Struggling to keep the taps on

Lebanon's water crisis continues to put children at risk

Georgio, 4 years old is helping his parents fill their small water containers because they dont have water at home.
UNICEF2021/Fouad-Choufany/Lebanon

Highlights

Lebanon’s unprecedented socio-economic crisis has left millions of people fighting for survival and devastated critical infrastructure, including water and sanitation, putting the health and future of the country’s children at risk.

Rising global oil prices have further worsened an economic meltdown that was already compounded by the impact of the COVID-19 pandemic and the aftermath of the 2020 Beirut explosions.

For the more than 80 per cent of the population who live below the poverty line, the overlapping crises mean a daily struggle not only to put food on the table, but also to ensure their families have sufficient clean water.

The water sector itself has barely managed to stay afloat, and water supply systems remain on the brink, with prospects for a solution looking bleak as the limited power supply makes it impossible to pump sufficient water, and in some cases causes water pumping operations to shut down entirely.

Struggling to keep the taps on
Author(s)
UNICEF Lebanon
Publication date
Languages
English, Arabic

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