In the early days of August 2020, after years of improper fertiliser storage, Warehouse 12 in Lebanon’s port of Beirut exploded.

According to the UN, the blast left over 200 men, women and children dead, 7,000 people injured and over 300,000 people and families internally displaced. The United Nations Guiding Principles on Internal Displacement defines internally displaced people (IDP) as those who have been forced out of their homes, usually as a result to avoid “effects of armed conflict, situations of generalised violence, violations of human rights or natural or human-made disasters,” and those who haven’t crossed an “internationally recognized state border.”

For reference, a similar displacement in London is equivalent to an exodus of everyone in the boroughs of Lewisham or Greenwich. The UN estimates that roughly 80,000 children were left homeless that day. 

Over two years later, the aftermath of that fateful August day remains remembered in the hearts and minds of people everywhere.

Since the explosion, there has been little investigation into the cause of the ignition. However, some Lebanese leaders have been held accountable. Reports show that several high-profile leaders were aware of the improper ammonium nitrate storage, but did not act to fix it.

In August of 2022, experts from the UN called on Lebanon’s leaders–for a second time– to investigate how the explosion began. Despite this, the inquisition on behalf of the Lebanese government has not begun. Humanitarians and activists have called on the Human Rights Council to intervene.

The Financial Times reports that since the autumn of 2019, the Lebanese pound has lost 95% of its value. Resources are scarce; buildings and homes remain destroyed; the food supply runs increasingly low.

The frustration of Lebanon’s people is loud, yet is not truly heard. In the days and weeks following the blast, European countries such as France and Poland, among others, offered assistance via recovery teams. NGOs sent donations in the form of medical supplies. Since the initial support, Lebanon continues to receive donations from across the world, however, the city remains unchanged. 

While many organisations have tried to help, Lebanon has struggled to regain its pre-explosion standing. There is no national internal displacement policy in place, according to the Internal Displacement Monitoring Centre (IDMC). Many institutions have assisted in the public and private sectors, but as there has been no national policy made, there is a breakdown of support. The Lebanese government has also been criticised for not signing onto the UN’s 1951 Refugee Convention (PSI).