2006
First intervention
167,900
People reached
17
Projects
12,850,081€
Budget spent
Context
Lebanon is undergoing a protracted, multidimensional crisis, exacerbated in 2025 by ongoing hostilities in the south of the country and the Bekaa Valley. Despite the cessation of hostilities agreement at the end of 2024, continued military activity and structural damage to infrastructure have prevented the return of some 65,000 internally displaced persons, leaving entire villages inaccessible. The country continues to host the highest number of refugees per capita in the world: over one million Syrians, to whom some 120,000 new arrivals have been added over the course of the year due to the instability following the fall of the Assad regime. Pressure on refugees to return to Syria has increased, yet this has been met with uncertainty regarding security and a severe lack of infrastructure in their places of origin.
The context has been marked by economic collapse and a severe drought which drastically reduced access to water in 2025. This fragility has been reflected in every aspect of daily life: in terms of protection, there has been an alarming rise in gender-based violence and child labour, whilst the education system has been damaged by the frequent use of schools as collective reception centres.
The situation was equally critical in terms of housing, with thousands of families trapped in overcrowded shelters or informal settlements lacking essential services. Against this backdrop, humanitarian action faced a dual challenge: responding immediately to frequent emergencies whilst simultaneously addressing chronic needs requiring long-term solutions. The ultimate objective remained that of preserving a fragile social stability in a deeply unstable regional context.
SECTORS OF INTERVENTION
INTERSOS’ intervention
Present in Lebanon since 2006, INTERSOS further strengthened its programmes in 2025 to respond to the complex crisis affecting the Lebanese population, including internally displaced persons, Syrian refugees and migrants. Operating from bases in Tyre, Zahle, Beirut and Tripoli, the organisation reached 167,849 people through an integrated approach combining protection, basic assistance and infrastructure rehabilitation across all the country’s governorates.
The Protection sector was at the heart of the response, focusing on risk monitoring and case management for women who have survived gender-based violence, children at risk and people with chronic vulnerabilities. INTERSOS provided psychosocial support, legal assistance and financial aid to address immediate security needs. At the same time, we worked to address the housing crisis: dilapidated housing and collective centres were rehabilitated, whilst providing financial assistance for rent and information sessions on property rights. To alleviate the hardship faced by newly displaced families, essential goods and hygiene kits were distributed.
INTERSOS has also worked to restore access to essential services, which had been restricted by the conflict and the economic crisis. Interventions included the rehabilitation of water and school infrastructure, teacher training and non-formal education programmes to prevent school dropouts. In terms of localisation, a key added value was the flexible emergency response capacity, closely coordinated with nine national NGOs. This model made it possible to address overlapping vulnerabilities, ensuring equitable and dignified access to services for the most vulnerable groups, such as women, the elderly and people with disabilities.
