Lost childhoods at risk in Lebanon: 1.2 million and counting

Lost childhoods at risk in Lebanon: 1.2 million and counting

Donate at: www.unicef.org.nz/syria

Four years into the Syrian conflict and with no end in sight, the people of Lebanon are struggling. This is especially true for younger generations, some of who will know no other normal than fear, sorrow and extreme violence.

“Four years ago, 6,000 registered Syrian refugees had crossed the border into Lebanon. Today that number stands at 1.2 million, almost the equivalent population of Auckland and half of which are children,” said UNICEF New Zealand’s Executive Director, Vivien Maidaborn, who has recently returned from a visit to Lebanon. “One in four persons is a refugee in Lebanon meaning it has the highest per capita concentration of refugees in the world.”

While there, New Zealander and UNICEF Lebanon’s Deputy Representative, Luciano Calestini, illustrated that to meet the needs of over 1.2 million vulnerable children in Lebanon (470,000 Lebanese, 630,000 Syrian, 120,000 Palestinian), UNICEF is providing interventions across four key sectors including: health and nutrition, education, child protection, and water, sanitation and hygiene (WASH).

Mr Calestini added, “This is undoubtedly the crisis of the century and the mass movement of people has had an overwhelming effect on neighbouring nations such as Lebanon, Jordan, Turkey and Iraq. Children forced to flee their homes and children in host communities have equally had their lives turned upside down and need increased support and resources to ensure their childhoods don’t slip away.”

Since 2011, the number of children benefitting from support and services from UNICEF has increased dramatically, from just 44,000 children reached in 2011 to some 800,000 children in 2014. In spite of these successes, UNICEF Lebanon’s needs are currently only 33% funded.

Ms Maidaborn added, “At this critical time in the lives of children in Lebanon, we invite New Zealanders to seize the opportunity to partner with UNICEF in its mission to save this generation of children.

“Without education, protection and support, more than a million children in Lebanon are at risk of losing hope, of accepting violence as normal and replicating it – undermining their own futures, the future of their nations and the stability of the region. The future of an entire generation truly lies in the balance.

“Over the next few weeks, UNICEF NZ aims to show Kiwis exactly what life is like for children in Syria and the surrounding region through the use of pioneering virtual reality technology, in association with Samsung. This immersive experience transports you into their world and provides a visceral insight into their lives. Stop by Aotea Square in Auckland on Saturday, 25 July to experience the virtual reality for yourself.

“Furthermore, we are launching Blue Skies Over Lebanon, a funding movement that will see donors contributing to education and innovation focused programmes over the next 3 years in order to give young people the opportunity and support they need to ensure their childhoods are not lost but are instead safe, nourished and fulfilled.”

Donate to our Lost Childhoods in Lebanon appeal or join Blue Skies Over Lebanon by going to our website www.unicef.org.nz/syria

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