Dublin, 19 March 2026
The Irish Government is supporting urgent humanitarian efforts by Plan International in Lebanon, as escalating conflict in the Middle East drives mass displacement and deepening humanitarian needs across the region.
Plan International Ireland, with funding of €120,000 from Irish Aid, is scaling up emergency assistance to women, girls and families affected by the rapidly deteriorating situation in Lebanon.
Since early March, intensified hostilities linked to the wider regional conflict have triggered large-scale displacement, with over one million people now internally displaced in the country and collective shelters operating at or beyond capacity. Schools have been closed, many repurposed as emergency shelters, disrupting education for hundreds of thousands of children.
Irish Aid funding is enabling Plan International to deliver life-saving support including dignity kits for women and girls, baby kits for infants, and ready-to-eat food for families living in overcrowded shelters with limited access to basic services.
“Ireland has a long-standing commitment to principled humanitarian action, and this support comes at a critical moment. The scale and speed of displacement in Lebanon is deeply concerning, particularly for children and families who have already endured years of economic hardship. Irish Aid funding is enabling us to deliver urgent, life-saving support to families who have lost everything, at a time when needs are rising faster than the humanitarian system can respond.”
Alam Janbein, Director of Programmes for Plan International in Lebanon, added:
“This emergency is traumatic for people on the ground – especially children, girls and young women, who face heightened vulnerability in shelters and amid displacement. We are also already seeing significant disruption to education because of school closures.”
The crisis in Lebanon is unfolding against the backdrop of a wider regional escalation, with humanitarian impacts also being felt in Syria and Gaza. Cross-border displacement into Syria is increasing, placing additional strain on already overstretched services, while rising fuel and food prices are expected to have knock-on effects across vulnerable regions globally.
Plan International’s response in Lebanon focuses on meeting urgent needs for food, water, hygiene, shelter, and protection, with a particular emphasis on supporting women, girls and the most vulnerable households. The organisation is working in coordination with local authorities, UN agencies and humanitarian partners to ensure assistance reaches those most affected.
Ireland’s support forms part of a broader international effort to respond to the crisis, as humanitarian needs continue to grow rapidly across the region.
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