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Press Release
07 July 2026
One in three private sector workers surveyed in Lebanon no longer working amid renewed hostilities, ILO report finds
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Story
02 July 2026
Honor, Sacrifice and Commitment: Women Carve Out a Place in Lebanon’s Military and Security Forces
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Press Release
30 June 2026
ILO holds first National Tripartite Dialogue in Lebanon on employment protection, enterprise recovery and economic resilience
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Latest
The Sustainable Development Goals in Lebanon
The Sustainable Development Goals are a global call to action to end poverty, protect the earth’s environment and climate, and ensure that people everywhere can enjoy peace and prosperity. These are the goals the UN is working on in Lebanon:
Publication
13 January 2026
Aid to Lebanon: Tracking of development aid received to Lebanon
The UN works with donor partners and national/international implementing partners in Lebanon to provide the government with real-time and transparent information on aid flows coming into Lebanon. These aid flows include development, humanitarian, peacebuilding and all other types of funds in support of Lebanon. Since 2016, the UN has collected reports on funding flows from Government donors to national entities, UN agencies, NGOs, Lebanon-specific funds and other actors and partners, including the private sector.This is done through cumulative quarterly updates on reported available funds (carry over and disbursed) and known future/expected commitments to Lebanon. The quarterly updates also present an overview of support by donors and available funds for the Lebanon Response Plan and Lebanon Flash Appeal. Check out the latest update on the reported allocated grants and future commitments: Aid tracking Results as of 30 September 2025.You can check the links below to view previous funding updates for Lebanon in 2017, 2018, 2019, 2020, 2021, 2022, 2023, and 2024.
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18 May 2026
Life in displacement remains a struggle as Lebanon ceasefire brings little respite
A line of laundry, swaying gently in the heat of early spring, hangs where a classroom whiteboard once stood. Instead of desks, there are rows of mattresses. Through thin partitions, voices carry from one family’s space to another – multiple lives have been compressed into this one room in Raml El Zarif Public School in Hamra, Beirut.Nearly a month after a fragile ceasefire was announced, this is still what displacement looks like in Lebanon: not an emergency that has passed, but one that continues, quietly, unevenly, and without resolution. Around 130,000 of the more than 1 million people who have been forced to flee their homes are staying in collective shelters, the majority of which are schools.“We fled Dahieh and were displaced here,” says Qassem Reda, recalling how his family escaped heavy airstrikes in Beirut’s southern suburbs. Like many others, their journey to safety was rushed and uncertain. Some families spent days on the road; others arrived with nothing but the winter clothes they were wearing.When the ceasefire was announced, there was a surge of hope. Many families attempted to return, or at least tried to check on their homes. But those efforts were often short-lived. “We went back for one day,” says Ghadir Houjaj, who fled from the south. “But we didn’t feel the situation was stable enough to stay. There is so much destruction, and the sound of airstrikes and drones overhead was too much… so we came back here.”It is a pattern that repeats itself across Lebanon: cautious returns followed by renewed displacement. Even after the ceasefire, insecurity, unexploded ordnance and widespread destruction have prevented people from going home. Tens of thousands of houses have been damaged or destroyed, while access to water, electricity, health care and schools remains limited or disrupted. While Beirut has been quieter in recent days, areas in southern Lebanon and West Bekaa continue to endure near-daily Israeli airstrikes, demolitions and destruction, affecting homes and civilian infrastructure and making return difficult, dangerous or impossible.For people like Yusuf Qbeissi from Nabatieh, going home in the near future is not an option. A retired army serviceman who spent years building his house, he returned to find it severely damaged. “I put my life’s savings into it less than five years ago,” he says. “Now all the walls are cracked. I can’t risk my family’s lives by moving back. And repairing the house will cost money I do not have.”He is now staying at a school in the north, spending his days tending small patches of land in the schoolyard, growing thyme and rosemary, in an effort to reclaim a sense of purpose amid the uncertainty. It has been almost 2.5 months since the latest military escalation began. Life inside collective shelters, like the converted classroom in Raml El Zarif school, is characterized by overcrowding and a lack of privacy, with schools never built to host hundreds of families. Life here is a world of contrasts: babies are born next to people who are mourning loved ones killed in the conflict.Many have had to move repeatedly in recent weeks. Some, including Syrian refugees who first fled their home country 14 years ago to seek safety in Lebanon, say they have lost count entirely. “Not enough fingers,” says a woman trying to recall how often she has been displaced.Support from UNHCR and partners, including the installation of partitions and repairs in hundreds of shelters, has helped restore some dignity. “There is a huge difference now,” says Ghadir. “Less noise, more privacy. We can even host relatives who are also displaced.” But these improvements do not change the reality that people are unable to return to the privacy of their own homes. As temperatures rise, heat and poor ventilation are also becoming urgent concerns. Many families are also without a source of income. Maha, 48, from Srifa in the south, lost both her home and her husband’s welding workshop in airstrikes. “We have nothing left,” she says. “There are many sick people [here], many needs. Life is very hard and there is no work.” Her daughter now works in the shelter’s kitchen to help the family survive.The psychological toll is especially visible among children. “When I enter my classroom in my school [at home], I go to study,” says Zahraa, 12. “Here, I enter the classroom to sleep and live away from home because it is not safe to go back.” She is sheltering in another classroom, in Al Basta Public School, which is just a 15-minute drive from her home. But their neighbourhood in Beirut has taken a pounding, too. “There is no electricity, no water, no internet for her online schooling,” says her mother, Fatima. “I feel like I can’t breathe. I miss our home.”In another classroom, a group of women sit in a circle during a support session, sharing fears and practising breathing exercises to cope with stress and trauma. For many, these sessions are the only place where they can speak openly. Sitting nearby, Nawal chooses not to join. “I prefer to keep my stories in my heart,” she says quietly, holding her phone. This story was written by Ms. Dalal Harb, Communications Officer & Spokesperon at UNHCR Office in Lebanon.
