UNICEF released a survey recently highlighting the dramatic deterioration of living conditions in the past months and the impact this ongoing crisis is having on children.

The survey mentions that nearly 8 in 10 Lebanese live in poverty and 36 per cent in extreme poverty, knowing that the UN had estimated recently that 78 percent of the Lebanese lives below the poverty line – some three million people – with 36 percent of the population living in extreme poverty.

Added to that:
– Over 50% of families having at least one child have skipped a basic meal in September, up from 37% in April.
– 40% of families had to sell household items to, up from 33%.
– 7 in 10 families had to buy food on credit or borrow money to afford food.
– More than 45% of families had insufficient drinking water at least once in the 30 days prior to the survey, up from 20% in April.

Despite the severity of the situation, the Lebanese authorities have yet to take any initiatives to provide support for these families and commit to economic reforms.

You can read the full statement [here].