It's been a year since the earthquake and Syrians feel forgotten once again | Turkey-Sy... - 0 views
www.aljazeera.com/...ians-feel-forgotten-once-again
Syria conflict earthquake earthquakes humanitarian aid children opinion
shared by Ed Webb on 06 Feb 24
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The earthquake ravaged an already suffering population. Syrians lost family members, homes, livelihoods, the little sense of stability they may have had amid the continuing war. Over the past year, the number of Syrians requiring humanitarian assistance has surged from 15.3 million to 16.7 million, the highest since the start of hostilities about 13 years ago. And yet, the greater need has not been met with adequate funding; to the contrary, contributions have dwindled.
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A staggering 90 percent of households struggled to cover essential needs, leaving families to make tough decisions for their children.
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There’s almost no mental health support available for young people, despite almost 70 percent of children struggling with sadness, according to a survey by Save the Children. Around one-third of Syrian households have children showing signs of mental distress, the UN reported.
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Over half of healthcare workers, including qualified mental health professionals, have left the country over the past decade.
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Before the earthquake, the education system in Syria was already struggling. According to the UN, more than 7,000 schools had been damaged or destroyed. Some two million children were not attending school and 1.6 million were at risk of dropping out. The earthquake made the situation even worse, especially in northwest Syria, where 54 percent of schools were affected.
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The UN humanitarian response plan was only 37.8 percent funded in 2023. Late last year, media reports indicated that the World Food Programme (WFP) will stop much of its main food assistance programme in the country this year due to a lack of funding.