Emergency Appeal for our partners in Lebanon

Global Fund for Children has launched an Emergency Response Fund to support children and young people in Lebanon.

In response to the increasingly dire crisis, GFC is launching a special fund to support the urgent and emergent needs of our two active partners in Lebanon.

Our Vice President of Programs, Corey Oser has been in contact with our partners there and has confirmed that they are directly affected by and responding to the impact of the current war between Israel and Hezbollah – supporting children, young people, and their families through the crisis.

Global Fund for Children stands in solidarity with our partners.

Our partners

The two community-based partners are in Beirut. For their safety,  we are not identifying them by name. They work to help families in need through community-based holistic support, with a particular focus on marginalized communities.

Why Lebanon and why now?

GFC has a long history of partnership with a small number of local organizations in Lebanon starting in 2005.

Find out more about Global Fund for Children’s commitment to stand with our partners through crises and emergencies.

Context and how it affects children and young people

The Middle East or West Asia is a diverse region and home to some of the world’s oldest civilizations.

While individual countries have made strong progress in areas that affect the lives of young people such as child mortality, access to clean water and education, for example, the disparities between countries in the region have led to starkly different outcomes for some of the most vulnerable children and youth.

Largely an effect of protracted conflicts in Iraq, Syria, Yemen, and Palestine, UNICEF estimates that at least a third of children living in the region are affected by conflict and violence while living in a state of war or forced displacement, a constant condition for millions of children.

Even in non-conflict settings, violence against children related to harmful social norms at the household and community level and exploitation experienced during migration journeys are pervasive. UNICEF finds that 88% of children under five in the region have experienced some form of violence.

Countries, like Lebanon, which previously made strong progress in meeting primary needs of children around nutrition, education, and child protection, are experiencing the effects of compounded crises and political challenges – directly impacting children.

The public school system is strained to deliver adequately for children, with the burden falling on NGOs to fill in the gaps. Children who have migrated to the country but are not officially classified as refugees face increased risks of hazardous forms of child labor and trafficking. While some dynamics are unique to Lebanon, the condition of stalled or reversed progress that affects children and youth is common to the environments in the region directly affected by or adjacent to conflict.

In addition to the experience of younger children, nearly 60% of people in the region are under the age of 30, half are between 15 and 29, and in almost every country, working-age youth out of work exceeds the overall unemployment rate.

Global Fund for Children will continue to work closely with our partners in Lebanon and monitor their needs as the situation evolves. Thank you for your support today!