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.
|
|
|
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.
|
|
|