Humanitarian needs in the Middle East are escalating as ongoing violence forces families to flee their homes and pushes communities deeper into crisis. Over 161 million women and girls live in countries affected by the conflict, many of whom face heightened risks of violence, exploitation, and loss of essential services. In Iraq, Jordan, Lebanon, the occupied Palestinian territory, and Syria, more than 1.6 million pregnant women are living under threat, many displaced from their homes and struggling to access care and support.
Displaced women are giving birth in unsafe and overcrowded conditions, often without privacy, clean water, or medical support. These circumstances not only endanger lives but also have profound psychological impacts. Women and girls face escalating risks of gender-based violence, sexual exploitation, abuse, and trafficking. In Lebanon alone, more than 69,900 pregnant women are affected, and over 800,000 people have been displaced, sheltering in schools, streets, or with relatives while struggling to reach healthcare amid unsafe roads, disrupted transport, and shortages of medicines, fuel, and hygiene supplies.
CARE staff report harrowing conditions for mothers and newborns. Women who have recently given birth, including cesarean deliveries, are often left to recover on sidewalks or in unsafe shelters. Repeated bombings and ongoing displacement have created deep psychological scars, while urgent needs for mental health support, food, water, and shelter continue to rise. CARE and its local partners are scaling up emergency aid, providing water, meals, hygiene items, and protection services specifically for women and girls in displacement sites.
The conflict is affecting multiple countries in the region. Tens of thousands of Syrians and Lebanese have crossed borders amid ongoing violence, while in Palestine, military activity and movement restrictions continue to limit access to food, fuel, and medical supplies. In Jordan, missile debris has injured civilians and damaged homes, and in Iraq, drone and missile incidents are disrupting infrastructure. Authorities in Türkiye and neighboring countries are preparing for potential refugee arrivals.
CARE emphasizes that communities hardest hit by the current crisis are also those that have endured years of conflict and economic challenges. The organization continues to support families with food, water, cash assistance, shelter, and protection, with a focus on safeguarding women and girls, who face the greatest risks during displacement and conflict. CARE calls for an immediate cessation of hostilities, protection of civilians and infrastructure, safe and unhindered humanitarian access, and the meaningful inclusion of women in conflict resolution and peace processes to ensure effective and equitable responses.
