Japan has donated $747,000 to support ongoing efforts to protect vulnerable people in Lebanon, according to the United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees (UNHCR).
The Japanese government’s new donation will help more than 35,000 Lebanese people and Syrian refugees in Lebanon through 2021, the UNHCR said in a statement on Friday.
The statement added that this funding comes “in a timely manner” to support the UNHCR in providing “specialized protection services and community empowerment.”
The grant will help provide safe spaces for refugees as well as host communities in the Beqaa region.
It will also enable the UNHCR to continue to provide essential services to the most vulnerable refugees and Lebanese residents through community centers in the same region, according to the statement.
These services range from literacy programs and basic math classes to awareness and prevention courses for survivors of sexual violence and other forms of societal violence, including providing emotional and social support for victims.
Coronavirus (COVID-19) prevention and awareness campaigns are another way in which the UNHCR helps vulnerable people in Lebanon.
Commenting on the donation, Japanese Ambassador to Lebanon Takeshi Okubo said: “Based on our firm belief that the stability of Lebanon is an essential factor for the stability of the entire region, we presented this new grant, hoping that it would contribute to ensuring human security for all Syrian refugees and help the neediest groups of the Lebanese population during these difficult circumstances.”
Last month, Japan donated $600,000 to support demining efforts in Lebanon.
