A Generation at Risk: The Impacts of Lebanon's Escalating Humanitarian Crisis on Children

• Published in: Frontiers in public health Vol. 9; p. 704678
• Main Authors: Abouzeid, Marian, Halwani, Dana A., Mokdad, Ali H., Habib, Rima R.
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: Frontiers Media S.A 16.08.2021
• Subjects: child health; child well-being; children; Health administration; humanitarian crisis; Lebanon; Public Health; youth
• ISSN: 2296-2565; 2296-2565
• DOI: 10.3389/fpubh.2021.704678

Lebanon is in the midst of a rapidly escalating, unprecedented humanitarian crisis that is plunging the country deep into poverty and threatens population well-being, economic development, social welfare and national and regional stability. The dire situation is due to the compounding effects of the August 2020 Beirut blast, massive economic collapse and the COVID-19 pandemic, in a setting of longstanding entrenched political corruption and a dysfunctional, mismanaged crisis response by the state. This current emergency occurs on the background of a turbulent history and complex regional geopolitical context – including the Syrian refugee crisis, the ongoing influence of foreign actors and their local proxies, the United-States-imposed sanctions, endemic corruption, a culture of nepotism and entitlement among the political dynasties, dysfunctional power-sharing and deep-seated sectarian divides. With over half the population now living in poverty, a generation of children are among those at risk. This Perspective provides a brief overview of Lebanon's current complex humanitarian crisis, discusses the impacts of the evolving situation on youth and proposes a suite of recommendations to mitigate the effects.