Beirut, Lebanon, April 15, 2026 — The new IRC report, “Displaced Again: The Compounding Impact of Repeated Displacement on Children in Lebanon,” draws on interviews conducted by the IRC with caregivers and children living in collective shelters and reveals how repeated cycles of conflict and displacement are reshaping children’s emotional wellbeing, behavior, and development.
Renewed conflict has forced more than 1.3 million people across the country from their homes, including over 350,000 children. Israeli airstrikes and mass evacuation orders continue to drive displacement, leaving many in overcrowded collective shelters, such as repurposed schools, where families endure confined spaces, little privacy and limited access to basic services.
These conditions are taking a visible toll, particularly on children. Caregivers told the IRC that children in these shelters are struggling to sleep, showing signs of anxiety and anger, and increasingly expressing fear about their futures. Negative thoughts are becoming deeply embedded in children’s daily lives. Across ages, children appear to be increasingly anxious, gripped by constant fear of losing loved ones and their homes. For many, this is the second time in two years they have been forced from their homes, compounding distress and eroding any sense of normalcy.
Taghrid Abdullah, IRC Protection Coordinator in Lebanon describes:
“For many children, this is not just about displacement, it’s also about losing their sense of safety, routine, and hope. Families are living in crowded classrooms with little to no privacy. Mothers talk about how their children cannot sleep, study, or simply be children. This repeated upheaval is leaving deep and lasting mental scars, and it demands urgent action.”
A displaced mother interviewed by the IRC described the daily reality inside shelters for children:
“Their entire lives have changed again. Life in a shelter means chaos. Every time I try to enforce any rule, my son tells me, ‘What’s the use if we won’t even have a home?’”
Another mother IRC spoke with, Salam, shared that her three-year-old daughter now reacts to any strong and sudden sound by asking, “Will I get hurt now?”.
In response to the crisis, the IRC is working closely with line ministries to support displaced families across Lebanon with health and protection services and is preparing to launch cash assistance. The organization is also helping restore routine for children through structured activities that provide essential psychosocial support. The IRC creates safe spaces to reduce distress while giving children opportunities to play, connect, and feel secure. We are also distributing educational and recreational kits—including books, crayons, jump ropes, play dough, and other learning materials—to help children continue learning and find moments of relief from the conflict.
The IRC warns that without an immediate cessation of hostilities and rapid scaling of humanitarian assistance, the crisis risks becoming a long-term emergency for an entire generation of children. The organization is calling for an urgent scale-up of psychosocial support, improved shelter conditions, and increased financial assistance to help families meet basic needs and restore dignity.