Nearly a quarter of women and girls in Lebanon have been displaced, says UN

“Women tell me they are skipping meals so their children can eat. Older women, already vulnerable, are going without essential medication for chronic illnesses, putting their lives at risk.”⁣
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UN Women estimates that 620,000 women and girls have been forced to flee their homes in Lebanon since 2 March, amid the renewed conflict between Israel and Hezbollah ignited by the war in Iran.⁣
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That is nearly one quarter of all women and girls in Lebanon.⁣
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“This escalation is unfolding in a context where women already faced pre-existing inequalities, including limited access to income, unequal legal protections, and reduced access to services,” said Gielan El Messiri, UN Women Representative in Lebanon.⁣
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Israeli officials say the aim is to protect communities in northern Israel from Hezbollah attacks.⁣
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The latest escalation began after Iranian-backed Hezbollah fired rockets into northern Israel in retaliation for the killing of Iran‍‍`s supreme leader and near-daily strikes on Hezbollah despite the November 2024 ceasefire.⁣