Although a ceasefire has been declared in Lebanon, the consequences of the bombing have not gone away. Over the past decade Lebanon has already been shaken by regional crises, with more than 1.5 million Syrian refugees, by socio-economic crises and by the explosion at the port of Beirut in August 2020. The country emerges from the latest conflict weaker still, with more than a million internally displaced people on their way home, while many towns and villages have suffered major destruction. Humanitarian, stabilisation and reconstruction needs have grown accordingly. 

HAMAP-Humanitaire works in southern Lebanon, an area bordering Israel marked by long-standing tensions and heavy contamination by explosive remnants of war, particularly since the 2006 war. The project set out to strengthen the capacity of Lebanese NGOs to run risk education activities among the population, with a build-up of skills leading to the identification of contaminated areas and the training of our partners in demining and land clearance techniques. Our awareness programmes are designed for a wide audience, adapting to adults and children alike.    

   “Our humanitarian organisation is committed to defending human rights and assisting the victims of disasters and armed conflict, while promoting a culture of global cooperation. Our programmes focus on the most vulnerable groups in the community, in particular Syrian refugees, women, children, prisoners, older people and people with physical and/or mental disabilities. ”.   

-our partner Beeatoona 

The intensification of the conflict over the past two months has disrupted the projects we were running in the country. The war has heightened the need for risk education while making it harder to carry out the next stages leading to demining. We are continuing our explosive ordnance risk awareness work to support people affected by the conflict as they return to their land In the months to come, more than 10,000 people will take part in awareness sessions thanks to our work, alongside media campaigns. 

“SHEILD's Mine Action Unit has recently completed a training course provided by HAMAP-Humanitaire. The sessions cover essential subjects such as preparedness in the event of bombing, safe evacuation, and strategies for staying safe during armed attacks. […] This training enables SHEILD to support communities and raise their awareness of protection in times of crisis. We have begun distributing leaflets in schools ”.    

-our partner SHEILD   

 

Living conditions in Lebanon are deteriorating at an alarming pace. With winter setting in, many families are living in temporary housing that is often damaged by the war, in many cases without windows. Sanitation and hospital infrastructure is close to collapse. While the ceasefire opens the way for displaced people to return, the destruction of homes and infrastructure, along with explosive ordnance contamination in the areas that were targeted, prevents people from returning in safety and dignity. Lebanese and international solidarity and mobilisation have been remarkable, but resources fall far short of a crisis on this scale.

“I feel an immense powerlessness in the face of the unbearable scenes I am witnessing. No one in Lebanon is spared: everyone knows someone, a relative, a friend, a family member, who has been killed, injured or forced to flee. […] Everything around us is collapsing. Shops are closing one after another. Hospitals, already overwhelmed by the economic crisis, are struggling to cope with the emergency […]. Our days are no longer about living but about surviving”    

-Sarah, HAMAP-Humanitaire coordinator in Lebanon   

Faced with this situation, HAMAP-Humanitaire has adapted its activities as an emergency response to the conflict: awareness work has been extended to cover the prevention and protection of civilians from the direct consequences of the war. It also allows us to keep our teams in place while ensuring their safety. We have also stepped up our search for additional funding to meet the scale of the needs. Looking ahead, the recent signing of a memorandum between HAMAP-Humanitaire and the Lebanon Mine Action Center (LMAC) will allow us to deepen our work in the country and to contribute to reconstruction efforts.