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31 March 2026
Between Conflict and Uncertainty, the UN Works to Protect Civilians in Lebanon
From his desk in central Beirut, the United Nations’ top official in Lebanon – Imran Riza, UN Resident and Humanitarian Coordinator – could hear the escalation. Rather than leave, he and his team stayed at their posts, in the field and on the phones, ensuring aid reached civilians caught in the crosshairs of war."Over a million people are displaced and many unsheltered right now,” Riza said. “And I’m afraid we might be having a lot more.”The displacement orders typically come at night – posted online, then spread rapidly through WhatsApp, social media and word of mouth. Sometimes entire districts are told to leave shortly before the strikes hit.“It’s not just the south anymore,” Riza said. “Central Beirut has been targeted.”Nearly a fifth of the country has been displaced. Roughly 14 percent of Lebanon is under evacuation orders. Families move from place to place with little certainty about where they will land next. Many sleep along the seafront, while others refuse to leave altogether.Nearly a fifth of the country has been displaced. Roughly 14 percent of Lebanon is under evacuation orders.“They want to stay close to their homes because they’re concerned they won’t be able to return to them,” he said.A Country on the MoveThat fear is rooted in memories of past conflicts and returns that took years, if they came at all. Many residents worry that if the situation becomes entrenched, reversing it could be extremely difficult.Children bear the brunt. More than 400,000 children have been displaced in Lebanon, part of a regional crisis in which at least 87 children are forced from their homes daily.Across the country, 635 shelters have been opened, stretching a system already weakened by years of economic collapse. Education has been severely disrupted, as public schools and the national public university are now being used as collective shelters, interrupting learning for thousands of students whose futures grow more uncertain each day.At the same time, civilians are navigating a fractured information environment. Displacement orders circulate alongside official statements and various political messages. Mis- and disinformation runs throughout. For many, it is no longer clear who to trust or where safety lies.A Rare Political OpeningAnd yet, beneath the violence, something remarkable is taking shape: for the first time in decades, the Lebanese state is genuinely attempting to reclaim authority from Hezbollah.“The cabinet declared Hezbollah’s military wing unlawful,” said a senior Lebanese government official. “That’s a decision that has never been taken before.”Legislation banning the Iranian-backed group occurred just 24 hours before the war began. The move, paired with a government aligning more closely with the United States and Europe, signals a shift that would have been unthinkable even a year ago. It also follows the emergence of new leadership under the presidency of Joseph Aoun, determined to reassert state control after decades of parallel power structures.It also comes amid a rare geopolitical opening. The collapse of the Assad regime in Syria has disrupted the corridor that once funneled weapons and money from Tehran through Damascus into southern Lebanon.“Things have become more conducive to change,” the government official said.On paper, the conditions for state consolidation have improved. In reality, the window is narrowing.“They wanted us to deliver faster,” the government official said of Washington. “That’s not possible; this is a huge legacy to untangle.”That legacy includes Hezbollah’s entrenched power, a collapsed banking system and hollowed-out state infrastructure. The result is an impossible paradox: alignment with American objectives, without the ability to achieve them on the accelerated timeline expected.The UN’s Four Fronts From where Riza sits at the UN, he breaks the crisis down into four urgent concerns.First, de-escalation — “That doesn’t seem imminent,” he remarked, acknowledging the political will of all parties that a cessation of hostilities demands.The respect for international law and protection of civilians — “This is huge, the most important priority,” he said, as children and healthcare workers are killed at record numbers and medical facilities struck.Humanitarian access — increasingly fragile, dependent on coordination that does not always hold.“We need parties to the conflict to ensure our safe access,” Riza said. “Safe humanitarian access should be ensured under international law, because parties to the conflict are obligated not to target humanitarian sites.” He added, “That’s not always the case.”“We need parties to the conflict to ensure our safe access. That’s not always the case.”And funding.Following a visit by UN Secretary-General António Guterres on March 13, the UN launched a $308 million flash appeal for three months. Even that, Riza said, is unlikely to be enough.“We’re going to have to be revising upwards.”Meanwhile, along the southern border, UN peacekeepers continue to operate under growing strain. The mandate for UNIFIL is set to expire in December 2026, raising difficult questions about what happens next.Grounded by the PeopleStill, moments of reassurance cut through the chaos.Riza remembers meeting a displaced woman in a shelter.“She said, ‘Look at me. I’m wearing the same pajamas I had on when I fled here in the middle of the night… but I’m safe. I’ve got my family.’ And then she said, ‘What I want now from you is to help me with some cooking utensils so that I can cook for everyone here, because I’m a really good cook.”Riza offered his first genuine smile of the conversation when he added, “You see the strength of people.” A Message for WashingtonResilience, however, is not a strategy.As the same government official explained, Lebanon is attempting to unwind decades of dual power structures in a matter of months, while managing a war it does not control.“We are trying to reverse 45 years,” the government official said. “The expectations are enormous.”For Washington, the implications are equally significant.The U.S. now has a partner in Beirut more aligned with its objectives than at any point in recent memory. But alignment without capacity risks failure — and failure risks reinforcing the very actors the strategy is meant to weaken.From Beirut, that effort is already underway.And people like Imran Riza are there at that center of it, coordinating under fire to ensure civilians are protected. Disclaimer: This article was originally published by the Better World Campaign (BWC), written by Liz Metraux and BWC, and is republished here with permission.
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15 December 2025
Education for Justice: A Gender-Transformative Course on the Missing and Disappeared Strengthens a Culture of Non-Recurrence
“Since 1983, our feet have worn out from endlessly chasing news. I still sit at home thinking the door might knock any minute… I will kiss his feet if he comes back. I have never been able to accept it, as if he left only yesterday. I tell my children: I won’t forgive you if I die and you don’t ask about your brother.” Muntaha Haidar, mother of a disappeared person.For Muntaha, the search for truth has been a lifelong journey marked by loss and persistence. Her son disappeared during Lebanon’s civil war, leaving behind questions that no one could answer. Decades later, her story has become part of a new collective effort to keep memory alive. As one of the women who shared their testimonies in a new online course on the missing and forcibly disappeared, Muntaha speaks of pain and endurance, reminding learners that remembrance is also an act of justice.Across Lebanon, thousands of families like Muntaha’s continue to wait for answers. Nearly four decades since the end of the civil war, the fate of an estimated 17,000 people remains unknown. While the 2018 Law 105 established the National Commission for the Missing and Forcibly Disappeared, many families and advocates believe that real justice also depends on preserving collective memory and helping new generations understand this chapter of history as their own.This is where education becomes a bridge between remembrance and reform.“This initiative directly supports the Government’s efforts to strengthen national capacities for truth‑seeking and social recovery. By embedding these themes into education, we are contributing to Lebanon’s broader development trajectory, one where empowered institutions, informed citizens, and gender‑responsive policies work together to help ensure that such suffering is never repeated,” explained UN Deputy Special Coordinator, Resident and Humanitarian Coordinator for Lebanon, Imran Riza. Education as a Bridge to JusticeLebanon’s first Massive Open Online Course (MOOC) on the missing and forcibly disappeared from a gender perspective was launched in October 2025. The course was developed by SEEDS for Legal Initiatives and La Sagesse University, in partnership with UN Women and UN Development Programme (UNDP), with the contributions of OHCHR and the support of the Government of Canada. It explores the legacy of the missing through a human rights and gender lens, connecting the struggles of the past to the responsibilities of the present. Through video lectures, testimonies, and interactive materials, the course allows learners to understand how women – mothers, partners, sisters, and daughters – have carried the emotional, social, and economic burden of enforced disappearances while leading the fight for truth and justice. From Loss to Learning: Education, Empathy, and DialogueWith the UN’s support, this initiative turns pain into education and activism into curriculum. As one of the first academic resources on gender and transitional justice in Lebanon, it provides teachers, students, and practitioners with tools to analyze the interplay between enforced disappearance, gender, and human rights – topics that were long absent from university programs.Since its launch, the course has drawn wide interest from students and civil society actors, with hundreds enrolling to explore how memory and justice intersect. Several universities are moving to integrate it in their curricula; La Sagesse University already uses it as a key reference in its legal studies program. One student who completed the course said it reshaped her understanding of Lebanon’s past and of her own family’s story. “While watching the videos at home, my father sat beside me, listening to every word,” she said. “That’s when I discovered my grandfather was among the disappeared – a story my family had never spoken about.” This human impact – shifting attitudes, deepening empathy, and bridging generations – is what makes the course transformative. Designed to spark dialogue between academics and policymakers on integrating transitional justice into education, it also encourages families and young people to speak about remembrance and healing across generations. For students, the MOOC offers a safe space to discuss the war years and their aftermath, something rarely done openly in Lebanon. For families of the disappeared, it offers recognition that their decades-long struggle is not forgotten.The course’s success reflects a growing commitment to address Lebanon’s legacy of conflict through inclusive and gender-transformative approaches. By advancing the Women, Peace and Security Agenda as a tool for transitional justice, the course shows how women’s experiences and agency are central to peacebuilding, offering a resource that women’s rights organizations and community peacebuilders can use to train young mediators and community activists on memory, dialogue, and accountability.“This course invests in knowledge and awareness—tools that empower the next generation to engage constructively with Lebanon’s history and build a culture of truth and reconciliation,” says Blerta Aliko, UNDP Resident Representative in Lebanon. Echoing this, UN Women Representative Gielan El-Messiri stresses that the course fills a critical gap: “For too long, gender-specific experiences were absent from transitional justice processes. This course brings women’s stories to the heart of national memory.”
