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Lebanon

Field Reports  In-Depth Reports  Letters & Testimonies

Syrian refugees in northern Lebanon speak with RI.

Overview

Like Syria and Jordan, Lebanon has served as a host country for both Iraqi refugees and Palestinians. No stranger to upheaval itself, Lebanon has seen ongoing conflict of varying intensities for decades, while Syrian troops only withdrew from the country in 2005 after considerable disagreement among Lebanese. The two countries are also tied together by large populations of Syrian migrant workers, who go back and forth on a regular basis. Many Lebanese communities close to Syria depend upon this cross-border commerce and employment to survive.

Current Humanitarian Situation

As of August 2012, 33,000 Syrian refugees have registered in Lebanon. The UN High Commissioner for Refugees (UNHCR) and its partners – including  the Lebanese government – have been providing assistance with food, shelter and medical care, as most Syrians arrived with few resources and little money. Many of the refugees were received by Lebanese host families or supported by communities with strong ties to Syria and its people. But the conflict in Syria halted cross-border trade and employment, leaving the Lebanesewith few resources to spare.

By the summer of 2012, these host communities had largely exhausted their ability to support more people, and Lebanese government funds for refugees had run dangerously low. Syrian refugees continue to arrive through Lebanon’s open border, and aid agencies and NGOs are struggling to meet their needs while supporting the host communities.

Iraqi refugees in Lebanon receive services from the UNHCR, but their long-term situation holds few prospects for self-sufficiency or safe return to Iraq. Refugees in Lebanon are not entitled to work permits, and have to compete with a large population of migrant workers even for illegal employment with sub-standard wages. Iraqis are also vulnerable to detention for being in the country without valid documentation. Iraqi refugees can be resettled out of Lebanon, but the process can be very slow.

Approximately 400,000 Palestinians remain in Lebanon in a dozen camps, some of which have existed for more than 50 years. The rights of Palestinians in Lebanon are limited, and the majority live In dismal living conditions in restricted areas. With little political or economic power, the residents of the camps remain heavily dependent upon humanitarian aid for survival.

Field Reports
  • Syrian Refugees: Reliance on Camps Creates Few Good Options
    12/05/2012
    The civil war in Syria has forced large numbers of Syrians from their homes, and in many cases from the country entirely. Refugees continue to flee in record numbers, and there are currently almost 400,000 registered or waiting for registration in Iraq, Jordan, Lebanon, and Turkey combined. The United Nations has said it expects this number could reach 700,000 by December 31, 2012. About half of all the registered Syrians are living in camps, but the other half remain in local host communities trying to get by on their own.
  • Syrian Women & Girls: No Safe Refuge
    11/16/2012
    In Syria, women and girls are being targeted for rape on a massive scale. This is one of the primary reasons many are fleeing to Turkey, Jordan, and Iraq. As refugees, however, these women and girls remain vulnerable to multiple forms of gender-based violence (GBV). This crisis requires urgent action. The United Nations Refugee Agency should immediately prioritize protecting Syrian women and girls to ensure they receive greater assistance and prevent further violence against them.
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In Depth Reports
  • Uprooted and Unstable: Meeting Urgent Humanitarian Needs in Iraq
    04/15/2008
    Five years after the US -led invasion, Iraq remains a deeply violent and divided society. Faced with one of the largest displacement and humanitarian crises in the world, Iraqi civilians are in urgent need of assistance. Particularly vulnerable are the 2.7 million internally displaced Iraqis who have fled their homes for safer locations inside Iraq.
  • Iraq: The World's Fastest Growing Displacement Crisis
    03/22/2007
    Four years after the U.S. launched its attack against Iraq, the civil war there has produced a humanitarian crisis marked by the world’s fastest growing refugee and internally displaced populations. But Iraq, Washington and the U.N. do not acknowledge the magnitude of the humanitarian crisis. This has led to an inadequate response, both within Iraq and in the region.
Advocacy Letters
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Congressional Testimony
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Successes
February 2011: After RI called for greater assistance to displaced Iraqis living in squalid squatter settlements, the U.S. government and UNHCR made the provision of assistance to these communities a top priority.  Today, some of the funding helps these Iraqis stay dry from the winter rains, watch their children play in safe spaces, and drink clean water.