Today Issuing a joint statement from Davos, Switzerland on Syria’s disastrous human right and humanitarian situation, a number of international aid organizations say the efforts to get all sides to completely support the ceasefire is still ongoing and that the situation is putting millions of people at further risk. This is causing a continuing refugee crisis for Europe.
Aleppo
First settled about 7,000 years ago, the current city of Aleppo, Syria had, until the outbreak of the recent civil war, had a population of about 2.2 million people. The city is now almost completely destroyed but is not the only part of Syria where non-combatants are in serious and continuing danger.
Affected region
Although the ancient city of Aleppo gets most of the international press coverage, it is only one of 15 areas in Syria where almost three-quarters of a million people are still trapped in a conflict area.
An additional 5 million people in total are at risk because they can’t obtain basic services due to the disruption of government and business activities in Syria.
Syrian children
Of those civilians still at risk in Syria are, according to the joint statement, about 300,000 Children. In addition to those in direct danger, there are probably 2 million children total who are unable to receive basic humanitarian aid because of the difficulty in gaining safe access to their locations due to “fighting” and “insecurity.”
These children are reportedly at risk of malnutrition, dehydration, injury, and various diseases as well as in desperate need of psychological help in dealing with the traumatic events which they have witnessed in the war-torn country.
Partners releasing the statement
The following were the organizations and directors who put out the joint statement: WFP Executive Director Ertharin Cousin, UNICEF Executive Director Anthony Lake, Under-Secretary-General for Humanitarian Affairs and Emergency Relief Coordinator Stephen O’Brien, WHO Director-General Dr Margaret Chan, and United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees Filippo Grandi
They concluded their statement with this, “We must not let 2017 repeat the tragedies of 2016 for Syria.”
