While child labor is illegal in Lebanon, Unicef says that about 280,000 Syrian refugee children in Lebanon have been forced into child labor. Some are as young as 5 years old. They're hired because they are cheap. They work because their fathers can't find work. As Syrians, the fathers can only work in agriculture, construction, and cleaning — all low-paying, temporary jobs. Otherwise, they need a work permit.
The kids have a very rough time - they work long hours, often in hazardous conditions — using dangerous machinery in factories, being abused by employers, and working under the hot sun in agricultural fields. They're missing out on the chance for an education, and the grueling nature of the work leaves them little time to process, or heal from, the emotional and psychological wounds they’ve suffered.
Furthermore, Lebanon doesn’t have formal Syrian refugee camps. So, Syrians have to pay an average rent of $200 a month to live in Palestinian camps.
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