BEIRUT: The Centre for Social Sciences Research and Action (CeSSRA) has issued a position paper calling for urgent international aid while emphasizing the need for Lebanon to prioritize building a state that safeguards citizens' rights amid its escalating conflict with Israel. The organization highlights that although aid is necessary, it should not replace efforts to establish a robust state infrastructure that guarantees human rights. According to National News Agency - Lebanon, the conflict has led to a severe humanitarian crisis, with civilian casualties now exceeding twice the number recorded during the 2006 war. More than a million people, accounting for over 20% of Lebanon's population, have been displaced from their homes due to the violence. CeSSRA acknowledges the significance of recent international aid commitments, including Canada's $15 million pledge, the United Nations' goal to raise over $1 billion, and the European Union's additional 40 million pounds. However, it stresses that these initia tives must be coupled with efforts to rebuild a state that prioritizes human rights. The organization cautions against viewing aid as a replacement for authentic state-building and democratic processes led by local stakeholders. CeSSRA calls for a sustainable approach to aid, one that does not merely prop up Lebanon's current fragile political and economic system. Instead, it advocates for the establishment of institutions that can protect fundamental rights, promote social welfare, and prevent future crises. The upcoming international ministerial conference in Paris on October 24, 2024, is seen as a vital opportunity to align humanitarian aid with democratic state-building processes. CeSSRA urges the creation of a framework to ensure that aid supports local governance structures and contributes to building an inclusive and accountable state. In its position paper, CeSSRA also emphasizes the importance of a rights-based approach, advocating for a state that prioritizes the protection of its citizens' rights over political objectives. "It is in this spirit that we reiterate the need for humanitarian aid and solidarity initiatives by the international community, rather than offering aid that would erode what remains of universality in an already collapsing social protection system and of a crumbling state that the Lebanese alone must rebuild," the paper states.