The Vulnerability Assessment for Syrian Refugees in Lebanon – conducted jointly by the United Nations Children’s Fund, the UN refugee agency and the UN World Food Program – surveyed 4,966 Syrian refugee households, randomly selected from 26 districts across Lebanon, between May 9 and 24, 2017.
The report found that Syrian refugees in Lebanon were spending less every year, reporting this year a per capita monthly expenditure of $98 – a drop of $6 compared to 2016 and $9 since 2015, The Daily Star reported.
Three quarters of Syrian refugee households were found to have expenditures below what was required to meet their basic needs of food, health, shelter and education.
Many households were also found to be incurring debt to buy food, cover health expenses and pay for rent. Eighty-seven percent of households reported having borrowed money, while 77 percent reported having experienced a lack of food or a lack of money to buy food in the 30 days prior to taking part in the survey.
These figures constitute a small improvement over 2016, during which year 91 percent reported borrowing money and 88 percent reported experiencing a lack of food or money to buy food.
Nevertheless, the report noted that these 2017 figures were still regarded “high.”