Cold & Rain Place Forcibly Displaced Children at Even Greater Risk in Lebanon

18 March 2026 – As heavy rain and falling temperatures continue to affect Lebanon, displaced children and families are facing increasingly harsh and unsafe living conditions, with many exposed to the cold in tents, unfinished buildings, and overcrowded shelters. 

According to Ministry of Social Affairs, more than 1 million people have been displaced in Lebanon in just over 2.5 weeks, including nearly 300,000 children. While around 132,700 individuals are currently hosted in collective shelters, the majority of families are finding refuge in the streets, informal sites, unfinished buildings, automobiles, or rented accommodation, often in conditions that lack adequate access to basic services and protection. 

World Vision Lebanon teams are responding on the ground, scaling up support to meet urgent needs. As of 16 March, the organisation has reached more than 131,000 people, including 46,000 children, with life-saving assistance in shelters. This includes blankets, mattresses, winter clothing, and heating support such as stoves, alongside food assistance, hot meals, hygiene kits, and trauma-informed care and psychosocial support. 

Winterisation support remains critical as temperatures drop and rainfall is expected to continue in the coming days, worsening already difficult conditions for families living in inadequate shelter. 

Heidi Diedrich, National Director of World Vision Lebanon, said: 

“Protection of children must be the top priority for all involved in responding to this escalation – this includes ensuring proper shelter for children and all displaced families, shelter that provides access to food, clean water, and a warm, safe place to lay their heads’ at night.” 

 “Children in Lebanon continue to be exposed to crisis-after-crisis with acute poverty of 60% nationwide and reaching 70% in some areas”. 

“Forced displacement is a violation of International Humanitarian Law; It has driven 350,000 children to forcibly   flee their homes with little to nothing, and with deep fear, exceptional loss and grief, as well as repeated trauma from airstrikes and drone attacks. Urgent support is needed to ensure the protection and wellbeing of all our children.” 

“The exceptional number of forcibly displaced since March 1 underscores the scale and urgency of lifesaving need. Urgent support is required to protect children and families as the need is far outpacing resources for this response. Winter assistance and safe shelter is especially vital as rain and cold weather continues, exposing children and family at exceptional risk to illness and long-term harm.” 

Razane, a 12-year-old displaced girl from South Lebanon, shared: 

“We are not happy here. It’s very cold and we need something to keep us warm, like stoves and heaters.” 

World Vision Lebanon continues to work with local partners and communities to deliver assistance quickly, including supporting community kitchens and distributing essential winter items to displaced families most exposed to the weather. 

The humanitarian situation continues to deteriorate as needs outpace available resources. With shelters overwhelmed and many families living in informal conditions, urgent action is needed to scale up funding and support for Lebanon’s most vulnerable children.  

Humanitarian organisations, including World Vision, urgently require rapid and flexible funding to scale up life-saving assistance, expand their reach, and respond effectively to the growing needs of vulnerable families affected by the crisis12. 

Notes to Editors: 

World Vision has been present in Lebanon for more than 50 years, delivering humanitarian assistance and long-term transformational development programmes supporting vulnerable children and families. The organisation works with local partners to provide emergency food assistance, education support, child protection, clean water, healthcare, and psychosocial services across the country. 

For more information, please contact: 
Maya Bou Nassar, Advocacy & Communications Manager, World Vision Lebanon 
Maya_Bounassar@wvi.org | +961 3950516