Over 1million kids in Lebanon at risk of abuse, exploitation

Beirut: More than one million children in Lebanon are at serious risk of physical, emotional, or s**xual violence, as Lebanese families struggle to cope with the deepening crisis, according to a new report released by the Unicef.

Dubbed ‘Violent beginnings: Children growing up in Lebanon’s crisis’, the report revealed that around 1.8 million children (more than 80 percent) are now experiencing multidimensional poverty, up from around 900,000 in 2019, and risk being forced into abuses such as child labour or child marriage to help their families make ends meet, reports Xinhua news agency.

Yukie Mokuo, the Unicef representative in Lebanon, said that children’s safety and wellbeing are intricately connected to every pillar of a well-functioning society.

Najat Rochdi, the UN resident and humanitarian coordinator for Lebanon, said that the shocking figures of children subject to abuse and exploitation, and deprived of their basic rights, must be reversed.

The report noted that the UN in Lebanon is committed to protecting children from violence, abuse, and exploitation, and working with the government to strengthen protection services.