Towards a Culture of Truth and Non-RecurrenceThe initiative reinforces collaboration between Lebanese academic institutions and civil society, turning universities into spaces of reflection and social change. Through the partnership between SEEDS for Legal Initiatives and La Sagesse University, the MOOC shows how national actors, supported by UN entities/international partners, can lead innovation in transitional justice and contribute to intergenerational dialogue about Lebanon’s violent past.Beyond its immediate reach, the course has the potential to shape broader reform efforts in Lebanon. As more educators and policymakers engage with its content, it could influence how history and civic education are taught, helping future generations to discuss Lebanon’s conflicts with openness and empathy.While education cannot replace long-awaited answers, it helps build a shared national memory that honors the disappeared and reinforces a commitment to justice and non-recurrence. By bringing remembrance into classrooms, the MOOC ensures that young people understand these violations, empathize with affected families, and help prevent such injustices from happening again. This initiative was implemented by UN Women and UNDP, with contributions from OHCHR, and with the generous support of the Government of Canada, in close partnership with local stakeholders.Lebanon’s first Massive Open Online Course on the missing and forcibly disappeared would not have been possible without the generous support from the Government of Canada, one of Lebanon’s top donors. Since 2016, Canada has contributed almost $540 million USD to Lebanon, strengthening protection, gender equality, social stability, food security, and health, among others. Canada is also a strong champion of pooled funding, supporting both the Lebanon Humanitarian Fund (LHF) and the Lebanon Recovery Fund (LRF). Further details on international assistance to Lebanon are available in the Lebanon Aid Tracking reports: https://tinyurl.com/yc3deusc **This story was co-drafted by Ms. Diana Assaf (UN Women) and Ms. Kawsar Fahs (UNDP), with the support of Ms. Nadine Abi Zeid Daou (RCO/UNIC Beirut). The accompanying videos were produced by SEEDS for Legal Initiatives.
Towards a Culture of Truth and Non-RecurrenceThe initiative reinforces collaboration between Lebanese academic institutions and civil society, turning universities into spaces of reflection and social change. Through the partnership between SEEDS for Legal Initiatives and La Sagesse University, the MOOC shows how national actors, supported by UN entities/international partners, can lead innovation in transitional justice and contribute to intergenerational dialogue about Lebanon’s violent past.Beyond its immediate reach, the course has the potential to shape broader reform efforts in Lebanon. As more educators and policymakers engage with its content, it could influence how history and civic education are taught, helping future generations to discuss Lebanon’s conflicts with openness and empathy.While education cannot replace long-awaited answers, it helps build a shared national memory that honors the disappeared and reinforces a commitment to justice and non-recurrence. By bringing remembrance into classrooms, the MOOC ensures that young people understand these violations, empathize with affected families, and help prevent such injustices from happening again. This initiative was implemented by UN Women and UNDP, with contributions from OHCHR, and with the generous support of the Government of Canada, in close partnership with local stakeholders.Lebanon’s first Massive Open Online Course on the missing and forcibly disappeared would not have been possible without the generous support from the Government of Canada, one of Lebanon’s top donors. Since 2016, Canada has contributed almost $540 million USD to Lebanon, strengthening protection, gender equality, social stability, food security, and health, among others. Canada is also a strong champion of pooled funding, supporting both the Lebanon Humanitarian Fund (LHF) and the Lebanon Recovery Fund (LRF). Further details on international assistance to Lebanon are available in the Lebanon Aid Tracking reports: https://tinyurl.com/yc3deusc **This story was co-drafted by Ms. Diana Assaf (UN Women) and Ms. Kawsar Fahs (UNDP), with the support of Ms. Nadine Abi Zeid Daou (RCO/UNIC Beirut). The accompanying videos were produced by SEEDS for Legal Initiatives.
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14 January 2026
Holding on to the land: How the UN-supported Farmers’ Registry is Strengthening Rural Resilience in Lebanon
For many farmers in Lebanon, staying on their land has become an act of resilience. Amid a volatile security situation, economic pressure and soaring production costs continue to affect rural communities. Access to timely and targeted support has therefore become essential, often making the difference between farmers decisions to abandon their land or hold on to it. Abdallah Haddad, a farmer from South Lebanon, has spent his life caring for his land. When hostilities escalated during the 2024 conflict, he chose to stay behind. “I stayed in my garden for ten days to protect it,” Abdallah said. “I used everything I had to keep this land alive. After that, I had nothing left to continue working on it.”Across Lebanon, efforts to improve coordination and data use are reshaping how assistance reaches farming communities. At the centre of this transformation is the Farmer’s Registry, a digital platform that compiles real-time data on agricultural production, land use, and farmers’ living conditions. The registry is funded by the European Union and implemented by the Ministry of Agriculture, in partnership with the United Nations Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO).Through the registry, Abdallah was able to formally register as a farmer and receive an official identification card. For him, registration was more than an administrative step; it opened the door to organized, reliable support at a time of deep uncertainty.“I encourage every farmer to register,” he says. “It helps us, the farmers, access the Ministry’s services and benefit from support programmes when we need them most.”The Farmers’ Registry now serves as a central tool for delivering targeted agricultural assistance, shaping national policies, and informing responses to agricultural shocks.As of 5 December 2025, a total of 70,521 farmers had been registered nationwide, including 14,570 women farmers (20.6 percent). To ensure access for farmers in remote communities and hard-to-reach areas, 12 mobile registration teams were deployed in coordination with 43 agricultural centres and seven regional offices, bringing registration services directly to farmers’ doorsteps. Building on the registry’s data, the Ministry of Agriculture, with funding from the European Union, through a project implemented by the World Food Programme (WFP), launched an EU-funded cash voucher assistance programme supporting 5,000 smallholder farmers in Nabatieh, South Lebanon, and Baalbek-Hermel. The assistance enables farmers to restart production, purchase essential agricultural tools and inputs, and strengthen their contribution to local food security.For Abdallah, the support arrived when it mattered most. “Sometimes shelling reaches the village when I’m here, but I do not mind,” he says. “My soul resides in this land. Thanks to this assistance, I can now buy fertilizers and continue caring for my orchards.”Beyond immediate assistance, the Farmers’ Registry provides a long-term pathway for farmers to access agricultural services, social protection and recovery programmes helping to ensure that support reaches those who need it the most, while strengthening farmers’ resilience across rural communities. This initiative is part of a broader project funded by the European Union (@EUinLebanon) and implemented by the Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations (FAO) and the World Food Programme (WFP), in collaboration with the Ministry of Agriculture, to empower agricultural communities and strengthen their resilience through integrated and sustainable solutions.This initiative would not have been possible without the generous support of the European Union, one of Lebanon’s top donors. Since 2016, the EU has contributed over USD 2.5 billion to support access to essential services that helped improve livelihoods, enhance protection, support elections, and championed joint UN programmes on cash assistance, social protection, and conflict-impact mitigation. Further details on international assistance to Lebanon are available in the Lebanon Aid Tracking reports: https://tinyurl.com/yc3deusc **This story was co-drafted by Ms. Elite Sfeir (FAO) and Ms. Khadija Dia (WFP) with the support of Ms. Zeina Abdel Wahad (FAO/WFP) and Ms. Nadine Daou (RCO/UNIC Beirut). The accompanying video was produced by both WFP & FAO.
