Context:
The collapse of the economic system has led to record inflation: it is one of the worst global crises since the mid-19th century, according to the World Bank. The exhausted population is lacking everything: money, food, electricity, and medicine. In September 2024, Israeli strikes worsened an already dire situation. Thousands of people continue to flee their homes, and hundreds have lost their lives.
Lebanon’s humanitarian situation remains dire, with hundreds of thousands of conflict-affected individuals facing critical needs and ongoing challenges that require both immediate and long-term assistance. Displacement dynamics continue to evolve, with thousands of households grappling with complex hardships as they seek stability in the aftermath of the conflict and amid persistent violations of the cessation of hostilities.
Cross-border movements have persisted throughout the period. According to the United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees (UNHCR), national authorities in Lebanon estimate that by 20 December, around 90,000 individuals had arrived in the Hermel area of Baalbek-El Hermel governorate, including 20,000 Lebanese nationals. Among these, 39,321 individuals, mostly Syrians, are residing in 175 collective shelters.
Project description:
CARE has closely coordinated with various stakeholders including international non-governmental Organisations (INGOs), the United Nations (UN) and DRM and DRR units to monitor the situation in Lebanon’s border region with Syria.
Specific objectives:
• Providing food assistance (hot meals, voucher assistance, and food parcels), dignity kits, safe spaces for women and girls, hygiene kits, water distribution and water trucking. Distributing Non-Food Items and shelter kits for IDPs in and outside of collective shelters, as well as returnees;
• Assessing shelters in its intervention areas to ensure the direct provision of services, accountability, and necessary information sessions on prevention of sexual exploitation and abuse (PSEA), gender-based violence (GBV) Psychological First Aid (PFA) provision. This helps mitigate the risks of Sexual Exploitation and Abuse (SEA) and fraud while ensuring staff safety during distributions;
• Responding to the needs of the returning population as well as those still residing in collective shelters and who are unable to return to their places of origin.
Key Themes:
Emergency help
Essential products
Shelter and security
CARE Belgium supports the project in collaboration with other members of the CARE network, in particular through communication and fundraising activities.