The war in Syria is entering its fourteenth year. Almost all Syrian children, both inside and outside the country, have had to cope with violence, loss and displacement. UNICEF is doing everything it can to give these children a hopeful future.
The situation
2024 marks thirteen years of war in Syria. 7 million children have only known war and are dependent on humanitarian aid. Much of the country's infrastructure has been destroyed; even schools and health facilities were targeted. Many places suffer from lack of water, food, medicine and electricity. Even in areas where the fighting has subsided, children are quietly dying from diseases that could easily be avoided or treated under normal circumstances.
The devastating earthquakes on the Syrian–Turkish border in February 2023 made life there even worse. The earthquakes caused tens of thousands of deaths and injuries, and destroyed countless buildings. Within seconds, any sense of security was shattered.
The war in Syria has created one of the largest refugee crises since the Second World War. 5.3 million people have had to leave their homes, sometimes several times. They often live in precarious circumstances in temporary accommodation. This significantly increases the risk of outbreak of diseases such as cholera.
million children
million children
million children
How your donation helps
Despite the constant danger, UNICEF is on the ground in Syria, helping children and their families. UNICEF works closely with local partners to reach areas where the need is especially great, including in the most remote regions.
UNICEF is providing families in the refugee camps with needed supplies, including clothing, medicines, hygiene items, clean water, sanitary facilities and ready-to-use therapeutic food for malnourished children.
Health services are being given highest priority in light of the severely battered healthcare system and the heightened risk of the outbreak of disease. UNICEF is providing safe and equitable access to health services through stationary and mobile clinics and by helping to rebuild local systems.
UNICEF places special focus on education for children and young people, since many of them have not attended classes for years, or were never enrolled in school to begin with. In Syria alone, some 2.4 million children still do not attend school.
