Most discussions about displacement in Lebanon focus on collective shelters. Yet the vast majority of displaced people are living elsewhere.
This brief examines the realities facing the “invisible majority”, the estimated 86–87% of displaced populations residing in rented apartments, hosted households, and informal arrangements outside formal shelter systems. While humanitarian assistance remains largely structured around centralized shelters, many displaced families outside these settings face limited visibility, inconsistent support, rising living costs, and increasing economic vulnerability.
Drawing on field observations, the report highlights the growing gap between humanitarian response structures and lived realities, and calls for more inclusive, flexible, and area-based approaches that reach displaced populations wherever they are.
For more details: research.leb@basmeh-zeitooneh.org