As Syria war grinds on, Syrian refugees in Lebanon are becoming poorer, more vulnerable – UN

9 January 2018 – More than half the war-weary Syrian refugees in Lebanon are living in extreme poverty and borrowing money for food and to pay rent has become commonplace, the United Nations reported Tuesday.

This news came with a warning that more of these refugees find themselves dependent on international aid amid an uncertain outlook for humanitarian funding in 2018.

&#8220Seven years into the crisis, Syrian refugees in Lebanon are finding it increasingly more difficult to make ends meet [and] are more vulnerable than ever, William Spindler, spokesperson of the Office of the UN High Commissioner for Refugees (UNHCR), told reporters at the regular press briefing in Geneva.

He was briefing on the annual Vulnerability Assessment of Syrian Refugees (VASyR), carried out by UNHCR, the UN Children’s Fund (UNICEF) and the World Food Programme (WFP), which showed that 58 per cent of households are currently living in extreme poverty &#8211 on less than $2.87 per person per day.

&#8220And the number of households living below the overall poverty line &#8211 less than $3.84 per day &#8211 has also continued to rise,&#8221 Mr. Spindler explained, noting that 76 per cent of refugee households live below that level.

Borrowing money for food, to cover health expenses and pay rent continues to be extremely common, with almost nine out of 10 refugees saying they are in debt.

It is more vital than ever that donors stay the course amid deepening poverty and growing vulnerabilities.

While food insecurity remains critically high, other vulnerabilities continue to grow, such as obtaining legal residency &#8211 leaving refugees exposed to an increased risk of arrest and hindering access to work, school or health care.

&#8220Overall,&#8221 Mr. Spindler said, 74 per cent of surveyed Syrian refugees aged 15 and above do not have legal residency in Lebanon.&#8221

Self-reliance opportunities remain extremely limited in an economy affected by the Syrian conflict and insufficient external funding.

&#8220In 2017, only 36 per cent of the total funding needed to provide adequate humanitarian support in Lebanon was received, as of the beginning of December,&#8221 underscored Mr. Spindler, noting that under the Lebanon Crisis Response Plan, $2.7 billion is required to meet needs in 2018.

&#8220It is more vital than ever that donors stay the course amid deepening poverty and growing vulnerabilities,&#8221 the spokesperson emphasized.