Current Context in Syria

In the harsh winter of Syrian refugee camps, impoverished families face dire conditions. Makeshift shelters provide little insulation against biting cold, with temperatures plummeting below freezing. Without proper heating, the cold seeps into their fragile homes, threatening especially the young and the elderly. Blankets and warm clothing are scarce, often leading to illness. Food is limited, and the struggle for adequate nutrition intensifies as the body demands more to maintain warmth. The landscape, blanketed in snow, further isolates these families, compounding their vulnerability and desperation in the face of relentless, chilling adversity.

• Approximately 15.3 million people in Syria require humanitarian assistance, which is about 70% of the population within the country​​.
• More than 90% of Syrians live below the poverty line, and over 2 million Syrian refugee children are out of school with an additional 1.6 million at risk of dropping out​​.
• About 5.3 million Syrian refugees are living in neighboring countries, with over 6.8 million internally displaced within Syria. Women and children make up over two-thirds of the displaced population​​.
• It’s estimated that 12 million people are food insecure, with 2.5 million severely food insecure as of January 2023​​.
• The UN Refugee Agency (UNHCR) provides winter relief items such as warm clothes, sleeping bags, thermal blankets, stoves, fuel for heating, and insulation for tents during winter, alongside cash assistance for rent, food, and medicine​​.
• Syrian refugees have sought asylum in over 130 countries. Turkey hosts over 3.6 million, and Lebanon hosts 1.5 million, the largest number per capita in the world. Za’atari refugee camp in Jordan houses more than 82,000 refugees, with children and women constituting a significant portion of the population​​.
• The population is facing rampant poverty, exacerbated by funding shortages for humanitarian aid and inflation, with many relying on melting snow for drinking water​​.
• A staggering 97% of northwest Syria’s population lives in extreme poverty, earning less than $2 a day, and over 80% require food assistance​​.

Current Context in Morocco

In the winter, impoverished families in Morocco face harsh conditions. Many live in dilapidated homes with no insulation, where biting cold seeps through cracks and under doors, chilling to the bone. They often lack central heating, relying on inadequate stoves that do little to ward off the cold. Blankets and warm clothing are scarce, forcing families to huddle together for warmth. Nutrition suffers as well, as meager resources are stretched thin, and the cold amplifies the struggle for survival. Vulnerable populations, particularly children and the elderly, bear the brunt of these severe winter hardships.

• Many impoverished Moroccans live in substandard housing without electricity or running water, and children often have to study by candlelight​​.
• A quarter of Moroccans are either poor or at risk of poverty, and the country ranks 123rd in the U.N.’s human development index​​.
• Those from rural mountain areas who relocate to cities build homes without permits and lack access to utilities, exacerbating their vulnerability during winter​​.
• In remote mountain regions, some families still live in tents without basic amenities and face extreme cold, lacking adequate clothing and shoes​​.

Current Context in Yemen

The living conditions of impoverished families in Yemen are extremely challenging. The country has been embroiled in conflict since 2015, leaving the economy in shambles and essential services like healthcare and education collapsing​​​​. Over 60% of the population is food insecure, and millions are on the brink of famine. The majority of Yemenis lack safe water and sanitation, and food prices are soaring, making basic necessities unaffordable for many who have lost their jobs due to the conflict​​​​.

With the conflict displacing over four million people from their homes and livelihoods, a significant portion of the population is dependent on humanitarian aid for survival​​. Tens of thousands live in famine-like conditions, and an even greater number are a mere step away from famine, exacerbating the vulnerability to diseases, especially among children who suffer from poor nutrition and malnutrition​​​​.

As of 2023, 21.6 million Yemenis require humanitarian aid and protection services, with 17 million people being food insecure, including 3.2 million facing acute food insecurity​​. The situation remains dire as families continue to struggle for survival in a nation that is considered one of the poorest in the Arab world​​.

Current Context in Lebanon

Impoverished families in Lebanon, both nationals and refugees, are living in conditions marked by multidimensional poverty. About 82% of the population is affected by this form of poverty, which takes various forms and impacts several dimensions of life​​. Over half of the Lebanese population cannot afford basic necessities, and essential medicines are out of reach for many. The overlapping crises, including economic and political turmoil, exacerbate the struggle for survival​​. The situation is dire for Palestinian and Syrian refugees as well, with 88% living under minimal survival conditions and about half of the Syrian families being food insecure. The majority of Syrian refugee families require humanitarian assistance merely to survive, indicating a steep decline in living conditions and basic needs being out of reach for most​​​​.

• Lebanon is in the fourth year of a severe economic crisis with political and social dimensions.
• The Lebanese lira has dramatically depreciated, contributing to triple-digit inflation, which reached 270% year-over-year in April 2023.
• The country’s fiscal deficit widened to an estimated 5% of GDP in 2022.
• Economic contraction was estimated at 10.5% in 2021, following a 25% decline in 2020.
• The cost for a Survival Minimum Expenditure Basket for a family of five increased to 31.75 million Lebanese pounds (~US$ 355).
• The cash dollarized economy in 2022 was estimated at US$9.9 billion, nearly half the size of the Lebanese economy.
• Lebanon hosts the largest number of refugees per capita in the world, adding to the economic pressure.
• Global issues such as the COVID-19 pandemic and the Ukraine crisis have further exacerbated Lebanon’s economic challenges.

