Ottawa, ON, March 16, 2026 – Canada’s leading aid organizations – joining forces as the Humanitarian Coalition – are raising critical funds to rush life-saving assistance to people in need in Lebanon, Syria and across the wider region.

Since February 28, the escalating military violence in the Middle East has been worsening and widening, with humanitarian needs rising rapidly:

• More than 2,000 people have been killed, and more than 20,000 people are injured.
• Nearly 4 million people are internally displaced. In Lebanon alone, more than 810,000 people, including 290,000 children, have been forced to flee their homes.
• Hostilities have affected 14 countries so far, destroying or damaging schools, hospitals, health centres and energy infrastructure.

Humanitarian Coalition members are quickly scaling up their response by providing food, safe water, emergency health services, temporary shelter, cash assistance, nutrition and trauma counselling support to families in Lebanon and Syria. Member organizations are also monitoring and scaling up to respond to urgent needs in Afghanistan, Gaza, Iraq, Jordan, Türkiye and the West Bank.

The Humanitarian Coalition urges leaders to end the violence and seek a resolution that upholds the rights, dignity and safety of all people.  Action must be taken by all parties to protect civilians, especially children and families.

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Tiffany Baggetta, Executive Director of the Humanitarian Coalition, says: “We are deeply alarmed by the escalating military violence that is shattering lives throughout the region. Humanitarian needs are rising by the hour. We are urgently calling on the generosity of Canadians to donate today to support life-saving humanitarian aid for children and families caught in this conflict.”

The members of the Humanitarian Coalition are Action Against Hunger, Canadian Foodgrains Bank, Canadian Lutheran World Relief, CARE Canada, Doctors of the World Canada, Humanity & Inclusion Canada, Islamic Relief Canada, Oxfam Canada, Oxfam-Québec, Plan International Canada, Save the Children and World Vision Canada.

Canadians can help rush emergency assistance to people affected by the Middle East Emergency by donating at www.together.ca or by calling 1-855-461-2154.

About the Humanitarian Coalition

The Humanitarian Coalition brings together 12 leading aid organizations to provide Canadians with a simple and effective way to help during major international humanitarian emergencies. We make donating simple for Canadians by removing competition for donations, increasing the awareness of needs and reducing the duplication of costs, meaning more help for survivors.

About Plan International Canada

Plan International Canada is a member of a global organization dedicated to advancing children’s rights and equality for girls. Plan International has been building powerful partnerships with and for children for over 85 years and is active in more than 80 countries.

We stand with children, especially girls, wherever they are oppressed, exploited, left behind, or not equally valued. We’re determined optimists, and we will continue to persevere until we are all equal.

Visit plancanada.ca for more information.

For more information or to request an interview:

Marie-Claude Rouillard
Director of Marketing, Communications and Partnerships
marie-claude.rouillard@humanitariancoalition.ca

Plan International Canada
PR & Communications
PRteam@plancanada.ca