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02 July 2026
Honor, Sacrifice and Commitment: Women Carve Out a Place in Lebanon’s Military and Security Forces
When Brig. Gen. Marwa Saoud first joined the Lebanese Armed Forces (LAF), she did not expect to one day have an emblem of a star and two swords on her shoulders, signifying a military grade that has traditionally been dominated by men. “Joining the army was a childhood dream I didn’t think would come true. But when the military institution opened its doors for women to apply as officers, I did,” she recalled. Brig. Gen. Saoud was among the first 32 women to be recruited into the Lebanese army in 1992 as specialized officers, preceded in 1990 by the first intake of female non-commissioned officers. After serving in different positions and departments, Brig Gen. Saoud now leads the army’s gender department and spends her days developing and implementing policies that promote gender mainstreaming throughout Lebanon’s military institution. Not far from Saoud’s office in the foothills of Mount Lebanon, Col. Diala Mohtar of the Internal Security Forces (ISF) recounts her surprise upon discovering that she and another friend would be the first two women to join Lebanon’s police force after they applied in 2001. “We read a vacancy announcement in the newspaper that said the ISF was recruiting specialized officers. There was no reference in it to the fact that the positions were exclusively for men, so we applied,” she said. And when they both passed physical and substantive entrance examinations with flying colors, they could not but be admitted. In addition to being an information technology specialist, Col. Mohtar now also serves as a gender focal point for the ISF. At the Directorate of General Security, the recruitment of women began earlier than in the army, in 1973, because of the entity’s “direct contact with citizens and civilians, including women and children, such as at the airport and border crossings,” explained Capt. Christiane Abou-Zeid, who is also a gender focal point at General Security. Women now represent just over 5 per cent of the LAF, 6 per cent of the ISF and 12 percent of the General Security forces. Lebanon’s army has long been a stalwart of stability and a trusted, non-denominational institution in a country which seeks to maintain coexistence in a diverse and vibrant ecosystem of confessions and societies. International attention on the role of the Lebanese Armed Forces, alongside Lebanon’s other security services, has ratcheted up in response to recent hostilities, which began with an exchange of fire between Hizbullah and the Israel Defense Forces along the Blue Line in October 2023 and have since reached almost all governorates of Lebanon. While headlines abound regarding the challenges facing the LAF in its efforts to advance a State monopoly on all arms in Lebanon – including welfare and capability deficits exacerbated by the country’s 2019 financial collapse – there are other stories to be told, including those of the women across Lebanon’s security sector, bucking trends and working, in their own ways, towards the country’s stability and evolution. Gender Champions and Trust Building Whether at the LAF, the ISF or General Security, the breakthrough for women has been attributed to strong leadership. In 2018, former LAF Commander Gen. Joseph Aoun, current President of the Republic, launched the recruitment of 4,000 female non-commissioned officers. Many of those who had previous specializations were given the opportunity to become officers a few years later in a separate cadet recruitment. Other “gender champions” within the military institution also supported women’s representation and empowerment as a “result of conviction and necessity”, according to army sources.Since the 1990s, women have proven their effectiveness in areas such as logistics, medical units and engineering. It later became imperative, according to the LAF leadership, to embed women in more operational situations to accompany developments all over Lebanon. This was piloted in a Land Border Regiment in North Lebanon. While not directly engaging in high-risk operations such as counter-smuggling or crackdowns on illegal cross-border activities, female soldiers within this regiment played an important role in the process of asserting state authority and building trust by supporting vulnerable populations and engaging in Civil-Military projects.“Women in the LAF have proven that their presence is not only symbolic but also effective,” said Brig. Gen. Saoud.Lt. Rosalia Hojaij of the LAF Military Policy further underscored the capabilities of women in the security sector. “Women can do all the functions that men do. They carry out inspections, raids, investigations, they collect forensic evidence, inspect crime scenes, and work in prisons and on tanks.” And, such duties are carried out with a deep sense of pride and belonging, according to many. “The most difficult decision I made was when I left my daughter to join the military academy to become an officer. I faced psychological and physical pressure. But I was not defeated and did not submit,” shared Lt. Josiane Habshi, who is currently the only female officer serving with the army’s Marine Commandos Regiment, leading a group of 30 female non-commissioned officers. “Most gratifying is the sense of pride I feel just being part of this institution, which lives up to its motto of Honor, Sacrifice and Loyalty,” she added. More Administrative, Less OperationalMaking the security sector more inclusive has necessitated change. Several steps have been taken, such as amending trainings that were causing women pelvic injuries or introducing women’s changing rooms. “When I gave birth to my first daughter, I was told I would get only four days of leave, which is what the male colleagues used to get for their paternity,” Col. Mohtar of the ISF, who now has four children, recalled, laughing. “Those rules have of course changed to align with national maternity standards of at least two months.” Several sources also attested that they are paid the same and believe that they have access to the opportunities available to their male counterparts. But in both the army and law enforcement forces, stereotypes persist, with some women arguing that there is more pressure on them to prove they deserve to be where they are. Moreover, with most women in Lebanon’s security sector working in administrative positions, it is clear that both institutional and societal barriers remain. According to senior sources within the military institution, boosting women’s representation in combat positions still needs time and effort, including to foster a conducive internal culture within male-dominated institutions, to create the necessary infrastructure for women serving in the field and to address a set of social challenges that go beyond the institution itself. “Not only are (women) able, they have mental capacity, leadership capacity, physical capacity to lead any unit. But the infrastructure and supra-structure we must create is not yet ready. It is not just about geography or about physical infrastructure, it is about the social system in Lebanon as a whole,” a senior LAF official assessed. Furthermore, women have yet to assume key decision-making positions, such as in the leadership of operational units. In terms of recruitment, advances are not always consistent, with institutions facing hiatuses related to financial or governance constraints. But, there are some bright spots: equal numbers of men and women graduated from the military academy in 2022 and 55 per cent of ISF recruits were women in 2025 – not sufficient to signify a trend but a solid foundation on which to build.“We are encouraging more women to apply, not just to administrative positions,” said Col. Mohtar of the ISF, noting that more women were being posted in different units, such as traffic police, judicial brigades or in prisons and stations across Lebanon. A More Strategic ApproachMore recently, the rationale behind advocating gender mainstreaming became more strategic, propelled forward by a progressive mindset in the command of the LAF, ISF and General Security, as well as support from the international community. United Nations Security Council resolution 1325 (2000), which created the Women, Peace and Security agenda, offered an important lever for the framing of gender equality and empowerment within the military and security institutions, particularly after a National Action Plan for its implementation was endorsed in Lebanon, recommending the increase of the number of women in military and security agencies and enhancing their roles within these institutions. Several countries have supported the LAF and other entities in those activities, including Canada, Norway, the United Kingdom, the United States and others, with technical support implemented, in many cases, through the United Nations, including UN Women. But the most important drivers of change came from within. “The establishment of the LAF gender department in 2022 was in itself an achievement, allowing for the inclusion of concepts of equality in developing military policies and trainings,” said Brig. Gen. Saoud.More recently some 85 gender focal points were designated across different LAF departments to help push forward policies to advance gender mainstreaming and inclusion. To make the process more operational, a gender strategy was also developed at the LAF and work is underway on an action plan to implement it. “We also recently endorsed the policy for Prevention, Response and Punishment of Sexual Harassment and Domestic Violence within the military institution in collaboration with the National Commission for Lebanese Women and UN Women and are now working on its action plan,” added Brig. Gen. Saoud. Similarly, Col. Mohtar said the ISF prioritizes the countering of Gender-based Violence, with a hotline for complaints now in place, in parallel to regular trainings and sensitization efforts delivered to the cybercrime bureau, human trafficking bureau and judiciary brigades. In turn, Capt. Abou-Zeid explained that, “At the General Security, we don’t have a Gender Department but we have a gender network with focal points in different centers in different cities, who report on any gender-related incidents, including any intimidation or harassment involving both General Security members and citizens.”. At the ISF, an internal gender audit and a gender action plan were finalized in 2024. Col. Mohtar noted that, subsequently, a report was developed to make recommendations to the senior leadership on addressing hurdles to gender mainstreaming and women’s equal representation in the short, medium and long term. Women are also gradually taking on more visible field positions, according to gender focal points. One woman was assigned head of a police station in Beirut and at the General Security, while several women are leading centers outside the Beirut headquarters. In addition, Capt. Abou-Zeid said, “Among the General Security units that carry out raids and inspections, there is one that is all female. When there are raids that require the presence of women, they are dispatched.” While there is still a long way to go, the achievements made so far have set the military and security institutions on a good trajectory to reinforcing women’s representation and integration. And, while questions abound regarding ongoing political efforts to halt hostilities in and around Lebanon, one thing is clear: women will be part of the solution.
