15, Jan 2018 | CJP Team

William Spindler, spokesperson for the United Nations refugee agency (UNHCR) said at a Geneva press briefing this week that Syrian refugees in Lebanon “are more vulnerable than ever, with more than half now living in extreme poverty and over three quarters living below the poverty line according to the findings of a new survey by UNHCR, UNICEF and WFP.” Spindler said that the yearly Vulnerability Assessment of Syria Refugees  (VASyR) found that 58% of households are now in “extreme poverty,” living on under $2.87 per day, adding that this was some 5% higher than a year ago. Spindler noted that the number of households “living below the overall poverty line  – less than US$3.84 per day – has also continued to rise,” adding, “76 per cent of refugee households are living below this level.” Spindler also noted that borrowing money for food, rent, and healthcare is common, with nearly nine out of ten refugees saying that they are in debt. Moreover, according to Spindler, just 19% of refugee families “reported that all members had legal  residency, down from 21 per cent in 2016,” with the share of households without any legal residency having risen significantly.