Statement by UNICEF Executive Director Catherine Russell on the impact of the situation in Syria on children.
“With the situation in Syria rapidly evolving, UNICEF reiterates the UN Secretary-General’s appeal for calm, to refrain from violence, and to protect the rights of all Syrians – especially children, at least 80 of whom have been killed in the past two weeks.
“UNICEF remains steadfast in its commitment to remain on the ground, working alongside our partners to deliver life-saving assistance to children and their families.
“Humanitarian conditions inside the country are dire, with millions of children and families facing extreme deprivation. More than a decade of war has caused massive damage to critical infrastructure, widescale displacement, and severely limited access to essential services – including safe water, sanitation, health and nutrition, protection, and education.
“UNICEF calls on all parties to ensure that humanitarian actors have safe, unimpeded access to reach children and families with assistance. This is critical to our ability to rapidly scale up our response to meet the growing humanitarian needs.
“UNICEF also calls on all parties to commit to a sustained peace, so that Syria’s children can survive and thrive. The children in Syria have suffered enough. They deserve a future of peace, dignity, and opportunity.”