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24 April 2026
Displaced women return home in Lebanon: "I saw destruction everywhere"
More than a million people were forced to flee their homes following the March 2026 escalation of conflict in Lebanon. Among them were an estimated 620,000 women and girls, around 1 in 4 women and girls across the country, including those from Lebanese, Palestinian, and Syrian communities. For many, this was, and continues to be, a recurring cycle of displacement.Despite a 10-day ceasefire announced on 16 April, conditions across Lebanon remain deeply challenging. Families continue to move between shelters and homes – the result of continued uncertainty and the fear of having to flee again. How is conflict impacting women and girls in Lebanon?At least 260 women have been reportedly killed and 1,150 injured in Lebanon between 2 March and 16 April 2026. As of 14 April, there have been 133 attacks on health care across the country. Even before the recent escalation, around 70,000 women in Lebanon needed maternal health services. Disruptions to health care, combined with displacement, have increased risks for women and girls, particularly those requiring urgent or ongoing care. A community kitchen supports displaced families and provides a sense of security to displaced womenThe Sibline Training Centre – supported by UNWRA – was set up in March to provide shelter to people who have been displaced. At the Centre, a community kitchen supported by UN Women prepares around 3,000 hot meals each day for families sheltering there. By early April, 48 women were employed on a short-term basis. The kitchen provides lifesaving support to displaced families, and a vital source of income and stability for those working within it. Repeated displacement and uncertain returns home for families in LebanonThirty-five-year-old Ghofran Abou Khalil was one of the women working in the kitchen. She had been displaced four times. The first within Syria, then to Tripoli, then to Borj al-Chemali camp in Lebanon, and then to Sibline.“My area was under threat of bombing. I had to leave at night, with my daughters. I forgot my medications, but I took my daughter’s favourite toy, a Panda. My husband thought it would be easier for shelters to accept women and children”, says Ghofran. Aside from the toy panda and the clothes they were wearing when they fled, Ghofran and her children struggled without additional clothing, heating, and basics like baby milk.When the ceasefire was announced on 16 April, Ghofran returned to her home and husband in the Borj al-Chemali camp. “It was hard to find a car to take me and my daughters back – we waited more than five hours. On the way, I cried a lot. I saw destruction everywhere – blood, people mourning their loved ones, others returning to ruined homes. I saw the bombed bridge in Qassmieh. It was mentally exhausting and left me deeply saddened”, says Ghofran. “The situation is still unclear, and I don’t feel safe, but it’s better than staying in a shelter. I also wanted to pick up clothes and essential items in case the escalation starts again”, she explains.Hadeel Moussa, 22, also fled the Borj al-Cemali camp in Southern Lebanon with her 11-month-old daughter. It was the second time she’d been displaced in the past two years. Her husband stayed behind. “I waited for hours in the street at 3:00 a.m. before finding a place on a bus”, she says. Like Ghofran, Hadeel has returned to the Borj al-Chemali camp. She shares the same fears the situation could escalate again and is keeping an emergency bag packed and ready. “The situation is still devastating but being at home feels better than living in a shelter”. Why displacement in Lebanon affects women and girls differently?Displacement puts the safety and well-being of women and girls at further risk and intensifies economic insecurity. Women and girls often also carry a greater share of responsibility for sustaining families, including caring for children and elderly, going without food so others can eat, and holding households together under huge strain. The kitchen has helped alleviate some of these pressures for women like Ghofran who described her job as “a string of hope” where she felt appreciated.Faten Ali’s journey follows the same pattern of movement between shelter and home, and loss. Faten’s brother was killed and her home destroyed during the 2024 conflict. After arriving in Sibline in March 2026, Faten, 39, joined the community kitchen. She described it as “one of the best things that happened” to her. “The laughter and friendships make things easier,” she says.Following the announcement of the ceasefire agreement, Faten travelled to the South to check on her home, which is still standing with minor damage. “This gave me hope”, she says. “But it is still not safe to stay in the southern villages, like for many other families, so we returned to the shelter”.Back at the shelter, she continues her work in the kitchen. The UN calls for the ceasefire agreement in Lebanon to be upheld to prevent further harm and ensure it delivers real protection for women and girls, and in full compliance with international humanitarian law.This means guaranteeing unimpeded humanitarian access, protecting civilians and aid workers, and ensuring that lifesaving, gender-responsive services reach those most affected. It also requires meaningful inclusion of women in peace and recovery efforts, alongside urgent investment in livelihoods, social protection, and services that address rising inequalities and caregiving burdens. Protecting civic space and preventing further militarization are critical to sustaining the ceasefire and avoiding renewed escalation, while increased, flexible funding must support gender-responsive recovery and strengthen the resilience of women, their families and communities across Lebanon.
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13 March 2026
‘Perfect storm’: Lebanon crisis deepens as civilians bear the brunt
The current escalation began on 2 March, when outgoing fire by Hezbollah drew a strong retaliation from Israel. Since then, the intensity of exchanges has increased, with heavier fire from Hezbollah and intensified attacks and some ground incursions from the Israeli side, leading to what Mr. Riza described as “full-blown humanitarian catastrophe”.815,000 uprootedA staggering 815,000 people have been uprooted by the violence in Lebanon since Israeli forces responded to Hezbollah rocket fire in the early days of the Middle East war, on 2 March, with airstrikes and mass evacuation orders.The rapid displacement reflects the scale of the crisis and its growing impact on civilians.“The toll on civilians is huge,” he said in an interview with Reem Abaza of UN News, pointing to the number of children among those killed. Eighty-three children were killed in the first week of the conflict, he said, with children accounting for about 20 per cent of overall fatalities, while women make up roughly 21 per cent. The numbers underscore what Mr. Riza described as a recurring pattern in modern conflicts, where civilians – and particularly children – are disproportionately affected.Displacement is also disrupting education across the country. Around 120,000 displaced people are staying in collective shelters, most of them set up in public schools. Classrooms have been turned into temporary living spaces, leaving many children without access to schooling.“Not only are children getting killed and displaced,” the senior official said, “but also children are not having the opportunity to have their right to education.”Struggling to rebuild livesOur interview with Mr. Riza was briefly interrupted by loud sound of explosions, after which he continued talking about his visits to shelters across Lebanon.Mr. Riza said he has heard similar stories from families forced to flee their homes within minutes after evacuation warnings covering large areas, including parts of southern Lebanon and Beirut’s southern suburbs.Many had only recently returned home after being displaced during the escalation in 2024 between Israel and Hezbollah and were trying to rebuild their lives.“One of the things that many have said is that they were just trying to struggle to rebuild their lives,” he said.Among those he met was a woman from Bint Jbeil who arrived at a shelter with her two children still wearing the pajamas they had on when they fled their home.“She said ‘thank you, we’ve got some blankets and mattresses’,” Mr. Riza recalled. “But, she asked if we could get clothes for her children and a frying pan so she could cook for the other people sharing the room in the shelter.”Women ‘holding families together’ Despite the hardship, he said women are playing a central role in helping families cope.“Women are the ones holding the families together,” he said, describing how many are organising evacuations and supporting children dealing with trauma.At the same time, the humanitarian response is becoming increasingly difficult. Mr. Riza said the current crisis is broader than the escalation seen in 2024, while Lebanon itself is in a weaker position.Funding cuts reduce resourcesGlobal humanitarian funding cuts have reduced available resources, and the strong regional support that helped during the previous crisis is understandably muted this time as countries deal with attacks from Iran, which Tehran says are targeting US bases. During the 2024 escalation, Gulf countries, including Saudi Arabia, Qatar, the United Arab Emirates, Kuwait, Oman and Bahrain, provided significant assistance. But now, those countries are themselves affected by the wider crisis and are not in a position to respond in the same way.“All of this together is frankly a perfect storm of unpredictable challenges,” he said.UN agencies are now repurposing existing funds to focus on lifesaving priorities and preparing a flash appeal, that will be launched on Friday, to mobilise additional support. The UN is also drawing on the Lebanon Humanitarian Fund and seeking emergency funding.Ceasefire is urgentStill, Mr. Riza stressed that humanitarian assistance alone cannot resolve the crisis.“What we need more than anything is a stop in the hostilities,” he said, emphasising that only a political and diplomatic process can end the suffering.Until then, he called for urgent international support, humanitarian access to affected communities and above all, respect for international humanitarian law.“Civilians are bearing the brunt,” Mr. Riza said. “They should not be the ones paying the price.” Disclaimer: This article was originally published by UN News and is republished here with permission.
