Beirut — June 2, 2026 — The ongoing crisis in Lebanon is taking a devastating toll on women and girls, with escalating violence and displacement undermining access to essential health and protection services, the United Nations Population Fund (UNFPA) has warned.
Recent airstrikes damaged a UNFPA-supported primary healthcare centre and a women’s safe space in southern Lebanon, leaving thousands without critical services. A public hospital offering maternal care was also hit, further straining the fragile health system. Among the displaced are 13,500 pregnant women, including 1,500 expected to give birth within the next month, many now without reliable access to skilled care.
UNFPA Representative Anandita Philipose stressed that when maternity wards and hospitals are destroyed, pregnant women lose access to life-saving services. Mobile health teams continue to provide maternal care, psychosocial support, and protection assistance, but deteriorating conditions in shelters — including overcrowding, poor sanitation, and lack of privacy — are increasing risks of gender-based violence, particularly for adolescent girls and vulnerable households.
The agency’s emergency appeal is only 30 per cent funded, and UNFPA is urgently seeking $25 million to sustain operations through August. Without immediate funding, more than 75,000 women could lose access to protection services, safe spaces, and maternal healthcare.
“Scaling down our operations means cutting off women from critical support at the exact moment they need it most,” Philipose warned.
