💬 A conversation with Gielan Elmessiri: Lebanese people are paying the price of a war that they neither asked for nor initiated as Israel tries to dismantle Iran’s most consequential regional proxy, Hezbollah, and take over large swathes of southern Lebanon. We sat down with Gielan Elmessiri (LinkedIn), UN Women representative in Lebanon, for a candid discussion on what is happening on the ground.

Edited excerpts from our conversation:

EnterpriseAM: We know the situation on the ground is dire. Thousands of lives have been lost, and mns have been displaced. Can you describe what the situation currently looks like?

Gielan El Messiri: More than 1 mn people — approximately 20% of the population — have been displaced. Some 136k people are currently living in 670 collective shelters (converted government schools) without adequate infrastructure like bathrooms, beds, heating, or proper lighting. Of those displaced, 87% are residing in rented apartments or staying with host families — often you find 15-20 people living in the same house, but these are the lucky ones. The ones that have nowhere to go are in public parks or on the corniche, a lot of them living in tents.

E: What impact has this had on Lebanese society?

GM: People are exhausted after years of successive crises and conflicts. The country was still reeling from the 2024 conflict, the 2020 Beirut port explosion, and the 2019 financial crisis when this latest conflict began. This is deepening an already severe economic crisis and straining social cohesion. Even when displaced families have financial resources, many struggle to find rented accommodation, because in some areas, host communities fear that their neighborhoods could be targeted by Israel. The psychological impact is severe as people are dealing with cumulative trauma.

E: How have women specifically been affected?

GM: More than 85% of displaced women and girls are living outside formal shelters. They are staying in overcrowded apartments or informal arrangements. These difficult conditions increase the risks of exploitation, abuse, and gender-based violence. Essential protection and justice services have been disrupted, so women and girls are finding it harder to report violations and seek protection. Mental health needs are also rising rapidly, as women describe constant fear, sleeplessness, and exhaustion while also comforting and often homeschooling frightened children.

E: What is UN Women doing to help with this situation?

GM: UN Women is working under the leadership of the government of Lebanon and as part of a coordinated humanitarian response to ensure that the needs of women and girls are fully integrated. We are helping displaced women earn an income through short-term job prospects, including working in 15 community kitchens set up in collective shelters across Lebanon. We're currently working with the government to support a women-led mobile kitchen that will provide meals to displaced families while creating temporary paid work in kitchen operations through CFW schemes.

At the same time, UN Women is helping prevent and respond to violence against women and girls by supporting access to judicial assistance, mental health support, and other essential services. We also work with 500 trained women community leaders who help reduce community tensions.

E: How has your organization been impacted by the sudden decrease in humanitarian funding, and what are you doing to bridge the gap?

GM: Like everyone else, we have been affected by funding cuts. But the government of Lebanon and the UN just launched the “Flash Appeal” — a tool used by the UN to quickly mobilize financial resources from member states following an emergency. The UN secretary-general came to Lebanon to attend the launch of the Flash Appeal on 30 March, and UN Women is an appeal partner. Alongside Lebanese Prime Minister Nawaf Salam, we announced a humanitarian requirement of USD 308.3 mn.

E: How big is your team in Beirut?

GM: We are 35 people, including four international and 31 national staff. Two members of our non-essential international staff have been evacuated, so right now it's just me and another colleague alongside our national team.

E: Can you give us a brief idea of what a typical workday looks like for you at the moment?

GM: There is no such thing as a typical day. This morning I had a meeting with my colleagues in Geneva, where our humanitarian division is based, to prepare for a press briefing. Then I had a meeting with my team to discuss the mobile kitchen that we're jointly supporting. I often provide updates to our headquarters and donors on our humanitarian response and funding needs. We also recently finalized the Rapid Gender Analysis report examining the gendered impact of the conflict. I try to do most of my Beirut meetings face-to-face, because it’s important to have some human interaction during times like these.

Most of the team works remotely, because only the crisis team is allowed to go to the office. But a lot of colleagues are requesting to come in person, because they either feel isolated or the exact opposite — they’re sharing a home with others because they have been displaced or are hosting others who have lost their homes.

In numbers:

• 1 mn+ people have been displaced since the start of the war;
• 620k women and girls have been forced to flee their homes, representing a quarter of all women in the country;
• 85% of displaced women and girls are living outside formal shelters;
• 370k children have been forced out of their homes in Lebanon;
• 19k boys and girls on average are being displaced every single day;
• 136k internally displaced persons are seeking refuge in over 670 collective shelters.