Current Context in Afghanistan

In Afghanistan, impoverished families often endure dire living conditions, with both refugees and nationals facing similar hardships. Many live in makeshift shelters or overcrowded refugee camps, lacking basic sanitation and access to clean water. These conditions are compounded by food insecurity, as economic instability and conflict disrupt local markets and farming. Children frequently suffer from malnutrition and limited access to education. Healthcare is sparse, leaving families vulnerable to illness without proper medical attention. The harsh winters exacerbate these struggles, with many unable to afford heating, resulting in further health risks and discomfort. Overall, the living conditions are marked by a constant struggle for survival against numerous adversities.

• Two-thirds of Afghan households struggle to meet basic food and non-food needs. This difficulty is exacerbated by rising food prices and the effects of drought, with a grim outlook for the coming winter months​​.
• Employment among household heads saw a 7% increase between October 2021 and June 2022, with a slight rise in private-sector salaried work. However, unemployment remains high, especially among young and older men, and while female labor force participation has doubled, it is primarily in home-based self-employed activities​​.
• Primary school enrollment at the national level is high, driven by rural areas, but urban enrollment remains below 2016 levels. Girls’ secondary school attendance has significantly declined, especially in urban areas under the interim Taliban administration​​.
• Most households can access medical services, with 57% receiving care in private facilities. Public hospitals are crucial in urban healthcare provision, and basic public facilities are significant in rural areas​​.
• Bamyan province, the highest and one of the coldest regions in Afghanistan, sees families struggling to afford food or fuel for heating. Many live in dire conditions, such as centuries-old caves, due to the inability to afford rent​​.
• This year has been the coldest in over a decade, exacerbating the struggles of the most vulnerable. A record 28.3 million people may need humanitarian assistance in 2023, with 6 million close to famine. The economy’s collapse has led many families to take loans, often unable to repay them​​.

Current Context in Palestine

Impoverished families in Palestine live in conditions deeply affected by conflict and economic challenges. In the Gaza Strip, poverty is expected to rise sharply if conflict persists, potentially pushing an additional 660,000 people into poverty and causing a GDP decline of 12.2%, amounting to US$2.5 billion in losses. With the war leading to massive destruction of homes and infrastructure, nearly 1.5 million people have been displaced internally, facing a slow and challenging recovery. Unemployment has soared, with the loss of 390,000 jobs across Gaza and the West Bank.

• Approximately 1.84 million Palestinians are food insecure.
• The Gaza Strip has a particularly high rate of food insecurity, affecting 63% of women-headed households.
• Palestine faces a protracted humanitarian crisis due to occupation, internal divisions, and conflict, exacerbating poverty and food insecurity.
• The blockade on the Gaza Strip has led to economic stagnation, high unemployment, and poverty, with 59.4% of the Gaza population affected by poverty and 63% by food insecurity.
• Nearly half of the population surveyed has very low levels of essential minerals and vitamins due to poorly diversified diets.

Current Context in Pakistan

Impoverished families in Pakistan are enduring severe hardships after the devastating floods of 2023. Many have been pushed into poverty, with an additional nine million people at risk due to the flood’s impact, on top of the 33 million already affected. Crop losses from the last harvest and missed planting season have led to a spike in food prices, potentially doubling food insecurity from seven to 14.6 million people. Eight million remain acutely displaced, with urgent needs for housing, agriculture, and livelihoods. Over 1,700 people have died, two million homes have been destroyed or damaged, vital infrastructure has been compromised, and over one million livestock lost, with many unable to return to their regular livelihoods and dependent on humanitarian aid.

• Floods have caused over USD 30 billion in damages and economic losses, with reconstruction needs surpassing USD 16 billion.
• Housing, agriculture and livestock, and transport and communications suffered most, with damages at USD 5.6 billion, USD 3.7 billion, and USD 3.3 billion, respectively.
• 33 million people were affected, over 1,730 lives lost, and more than 8 million remain displaced, facing a health crisis due to stagnant floodwaters.
• The national poverty rate may increase by 3.7 to 4.0 percentage points, potentially pushing an additional 8.4 to 9.1 million people below the poverty line.
• Multidimensional poverty is expected to rise by 5.9 percentage points, putting an additional 1.9 million households at risk of non-monetary poverty.

Current Context in Canada

In Canada, impoverished families and the homeless face harsh winters with biting cold and fierce storms. Aboriginal families on reserves often grapple with inadequate housing, lacking insulation and heating, making it difficult to keep the biting cold at bay. These conditions are exacerbated by economic challenges, leading to food insecurity and limited access to winter essentials. The homeless endure extreme vulnerability, as frigid temperatures pose severe health risks, including hypothermia and frostbite, with insufficient shelter options available. The struggle for warmth and sustenance is a grim reality for these communities during Canada’s unforgiving winter months.

• Over 25,216 individuals in Canada were documented as homeless on a single day in 2018 across 61 communities.
• An estimated 235,000 people experience homelessness in Canada annually.
• Types of homelessness include unsheltered, emergency sheltered, provisionally accommodated, and at risk of homelessness.
• Indigenous homelessness is characterized by a profound lack of a meaningful sense of home, affecting those who alternate between shelters and unsheltered living, or living in inadequate conditions.
• The low-income rate for individuals living on reserves in Canada is 44%​​.
• For First Nations people, the low-income rate is 47.5% when residing on reserve​​.
• The median low-income rate across all Canadian census subdivisions (CSDs) is 14.7%, while for reserve CSDs, it is significantly higher at 46.2%​