UNICEF report: Deprived of the basics, robbed of their dreams, children in Lebanon lose trust in their parents

UNICEF report: Deprived of the basics, robbed of their dreams, children in Lebanon lose trust in their parents

NNA - Three years of devastating crisis in Lebanon have plunged children into poverty, affecting their health, welfare and education, shattering their hopes and breaking down family relationships.

A UNICEF report shows that much of the progress towards achieving children’s basic rights – including the right to health, education, protection, play and recreation – has been eroded by the economic crisis and the impact of the COVID-19 pandemic.

Soaring prices and widespread unemployment have plunged thousands of families into multidimensional poverty – a concept that considers a wide range of deprivations – severely affecting their ability to provide for their children’s basic needs.

The report, based on a UNICEF study on child poverty and a child-focused rapid assessment (CFRA), shows that children are keenly aware of the effect the crisis is having on their lives and on the country. Many no longer dream of a better future in Lebanon and believe emigration is their only hope.

The combination of multiple deprivations, prolonged exposure to the harsh impact of the economic crisis and the loss of hope is severely affecting the mental health of children, who, in most cases, cannot access the care they need.

At the same time, children are feeling let down and losing trust