UNICEF Geneva Palais Briefing Note on the impact of the attacks in Lebanon on children

NEW YORK (February 28, 2024) – “I am speaking to you this morning from Beirut to share alarming findings of the new UNICEF survey we conducted in January 2025, after more than a year of war and bombardment.

“Child-focused Rapid Assessment (CfRA) exposes the profound toll of war on children in Lebanon, revealing the collapse of their support systems and the escalating risks of exploitation and deep emotional trauma.

“Let me share some of the findings:

“The assessment revealed a grim picture of children’s nutrition situation, particularly in the Baalbeck and Bekaa governorates, which remained densely populated when they were repeatedly targeted by air strikes.

“In these regions in Eastern Lebanon, more than half (51 per cent) of children under the age of 2 are experiencing severe food poverty - more than double the number a year ago.

“Nearly 72 per cent of caregivers said their children were anxious or nervous during the war. While 62 per cent said they were depressed or sad.

“It is perhaps important at this stage to reshare a bit of background: Hostilities in Lebanon escalated sharply in September 2024 after 11 months of cross-border strikes. Following the declaration of a ceasefire in November, more than 310 children had been killed and over 1,500 wounded.

“The conflict also compounded Lebanon’s challenging education situation, after years of economic strife, teacher strikes and the impact of COVID-19 – there are now ever half a million children out of school. Even with the ceasefire, school attendance remains low. One in 4 children (25 per cent) was still out of school at the time of the survey. Schools were destroyed or heavily damaged in the war and hundreds more were used as shelters for some of the 1.3 million people who were internally displaced due to the conflict.

“The assessment also shows that:

• nearly 80% of families urgently need some form of support
• Almost half of households that we spoke to were forced to cut spending on health, and 30 per cent on education to afford basic necessities.
• 31 per cent of households did not have enough drinking water putting them at risk of disease;
• 33 per cent of households did not have access to the medications their children needed
• 22 per cent of households did not have any heating source for the winter

“And as the humanitarian situation is worsening, with more children going hungry, we see children as young as 5 being forced to work, and early marriage especially amongst girls increasing - while donors’ funding is declining. Despite the multiple and continuous crises, UNICEF in Lebanon has seen a decrease in its humanitarian funding since 2023. Our 2025 appeal is only 26% funded.

“It is unfortunately critical to also note that the report’s data was collected in early January this year, just as several governments announced further aid cuts. This means the reality for many children here is even more dire than these figures suggest. For example, half a million children and their families risk losing critical subsistence cash support from UN agencies.

“These cuts will strip the most vulnerable of their last lifeline, leaving them unable to afford even the most basic necessities and pushing them deeper into desperation.”

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ABOUT UNICEF USA 

UNICEF USA advances the global mission of UNICEF by rallying the American public to support the world’s most vulnerable children. Together, we are working toward a world that upholds the rights of all children and helps every child thrive. For more information, visit www.unicefusa.org. 

For more information please contact:
Jenna Buraczenski, UNICEF USA, (917) 720-1432, jburaczenski@unicefusa.org