With an estimated 1.5 million Syrian refugees and over 11,000 registered refugees of other nationalities, Lebanon remains the country hosting the highest number of refugees per capita globally, according to UNHCR. Against a backdrop of an acute socio-economic collapse ranked as “one of the most severe crises episodes globally since the mid-nineteenth century” by the World Bank and ongoing armed escalations in the south, the country has witnessed a profound impact on vulnerable communities like Syrian refugees who moved to Lebanon, fleeing the war and insecurity in their home since 2011. This includes a notable rise in poverty levels among refugees settled in informal camps due to lack of sources of income and diminishing humanitarian assistance, and constraints on accessing fundamental necessities such as food, healthcare, education, and other essential services.

Recent weeks in Lebanon have seen a surge in anti-refugee sentiment and stringent measures, including municipal crackdowns on undocumented refugees and increased deportations. Discriminatory rhetoric and misinformation campaigns, fueled by media reports linking Syrian refugees to crimes and epidemics, have fostered an environment of fear and hatred between the host and refugee populations.