Attachments
I. KEY HIGHLIGHTS DURING QUARTER 1 2025
Despite the official pronouncement of a ceasef ire, election of a president and formation of a reform-oriented government, the socio-economic situation in Lebanon remained fragile, and the country continued to face serious challenges, compounded by intermitted armed escalations and displacement in Q1 2025. Together with all other populations, the conflict and its aftermath have weakened resilience and deepened vulnerability of the refugee community in Lebanon. Women at risk, persons with disabilities, and older individuals are increasingly unable to meet basic needs like food, medication, transportation, and rental fees. These challenges intensify their protection risks and push many refugees to adopt harmful coping strategies like incurring debts or skipping meals, leading to more complex and overlapping vulnerabilities. Additionally, the sharp reduction of humanitarian funding experienced in the f irst quarter of 2025 already began to negatively impact the situation of Syrian refugees and other forcibly displaced people in Lebanon.
POPULATION MOVEMENTS INTO AND FROM SYRIA: Throughout Q1 2025, movement of Syrian refugees remained complex and fluid. UNHCR1 estimated that more than 370,000 Syrians had crossed back to Syria via neighboring countries between 8 December 2024 and 31 March 2025, including estimated 123,328 Syrian individuals returning from or via Lebanon, and also those with residency in Lebanon engaging in temporary or pendular movements. In Q1 2025, among those Syrian refugees known to UNHCR, more than 90,000 individuals had been verified or presumed to return to Syria. In addition, the fall of the Assad Government in December 2024 and multiple clashes in Syria in March 2025 resulted in the arrival of almost 100,000 Syrians into Lebanon by the end of March 2025.
LEGAL AND ADMINISTRATIVE BARRIERS have continued to pose ongoing risks to Syrian refugees related to detention and deportation. The lack of documentation including valid legal residency among many Syrian refugees remains a critical concern, that functions as a fundamental barrier to their access to rights and protection from refoulement. Checkpoints and raids targeting Syrian refugees without legal documentation continue posing protection risks for Syrians negatively af fecting their freedom of movement, livelihood opportunities and raising fears and anxiety to be arbitrarily arrested and consequently deported.
LACK OF AFFORDABLE HOUSING HAS BEEN REPORTED as another critical issue among refugees in Q1 2025. Difficulties in securing housing due to damaged infrastructure in the areas where refugees lived before the conflict, coupled with high rental fees specifically targeting refugees, and various administrative restrictions introduced by municipalities post-ceasefire, particularly in the South, have significantly limited the opportunities for refugees to return to their pre-conflict places of residence. At the same time, rising rental costs have continued to increase the risks of eviction and homelessness among refugees, most of whom were already living below the poverty line.
2 TENSIONS BETWEEN SYRIAN REFUGEES AND HOST COMMUNITIES have been reported across the country, primarily driven by a competition for resources, housing, unequal treatment, and political factors. Several sectarian incidents within the refugee community were also observed during the reporting period, mostly driven by tensions between newly arrived groups of Syrians and long-term refugees due to perceived affiliations with the former Assad Government and alleged unfair access to humanitarian assistance.
THE RESTRICTIONS ON ACCESS TO EDUCATION FOR SYRIAN CHILDREN continued to be a serious concern in Q1 2025 causing profound and far-reaching impacts. The requirement to present valid legal residency or UNHCR registration certificate placed an insurmountable barrier for many Syrian children to be enrolled into a school in Lebanon. The inability to attend school increased vulnerability among Syrian children who become more susceptible to life-altering risks such as violence, forced labor, human trafficking, early marriage and exploitation. In addition, tuition, capacity, and transportation costs also play an adverse role in compounding the difficulties in access to education. A rise in GBV cases has been reported during Q1 2025, after a decline in reports during the conf lict. Economic hardship has increased incidents of domestic violence, in addition to pressuring women into informal labor. Women and girls also face an increased risk of GBV incidents due to overcrowded accommodation, which lacks adequate privacy. Compounding child protection risks af fecting Syrian children have also been observed throughout the quarter, such as early marriage and family separation. Children are regularly forced into child labor, often for low-paying and sometimes hazardous wo