After five years of a brutal and senseless conflict, over a quarter of a million Syrians have been killed and over half the population forced from their homes out of fear and want.
Mohammed Adlani, 8 (left), and Mohammed Chami, 11, take a bus to school from the Islamic Charity Association Orphanage in Homs, Syria. Mohammed Adlani’s father died and his mother has disappeared, he lives in the orphanage with his 3 brothers. Mohammed Chami’s mother died and he lives in the orphanage with his 2 sisters and one brother because his father is unable to take care of them due to the conflict. The orphanage looks after 25 boys and 31 girls, ranging from 2 years old to 20 years old. Established in 1920, the orphanage in Homs is one of the few care facilities that provide shelter, care and education for children who may be have lost both parents, be father-less, or abandoned by parents due to the crisis. In November 2014, they had to evacuate their original location in the Al-Waer neighborhood due to a mortar attack, leaving the well-equipped facilities that included play grounds, activity halls, sports arena, and bedrooms for every child. Now the orphanage uses a rented facility in a nearby neighbourhood that lacks the required infrastructure and requires the children to sleep in dorms. They also are forced to turn away many children because they have no room. UNHCR has provided psycho-social support and core relief items and will be providing increased support in 2016. ; Homs has been witness to some of the worst fighting of the Syrian conflict and much of the city now lies in ruins. Many children have lost parents or been abandoned as a result of the conflict.
Mohammed Adlani, 8 (left), and Mohammed Chami, 11, take a bus to school from the Islamic Charity Association Orphanage in Homs, Syria. UNHCR has provided psycho-social support and core relief items and will be providing increased support in 2016. (© UNHCR / Andrew McConnell)
After five years of a brutal and senseless conflict over a quarter of a million Syrians have been killed and over half the population forced from their homes out of fear and want. Some 4.6 million people are barely existing in places that few can leave and aid cannot reach. A further 4.8 million people have fled the country. Syria today is a very different place – almost unrecognizable in parts – that will take generations to rebuild.
In the past few weeks however, we are seeing signs of momentum, fragile glimmers of hope. Fewer bombs are falling; humanitarian access has opened up in some places; negotiators from all sides are preparing to come together and talk. As humanitarians we welcome progress where it means real change.
The United Nations, NGOs and partners have seized new opportunities to reach people who have had nothing for a very long time. Despite danger and uncertainty we are trying new delivery methods, constantly trying to negotiate ways to reach people. Through regular aid and the recent deliveries to besieged towns we have managed to reach over six million people since the beginning of 2016.
However, until all parties to this conflict stop attacking civilians, schools, markets and hospitals, we will continue to press them on their obligations and hold them to account. Medical supplies and equipment are still being removed at checkpoints: this is unacceptable.
Until parties to the conflict fully open up safe, unimpeded access to everyone we will keep trying to reach civilians by all and any means possible, however challenging. We are able to reach more people now in besieged areas: but we are yet to reach one in every five besieged Syrians who urgently need help and protection.
While we are starting to get basic supplies to communities who have been cut off for months or more, it is just not enough. For example, we are extremely concerned about the situation in northern rural Homs and in Aleppo, where around 500,000 people are caught behind active frontlines. Two million people are in areas controlled by ISIL.
We and our partners remain ready to deliver assistance. The United Nations continues to work to negotiate access with all parties and to deliver aid to people across the hard-to-reach areas, including the besieged locations we have not yet been able to reach.
No one wants to see a sixth year of conflict start on 15 March. Young people across Syria need to hope and believe that their future lies in their homeland. That they will have education, healthcare, homes and jobs. That life holds more than fear, violence and hunger.
We use our collective voice to call on all parties, local and international, for this anniversary to be the last one and for the political talks to bring real peace and an end to the suffering in Syria.
New York/Geneva/Rome/Amman, 11 March 2016
Signees:
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