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16 December 2025
UN Through Youth Eyes: Celebrating UN@80 with Youth Voices
In commemoration of the United Nations’ 80th anniversary, the UN in Lebanon honored eight winning youth during the “UN80 Through Youth Eyes’’ event held at the UN House on 27 November 2025. The event brought together UN Resident and Humanitarian Coordinator Imran Riza, Minister of Youth and Sports Dr. Nora Bayrakdarian, the Executive Director of the UN Global Compact Network (UNGCN) in Lebanon, Ms. Deena Fakhoury, along with representatives from universities, and partners. Eight young creators were awarded the title “UN Youth Voices 2025” for winning the UN80 competition with their artistic submissions. Launched on UN Day, 24 October 2025, in collaboration with the UN Global Compact Network Lebanon and Minister Bayrakdarian, the competition invited youth aged 17–25 to convey their vision of Lebanon through a photo essay, graphic artwork, or short video. Participants responded to one of two guiding questions through their audiovisual work: (1) In your opinion, how can the UN help address a challenge facing Lebanon? (2) If you could create a UN Youth Goal, how would you visualize it?Out of 52 submissions, a jury of experts selected eight winners, along with one overall winner recognized for the emotional impact, creativity and technical quality of her short video. The winners showcased their work in an interactive session during the UN80 commemoration event at the UN House in Beirut, moderated by content creator and social media influencer Edward Nammour. All winners received prizes provided by private sector partners, including Malia Group, Domtech, ITG Holding, and i-engineering Group. Speaking at the event, UN Resident and Humanitarian Coordinator Imran Riza underscored the importance of youth engagement in decision-making processes.“If we want change, youth leadership cannot be optional,” he said. For her part, Minister Bayrakdarian highlighted the need to support young people, noting that “they cannot achieve change alone. Our duty is to amplify their voices and create environments where they can thrive.” Whereas UN Global Compact Network Director in Lebanon reminded the youth: “Your voice makes a difference. You are not alone, the next 80 years are yours.” On the sidelines of the event, and in celebration of UN@80, a photo exhibition was organized at the entrance of the UN House, featuring 14 photo stories captured by UN colleagues across Lebanon. The collection showcased a range of thematic areas covered by UN entities throughout the country in support of the people of Lebanon. Also, on the sidelines of the event, attendees had the chance to watch a powerful Virtual Reality documentary Dreaming of Lebanon, produced by the UN Special Coordinator Office in Lebanon in collaboration with the UN Department of Political and Peacebuilding Affairs (UNDPPA); a deeply human exploration of people's aspirations through human stories in a country scarred by subsequent crises. The immersive experience left many participants speechless. Watch below a wrap-up video of Lebanon’s UN80 initiative. In addition, and on UN Day, the UN in Lebanon partnered with the state-run Tele Liban for a special edition of its “Ahla Sabah’’ morning show on 24 October. The live broadcast brought together UN partners, experts, and staff to highlight the Organization’s impact across peace and security, development, humanitarian action, and human rights, featuring real stories of collaboration with the people of Lebanon. You can watch the full episode below:
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04 December 2025
The National Disability Allowance: Children with disabilities in Lebanon reclaim dignity and opportunity
In Lebanon, children with disabilities and their families face daily challenges. For many, the financial pressures and the lack of accessible services once meant exclusion and isolation. Today, through the National Disability Allowance (NDA), they are finding pathways to inclusion, dignity and hope.Ghazal and Nancy: Learning and thriving with hearing supportGhazal (14) and her sister Nancy (11) (Bakhoun-Zgharta) were both born with hearing disabilities. Over the years, they underwent several operations. Yet, as their mother explains: “we still face challenges till today.”Ghazal is outgoing and loves engaging with people. With a smile, she says: “I want them to know that I can hear, and I don’t like a single day to pass without using my hearing aid.”At one point, however, the family had to go for two months without functioning hearing aids because they could not afford the batteries. “When I learned about the National Disability Allowance, I applied,” their mother recalls. “Now we use it to cover the essential cost of hearing aid batteries. Without this support, my daughters would be cut off from school and daily communication.”She adds: “With the allowance, they can continue using their hearing aids, hear like the other children at school and never miss out.”For Ghazal, the allowance means more than access, it means possibility. “If we had not received this support, I wouldn’t have been able to go to school,” she says. Today, she aspires to further studies, living a full and productive life, and one day buying new hearing aids for herself and her sister. Sidra: Preserving sight, discovering talentSidra (14, Taalabaya-Bekaa) was born with congenital glaucoma, and the retina is almost completely damaged in her right eye, her father explains. Until the age of three, she had to undergo surgery every six months. As the family’s financial situation worsened, they could no longer afford the daily eye drops that were essential for treating her condition.That changed when they applied for the National Disability Allowance (NDA). Every month, Sidra’s family now receives an SMS text message notifying them that the monthly payment is available. “We couldn’t afford the eye drops before, but thanks to this support, I am now able to buy them, and I’ve been able to preserve my eyesight,” Sidra says.With her health stabilized, Sidra has embraced her passions. She is proud of learning music at a community center, and already plays both the flute and the piano. “When I play music, I feel a kind of peace inside me,” she shares. At the center, she also studies English, Arabic and science, and loves the sessions on how to bake bread.Sidra’s hopes are clear and confident: she wants to continue learning, nurture her talents, and achieve even greater success in the future. Daniel: Determination and resilience despite challengesDaniel (14, Zahle, Bekaa), lives with muscular atrophy that affects all the muscles in his body. Despite the challenges, he says: “I refuse to let this disability hold me back.”Through the National Disability Allowance (NDA), Daniel receives regular monthly support that helps cover the cost of physiotherapy and vitamins, ensuring he can continue with treatment and daily exercises that are essential for slowing the progression of his condition. His mother, Suzan, explains: “The support sustains us every month and helps cover his needs.”Daniel also shares a message of hope for others living with disabilities: “We must keep working on ourselves with determination, and hopefully we will overcome everything.” He dreams of greater inclusion in society and the chance to live a full and productive life, and is determined to prove that muscular atrophy does not define his future. Zahr: Curious, organized and living with a hearing disabilityZahr (14, Majdlaya–Zgharta) was born with a hearing disability. From a young age, he has attended speech therapy sessions and continues to do so twice a week. Out of school for now, Zahr communicates in short interactions, shows [LM1] curiosity and attention to detail. His father describes him as “eager to know everything.”Through the National Disability Allowance, Zahr receives USD 40 every month, the first regular support his family has ever received. “He is 14 years old now and no one had ever helped him before. Through this support, I feel reassured that in the future, someone out there cares and is willing to stand by him,” his father says.Now, the family’s goal is to find an inclusive school where Zahr’s eagerness to learn can be nurtured and supported. What the NDA means for children with disabilitiesFor children with disabilities and their families across Lebanon, the National Disability Allowance is more than financial aid; it is recognition of the right to participate fully in life. They describe how the allowance enables them to maintain vital treatments such as speech therapy and physiotherapy, afford mobility aids and transport to medical facilities, and cover the costs of visual care and assistive learning tools. Beyond meeting practical needs, they say, the support has promoted greater participation and inclusion for people with disabilities, boosting their confidence and sense of belonging in school, at home and in their communities. From financial support to systemic change With financing from the Government of Lebanon, the European Union, the Kingdom of the Netherlands, and other donors, the National Disability Allowance is implemented by the Ministry of Social Affairs in partnership with UNICEF and ILO.Since its launch in April 2023, the National Disability Allowance has reached more than 33,500 persons with disabilities across Lebanon, enabling them to cover essential needs and secure their right to inclusion and dignity. The NDA represents a broader shift toward inclusive social protection, reducing stigma, strengthening the social contract, and ensuring no one is left behind. This initiative, implemented by MoSA in partnership with UNICEF and ILO, would not have been possible without the generous support of its donors, including the European Union and the Kingdom of the Netherlands—two of Lebanon’s top donors. Since 2016, the Netherlands has provided more than USD 448 million to strengthen livelihoods, civic engagement, and life-saving assistance, while the EU has contributed over USD 2.5 billion to ensure access to essential services that helped improve livelihoods, enhanced protection, support elections, and champion joint UN programmes on cash assistance, social protection, and conflict-impact mitigation. Further details on international assistance to Lebanon are available in the Lebanon Aid Tracking reports: https://lebanon.un.org/sites/default/files/2025-11/2025%20Q3%20Lebanon%20Aid%20Tracking%20report%20%28as%20of%2030%20September%202025%29_0.pdf Goals Supported: dignity and equality; access to education, health, and participation; stronger national social protection.
