Syria's humanitarian needs soar after earthquakes and war

• Humanitarian needs in Syria are at their worst, but funding continues to dwindle.
• One-third of children living in Syria no longer attend school.
• Two in every five girls is out of school and at risk of child marriage.
• More than 850,000 children in Syria and Türkiye have been displaced since the February 6th earthquakes.

On the anniversary of 12 years of war in Syria, World Vision says the country is at rock bottom as it struggles with years of conflict and the devastation wrought by recent earthquakes.

The organisation says the recent earthquakes have only added to the complex layers of suffering for the Syrian people and many children are now more vulnerable to exploitation and abuse.

World Vision’s Syria Response Director, Johan Mooij, says the level of suffering experienced in the Middle Eastern nation is almost unimaginable.

On this twelfth anniversary of war in Syria, we’re calling on the international community to recognise the immense suffering and devastation this country has experienced and to act to support the people of Syria who have faced far too much for far too long.

The impact of these recent earthquakes on top of so many years of conflict is so enormous that it could take a generation for survivors to recover, especially in Northern Syria where millions were already living on humanitarian aid with few prospects of their lives improving,” he says.

World Vision New Zealand International Partnerships Director, TJ Grant, says the agency is deeply concerned for the nearly 6.5 million children living in Syria.

"So many children in Syria have only ever known war. Their childhood memories are those of violence and suffering. Attacks on towns, cities, and even camps for those who have been displaced from their homes, are part of everyday life, and this, combined with the impact of Covid-19, a recent cholera outbreak, and the earthquakes means the prospects for child survival and development in Syria are bleak,” he says.

Grant says World Vision New Zealand is helping to fund programmes in Syria to help combat the cholera outbreak, along with other initiatives centred on child protection, including mental health and psychosocial support, and education.

"We know that one-third of children are not in school in Syria and that for girls this increases their risk of child marriage and exploitation. The programmes Kiwis are helping to fund aim to keep children safe and give them opportunities and hope for the future,” he says.

Mooij says the recent earthquakes have left some 850,000 children in Syria and Türkiye homeless and Syrian children are at increased risk of developing Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder due to recurring childhood exposure to adversity.

"Syrian boys and girls deserve to live happy and fulfilled lives and need us now more than ever before. World Vision is working to provide education, livelihood opportunities, and mental health services to help give children better lives,” he says.

In 2022, World Vision provided healthcare, water and sanitation, education and psychosocial support to more than 1.9 million people in Syria – nearly half of whom were children and a third of whom were women.

New Zealanders wanting to help support children in Syria can text RESPOND to 5055 or visit www.wvnz.org.nz/CHR


Key Facts About the Crisis in Syria

• Twelve years of protracted crisis, conflict, and economic collapse has left more than 15.3 million people in need of humanitarian assistance in Syria and surrounding refugee-hosting countries.
• The Syrian refugee crisis remains the largest displacement crisis in the world. Nearly 5.6 million registered refugees - including more than 2.6 million children - reside in Egypt, Iraq, Jordan, Lebanon and Türkiye.
• An estimated 6 million children need humanitarian aid to meet their basic needs in Syria and neighbouring countries.
• The country still has the largest number of internally displaced people in the world: 6.8 million people, and the highest number of people in need since the beginning of the crisis.
• Currently around 12.1 million people in Syria are food insecure, and it is estimated 15 million people will need some form of food and agriculture assistance in 2023, representing 68% of the total population.
• More than 13,000 children have died or been injured in Syria since the beginning of the war.
• Nine in ten Syrians now live in poverty.
• Food prices in Syria — proxied by the World Food Programme (WFP) minimum food basket price index — rose by 97% during 2021, on top of a 236% increase in 2020.
• Overall, 85% per cent of all households reported being unable to sufficiently or completely meet their basic needs, an increase from 76% cent in 2021. The situation is worse for female-headed households than male-headed households, with nine out of ten female-headed households reporting being completely unable or insufficiently able to meet their household’s basic needs.
• Crucial civilian infrastructure such as health facilities, schools, and water supply systems are in disrepair in most areas.
• According to the December 2022 Humanitarian Needs Overview Syria, only 59% of hospitals and 57% of primary healthcare centres are functional.
• The country is currently experiencing a rapid increase in communicable and non-communicable diseases, such as cholera.
• A report in 2021 estimated that the economic cost of the conflict in Syria sat at $1.7 trillion.
• According to UNICEF, the education system has been devastated by the conflict. Over 7,000 schools have been damaged or destroyed, limiting the ability of children to access accredited educational services, and leaving over two million children out of school and another 1.6 million children at risk of dropping out.
• Almost two in three families in Syria are psychologically distressed about their living conditions. Many households continue to live in fear of conflict and hostilities, displacement, destruction of property, and injury or death of family members.
• Dependence on humanitarian assistance (in kind and cash) has increased since last year, especially for IDPs in camps and newly displaced people. Illegal activities and begging remain widespread, while child labour and child marriage also continue to have a devastating impact, including on children dropping out of school.
• The education system has been devastated by the conflict. Over 7,000 schools have been damaged or destroyed, limiting the ability of children to access accredited educational services, and leaving over two million children out of school and another 1.6 million children at risk of dropping out.
• Almost two in three families in Syria are psychologically distressed about their living conditions. Many households continue to live in fear of conflict and hostilities, displacement, destruction of property, and injury or death of family members.