Citizens’ perceptions of security threats stemming from the Syrian refugee presence in Lebanon

This paper focuses on the outcomes of a nationwide survey on the Lebanese public’s perceptions of the security implications of the Syrian refugee presence.

The survey revealed that Syrian refugees were identified as a main security challenge across Lebanon. Despite having sympathy for the plight of Syrians, most respondents felt threatened and expressed increasing intolerance to the repercussions of Syria’s prolonged crisis in Lebanon.

The top concerns were the fear of becoming a victim of crime and the risk of falling into poverty, threats to sectarian balance resulting from the prolonged stay of a large number of Syrian refugees in Lebanon, service shortages being further exacerbated by the Syrian refugee presence, and environmental risks stemming from dilapidated water and sewerage networks.

This paper is one of six papers exploring the Lebanese public’s perceptions of their security institutions. You can view the other related papers here:
Citizens’ perceptions of security institutions in Lebanon
Civil society’s role in security sector reform in Lebanon: An asymmetric partnership despite a growing working relationship with security services
Gender, security and SSR in Lebanon
Perceptions and prescriptions: How Lebanese people view their security
Security threat perceptions in Lebanon