Children at risk as “humanitarian catastrophe” unfolds in Syria

Syrian army soldiers head towards Idlib Syrian army soldiers head towards Idlib AFP

11 February 2020

UN releases emergency aid for northern Syria as military involvement escalates and millions are forced to flee

Airstrikes and shellings in northern Syria have reached residential areas, forcing millions to flee towards the Turkish border. According to the UN Children’s Fund (UNICEF) the violence in Syria is impacting children the most. In the past week, it is estimated that 6,500 children have been forced to flee from their homes. 

Mark Cutts, United Nations (UN) Deputy Humanitarian Coordinator for the Syria crisis reported that “about half a million people [have] fled their homes in the last two months. We have seen almost 300 civilians being killed and that’s only the numbers that have been documented and verified by the UN. We expect the actual numbers to be much higher.” Cutts defines the events unfolding in Syria as “a huge crisis... that is only growing bigger by the day.”

There are no “safe” places in Idlib; the Syrian government forces, supported by Russian airpower, have increased attacks since December. The unrest in Syria has forced many families to move multiple times in the past few years.  According to a survey conducted by the UN, it is estimated that greater than 130,000 children in Idlib will not reach their educational or intellectual potential due to the trauma and stunting they are currently enduring.  

The UN, along with its partners, is looking to increase the humanitarian response to the ongoing violence. An official from the United Nations Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs (OCHA) announced that $30 million will be released from the Central Emergency Response Fund (CERF) to provide critical assistance to civilians in need.

To read more, visit:

https://news.un.org/en/story/2020/02/1056872

https://news.un.org/en/story/2020/02/1056892 

https://www.aljazeera.com/news/2020/02/dire-situation-eu-calls-syria-bombing-200206101404499.html?utm_source=website&utm_medium=article_page&utm_campaign=read_more_links

https://www.aljazeera.com/news/2020/02/dire-situation-eu-calls-syria-bombing-200206101404499.html?utm_source=website&utm_medium=article_page&utm_campaign=read_more_links

Author: Teagan Foti; Editor: Noelle Musolino

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