Beirut, Dec 14 (IANS): Over a quarter, or 26 per cent, of households across Lebanon had children not attending school as the country continues to reel under an unprecedented financial crisis, according to a new Unicef report.

According to the report released on Wednesday, the percentage increased from 18 per cent in April 2023.

"Making matters worse, several dozen schools in southern Lebanon have been closed since October 2023, due to an intensification of hostilities, affecting more than 6,000 students," it said

The report also said that skyrocketing prices and widespread poverty are continuing to force families to resort to desperate measures just to afford one meal per day and basic shelter.

The survey revealed that the number of families sending children out to work to supplement household income, rose to a shocking 16 per cent, from 11 per cent in April.

Meanwhile, more than eight in 10 households (84 per cent) had to borrow money or buy on credit to purchase essential grocery items, a 16 percentage point increase over six months.

Also, 81 per cent reduced spending on health treatment, up from 75 per cent.

The Unicef report further said that the deprivations and uncertainty are taking a heavy toll on children’s mental health, with almost 4 in 10 households (38 per cent) saying their children are anxious, and 24 per cent saying they were depressed on a daily basis.

“This terrible crisis is eroding the childhood of hundreds of thousands of children, through multiple crisis not of their making. Its severity is crushing children’s dreams, and taking away their learning, their happiness and their future,” Edouard Beigbeder, the Unicef Representative in Lebanon, was quoted as saying in the report.

“The daily suffering of children must stop. We must redouble our efforts to make sure every child in Lebanon is in school and learning, is protected from physical and mental harm and has the opportunity to thrive and contribute to society."