Lebanon Excludes Refugees from Coronavirus Response at its Own Peril

Lebanon, a State not party to the 1951 Refugee Convention, hosts more than 1 million Syrian refugees and nearly half a million Palestine refugees within its borders, who live in an informal context with rights and access to protection, healthcare, education and others, limited and tenuous, at best. Living conditions are spartan and overcrowded, leaving little room for social distancing during the COVID-19 pandemic. Now, public sentiments are turning against refugees, with some politicians even blaming them for the country’s financial difficulties. The country’s newly formed Council of Ministers have yet to adequately address the needs of refugees in its pandemic response or policy priorities and with refugee rights to access hospitals in times of national emergencies ill defined and disputed, this could lead to disastrous outcomes. Access to services is based on registration, which reportedly runs a gamut of options: UN registered, undocumented and local resident on the basis of sponsorship. Advocates warn that refugees with COVID-19 could be denied treatment if undocumented. Surveillance of refugees is also a concern after 18 municipalities tightened curfews against refugees, some limiting mobility to only between 9am and 1pm, which would impede access to medical treatment outside those hours. Despite these conditions, refugees are leading responses within their communities by translating COVID-19 health information into Arabic in camps, raising awareness on social media, and collecting donations and distributing relief. (The New Arab)