Children in Shatila refugee camp on February 2024. (Credit: João Sousa/L'Orient Today)
A UNICEF survey for January 2025, published Friday, found that children in Lebanon "struggle to recover" from the war between Hezbollah and the Israeli army in the country, highlighting a decline in mental health, nutrition and education.
According to statistics published by UNICEF, more than 310 children were killed by the war, 1,500 were wounded, including with "traumatic brain injuries and shrapnel wounds," as well as limb amputations and "just about every child in Lebanon has been affected in some way."
The report underlined that 72 percent of caregivers in Lebanon reported their children were anxious or nervous during the war, and 62 percent said they were depressed or sad, a sharp increase from 2023, which had recorded respectively 59 and 45 percent. Although 80 percent of caregivers saw improvements in children’s mental health since the cease-fire, those who faced prolonged trauma may suffer long-term psychological and health effects.
"In the worst affected areas, children learned that the sound of planes overhead often meant death and destruction would follow," the report said, while "many children witnessed loved ones being killed or injured."
"The war forced children to flee their homes, damaged essential service facilities, and caused both physical and emotional harm to children across the nation," UNICEF reported.
“The war has had a devastating impact on children, affecting nearly every aspect of their lives — health, education, and their future,” said Akhil Iyer, UNICEF Representative in Lebanon. “Lebanon’s children need urgent help to heal, rebuild their lives, and cope with the lasting effects of this crisis.”
Increased 'risk of malnutrition for children'
The survey also highlighted serious concerns about child nutrition, especially in Baalbeck-Hermel and Bekaa governorates, which faced heavy airstrikes.
In Baalbeck-Hermel, 51 percent of children under two years old were severely food insecure, while the rate in Bekaa rose to 45 percent, up from 28 percent in 2023. Children facing severe food poverty consume fewer than two of eight key food groups. Additionally, 49 percent of children in Bekaa and 34 percent in Baalbeck-Hermel had either no meals or only one meal the day before the survey.
Poor nutrition and irregular meal patterns hinder children’s growth, cognitive development and increase the risk of malnutrition.
Schools destruction
The war also worsened Lebanon’s already struggling education system, which left over 500,000 children out of school before the conflict due to economic struggles, teacher strikes and the COVID-19 pandemic. Many schools were destroyed or used as shelters for displaced people. Even after the cease-fire, school attendance remains low, with over 25 percent of children still not attending school, compared to 65 percent during the war.
Financial barriers prevent many children from attending school, as two-thirds of families cite high school fees, transportation, and materials as obstacles — a figure that has doubled since 2023.
The assessment also revealed that: 45 percent of households had to cut spending on health, and 30 percent on education to afford basic needs, 31 percent of households lacked enough drinking water, 33 percent did not have access to necessary medications for their children and 22 percent had no heating for the winter.
“This data underscores the urgent need to act,” said Iyer.
“Lebanon needs the help to rebuild vital infrastructure and services, giving children hope for the future.”
Iyer called on all parties to uphold the cease-fire terms and collaborate with the international community for peace, urging Lebanon’s new government to prioritize children’s rights and needs in the recovery process.
UNICEF stressed the need "for sustained support at this critical time and calls on the international community to contribute to the 2025 appeal of US$658.2 million to provide lifesaving aid to 2.4 million people in Lebanon."
It implicitly warned against aid cuts by international donors, notably the United States, which could mean that "reality for many children is likely even more dire than these figures suggest."
Throughout the war between Hezbollah and Israel – which escalated on Sep. 23 before a cease-fire was announced on Nov. 27 – UNICEF repeatedly called for a cease-fire.
Since the beginning of the conflict on Oct. 8, 2023, to Nov. 26, 2024, Israeli forces killed at least 3,961 people across Lebanon and injured at least 16,520.