Lebanon’s Children Cannot Lose More of Their Childhood, UNICEF Chief Urges Action

During visits to southern Lebanon and Beirut, Russell heard from children and families whose lives had been disrupted by violence and displacement.

A mother caring for her newborn in a shelter in Tyre was among the displaced families UNICEF Executive Director Catherine Russell met during her visit to Lebanon, where children are growing up with the effects of conflict, economic hardship and repeated upheaval. Russell concluded her visit with a call for urgent action to protect children and put their rights and needs at the centre of the country's recovery, stressing that decisions about rebuilding must account for their health, education and safety.

Families Face Displacement and an Uncertain Return

During visits to southern Lebanon and Beirut, Russell heard from children and families whose lives had been disrupted by violence and displacement. At the collective shelter in Tyre, some families had fled their homes more than once, carrying the burden of finding safety again without knowing when they could return. Children described homes and schools that had been damaged or destroyed, leaving them uncertain about when they would regain the familiar places that shaped their everyday lives.

"Economic hardship and the impact of conflict continue to devastate the lives of children and families in Lebanon," Russell said. "Children in Lebanon have lived through years of overlapping crises. They cannot afford to lose more of their childhood. Investing in children is the best road to recovery." Her appeal connected the country's recovery to the needs of families facing immediate hardship, with children requiring protection and dependable services as they cope with the disruption around them.

Children Carry the Cost of Conflict

The figures cited by UNICEF show the scale of the harm: since 2 March 2026, at least 261 children have been killed and 1,056 injured. Some 436 schools have been damaged or destroyed, putting around 100,000 children at risk of being without a classroom. The destruction reaches into children's daily routines, threatening access to education at a time when many are also dealing with displacement and uncertainty about their homes.

At a UNICEF-supported Makani centre, Russell met children and young people receiving learning opportunities, psychosocial support and other services designed to help them cope with the ongoing crisis. Access to these services gives children support for both their education and their emotional needs, making them an essential part of a response that must address more than the physical damage caused by conflict.

Recovery Depends on Services Children Can Rely On

In Beirut, Russell met President Joseph Aoun, Prime Minister Dr Nawaf Salam and Minister of Social Affairs Haneen Sayed to discuss the situation facing children and the work needed to ensure they are healthy, educated and protected. The meetings brought children's needs into discussions about Lebanon's recovery, reinforcing her call for their rights to guide the country's decisions.

UNICEF continues to work with the Government of Lebanon and partner organisations to meet urgent humanitarian needs and sustain the national systems and services children depend on. Since the beginning of 2026, the agency has intensified its response by supporting injured children and displaced families, delivering essential supplies to shelters and health facilities, and helping children access learning and psychosocial support. For families Russell met during her visit, these efforts address pressing needs that cannot wait for the wider recovery to take shape.