Syrians have reason to hope for a new beginning. It remains to be seen what the regime change will mean for the civilian population, but it’s a fact that the humanitarian situation is dire for the children after many years of war. That’s why UNICEF is and will be standing by them.
The situation
Syria saw a regime change on December 8, 2024. Millions of Syrian children and families are now facing uncertain times. They have high hopes that it will once again be possible for them to live a normal life, but almost 14 years of civil war have ravaged their home country.
Much of the country’s infrastructure has been destroyed; even schools and health facilities, including children’s hospitals, were targeted. Thousands of children have been killed in attacks during the war, with many more injured. Countless children have lost parents, relatives and friends during the war, and need to process these losses.
In many places the children don’t have sufficient food and water. Most families suffer from extreme poverty, and many parents are unable to provide enough food for their children. The children also lack clean water, medical care, protection and education.
The situation is now made worse by the icy winter temperatures in Syria. In the elevated city of Aleppo in particular, temperatures often drop below freezing at night. The people living in makeshift emergency shelters or holey tents without heating are barely protected from the cold, snow and rain.
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How your donation helps
UNICEF has been working to help children and their families in Syria for many decades. Since the beginning of the war in spring 2011, our around 250 UNICEF employees in Syria have further strengthened the emergency aid for children. Every day our employees work hard to give families throughout Syria new hope and provide them with urgently needed relief.
How UNICEF helps in Syria:
- We test the refugee children in the emergency shelters for malnutrition and treat them with special therapeutic food.
- We set up children’s centers where they receive psychosocial care and help them come to terms with their war experiences. We also educate them on the dangers of mines.
- Water supply in the region was severely affected by the war and in many areas also by the earthquake at the beginning of 2023. We at UNICEF therefore use huge tankers to deliver clean drinking water to the families.
- We vaccinate children against diseases such as polio, measles and cholera. We also provide them with medical supplies and hygiene items to prevent the spread of disease and protect the children against infectious illnesses.
- The refugee children mostly have nothing but the clothes on their backs. We distribute clothing that also protects them during the colder months.
- UNICEF in Syria is also committed to ensuring that children have access to schooling or other educational programs.