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Press Release
07 July 2026
One in three private sector workers surveyed in Lebanon no longer working amid renewed hostilities, ILO report finds
The report, “Lebanon’s labour market in crisis: Assessing the impacts of renewed conflict and regional instability – A focus on private sector workers”, is part of the ILO’s response to the latest escalation of hostilities in Lebanon. It provides timely worker-level evidence to inform measures that protect jobs, income, labour rights and livelihoods as part of the wider crisis response and recovery support effort. The survey, conducted in May 2026 in partnership with the General Confederation of Lebanese Workers (CGTL) and the Federation of Employees’ and Workers’ Unions in Lebanon (FENASOL), covered 2,485 private sector workers who were employed before the resumption of conflict in March 2026. It targeted both employees and self-employed workers across sectors and governorates. The findings show that 33.0 per cent of surveyed workers were no longer working at the time of the survey, including 28.2 per cent who were unemployed and 4.7 per cent who had exited the labour force. Job losses were particularly severe among workers from hostilities-affected districts in southern Lebanon, reaching 76.5 per cent among residents of the Nabatieh Governorate and 43.2 per cent among residents of the South Lebanon Governorate. Yet the impact was not confined to frontline areas, with workers in other districts also affected by weakened demand, reduced business activity, inflationary pressures and wider market disruptions. Displacement emerged as a major driver of job loss. More than two-thirds of workers who remained displaced were out of work. Among surveyed workers, 37.4 per cent were still displaced at the time of the survey and an additional 14.2 per cent had been displaced during the conflict but had later returned home. “The current crisis in Lebanon is not only destroying buildings and infrastructure, but also destroying jobs, incomes and the fragile foundations of many people’s lives,” said Ruba Jaradat, ILO Regional Director for Arab States. “The ILO is working with its constituents and partners to support labour market recovery in Lebanon. That means protecting workers, supporting income and employment, strengthening social protection, producing reliable and timely data and analysis, helping enterprises retain workers, and ensuring that the most vulnerable are not pushed further into informality, poverty or exclusion. Humanitarian assistance saves lives, but decent work and social protection help people preserve dignity, rebuild livelihoods and recover.” The report finds that the crisis has disproportionately affected workers already facing higher vulnerability. Joblessness was particularly high among persons with disabilities, at 71.4 per cent, women at 44.3 per cent, youth aged 15–24 at 42.4 per cent, Syrian refugees at 39.4 per cent and employees in informal jobs at 37.7 per cent. Workers without written contracts, those with lower levels of education and those employed by smaller enterprises were also more likely to lose their jobs. The consequences of the crisis extended well beyond job loss. Among workers who remained employed, average labour income fell by 14.8 per cent, while total average labour income across the surveyed population is estimated to have fallen by 40.4 per cent once the complete loss of earnings among those who lost their jobs is included. Workers who found new jobs often did so under worse conditions, earning on average 30.7 per cent less than before, with most entering informal employment or self-employment. Households relied heavily on their own resources to cope. Savings were the most common coping mechanism, while more than 40 per cent of Lebanese, Syrian and Palestinian workers reported delaying loan or bill repayments. Many also reduced food spending, underscoring growing pressure on household welfare and food security. Recovery needs remain substantial. Nearly half of respondents, 45.5 per cent, identified assistance in finding stable employment as their primary need, while 37.7 per cent said they needed support to secure higher or more regular earnings. The report calls for a response that combines immediate humanitarian and labour market measures with longer-term investment in employment creation, social protection, skills development, enterprise recovery and decent work. The report recommends employment-intensive recovery programmes, targeted wage subsidies, emergency support for women, persons with disabilities, self-employed workers and micro, small and medium-sized enterprises, expanded social protection, legal support for migrant domestic workers and strengthened labour market governance. In the medium and longer term, it calls for stronger labour market data systems, activation of the National Employment Office, local economic development approaches, skills and vocational training, gradual formalization, unemployment protection and a comprehensive national employment policy. The report was prepared by the ILO Regional Office for Arab States in partnership with CGTL and FENASOL, with co-funding from the ILO’s ENABLE programme, funded by the European Union, and the PROSPECTS partnership, funded by the Government of the Netherlands. For more information or to request media interviews, please contact: kanaana@ilo.org and abouantoun@ilo.org
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Press Release
30 June 2026
ILO holds first National Tripartite Dialogue in Lebanon on employment protection, enterprise recovery and economic resilience
The dialogue forms part of the ILO’s response to the impact of the latest escalation on Lebanon’s labour market and economy. It aimed to explore practical pathways for economic recovery, employment protection, livelihoods preservation and enterprise continuity, for the benefit of Lebanon and its tripartite labour market constituents: government, employers and workers.Participants discussed the impact of the crisis on enterprises and workers, including business disruption, job losses, declining incomes, the expansion of informal work, social protection gaps, and constraints affecting enterprises’ access to finance, energy and markets. They also discussed the public policy orientations and practical measures required to support enterprise recovery and workers’ protection, preserve jobs and livelihoods, expand social protection, safeguard rights at work, increase reliance on Lebanese companies and local suppliers in response and recovery activities, and strengthen linkages between humanitarian action and economic recovery.H.E. Minister of Labour Dr Mohammad Haidar emphasized that protecting workers and supporting enterprises are two interconnected priorities at this critical stage. “Preserving jobs, safeguarding rights and facilitating the continuity of production are the basis of any sustainable economic and social recovery. The Ministry of Labour reaffirms its commitment to strengthening dialogue with employers, workers and international partners to develop realistic national solutions that protect Lebanese people and support the resilience of the economy,” he said. Imran Riza, United Nations Resident and Humanitarian Coordinator for Lebanon, stressed that the current crisis requires protecting people, livelihoods and national systems together. “Civilians, workers and frontline responders need protection. Families need income, and enterprises need continuity. Recovery does not begin only after the crisis ends; it also begins by protecting livelihoods and the systems that people depend on today,” he said. Ruba Jaradat, ILO Regional Director for the Arab States, said: “Lebanon has important assets for recovery: an experienced workforce, a private sector capable of initiative, and social partners ready to work together. The ILO will continue to support Lebanon and its tripartite constituents through evidence and analysis, social protection support, skills and employment programmes, and enterprise support, helping to protect jobs, restore incomes and turn crisis response into a more inclusive and sustainable recovery pathway.” Social partners underlined that workers’ protection and enterprise sustainability must go hand in hand in any recovery process.Salim Zeenni, President of the Association of Lebanese Industrialists, said: “Economic recovery begins by enabling enterprises to continue operating, producing and retaining their workers. The Lebanese private sector is facing major challenges, yet it still has the capacity to create jobs and support recovery if provided with a stable environment, accessible finance, energy, markets and measures that facilitate business and production. This dialogue is important because it links workers’ protection and enterprise sustainability as two mutually reinforcing conditions for economic recovery.”Dr Bechara Al-Asmar, President of the General Confederation of Lebanese Workers, said: “The crisis is placing severe pressure on workers and their families through declining incomes, irregular wage payments, job losses and the expansion of informal work. What is needed today is to protect fundamental rights at work, strengthen social protection and prevent workers from bearing the cost of the crisis alone. Tripartite dialogue provides an essential space to agree on measures that preserve workers’ dignity and support labour market stability.”Castro Abdallah, President of the National Federation of Worker and Employee Trade Unions in Lebanon, said: “There can be no real recovery without protecting the workers most affected, including informal workers, displaced workers, migrant workers and vulnerable groups. Practical measures are needed to ensure income, safety at work, the right to organize and bargain collectively, and to prevent exploitation, child labour and forced labour. Any recovery pathway must be fair, inclusive and place workers at its centre.”
