Urban Refugees in Lebanon: Housing, Residency, and Wellbeing

Abstract

Lebanon hosts over a million Syrian refugees in addition to other displaced groups. These refugees have gravitated to urban centres, putting significant pressure on local infrastructure and services. Living in close proximity to one another, hosts and refugees face significant challenges to their wellbeing. While some of these challenges are distinct, such as legal residency, others, such as housing are shared. Addressing these challenges should be a priority for national and municipal governments, and humanitarian and development agencies. Urban informal settlements, official Palestinian camps, and unofficial ‘gatherings’ are key localities for intervention.