The crisis in Syria is now 1,000 days old. In these thousand days, Syrians have suffered tragedy, loss, destruction and displacement. This premature and harsh winter reminds us of just how little most Syrian refugees fled with — some with not much more than the clothes on their backs. And it reminds us that no matter how much we have tried to alleviate the suffering of the innocents in this catastrophe, we have not been able to do enough; much more needs to be done. The crisis continues, the displacement continues, the needs continue.
The scale, consequences and human cost of this crisis are enormous and far-reaching. Over 2.3 million Syrians have sought refuge outside of Syria, primarily in neighbouring Lebanon, Jordan, Turkey, Iraq and Egypt. More than 6.5 million are displaced within Syria.
Over a million Syrian children are now refugees; more than 60 per cent of these refugee children are in Jordan and Lebanon alone. Of all those suffering from this brutal conflict, children remain the most vulnerable and affected. A recent report issued by UNHCR and its partners, titled The Future of Syria, brings the focus onto this vulnerable group with its assessment of the impact of the crisis on children. Warning of a possible ‘lost generation of children’, the report found that Syrian refugee children in Lebanon and Jordan, the two countries hosting the largest population of Syrians, continue to experience widespread psychological distress, withdrawal and loneliness.
More than half of Syria’s child refugees are missing out on schooling. The decline in education for Syrian children has been the sharpest and most rapid in the history of the region. The report calls for strengthened efforts to enrol Syrian refugee children into schools, for increased financial support to families and for the doubling of international investment in education in host countries.
Host countries and communities are under extreme pressure and need sustained support. It has been very heartening to witness the extraordinary generosity and hospitality of the governments and communities that have been hosting Syrian refugees despite the enormous burden on their resources and capacity. These are countries and communities that host Syrian refugees even as they are facing their own severe economic challenges at this time. Thus there is a need to ensure support for their infrastructure, their local economies, and their own needs. This is leading the major actors responding to the Syrian crisis to try to link the humanitarian response to longer-term development interventions that benefit these hosting communities.
On December 9, UNHCR, along with 106 humanitarian partners, launched the sixth version of the Refugee Response Plan (RRP), which presents the overall plan and summary of needs for responding to the refugee crisis in the neighbouring countries. The RRP6 is appealing for $4.2 billion (Dh15.4 billion) to help not only 4.1 million Syrian refugees, but also millions of locals in hosting communities. The convergence of humanitarian and longer-term development interventions is crucial in ensuring that borders remain open and that the level of generosity and cooperation from host governments can be maintained.
Humanitarian commitment
By the end of 2014, an anticipated additional 1.7 million Syrian women, girls, boys and men will have registered as refugees in the neighbouring countries. The number of children living as refugees is expected to exceed 2 million by December 2014.
The growing scale and complexity of the Syrian crisis demands the resources and the expertise of as many partners as possible. The remarkable professionalism and humanitarian commitment that we have seen from so many partners over the course of these 1,000 days has allowed us to deliver a truly multi-faceted programme to many corners of the affected region. Amongst these partners, Gulf Cooperation Council governments and institutions have been instrumental in addressing some of the most urgent needs related to this response.
Kuwait, who contributed $300 million to the refugee response in 2013, will be hosting a second ‘International Humanitarian Pledging Conference for Syria’ in January 2014. We are hopeful that GCC countries will announce and, more importantly, deliver pledges similar to those made earlier this year (totalling $920 million).
In the UAE, the Big Heart Campaign for Syrian Refugee Children, spearheaded by UNHCR Eminent Advocate Shaikha Jawaher, generously supported UNHCR with $13 million to address health and shelter needs in Lebanon, Jordan, Iraq and Syria. This campaign helped demonstrate that humanitarian will, coupled with collective action, can have remarkable results.
In the same vein, other important Gulf partners in Saudi Arabia, Oman, Qatar, and Bahrain have also been very active in delivering assistance through various channels, some direct and some through the UN and its partners. We collectively have to make sure that the resources provided — be they private or governmental — be used in the most effective manner with the desired positive impact on refugees and their hosts. The RRP in its sixth version continues to provide the framework of needs and channels of response. The Syria humanitarian situation is the fastest growing crisis in the 21st century, and its consequences, both humanitarian and political, are worryingly grave. Increased international involvement and support from development agencies and international financial institutions is imperative if the needs of millions of Syrians — and those of the neighbouring hosting population — are to be met. It is imperative if a generation of children is not to be lost.
Imran Riza is UNHCR’s Regional Representative to the GCC Countries based in Riyadh.
