Sunrise USA

Humanitarian Needs

The Level Of Poverty And Humanitarian Needs Of Syrians

Syria was a developing country prior to the outbreak of the conflict. This crisis has damaged the country’s economy and infrastructure by forcing humanitarian needs and more than half of the population to flee from their homes. In turn, this resulted in an economic downturn and widespread poverty. The country’s infrastructure has been entirely wrecked due to the conflict’s suffocation of its economy, which has had a devastating influence on civilian life. Women and children are the most severely affected. 

There must be a variety of contributing factors at play for any nation to survive and prosper. Making sure that children have access to education and those adults have enough work opportunities to support themselves and their families is a must. People starve and suffer as a result of a lack of educational and job opportunities. As it becomes more challenging to have any jobs, it becomes more difficult to feed their families, and poverty levels rise. Education, employment, and healthcare are absolutely necessary for development.  

Syria, unfortunately, struggles in all of these areas. Corruption, poverty, and a lack of education, healthcare, and work possibilities plague the country. With the pandemic on the horizon, things only grew worse. Here are some intriguing facts and numbers to give you a sense of how bad the situation is in Syria: 

The Effects of Poverty and Unemployment

The protracted conflict’s economic effects have resulted in a 55% or higher unemployment rate. Because job options are limited, allowing people to earn as little as $1 a day, 80% of Syrians are considered poor. 

Aside from that, the country’s corruption knows no bounds. Being rated fourth on a list of countries with the worst levels of corruption should indicate the awful condition of the state. Nepotism is highly prevalent, and only a few people can work in the country’s more developed areas. 

Destruction Of School and Healthcare Facilities

According to the United Nations, over 90 strikes on schools have been documented in the first six months of 2019. As a result, two out of every five Syrian schools have been damaged or destroyed, the majority during the conflict.

More than 2 million Syrian children, or more than 30%, do not attend school. Approximately 1.3 million students are on the edge of dropping out. UNICEF and many Humanitarian Needsorganizations stepped in to help, with the primary goal of providing education to Syrian children. They are working to restore school buildings, run various learning programs and camps for students in areas where there are no schools, and train teachers to provide a suitable education for the children.

Syria’s lack of adequate medical facilities is also a big concern. During the bombing, many medical and healthcare facilities were targeted by the Syrian military, and it took a long time for them to reopen. Due to a shortage of funds, equipment, and assistance, half of Syria’s healthcare facilities are barely surviving. In northwest Syria, 51 medical facilities have been damaged between January and June 2019, prompting numerous UNICEF partners to halt their operations. Various foundations have donated assistance to Syria, with the main goal of providing healthcare.

In this country, the situation for women and child labor is appalling. Because nearly 60% of Syrian refugees are children, the majority are forced to work to help support their families financially. 

Effects Of Inflation and Citizens Fleeing the Country

With inflation affecting currency and its value, this directly impacts the cost of living in the country. Since it is getting much more challenging to earn and provide for their families, most of them choose to flee the country. These refugees prefer living under challenging conditions in Turkey, Lebanon, and Jordan to suffering in Syria. 

Current Situation of Syrians and How They Are Dealing with It

The country’s current state does not appear to be promising at the tenth anniversary of the conflict. As if the violence wasn’t bad enough, the Covid-19 crisis has exacerbated the situation. The country’s citizens appear to be pushed deeper into poverty and starvation. 

One of the reasons is the country’s rapidly deteriorating economic situation. Now, 50% of people in the country cannot afford to eat because of the current crisis and pandemics. With almost nine million people at risk of starvation, the country may be forced to face famine. Syria’s food security and way of life have been severely harmed. This condition is made worse by people’s limited access to job possibilities, making it difficult for them to earn a living and provide for their families.

Current Food Crisis and Economy

The International Committee of the Red Cross (ICRC) recently interviewed and documented the experiences of 124 Syrian families. In recent months, 89% of respondents stated their livelihood had been severely damaged. Job loss, reduced income, and a lack of alternative revenue sources led to this. The hardest-hit groups were day laborers and those who run small businesses. Nearly 70% answered had no savings, which made it impossible to support themselves. The remaining individuals stated that they had sufficient funds to last a month. Inflation made it extremely difficult for individuals who were still employed to obtain even basic essentials.

Within the first six months of 2021, the prices of essential food items like bread, rice, and sugar have doubled. The price of a liter of vegetable oil is now equivalent to the daily income of a laborer. 

With prices increasing and the increasing difficulty of buying even the bare essentials, citizens are starving and malnourished. 

Organizations’ Role in Assisting Syrians Survive in Such Crises

Organizations such as the International Rescue Committee, the United Nations Children’s Fund (UNICEF), and Sunrise-USA have been working hard to give aid and set up various camps to assist citizens. USAID also works with the UN and a variety of NGOs and local organizations whose primary goal is to provide aid. The majority of these groups supply food and basic supplies to people, build training facilities for children and adults, provide education and medical care, and provide assistance to those who have been victims of violence. 

Sunrise-USA is focused on expanding the programs and reaching out to more victims in Syria who are in need of help. All of this work is only possible because of the generous donor contributions that have impacted the lives of Syrian refugees and displaced persons. 

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