As the new year begins, it is time for all of us to put children first and ensure their safeguarding in these times of crisis in Lebanon.
All of us –national and international institutions, civil society, private sector, communities, families— must act now to protect girls and boys from the impact of the deepening economic crisis.
More than 30 partners including UN Lebanon, the Lebanese government and the civil society, launched today a joint campaign under the hashtags #COVIDIsNotOver and #StaySAFE to raise awareness on the fact that the number of people infected with COVID-19 in Lebanon is increasing every day.
The campaign also aims at promoting the basic preventive measures that all sectors and individuals should apply to reduce the spread of the virus and protect themselves and their beloved ones.
The situation of refugees - already hardly hit by the economic crisis Lebanon is suffering from - has been further aggravated by the COVID-19 related confinement.
The situation is having a severe impact on refugees’ access to livelihoods, morale, and ability to meet their basic survival needs like rent, food, and medicine, as it is for vulnerable Lebanese communities.
Lebanon’s deteriorating economic situation is threatening the livelihoods of the most vulnerable Lebanese households, putting children and young people’s education, protection and health at risk.
UNICEF with partners have activated a cash assistance programme to support approximately 40,000 children from 15,000 Lebanese families.
Lebanon confirmed its first coronavirus (COVID-19) case on February 21st and, with infections spreading globally, people need to know how to protect themselves.
UNICEF, in close collaboration with the Ministries of Public Health and Education, WHO Lebanon, the Lebanese Red Cross and other partners, is putting efforts on spreading the facts and the preventive measures as recommended by the World Health Organization (WHO).
UNICEF is supporting partners in Lebanon since the first COVID-19 case was confirmed last February 21, to meet the increasing needs of the communities and address its impacts on children and families.
The Resident and Humanitarian Coordinator ad interim, along with UN and NGO partners, are launching today the updated Lebanon Emergency Appeal (LEA), following the global launch of the updated Global Humanitarian Response Plan (GHRP) on 16 July.
The updated appeal for US$482 million is to continue to address until the end of the year critical areas of humanitarian intervention to protect the lives of people in Lebanon who are most acutely at risk due to the COVID-19 outbreak and its immediate socio-economic impact.
Further to recent news circulating on some media outlets and social media attributing to the World Bank an alleged “prediction of Lebanon collapse”, the World Bank deems it necessary to deny these unsubstantiated reports.
