One year after the explosion, children’s needs remain acute-UNICEF-[REPORT]

A UNICEF survey showed on Tuesday that the needs of affected children and families one year after the devastating explosions in Beirut, remain acute, magnified by a collapsing economy, political instability and the COVID-19 pandemic.

 

The survey added that the rapid assessment “highlights the severity of the trauma children suffered and the dire needs families have experienced.”

 

“Seven in ten households requested basic assistance after the August 4, 2020 explosions and almost all of those families still need support. Most of the requests were for cash assistance and food, which remains the case,” the report explained.

 

It also highlighted that one-third of the families with children under the age of 18 said at least one child in their household was still showing signs of psychological distress.  In the case of adults, it’s almost half.

 

"One year after the tragic events, children's lives remain deeply affected. That is what their parents tell us," said Yukie Mokuo, UNICEF Representative in Lebanon. "Those families have been struggling to recover from the aftermath of the explosions at the worst possible time – in the middle of a devastating economic crisis and a major pandemic."