The devastating war forced children to flee their homes, damaged facilities providing essential services and inflicted physical and emotional wounds on children across the country.“The war has taken a shocking toll on children, affecting almost every aspect of their lives - their health, their education and ultimately their futures,” said Akhil Iyer, UNICEF Representative in Lebanon. “Lebanon’s children need urgent support to heal, rebuild their lives, and survive the lasting impacts of this crisis”.In a survey conducted by UNICEF in January 2025, 72 per cent of caregivers said their children were anxious or nervous during the war, and 62 per cent said they were depressed or sad. This represents a surge from pre-war data collected in 2023. While 8 in 10 caregivers said they have seen some improvement in their children’s mental health since the ceasefire, those who endured prolonged periods of traumatic stress could face lifelong health and psychological consequences.The assessment also revealed an alarming picture of children’s nutrition, particularly in the densely populated areas of Baalbeck-Hermel and Bekaa governorates, which were repeatedly targeted by air strikes.In Baalbeck-Hermel, more than half (51 per cent) of children under 2 years of age are experiencing severe food poverty. In Bekaa, the rate was 45 per cent, a dramatic increase from 28 per cent in 2023. Children are considered in severe food poverty if they consume two or fewer of eight key food groups.The crisis extends beyond infants. Almost half of children (49 per cent) under 18 years of age in Bekaa and just over one third (34 per cent) in Baalbeck-Hermel had either had not eaten or had had only one meal on the day prior to the survey being conducted. Nationwide, the rate was 30 per cent. Poor nutrition and insufficient meal frequency stunt children’s growth and cognitive development and increase their risk of suffering from life-threatening malnutrition.The conflict also compounded Lebanon’s challenging education situation which had already left over 500,000 children out school after years of economic strife, teacher strikes and the impact of COVID-19. 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.Even with the ceasefire, school attendance remains low. Over 25 per cent of children are still out of school at the time of the survey last month, as compared to 65 per cent out of school during the war. Many children are unable to attend school due to financial barriers. Two-thirds of families with children out of school cite the high costs of school fees, transportation, and materials, a figure that has doubled since 2023.The assessment also shows that:45 per cent of households were forced to cut spending on health, and 30 per cent on education to afford basic necessities31 per cent of households did not have enough drinking water 33 per cent of households did not have access to the medications their children needed22 per cent of households did not have any heating source for the winterLebanon faces immense challenges in recovering from the devastation of war and years of political and economic turmoil. UNICEF supported children throughout the war and is committed to continuing to support recovery and rebuilding efforts. “This data provides undeniable evidence of the critical need to act now. Lebanon must receive the help it requires to restore vital infrastructure and services, ensuring that children have a future to look forward to,” said Iyer.“At this fragile and defining moment in Lebanon’s history, we cannot afford to wait. We call on all parties to abide by the terms of the ceasefire and to work with the international community to sustain peace and ensure a brighter future for children and we call on the country’s new government to put children’s rights and needs on top of the reform and recovery agenda”.Given the complexity of the crisis and its long-term impact on children, there is an urgent need for sustained support at this critical moment for Lebanon.  UNICEF calls on the international community to support the children of Lebanon and contribute to the 2025 appeal of US$658.2 million to deliver lifesaving assistance to 2.4 million people across the country. Notes to editors: Access the full report HERE, including selected quotes from children and caregivers: UNICEF’s Child-focused Rapid Assessments (CfRAs) are telephone surveys conducted in Lebanon. The latest was conducted in January 2025 at national level among 3,048 households (1,024 Lebanese, 1,025 Syrian, 999 Palestinian). The survey produces estimates that are representative of the aforementioned population.About UNICEFWorking in Lebanon for over 70 years, UNICEF works in some of the world’s toughest places, to reach the world’s most disadvantaged children. Across more than 190 countries and territories, we work for every child, everywhere, to build a better world for everyoneFor more information about UNICEF Lebanon and our work for children, visit www.unicef.org/lebanon/  or follow us on Twitter, Facebook, Instagram and YouTubeFor media queries, please contact:Christophe Boulierac, UNICEF Lebanon: cboulierac@unicef.org +961 81998437Blanche Baz, UNICEF Lebanon: bbaz@unicef.org +961 3331874Maya Outayek, UNICEF lebanon: moutayek@unicef.org +961 70190634, filtered_html

