One out of four people living in Lebanon is a refugee, and the majority of children born in refugee camps are unregistered at birth, said Cardinal Michael Czerny, prefect of the Dicastery for Promoting Integral Human Development.
The challenges facing refugees and those who host them are enormous, he told Vatican News 18 February ahead of a trip to Lebanon 19-23 February.
“There is a lot of insecurity, and it is a quite terrible fact that the majority of children born in camps are not registered.
So many minors are undocumented and, therefore, vulnerable to human trafficking and child labour,” he said.
During his trip, the cardinal will meet with migrants, displaced persons and refugees receiving assistance from Caritas and the Jesuit Refugee Service.
“It is important to bring the Holy Father’s closeness to the refugees and all those who represent them,” he said.
“It is also important to make a gesture of thanks and support to the Lebanese people who proportionately bear the greatest burden of any country in the world,” he said.
“One in four residents in Lebanon is a refugee. This is an example for a world that tends toward xenophobia.”
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