The Vulnerability Assessment of Syrian Refugees in Lebanon (VASyR) analyses a representative sample of Syrian refugee families in Lebanon to provide a multi-sectoral update of the situation of this population. Conducted annually, 2020 marks the eighth year of this assessment. The contents of this report, jointly issued by the United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees (UNHCR), the United Nations Children’s Fund (UNICEF) and the World Food Programme (WFP), show that the economic downturn, steep inflation, COVID-19 and finally the Beirut blast have pushed vulnerable communities in Lebanon – including Syrian refugees – to the brink, with thousands of families sinking further into poverty and vulnerability.

One of the most concerning indicators of the impact of the compounded crises Syrian refugees have been facing in Lebanon is the sharp increase in the share of households living under the extreme poverty line, reaching a staggering 89 percent in 2020, up from 55 percent only a year before. They now live on less than LBP 308,728 per person per month – this is less than half the minimum wage in Lebanon.