A country weakened by successive crises

Although a ceasefire has been declared in Lebanon, the consequences of the bombing persist. Over the past decade the country has been heavily affected by several major crises, notably the arrival of more than 1.5 million Syrian refugees, a severe socio-economic crisis, and the explosion at the port of Beirut in August 2020.

Lebanon emerges from the latest conflict weaker still, with more than a million internally displaced people returning home and many towns and villages severely damaged. This has brought a significant rise in humanitarian, stabilisation and reconstruction needs.

Working in an area heavily exposed to risk

HAMAP-Humanitaire works in southern Lebanon, a region bordering Israel marked by long-standing tensions and heavy contamination by explosive remnants of war, particularly since the 2006 conflict.

Project objectives

  • Strengthen the capacity of local NGOs
  • Develop risk education among the population
  • Identify contaminated areas
  • Train partners in demining and clearance techniques

The awareness programmes are designed to reach a wide audience, adapting to adults and children alike.

Partners committed to the population

This work is part of an ongoing cooperation with local actors.

An example of a mission run by our partner Beeatoona

  • Defending human rights
  • Assisting the victims of conflict and disaster
  • Promoting a culture of international cooperation
  • Working with the most vulnerable groups:
    • Syrian refugees
    • Women and children
    • Older people
    • People with disabilities
    • Prisoners

Adapting as the conflict intensifies

The recent intensification of the conflict has disrupted the projects under way in the country. It has heightened the need for risk education while making the stages required for demining harder to carry out.

Activities maintained and strengthened

  • Continuing explosive ordnance risk awareness campaigns
  • Supporting people as they return to their land
  • Running media campaigns
  • Reaching more than 10,000 people with awareness work in the months ahead

Training to strengthen the protection of civilians

Another partner, SHEILD, has taken part in a training course provided by HAMAP-Humanitaire.

Course content

  • Preparedness in the event of bombing
  • Safe evacuation
  • How to react in an armed conflict situation

This training enables SHEILD to better support communities and raise their awareness, in particular through activities in schools and the distribution of information materials.

A worrying humanitarian situation

Living conditions continue to deteriorate rapidly. With winter setting in, many families are living in temporary or damaged housing, often lacking the most basic comfort.

Main challenges

  • Weakened sanitation and hospital infrastructure
  • A lack of safe housing
  • Areas contaminated by explosive ordnance
  • Difficulty in ensuring a safe and dignified return for displaced people

Despite local and international mobilisation, the resources available remain insufficient given the scale of the crisis.

A testimony from the field

« 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. […] Our days are no longer about living but about surviving », says Sarah, HAMAP-Humanitaire coordinator in Lebanon.

A humanitarian response adapted to the emergency

Faced with this situation, our activities have been adapted to meet urgent needs:

Measures put in place

  • Extending awareness activities to cover prevention in a war context
  • Keeping teams in the field while ensuring their safety
  • Stepping up the search for funding to match the scale of the needs

Prospects for strengthening our work

The recent signing of a memorandum between HAMAP-Humanitaire and the Lebanon Mine Action Center (LMAC) opens new prospects for:

  • Deepening our work in the field
  • Strengthening coordination with national actors
  • Contributing to reconstruction and to making these areas safe

In a context of instability and growing needs, this work helps protect people and create the conditions for a gradual return to safety.