Fifteen years since civil war erupted in Syria (March 15,
2011), and more than a year since the fall of the Assad
regime, Syrian children are once again trapped in a crisis
of conflict and displacement.
In the past month as
conflict across the Middle East has erupted, more than
70,000 Syrians have fled Lebanon to return to their home
country.
World Vision Country Programme Manager Ritam
Bhattarai says many of those fleeing Lebanon have already
experienced years of war, displacement, hunger, and
insecurity.
“Children and families had found some
semblance of safety in Lebanon, but renewed airstrikes,
missile and rocket fire, and hostilities mean children are
at risk and desperate families are on the move
again.
“Many of these children have only ever known
life as a refugee and to be faced with yet another round of
violence and displacement is actually unbearable,” she
says.
Families fleeing Lebanon to return to Syria may
be escaping violence, but they will face yet more challenges
upon the return to Syria.
More than half the
country’s population is in need of humanitarian
assistance, including 7.5 million Syrian
children.
Bhattarai says children and families are in
desperate need of emergency food supplies, clean water,
healthcare, and psychological support.
“One of the
most devastating impacts of the prolonged war is the impact
on children’s mental health. Many Syrian children are only
just surviving, and they carry deep emotional and
psychological wounds. Without urgent intervention, we risk
losing an entire generation to the long-term effects of
trauma and despair,” she says.
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Bhattarai says children
living with complex post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD)
and other mental health conditions in Syria have little to
no access to specialised mental health and psychosocial
support.
Furthermore, she says many children are
missing out on the benefits of education for learning,
development, and future opportunities. Around two million
Syrian children do not attend school.
Bhattarai says
World Vision New Zealand is calling on the New Zealand
government to better support Syria by investing in expanded
food assistance and resilience programmes and helping to
fund long-term recovery and reconstruction, not simply
support with emergency aid.
World Vision has been
working in Syria since 2011 and with its partners has
supported millions of children with emergency food, clean
water, education support, and mental health and psychosocial
care.
New Zealanders wanting to support children in
Syria, can give
here:
https://www.worldvision.org.nz/give-now/childhood-rescue/syria/
