UNICEF Sounds Alarm Over ’Severe Food Poverty’ Among Lebanese Children

By Staff, Agencies

The United Nations children's agency [UNICEF] stressed on Friday more than one in two children under the age of two are suffering "severe food poverty" in east Lebanon after the war between "Israel" and Hezbollah.

UNICEF mentioned in a statement, “In Baalbek-Hermel, more than half [51%] of children under two years of age are experiencing severe food poverty.”

"In Beqaa, the rate was 45%, a dramatic increase from 28% in 2023," it added, defining severe food poverty as the consumption of two items or less out of the eight key food groups.

UNICEF's representative in Lebanon, Akhil Iyer said: “The war has taken a shocking toll on children, affecting almost every aspect of their lives.”

The agency said older children were also impacted, saying 49% of those under 18 in the Beqaa area and 34% of those in the Baalbek-Hermel area “either had not eaten or had had only one meal on the day prior to the survey being conducted.”

The survey, conducted in January, found that “72% of caregivers said their children were anxious or nervous during the war, and 62% said they were depressed or sad.”