This event represented a pivotal milestone in advancing inclusive, representative, and democratic governance in Lebanon, with a focused emphasis on increasing women’s participation and representation in decision-making positions and political life. A key recommendation repeatedly emphasized by participants was the urgent need for Parliament to pass the gender quota law as an urgent and expedited legislation. This measure is deemed essential to guaranteeing women's representation in upcoming municipal elections.In her remarks, UNDP Resident Representative, Ms. Blerta Aliko, emphasized Lebanon’s need for action, stating: “Today in Lebanon, women hold only 6.25% of seats in the parliament, and 5.4% in municipal councils. These figures are among the lowest in the region, highlighting the urgent need for more effective measures, particularly gender quotas, to drive meaningful change”. Ms. Aliko confirmed UNDP’s commitment “to advocating for the adoption of the gender quota law, which fosters greater inclusion and representation towards a more equitable and democratic society. By supporting women’s equal and meaningful political participation in Lebanon, we are strengthening the country’s governance and advancing gender equality." Ms Geilan Al-Messiri, UN Women Resident Representative in Lebanon, stated: “We are proud to partner with the government of Canada and UNDP through this project that aims to promote women’s leadership and political participation in decision making bodies. We are encouraged by the constructive discussions on how to accelerate the achievement of gender-balanced participation and representation in decision making bodies in Lebanon.” The event opened with remarks from the President of “Fifty-Fifty,” Ms. Joelle Abou Farhat, who posed a direct question to policymakers: “If women do not need a quota, why have they not reached these positions until now? And if you truly believe in the role of women, why don’t you support them without implementing the quota?” She added, “The reality contradicts what we often hear. This is why the quota law must be enforced to ensure that political parties appoint women and include them on electoral lists.”After the opening remarks, a presentation was delivered explaining the rationale and information related to the proposed gender quota law. This was followed by a moderated open discussion, providing stakeholders and experts with an opportunity to share their perspectives, concerns, and recommendations for advancing the law.The roundtable provided a critical platform for key stakeholders, including decision-makers, members of the parliament, international community representatives, and legal and elections experts to engage in strategic dialogue on forward-moving the adoption of the gender quota law…   The proposed gender quota law was developed as a temporary special measure to promote women’s political representation and participation in municipal elections. It was drafted by legal and electoral experts, with support from UNDP in collaboration with Fifty-Fifty. The proposal provides for a 30% reserved seats quota for municipalities with 9 and 12 members, and a 50% reserved seats quota for municipalities with 15, 18, 21, and 24 members. This will result in an estimated 40% overall women representation in all municipalities.Following the standard legal procedure, the law proposal was signed by 10 Members of Parliament, marking significant progress in legislative advocacy efforts, and was introduced to the agenda of the relevant parliamentary committees for further discussion and approval, before being submitted for endorsement during the plenary parliamentary sessions. , filtered_html

Applications are open from February 17 to March 31, 2025. To be eligible, applicants must be between the ages of 22 and 35, proficient in English, and hold citizenship from a developing or transitioning country. Lebanon is one of the eligible countries.The fellowship was established in 1980 by the UN General Assembly and was renamed in September 2003 in honor of Reham Al-Farra, who tragically lost her life at the age of 29 on her first day of assignment with the UN Department of Public Information at the UN Mission in Iraq. The mission’s headquarters was attacked on that day, resulting in the deaths of 22 people.For more details on the fellowship and application requirements, visit:
🔗 https://www.un.org/en/raf , filtered_html

Another delay in this process is not what we hoped would happen, not least because it continues a violation of United Nations Security Council resolution 1701 (2006). This should not, however, overshadow the tangible progress that has been made since the Understanding came into force in late November. The Israel Defense Forces have withdrawn from population centres in southern Lebanon and the Lebanese Armed Forces have deployed in challenging conditions, supporting the return of communities and working to restore critical services. Meanwhile, the new Lebanese President and Government are determined to extend state authority completely in all areas in the south and consolidate stability to prevent conflict from returning to Lebanon. They deserve unwavering support in this endeavour. Much of the hard work to realize the commitments made in the November Understanding, and in resolution 1701, is still ahead of us. We call on both parties to meet their obligations. A sense of safety among communities of southern Lebanon, who are grappling with the wide-scale destruction of their villages and towns, as well as residents of northern Israel who had to leave their homes, will not be built overnight and cannot come from a continuation of military operations. Rather, sustained political commitment is the only way forward.Ultimately, Lebanon and Israel must make the solutions envisaged by the November Understanding and resolution 1701 a reality, on both sides of the Blue Line. The United Nations in Lebanon stands ready to continue supporting all efforts in that direction. *****, filtered_html