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Lebanon

A woman greets her husband with her child after arriving at Montreal's Pierre Elliot Trudeau airport, following their evacuation from Lebanon, July 21, 2006 [REUTERS/CHRISTINNE MUSCHI, courtesy www.alertnet.org]

Poverty, ill health and illiteracy are all on the rise for Palestinians in Lebanon – 60 per cent of them live below the official UN poverty line.

There are more than 370,000 Palestinian refugees in Lebanon – many of them have lived there for more than 50 years.

They face political, economic and social exclusion, because the Lebanese government prevents them from getting skilled jobs or using the health service.

CAFOD spent £359,000 in Lebanon in 2006-07

Key challenges include:

Unemployment and low-wage jobs are the only options for Palestinians, because they are denied work permits by the Lebanese government. Unemployment in the refugee camps is estimated to be 40 per cent.
Disabilities such as cerebral palsy are very common in Palestinian refugee communities. Lack of income compounds the problem for many families, leaving them dependent on welfare from the UN Relief Works Agency.

Mothers attend literacy and health education classes while children develop their social skills at the Association Najdeh kindergarten [Carlos Reyes-Manzo]

Training for women

Association Najdeh provides training, particularly for women, both Palestinian refugees and poorer Lebanese communities.

Mohammad enjoys physiotherapy and play at a CAFOD-funded day centre in southern Lebanon [Sour Community Development Project]

Health care in the Lebanon

Mohammad has cerebral palsy and can't sit or stand. At a CAFOD-funded day centre, he gets physiotherapy and a chance to play with other children.

Many Sri Lankan women are lured away from their families by the offer of a good home and salary with a wealthy Lebanese family. But when they arrive, the dream of providing for their family can turn into a nightmare.

Middle East emergency

CAFOD and its partners are helping communities in Lebanon to rebuild their lives after the war by replacing livestock and distributing seeds and fertiliser

Edmond Naim and his family recieved food and a hygiene kit from CAFOD's partner Caritas Lebanon. He has also recieved a loan to get his peach and apple farming business back up and running. [David Snyder]

Time to look forward not back

CAFOD and its partners are helping people in Lebanon one year after the war by providing small loans to help farmers like Naim recover financially after the war destroyed his crops

The Bethlehem Arab Society for Rehabilitation helps children with learning difficulties to integrate with other children [Paulinus Barnes]

Palestinian Territories

Since the occupation of the West Bank and Gaza Strip by Israel following the 1967 Six-day War, Palestinians have seen their standard of living fall; today, almost three quarters of the population live below the UN poverty line.

Kenyan women lay down flowers after a peaceful demonstration at Nairobi's Freedom Corner against the violent unrest following elections, January 2008 [REUTERS/Thomas Mukoya, courtesy www.alertnet.org]

Plea from Caritas for Kenya peace

Caritas member organisations which have been witnesses to violence across the world join forces to call for an end to the ongoing conflict in Kenya

More than three million people in Colombia have been forced to flee their homes during decades of fighting between guerrilla groups, paramilitaries and the army - the highest number of displaced people in the world after Sudan [CARITAS Colombia/CAFOD]

Support our partners in their struggle

CAFOD has repeatedly asked the UK government to press the Colombian authorities to publicly defend human rights. Please support this call to action and the work of our partners in Colombia by emailing your MP now.

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