Refugees in a building under construction they have been using as a shelter in southern Lebanon, on March 17, 2020, after Lebanon urged people to stay at home for two weeks to stem a novel coronavirus outbreak. © 2020 Mahmoud Zayyat/AFP via Getty Images
The situation of Palestinian refugees in Lebanon has been exacerbated by the anti-coronavirus movement restrictions and absence of humanitarian and medical assistance in the Lebanese territories.
Prices have also skyrocketed in the Middle Eastern country, overburdening the cash-stripped families.
UNRWA has identified Palestinian refugees in Lebanon as one of the most marginalized and poorest communities in the region.
In recent reports UNRWA said that Palestinian refugees in Lebanon continue to face high vulnerability and marginalization, making them heavily reliant on UNRWA humanitarian support to cover their basic needs. The socio-economic hardships and unrest experienced by the country have compounded the refugees’ already dire living conditions.
The vast majority of Palestinian refugees taking shelter in displacement camps set up in Lebanon live in poverty and are unable to meet even their most essential food requirements.
The refugees’ vulnerability is further compounded by their precarious legal status. The lack of a valid legal status, often coupled with outdated civil registration documents, results in severely restricted freedom of movement for some Palestinians in Lebanon due to fear of arrest, detention or forced deportation.