Fighting has increased over the past few days and this has put almost half a million people living in the area at heightened risk. There have already been civilian deaths and these people are at risk of death or injury if they don’t leave their homes. Many have already been forced from their homes elsewhere in the country, some more than once.

There are at least 1,650,000 people in need of humanitarian assistance in north-east Syria. Humanitarian work assisting them is under threat from this latest fighting. Half a million people live close to the conflict zone, near the Turkish border, and are in great danger. Many of them have already been forced from their homes and could be displaced again as Syria’s war continues.

World Vision is urging parties to the conflict to protect civilians and facilitate safe access for aid agencies. The international community, including the UN Security Council, must urge restraint and facilitate continued vital humanitarian access. 

World Vision is not allowed to work directly in Syria. But we are supporting partner organisations in Idlib who are providing emergency relief and running programmes in focused on healthcare, water, sanitation and child protection/psychosocial support. They are distributing things displaced people need the most including; water purification tablets, hygiene and cooking kits, fuel, blankets and bedding. They’re also helping deploy mobile medical units, bringing vaccinations, medicine and specialist help to the many pregnant women and new mothers.

Idlib is facing a major humanitarian crisis, after the conflict intensified around the end of April 2019. The bombing has forced hundreds of thousands of people living in the Idlib region to leave their homes in search of safety. Most are now living in tents in informal camps, where conditions are terrible. 

No. In Jordan, the overwhelming majority of refugees live in host communities, staying with other families or rental accommodation. There are approximately 670,000 Syrian refugees in Jordan, 120,000 live in refugee camps, including Za’atari and Azraq, where aid groups have converted desert wastes into cities.

In Lebanon, there are no official refugee camps. The 950,000 Syrian refugees make up about one-sixth of Lebanon’s population. Many live in primitive conditions in informal tent settlements, which are not official refugee camps. With few legal income opportunities, they struggle to afford residency fees, rent, utilities, and food.

There are 3.6 million Syrian refugees in Turkey. Approximately 90% of Syrian refugees in Turkey live outside of camps and have limited access to basic services.

The 250,000 Syrian refugees in Iraq are concentrated in the Kurdistan region in the north where more than a million Iraqis fled to escape ISIL. Most refugees are integrated into communities but the large number of newcomers puts a strain on services.

In Lebanon, there are no official refugee camps, though there are scattered camp-like informal settlements. This makes emergency response difficult and many refugees are falling through the cracks. These settlements generally lack proper hygiene and other measures needed to protect the health of the most vulnerable, including children. Children cannot rely on the usual protection mechanisms and are vulnerable to abuse and exploitation. Winter conditions present extra challenges for already vulnerable children and families. 

The most populace refugee camp in Jordan is Za’atari, close to the northern border with Syria. It is home to around 80,000 people. The camp is hot and dusty in summer and cold in winter, it is no place for children, despite the best efforts of authorities, the UN and humanitarian agencies. Some children are not in school and wander around refugee camps during the day and night, which leaves them very vulnerable. 

Diseases and malnutrition: Children are susceptible to ailments brought on by poor sanitation, including diarrheal diseases like cholera. They may miss vaccinations and regular health checkups, especially in cut-off areas. In poor housing, cold weather increases the risk of pneumonia and other respiratory infections.

Child labor and child soldiers: Many refugee children have to work to support their families. Often they work in dangerous or demeaning circumstances for little pay. Warring parties forcibly recruit children who serve as fighters, human shields, and in support roles, according to the U.S. State Department’s Trafficking in Persons Report.

Child marriage and abuse: Children are more vulnerable to sexual abuse and exploitation in the unfamiliar and overcrowded conditions found in camps and informal tent settlements. Without adequate income to support their families and fearful of their daughters being molested, parents may opt to arrange a marriage for girls, some as young as 13.

Lack of education opportunities: Forty percent of Syrian refugee children are out of school. In Syria, the war reversed two decades of educational progress. One-third of schools are not having classes because they have been damaged, destroyed, or occupied by military groups or displaced people.

In 2018, our Syria Crisis Response team contributed to the well-being of over 2.2 million people, in Syria, Lebanon, Jordan, Iraq, and Turkey. Just over 1.3 million of these were children.

Lebanon: World Vision’s response has helped 202,600 people, through running informal education to help children re-enter school, providing water, sanitation and hygiene in schools, creating child friendly spaces, and providing cash and food assistance to refugees.

Jordan: Some 188,316 people in Jordan have been able to settle into their changed lives, with a strong emphasis on child protection, schools, household financial support, and education opportunities.  We have also been providing water, sanitation and hygiene infrastructure in camps, and alternative learning and psychosocial support for children of all backgrounds. 

Syria: Over 852,000 people have been supported through sustainable water and sanitation solutions, psychosocial support for children, household and winter items, a new school and filling gaps in fractured health-care. 

Turkey: World Vision helped 47,000 with protection across the border and non-formal education.

Iraq: Over 937,000 people in Iraq were supported with access health, water, hygiene, learning opportunities, with an emphasis on safe and food-secure living conditions.