire need of support and intensifying risks to vulnerable groups.
Severity of humanitarian conditions
1. Impact on accessibility, availability, quality, use and awareness of goods and services
The double explosion at the port of Beirut, caused by the detonation of hundreds of tons of highly explosive fertiliser, took over 200 lives, left over 6,000 people with physical injuries and others with psychological distress, and displaced over 300,000 people. The recovery from the impacts of this event has been complicated by the deterioration of the broader crisis which began in late 2019. Lebanon’s socioeconomic collapse has spiralled into one of the top three most severe economic crises the world has seen since the 1850s, according to the World Bank. Lebanon is also impacted by civil unrest and uncertainty in light of governance challenges.
The complex crisis in the country is having severe impacts on access to basic necessities. As of 2021, over 80% 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 42% in 2019.
The situation has also led to a crisis in the quality and accessibility of healthcare. Medicines that were previously subsidised have become difficult to source; providers have had to cut hours or operational capacity due to reduced fuel and supplies. The WHO estimated in September 2021 that 40% of doctors and 15-17% of nurses have left the country. Lebanon remains vulnerable to continued transmission of COVID-19, with less than half of the population vaccinated as of early 2022.
Current conditions pose risks for those already vulnerable, including more than one in four who are migrants and refugees. Most Syrian and Palestinian refugees were living in poverty prior to 2019 and have experienced increasingly dire circumstances. The 2021 Vulnerability Assessment for Syrian Refugees in Lebanon revealed that nine out of ten of Syrian refugees in Lebanon were living below the extreme poverty line. While poverty among Palestinian refugees in Lebanon has not been measured systematically since 2015, the rate at the time was 65% and the group continues to face persistent barriers to many essential services.
2. Impact on physical and mental well-being
World Food Programme surveys found that 34% of Lebanese, 50% of Syrian refugees, and 33% of refugees of other nationalities are food insecure. In terms of healthcare access, the WHO estimated in September 2021 that 70% of people require support to cover healthcare costs compared to 48% prior to the current crisis, while healthcare systems are straining to sustain services. Conditions are taking a marked toll on mental well-being, with Gallup reporting in 2021 the highest percentage of people with negative emotions in their 16 years of collecting data.
3. Risks and vulnerabilities
The crisis is exacerbating protection risks for vulnerable groups. Risks associated with decreased routine and chronic healthcare may intensify if the crisis persists, including increased hospitalisations and other complications. Indeed, in the multi-sector needs assessment conducted by REACH for the UN Humanitarian Country Team, 66% of Lebanese households and 65% of Palestinian refugee households in Lebanon reported at least one member with a chronic illness. Finally, growing risks from climate change require continued investments in adaptation and preparedness to mitigate and meet future humanitarian needs resulting from its effects