1 In 5 Lebanese Households Report Children Going Hungry: UNICEF
More than one in five Lebanese households reported children going hungry, UNICEF said, warning that conflict and economic crisis are deepening deprivation.
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Beirut: According to a recent UNICEF evaluation published on September 30, more than one in five households in Lebanon said their children went to bed hungry in the previous two weeks. The agency warned that years of economic crisis, exacerbated by conflict, are deepening deprivation among children and youth.
According to the UNICEF report 'An Enduring Nightmare,' 22% of households polled reported that their children went to bed hungry. At the same time, just 10% of households with children under five reported being able to provide decent food.
The turmoil is also affecting access to healthcare. 31% of households said that their children had not received necessary medical care, with affordability mentioned as a primary cause. Meanwhile, 14% of households said at least one child was working, more than double the rate observed in January 2025.
Education has been badly affected. UNICEF said that 436 schools had been damaged or destroyed, placing about 100,000 children at risk of losing access to classes. Nearly half of polled households reported cutting education spending, with 17% reporting that their children had stopped attending school.
The psychological effects are also substantial. UNICEF estimates that around 770,000 children had experienced psychological distress in the previous six months. More than half of households reported a decline in their children's emotional well-being, with 63% stating that their children were anxious or nervous.
According to UNICEF, four out of five Lebanese households struggle to pay for essentials as a result of the nation's protracted economic crisis and continued insecurity. The agency cautioned that children and young people might carry the effects of the crisis into adulthood if they did not receive continuous help.
