UNICEF: Lebanon crisis pushing families to breaking point

UNICEF: Lebanon crisis pushing families to breaking point

A UNICEF survey showed that "the Families in Lebanon are barely able to meet their most basic needs despite cutting down drastically on expenses according to a new survey by UNICEF. A growing number of families are having to resort to sending their children – some as young as six years old - to work in a desperate effort to survive the socio-economic crisis engulfing the country.

The results of the survey paint a dramatic picture of the situation as the crisis continues to escalate for a fourth consecutive year, with devastating consequences for children.

"The compounding crises facing the children of Lebanon are creating an unbearable situation – breaking their spirit, damaging their mental health, and threatening to wipe out their hope for a better future," the UNICEF's Representative in Lebanon, Edouard Beigbeder, said.

The report, based on UNICEF's latest rapid assessment of children's lives, shows that almost 9 in 10 households do not have enough money to buy essentials, forcing them to resort to extreme measures to cope with the crisis.

The report shows that:

- Fifteen percent of households stopped their children's education, up from 10 percent a year ago, and 52 percent reduced spending on education, compared to 38 percent a