Internally Displaced Persons in Lebanon: Perspectives on Return and Future Intentions DTM Lebanon (March 2025)
Overview
The escalation of conflict in Lebanon during the last quarter of 2024 led to a major displacement crisis in Lebanon. Despite the 27 November 2024 ceasefire agreement, thousands of Lebanese remain internally displaced, facing ongoing security threats, economic hardships, and deteriorating living conditions. Many families are grappling with the destruction of their homes, disrupted livelihoods, and limited access to essential services. Humanitarian needs remain pressing, with long- term recovery and solutions to internal displacement still uncertain.
To address these challenges, the International Organization for Migration (IOM) conducted intention surveys with Internally Displaced Persons (IDPs) across all eight governorates in Lebanon, including Beirut, North, South, Bekaa, Mount Lebanon, Akkar, Baalbek, and El Nabatieh. These surveys aimed to assess the perceptions, intentions, and challenges faced by IDPs in finding solutions to their displacement.
The findings from these surveys are crucial for developing rights-based and protection-focused solutions that prioritize the intentions and needs of IDPs. This approach helps ensure that the support provided reflects the priorities of displaced individuals and families, helping them move towards long-term recovery and stability.
The assessment provided critical insights to guide humanitarian response and solutions-focused policy planning.
Key findings from the intention surveys indicate that displacement is primarily driven by safety concerns (80%) and property destruction (18%). Economic hardship, psychological trauma, and lack of essential services further compound the crisis.
The right of IDPs to voluntarily return to their homes in safety and dignity remains of fundamental aspect of durable solutions to displacement. This is especially relevant following the 27 November ceasefire agreement, as a majority of IDPs have reportedly returned to their habitual places of residence or origin. As of 6 February 2025, while 98,986 IDPs remain in displacement locations, 890,830 IDPs have returned home. Therefore, within this context of increasing return movements, IDP's decision to return must be guided by individual circumstances, family considerations, and the overall situation in their places of origin, ensuring a conducive environment for achieving durable solutions. However, key barriers persist, underscoring the need for comprehensive support to facilitate durable solutions and improve the living conditions of displaced households. Addressing these issues is essential for ensuring that returns are not only voluntary but also safe and sustainable.
