New UNICEF assessment finds children going hungry, missing health care and education, and experiencing widespread psychological distress
BEIRUT, 30 September 2026 – Four in five households in Lebanon are struggling to afford basic necessities as conflict compounds years of economic crisis, pushing children into hunger, out of education and into work, UNICEF warned today.
A new UNICEF report, An Enduring Nightmare, reveals the mounting toll on children and young people across Lebanon. More than one in five households surveyed – 22 per cent – reported that their children had gone to bed hungry and ten per cent of households with children under five can provide a sufficiently nutritious diet while 31 per cent said children had gone without needed health care, mainly because families could not afford it. Fourteen per cent reported at least one child working – more than twice the proportion recorded in January 2025.
“Children and young people in Lebanon are being asked to bear a burden no child should have to carry,” said UNICEF Lebanon Representative Marcoluigi Corsi. “Families are being pushed to the brink, while children are missing health care and education, being pushed into work and experiencing profound psychological distress. Without urgent and sustained action, these pressures are shaping their lives for years to come”.
The conflict has taken a devastating toll on children. Since 2 March 2026, at least 261 children have been killed and 1,056 injured – an average of seven children killed or injured every day over six months. An estimated 12 per cent of injured children are now living with a disability.
Children’s education has also been severely disrupted. Some 436 schools have been damaged or destroyed, leaving around 100,000 children at risk of being without a classroom, while 86 teachers have been killed or injured. At household level, 46 per cent reported cutting education spending and 17 per cent said their children had to stop attending school. Among children attending school, 29 per cent were unable to learn as expected, often because of difficulty concentrating and emotional distress.
Beyond the visible destruction, the psychological toll is also profound. An estimated 770,000 children have experienced psychological distress over the past six months. More than half of households said their children’s emotional well-being had worsened, while almost two-thirds – 63 per cent – reported that their children were anxious or nervous.
Young people in Lebanon also face shrinking opportunities. An earlier UNICEF assessment this year found that only 22 per cent of young people aged 18–25 were in school or university, largely because of financial barriers, while at the time of the survey, 67 per cent were unemployed. The findings point to the growing challenges young people face in continuing their education, accessing services and building their futures in Lebanon.
UNICEF continues to respond to urgent humanitarian needs, including through supporting the national systems and services children and families depend on. Since January 2026, UNICEF has intensified its efforts to address humanitarian needs, treating injured children, delivering supplies to shelters and medical facilities, and providing care to displaced families.
“Without urgent and sustained action, an entire generation of children and young people risks carrying the scars of this crisis into adulthood,” said Corsi. “Lebanon’s recovery depends on protecting children now and upholding their right to health care, education, protection and the opportunities they need to build their futures.”
About UNICEF
Working in Lebanon for over 75 years, UNICEF works in some of the world’s toughest places, to reach the world’s most disadvantaged children. Across more than 190 countries and territories, we work for every child, everywhere, to build a better world for everyone
For more information about UNICEF Lebanon and our work for children, visit www.unicef.org/lebanon/ or follow us on Twitter, Facebook, Instagram and YouTube