Media release
UK for UNHCR launches Lebanon Emergency Appeal
London, September 2024 – Following the serious escalation of attacks in Lebanon, UK for UNHCR has launched an urgent appeal for funds so that UNHCR, the UN Refugee Agency, can continue delivering essential support to people displaced by the fighting and violence.
The humanitarian consequences are devastating. According to the Lebanese Ministry of Public Health, 490 people have been killed and more than 1,645 people injured. Tens of thousands of people have now been forced from their homes, fleeing yesterday and through the night, and the number continues to grow.
Funds are urgently needed to help provide essential aid, such as shelter, blankets, clean water, cash assistance and medical care for people forced to flee their homes.
Emma Cherniavsky, Chief Executive of UK for UNHCR, said: “These devastating bombings in Lebanon are claiming innocent lives and forcing thousands to flee their homes. This is a region that has already been devastated by war, and the toll on civilians is unacceptable.
“An end to the hostilities is desperately needed. In the meantime, we urgently need donations to help UNHCR scale up emergency aid, and avert further suffering and devastation.”
Prior to these latest events, UNHCR had already been responding to the humanitarian needs of Lebanese people and refugees who have been displaced mainly from the south of the country. As of July, UNHCR had provided more than 116,000 emergency relief items, provided cash assistance to around 57,200 people, and supported collective shelters, as well access to safe shelter, healthcare and psychosocial support.
UNHCR teams are supporting the response to the latest displacements from the south as well as in the southern suburbs of Beirut, Saida and Bekaa. They are providing urgent assistance and protection to those affected – including Lebanese citizens and refugees. This includes working to provide access to safe shelter, healthcare and psychosocial support, and continuing to advocate for their protection in these challenging circumstances.
Refugees who have fled their homeland in search of safety and security are now facing the reality of being displaced once again and forced to relive the trauma of displacement, as the very places where they sought refuge become engulfed in conflict. This is only exacerbating pre-existing vulnerabilities. Nine out of ten Syrian refugees in Lebanon are in need of humanitarian assistance to cover basic needs, as a result of the combined impacts of the socioeconomic downturn coupled with the COVID-19 pandemic, the Beirut blast and lately the war in Gaza.
Lebanon remains one of UNHCR’s largest humanitarian operations worldwide, yet is currently only 38% funded despite the enormous need on the ground.
People can donate and find out more at unrefugees.org.uk/lebanon-emergency/
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Notes to Editors
Lebanon remains the country hosting the largest number of refugees per capita in the world, with the Government’s estimation of 1.5 million Syrian refugees and 11,411 refugees of other nationalities. Before the latest strikes this week, around 87,000 refugees resided in Lebanon’s southern governorates.
Displacement of refugees from the south and the Bekaa area of the country to other areas has been reported, alongside pendular movements. Other refugees remain in or have returned to unsafe affected areas.
About UK for UNHCR
UK for UNHCR is the UN Refugee Agency’s national partner for the UK, building solidarity, fostering partnerships and raising funds in the UK to help deliver global humanitarian relief for refugees through UNHCR’s work. www.unrefugees.org.uk
UNHCR, the UN Refugee Agency, leads international action to protect people forced to flee their homes because of conflict and persecution. It delivers life-saving assistance like shelter, food and water, helps safeguard fundamental human rights, and develops solutions that ensure people have a safe place to call home where they can build a better future. UNHCR also works to ensure that stateless people are granted a nationality. www.unhcr.org
UK for UNHCR is a registered charity in England and Wales (registered charity number 1183415).