Escalating hostilities in Lebanon having a dire impact on children’s mental health, warns World Vision

BEIRUT (November 1, 2024) – The global Christian humanitarian organization World Vision warns that more than 88,400 children are at risk of experiencing mental health issues as conflict spreads across Lebanon.

Over 400,000 children in the country (one in five) have fled their homes to escape the threat of death and injury due to the escalating violence. Increasingly, more families beyond the border region — in what were earlier considered safer areas — are being forced to flee their homes.

“We are deeply concerned about the innocent children caught in this cycle of violence and displacement. Many will bear the physical and mental scars of this crisis for a lifetime,” says Edgar Sandoval Sr., president and CEO of World Vision. “We remain committed to do all we can to help ensure that children are protected and given the opportunity to be all God meant for them to be even as we continue to pray for an end to the conflict.”

It’s estimated that at least 155 children, have been killed, and more than 12,000 have been injured. Beyond the immediate threat to children’s physical safety, the implications of the long-term trauma they face are dire. World Vision teams in Lebanon estimate that tens of thousands of children are in need of mental health support, and they expect these numbers to rise as the conflict continues.

World Vision has worked in Lebanon since 1975. The organization is offering psychosocial support sessions to provide children with a safe space to express their emotions and find moments of normalcy. These sessions aim to help children cope with the emotional toll of conflict and displacement, offering vital support to withstand and heal from trauma.

World Vision is also delivering vital humanitarian aid including lifesaving food supplies; access to clean water, sanitation, and hygiene solutions; educational support for displaced children; resilience-building activities; and support for strengthened child protection programs.

In Lebanon last year, World Vision reached 837,825 people with assistance, including 420,753 children.

World Vision calls on all parties to reach an end to the violence, to protect children from conflict and forced displacement, and to ensure they can all aspire and achieve fullness of life.

About World Vision:

World Vision is a Christian humanitarian organization dedicated to working with children, families and their communities worldwide to reach their full potential by tackling the causes of poverty and injustice. We serve all people, regardless of religion, race, ethnicity or gender. For more information, visit worldvision.org or follow on X, formerly known as Twitter, @WorldVisionUSA.

Notes to editor:

• Shared shelters, such as unfinished buildings, informal tented settlements, and classrooms, are hosting approximately 1,000 internally displaced people (IDPs). Nearly 200,000 people (25% of the total displaced) are staying in one of these collective shelters.
•  The calculation of 88,400 children at risk is based on the presumed prevalence of 22.1% in long-term conflict-affected populations per The Lancet.