The United Nations Children’s Fund (UNICEF) has raised concerns over rising food poverty among young children in Lebanon, particularly in the eastern region, following the recent war between Israel and Hezbollah.
According to UNICEF, more than half of children under the age of two in Baalbek-Hermel (51%) and nearly as many in the Bekaa region (45%) are facing “severe food poverty,” meaning they are consuming only two or fewer of the eight essential food groups.
In 2023, the figure in Bekaa stood at 28%, highlighting a sharp increase in malnutrition.
“The war has taken a shocking toll on children, affecting almost every aspect of their lives,” said UNICEF’s representative in Lebanon, Akhil Iyer.
The situation has also affected older children, with 49% of those under 18 in Bekaa and 34% in Baalbek-Hermel reporting that they had either not eaten at all or had only one meal the day before the survey.
The conflict, which ended with a ceasefire on November 27 after months of intense fighting, left vast destruction in Hezbollah strongholds in the south and eastern Lebanon.
Over 100,000 people remain displaced, worsening an economic crisis that has gripped the country since 2019.
A survey conducted in January found that war-related stress had taken a psychological toll on children, with 72% of caregivers saying their children were anxious or nervous and 62% reporting signs of depression.
Lebanon, which recently ended a two-year political deadlock by appointing a president and prime minister, has launched a reconstruction fund, relying heavily on foreign aid.
