The UN has warned that conditions for over one million Syrian refugees living in Lebanon are getting worse. This comes as the organisation marks World Refugee Day (20 June).
The Syrian conflict is the worlds leading cause of displacement and suffering, with many fleeing and seeking refuge in neighbouring countries such as Lebanon. However, as the United Nationals High Commissioner for Refugees (UNHCR) has warned, some are now struggling to live in the makeshift campsites.
UNHCR representative in Lebanon Mireille Girard said, The situation is not getting better. If anything, it is getting worse. We have reached now the sixth year into displacement for many of them, the refugee who came with savings have depleted completely their savings after all these years.
They have recurrent cost to cover: they have to feed their families, they have to buy clothes, they have to buy medicine when the kids get sick, all this is a burden on their daily lives and the savings cannot patch this.
The one million Syrian refugees in Lebanon now make up a quarter of population, something that is putting great strain on the country. Despite these large numbers of people arriving, the government in Beirut is yet to allow the UN to set up formal camps, meaning many refugees are left to live in squalor.
Girard added, Humanitarian assistance can cover a certain number of needs for the most vulnerable but we cannot pay the rent for everyone, the electricity cost for everyone, the water cost for everyone, and therefore a number of people are really struggling.
Umm Alaa, a Syrian refugee, said, The situation is very tragic. Bathrooms are flooded, sewers are flooded, all the children are sick and their breathing systems are exhausted. To add to this, we dont even have money to pay the rent for the tents.
World Refugee Day was set up by the UN to show solidarity with refugees and migrants across the world.