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Press Release
29 May 2026
Civilians Bear the Brunt of Escalating Hostilities and Displacement Orders in Lebanon: Statement by the United Nations Humanitarian Coordinator for Lebanon, Imran Riza
I am deeply alarmed by the intensification of hostilities and by the impact of displacement orders affecting communities across Lebanon, including in Tyre, Nabatieh, and other locations south of the Zahrani River.The vast scale and unclarity of displacement orders are creating disproportionate panic and distress, pushing countless families to make impossible choices in their search for safety.There have been shocking reports that airstrikes have harmed civilians as they attempted to leave areas under displacement orders. Ongoing hostilities have reportedly hindered efforts by first responders to assist the injured, including people trapped under rubble in the aftermath of Israeli airstrikes.The human costs are immense. According to the Ministry of Public Health, at least 31 people including women and children were killed and 40 injured in hostilities on 26 May alone. This includes 14 people who were reportedly killed in a single airstrike in Borj El Chmali near the city of Tyre. In the past week, 15 children have been killed and 62 injured.Health workers are facing death and injury on a horrific scale. Since 2 March, 182 attacks have resulted in 125 health care personnel killed and 311 injured, according to the WHO surveillance system for attacks on health care (SSA).International humanitarian law is clear. The protection of civilians, including health workers and first responders, must be ensured.The ceasefire announcement raised hopes for a return to normal life. However, instead of families going home, the displacement of civilians continues unabated.Men, women, and children continue to flee their homes for safety. Shelters are now overflowing. Schools continue to be displacement sites, robbing children from their right to education. It is distressing to see the unique historical heritage of Lebanon, including Tyre, a UNESCO World Heritage Site and a site inscribed under enhanced protection, being threatened by the hostilities.One week ago, I was in Tyre meeting with displaced people in a collective shelter. Some families told me they had been forced to move five times in the last two years.Their wishes were crystal clear: de-escalation, a true stop to hostilities, the possibility of rebuilding their lives, and hope for the futures of their children. ENDFor more information, please contact the United Nations Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs in Lebanon:Ms. Kristen Knutson, Head of Office - OCHA. E-mail: Knutson@un.org
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Press Release
15 May 2026
Statement by the United Nations Humanitarian Coordinator for Lebanon, Imran Riza: Rising civilian toll amid continued hostilities despite ceasefire
Over the past weeks, civilians in Lebanon have continued to endure an increasingly devastating toll from Israeli airstrikes, despite the ceasefire announced on 17 April. As diplomatic efforts continue and hope remains that ongoing negotiations will pave the way toward a political solution, the reality on the ground in Lebanon has been deeply alarming.Airstrikes and demolitions continue daily, with an unacceptable toll on civilians and civilian infrastructure.In the past week alone, hostilities have caused civilian casualties among women, men, and children, as well as displaced families, including Syrian and Palestinian refugees and Bangladeshi migrants. The violence has also taken an unacceptable toll on those working to save lives, underscoring the continued risks faced by first responders and medical teams operating in extremely dangerous conditions.The rising casualty figures represent lives lost or irrevocably harmed, families torn apart, and communities forced to experience repeated cycles of fear, displacement, and loss.International humanitarian law is clear: civilians – including humanitarian workers, medical teams, and first responders – must be protected at all times, and the vital infrastructure civilians rely on must be spared. All parties must facilitate rapid and unimpeded humanitarian passage to civilians in need.Diplomatic efforts now offer a critical opportunity to stop the violence. The people of Lebanon urgently need security, stability, and the chance to recover, not renewed pain, displacement, and suffering. -ends For more information, please contact the United Nations Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs in Lebanon:Ms. Kristen Knutson, Head of Office - OCHA. E-mail: Knutson@un.org
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Press Release
29 April 2026
LEBANON: NEW IPC ANALYSIS SHOWS CONFLICT ESCALATION PUSHING NEARLY A QUARTER OF POPULATION INTO ACUTE FOOD INSECURITY
The analysis reveals that 1.24 million people – nearly one in four of the population analysed – are expected to face food insecurity levels classified as Crisis (IPC Phase 3) or worse, between April and August 2026. This marks a significant deterioration from the period of November 2025 through March 2026, when an estimated 874,000 people, roughly 17 percent of the population, were experiencing acute food insecurity. The deterioration is due to conflict, displacement and economic pressures.“The fragility we warned about in the previous IPC analysis has unfortunately proven to be true,” said Allison Oman Lawi, WFP Representative and Country Director in Lebanon. “Hard won gains have been swiftly reversed. Families who were just managing to cope are now being pushed back into crisis as conflict, displacement and rising costs collide, making food increasingly unaffordable.”‘This confirms continued and deepening fragility in rural and agrifood systems. Compounded shocks are undermining agricultural livelihoods and impacting food security, highlighting the urgent need for emergency agricultural assistance to support farmers and prevent further deterioration, said Nora Ourabah Haddad, FAO Representative in Lebanon.“These results underscore the severity of the current situation in Lebanon, where conflict intersects with economic pressures putting national food security under critical risk and juncture. We reaffirm our commitment to adopting a sustainable, science-based approach that goes beyond merely monitoring crises, by responding to them through continuous policies and programmes that strengthen the resilience of the agricultural sector and protect farmers’ livelihoods. “We also stress the need to move beyond passive neutrality in addressing these crises to a responsible neutrality toward a more proactive and strategic approach. In this context, we consider the media, alongside international partners, as a key pillar in conveying the truth and raising awareness, to support response efforts and promote sustainable recovery. “Safeguarding food security in Lebanon is a shared national and international responsibility, and investment in agriculture remains essential to ensuring stability and strengthening communities’ resilience to recurring crises” said Lebanese Minister of Agriculture, Dr. Nizar Hani.The findings confirm that Lebanon’s food security situation remains highly sensitive to shocks. Without predictable humanitarian assistance, improved access, and stabilisation of the security and economic environment, food insecurity is likely to deepen further in the months ahead.The deterioration is being driven by a convergence of shocks linked to the ongoing escalation. Insecurity and displacement are disrupting livelihoods and income opportunities, while market access remains uneven in conflict affected areas as supply chains come under strain. At the same time, rising inflation and food prices continue to erode purchasing power, while reduced humanitarian assistance and funding shortfalls are limiting families’ ability to cope.Agriculture — a critical source of food and income — has been significantly affected and has yet to recover from the 2024 conflict. Damage to farmland, widespread displacement of farming households, restricted access to agricultural areas, rising input costs, and persistent insecurity are constraining production, while localized market disruptions are further limiting farmers’ ability to operate. Risks are intensifying as the spring planting window closes. Without urgent support, missed planting seasons will lead to production losses, deepening food insecurity and increasing humanitarian needs in the months ahead. Livestock and poultry systems are also under strain due to restricted access and disrupted services.Geographically, the sharpest deterioration is observed in conflict affected areas particularly in Bent Jbeil, Marjeyoun, Sour and Nabatiyeh districts, , where displacement and market disruptions are most pronounced, followed by Baalbeck El Hermel.Furthermore, regional dynamics are compounding the crisis. Disruptions to trade routes, rising fuel and transport costs, and increasing food prices linked to the regional conflict are further squeezing markets and household budgets.The crisis is affecting all population groups. Among Lebanese households, 725,000 people (19 percent) are projected to face Crisis (IPC Phase 3) or worse levels of acute food insecurity. The situation remains particularly severe among displaced and vulnerable populations, with 362,000 Syrian refugees (36 percent) and 104,000 Palestinian refugees (45 percent) classified in Crisis or worse. Newly arrived populations from Syria since 2024 are among the most affected, with around 50,000 people (52 percent) projected to face acute food insecurity.At these levels, households are no longer able to consistently meet their basic food needs and are increasingly forced to reduce the quantity and quality of food consumed, skip meals, or resort to harmful coping strategies such as taking on debt or selling essential assets to survive. As the analysis reflects conditions in the immediate aftermath of the current escalation, the full effects of the conflict escalation and wider regional war may not yet be fully reflected in currently available evidence, as such actual outcomes could deteriorate further should these pressures intensify or persist for longer than currently assumed. Sustained and timely humanitarian and livelihoods assistance is critical to protect the most vulnerable, safeguard livelihoods and prevent a deeper food security crisis.# # # About the World Food Programme (WFP)The United Nations World Food Programme is the world’s largest humanitarian organization, saving lives in emergencies and using food assistance to build a pathway to peace, stability and prosperity for people recovering from conflict, disasters and the impact of climate change.Follow us on X, formerly Twitter, via @wfp_mediaAbout the Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO)The Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO) is a specialized agency of the United Nations that leads international efforts to defeat hunger. FAO’s goal is to achieve food security for all and ensure people have regular access to enough high-quality food to lead active, healthy lives. With 195 members, 194 countries and the European Union, FAO works in over 130 countries worldwide.Follow us on @FAOLebanon, FAOinLebanon
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