Amel Receives the Minister of Social Affairs and UNFPA on a Field Visit in Beirut

Urgent Call to Strengthen Humanitarian Response and Protect the Dignity of Displaced Persons

Amid the difficult humanitarian conditions facing Lebanon, Amel Association International welcomed the Minister of Social Affairs, Ms. Haneen El Sayed, and the Regional Director of the United Nations Population Fund (UNFPA) for the Arab States, Dr. Laila Baker, at Wata El Msaytbeh School in Beirut. They were accompanied by UNFPA Representative in Lebanon, Ms. Anindita Philipose, and Ms. Hiba Kachour, in the presence of Dr. Kamel Mohanna, President of Amel Association International, Dr. Zeina Mohanna, Board Member and Head of Programs and Partnerships, along with Amel’s program team. The visit aimed to assess the conditions of displaced families and closely examine the challenges they face in shelters.

This visit comes within the framework of the ongoing partnership between Amel Association International, the Ministry of Social Affairs, and UNFPA, with the objective of strengthening the humanitarian response and ensuring the protection of the dignity of displaced persons, especially women and girls, amid the escalating crises in Lebanon.

During the tour, the delegation observed the severe overcrowding in shelters and the acute shortage of basic services, including healthcare, psychosocial support, and essential relief items. They also listened to first-hand testimonies from women facing compounded burdens during displacement, bearing caregiving responsibilities under harsh conditions, with limited privacy and heightened risks.

Amel Association International affirmed that its response is grounded in its approach of proximity to communities and working alongside them. Its field teams continue to provide integrated health, social, and psychosocial services in cooperation with partners, strengthening community resilience and preserving human dignity.

In this context, Dr. Kamel Mohanna emphasized:
“Lebanon is going through a critical phase that requires all of us to move beyond fragmentation and toward genuine partnership and effective integration among all actors, ministries, international organizations, and civil society. Human dignity is not a detail that can be postponed; it is a national and moral priority. Joint action is the only path to ensuring a fair and comprehensive response that restores people’s rights and dignity.”

He noted that the visit sends a clear message on the importance of coordination among stakeholders and the need to build on joint efforts to strengthen the humanitarian response, avoid duplication and fragmentation, and ensure access to the most vulnerable groups. He also called for strengthening the national plan to manage displacement based on principles of justice, transparency, and human rights, in partnership with actors on the ground who possess contextual expertise.

During the visit, Minister Haneen El Sayed listened to distressing testimonies from displaced individuals forced to flee their villages due to ongoing attacks, as displacement continues to worsen an already complex humanitarian reality.

In her statement, the Minister called on friendly countries and international organizations to act urgently and provide support, stressing that state capacities are no longer sufficient to cope with the increasing influx of displaced persons, especially amid the widening gap between growing needs and declining funding.

She added that coordination is ongoing with governors and local authorities to distribute available resources as quickly as possible according to field priorities, ensuring an effective response to urgent needs.

For her part, UNFPA Regional Director for the Arab States, Dr. Laila Baker, expressed solidarity with the Lebanese people, reaffirming the Fund’s commitment to continue supporting humanitarian efforts, particularly in healthcare and essential services, and to work alongside the Lebanese government and partners to strengthen the response and move toward stability.