Terre des hommes (Tdh) provides the necessary psychological help to the children of Palestinian and Iraqi refugees who are in a very precarious situation in the Lebanon.

Solutions proposed by Terre des hommes

Help for refugees - Tdh offers protection, psychological and social help to the children of Palestinian and Iraqi refugees in the Lebanon. This country is not part of the United Nations Convention on Refugee Status. They have thus few rights and are faced with great problems accessing adequate services, in particular psychological services. The need for these is great due to the significant trauma they have suffered in their countries of origin. Tdh is regarded as a focal point in this area. Psychologists work with Palestinian refugees and their local partner, Insan, has put mobile services in place which go out to the Iraqi populations.

Child protection policy - Tdh is also putting a protection system in place in the Palestinian refugee camps to offer children a protected environment. The project also tries to harmonise the Iraqi and the Lebanese cultures so that there is greater understanding between these communities.


Results achieved in 2008

The post-conflict intervention in South Lebanon ended with a new aid project started in Beirut aimed at Iraqi refugees. In the South the main focus was on the participation of young Palestinians in micro projects aimed at protecting children in their communities. For the Iraqi refugees, the activities are carried out at home and also via street activities. Social workers regularly look after children. They are supported by teams of activity leaders who focus in particular on children who cannot go to school. The aim of helping some 150 families was achieved in less than 6 months. Now the aim is to go on and help more than 300 families, that is to say between 740 and 1500 individuals.


Facing the challenges

The future of Iraq poses many questions concerning the situation of refugees in the Lebanon. At the current time they have no legal status and it is hard for them to move around for fear of being taken to the border or of constant persecution. As for the Palestinians, there is little chance of them returning to their country soon. The refugees understand this situation very well and do not have much hope. The consequences for the children are a high level of school absenteeism, family and community violence, an increased risk of drug usage and other risk behaviours. The youth are attracted by social or political movements which offer them the chance to be heard and supported in their misery. Some of these movements destabilise their environment and future even more.


TESTIMONY - Children forced to work to survive

Although the Committee for the Rights of the Child has called upon the Lebanon to combat discrimination against refugee children, many are still suffering and have to support their families at a very early age.

Nesrine is 13, she lives with her mother, her three brothers and sister in a Palestinian refugee camp in South Lebanon. Her father no longer lives with them as he tried to sexually abuse the little girl and her mother took the brave decision to remove the children for their own safety. As Nesrine was the eldest she left school to support the family. She sells clothes for 150 USD a month. Her dream is to earn enough money so that her brothers and sister can stay at school. She would also like her father to stop drinking.

Mahamad is 14 and is the eldest in a family of 6 children. He lives in one of the Palestinian camps in South Lebanon and left school 2 years ago to paint cars in a garage. It is a hard job and his asthma is now twice as bad but it was the only job he could find close to home so he did not have to pay out for transport. Mahamad gets home very late. He is sad as he never has time to play. He wants to become an engineer when he is older. But the family’s financial situation is preventing this dream. He would also like to return to studying.