Child Poverty and Youth Unemployment in Lebanon

Abstract

Lebanon is a small country whose citizens are religiously diverse. It is accommodating 1.5 million refugees from Arab countries. Child poverty is a serious social problem, for it affects child development and has negative outcomes for all children affected. Youth poverty constrains youth achievements. Some 1.35 million Lebanese are living below the poverty line, and there are more than 1,500 street children, most of whom are Syrian refugees. High unemployment is another serious social problem, with an estimated 18.7 percent of males and 24.7 percent of females being unemployed. Unemployment among youth leads to lower levels of happiness and well‐being and to feelings of not being accepted in society. Youth unemployment is also associated with drug and alcohol use as well as higher incidences of criminal and antisocial behaviors. The problem of youth is worsening in Lebanon because of Arab youth refugees, but, at the same time, the Lebanese government has not set out any comprehensive and appropriately designed policies that meet Lebanon's specific social, economic, and political problems being experienced.