Lebanon | The heightened conflict activity strikes
already vulnerable communities. 

Since October 8, 2023, Lebanon has been caught in a surge of conflict activity, closely following the escalation in the Gaza Strip. The ongoing hostilities strike an already vulnerable Lebanon, displacing households, exacerbating existing needs, and further weakening the resilience of the population. It is expected to have widespread and lasting effects on the economy and on people’s access to livelihoods, which were already fragile following years of economic crisis. Additionally, the conflict-related impact to agricultural lands means already vulnerable agricultural communities are put at risk trying to secure their livelihoods.

Largescale displacement has also been recorded inside and outside of Lebanon with over 834,746 internally displaced persons (IDPs) as of October 28th, primarily living outside government-run collective sites. Expanding safe and affordable shelter options is critical as winter approaches, to prevent households from being forced into unsafe living conditions, a situation already affecting many.

And as the humanitarian community ramps up its response, for certain populations inclusion in the international aid system is a life-saving necessity. Among those affected, there is a critical need to focus on isolated women and households with elderly individuals or people with disabilities. Hostilities have also reached Palestinian refugee camps in Lebanon, affecting a population that, in 2023, saw over half of households facing extreme or very extreme levels of need and are heavily dependent on humanitarian aid. 

Read more on our Crisis thread

Haiti | Urgent need for sustainable response amidst
increasing violence and persistent climate shocks 

IOM 2024 / Antoine Lemonnier

Recent reports from Port-au-Prince reveal that armed gangs now control nearly 80% of the capital, a trend echoed across much of Haiti. This escalation of violence serves yet another shock to an already fragile humanitarian context. For years, climatic hazards and structural issues have eroded Haitians' ability to absorb shocks, resulting in over 5.4 million people—nearly half the population—facing crisis-level food insecurity or worse. Many of which are now forced to flee their homes unable to afford basic goods, earn an income, or access education and healthcare services.  

The recent surge in violence also introduces a new obstacle, as port and road closures-due to armed group activities-have disrupted the delivery of humanitarian aid and impeded reconstruction and stabilization efforts. With less than half of the humanitarian response funded, the severity of needs in the country calls for an immediate emergency response to start mitigating the impacts of this crisis. Our latest brief outlines how the violence is impacting Haitians’ daily lives and offers actionable insights for a sustainable response that addresses both immediate needs and the root causes of the crisis. 

More REACH News:  

Colombia | Focusing on the journey – The need for a regional approach to migration monitoring

Latin America is facing a complex migration crisis, with over 7 million Venezuelans leaving their country and embarking on journeys along dangerous routes and facing risks that extend beyond individual borders. To better assist migrants along the way our latest brief calls for a regional approach to migration monitoring, focusing on the “journey” rather than just the “destination”. 

About REACH

REACH is a leading humanitarian initiative that collects primary data and produces in-depth analysis to help aid actors make  evidence-based decisions in support of crisis-affected people. With this in mind, our flagship research programmes aim to inform the prioritisation of aid according to levels of need - both crisis-level planning and targeted rapid response - as well as decisions around appropriate modalities of aid. Through our team of assessment, data, geospatial, and thematic specialists, we promote the design of people-centred research and set standards for collecting and analysing  rigorous, high quality data in complex environments

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