Syrian Childhood: Challenges and Hopes

Introduction:

Syrian childhood suffers greatly due to the ongoing war for years. According to United Nations reports, children in Syria face severe violations of their basic rights. These violations include killing, maiming, denial of education, and forced displacement.

The report of the Independent International Commission of Inquiry on Syria indicated that children are subjected to violence by all conflicting parties, including the use of chemical weapons and cluster munitions by government forces, as well as sexual violence and abduction by armed groups.

Moreover, more than 2.5 million Syrian children are registered as refugees in neighboring countries, with approximately 900,000 of them lacking access to formal education.

These dire circumstances significantly affect the future of Syrian children, as they endure psychological and physical traumas that may persist throughout their lives. It is crucial for all parties to exert efforts to protect children’s rights and ensure a better future for them.

Several entities are working to safeguard children’s rights in Syria, including:

1. The Ministry of Social Affairs and Labor: Plays a key role in implementing the Child Rights Law No. (21) of 2021, which aims to protect and care for children and ensure their upbringing in a safe and healthy environment.
2. The Syrian Commission for Family and Population Affairs: Works to promote children’s rights through programs and initiatives aimed at improving children’s conditions and providing necessary support for them and their families.
3. The Child Rights Society (CRS): A non-profit charity established in 2006, aimed at protecting children from abuse, ensuring their rights, and raising their awareness of their duties towards society.
4. The United Nations: Through its various agencies such as UNICEF, the World Food Programme (WFP), and the Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs (OCHA), the UN provides humanitarian aid including food, water, healthcare, and education. For instance, assistance is delivered to more than a million people in northwest Syria each month via the Bab al-Hawa border crossing.
5. The Red Cross and Red Crescent: Provide medical and humanitarian assistance across Syria, including in hard-to-reach areas.
6. International NGOs: Such as Médecins Sans Frontières (Doctors Without Borders) and the International Committee of the Red Cross, which provide medical and humanitarian services in affected areas.
7. Aid Fund for Northern Syria (AFNS): This fund supports all areas of humanitarian needs, including health, education, shelter, and cash assistance, and works to enhance resilience against shocks.
8. Local Organizations: Numerous local organizations provide humanitarian aid in Syria, such as the Child Rights Society and the Syrian Commission for Family and Population Affairs.

These entities strive diligently to provide support and assistance to affected populations in Syria, despite the significant challenges they face.

Challenges and Obstacles:

Organizations concerned with children’s rights in Syria face numerous challenges, including:

1. The ongoing war worsens security and economic conditions, making it increasingly difficult to protect children and provide them with necessary support.
2. Children are subjected to severe violations, including forced recruitment, abduction, sexual violence, and killing. These violations hinder organizations’ efforts to create a safe environment for children.
3. Millions of children have been internally displaced or have sought refuge in other countries, making it challenging to reach them and provide essential services such as education and healthcare.
4. Many organizations face funding shortages, limiting their ability to implement programs and projects aimed at supporting and protecting children.
5. Hyperinflation significantly impacts families, increasing economic pressures and making it harder to meet children’s basic needs.
6. The destruction of schools, hospitals, and critical infrastructure complicates efforts to provide children with education and healthcare.

There are several additional challenges facing northern Syria, including:

1. Millions of people in northern Syria live in dire humanitarian conditions, lacking basic necessities such as food, clean water, and healthcare. This situation worsens during winter due to rain and severe cold.
2. The destruction of infrastructure, including schools, hospitals, and roads, makes it difficult to provide essential services to the population. This significantly affects education, healthcare, and mobility.
3. Northern Syria suffers from economic isolation due to blockades and ongoing conflicts. This results in high unemployment and poverty rates, exacerbating the suffering of the population.
4. A continuous influx of displaced people from other areas in Syria increases pressure on limited resources and complicates relief efforts.
5. Ongoing conflicts between various armed factions lead to security instability, making it challenging to implement development and relief programs effectively.
6. The decline in international support further hampers the implementation of humanitarian and developmental projects in the region, leaving many needs unmet.

Amid these challenges, there is an urgent need to address them effectively. At the Family Affairs Office of the Syrian Future Movement, we believe there are several ways you can support organizations providing aid to Syria:

• Financial Donations: Donations can be made directly to humanitarian organizations such as UNICEF, the World Food Program, the International Committee of the Red Cross, and Doctors Without Borders. These contributions help provide food, water, healthcare, and education for affected children and families.
• Volunteering: Opportunities exist to volunteer with humanitarian organizations locally or internationally, whether in offices or fieldwork.
• Organizing Fundraising Campaigns: Online campaigns to raise funds for humanitarian organizations can be highly effective in collecting money and increasing awareness of Syria’s humanitarian issues.
• Raising Awareness: Sharing information about the Syrian crisis and the needs of affected populations through social media can motivate more people to donate and assist.

Each of these methods contributes to providing essential support to the affected populations in Syria and helps improve their lives.

A Strategic Approach to Addressing Challenges:

Addressing the challenges facing organizations concerned with childhood in Syria, particularly in northern Syria, requires multifaceted efforts that include:

1. Increasing Funding and Financial Support:
   • A. Increasing International Funding: The international community must increase funding allocated for humanitarian aid in Syria. This includes supporting international organizations like UNICEF and the World Food Program, as well as local organizations working on the ground.
   • B. Encouraging Individual Donations: Individuals can contribute through financial donations to humanitarian organizations operating in Syria, as discussed in the previous methods.
2. Improving Access to Affected Areas:
   • A. Facilitating Humanitarian Access: All parties must facilitate the delivery of humanitarian aid to affected areas, including through border crossings such as the Bab al-Hawa crossing, which is a lifeline for millions of people in northwestern Syria.
   • B. Coordinating with Local Authorities: Cooperating with local authorities to ensure aid reaches the affected areas safely and effectively.
3. Strengthening Local Capacities:
   • A. Capacity Building: Training local relief workers to provide essential services such as healthcare, education, and psychological support for children. We have a unique experience at our office in A’zaz, where we organize capacity-building courses.
   • B. Supporting Local Organizations: Providing financial and technical support to local organizations to enhance their ability to deliver aid.
4. Focusing on Education and Psychological Support:
   • A. Education Programs: Establishing and supporting educational programs for children in affected areas to ensure the continuation of their education, even under difficult circumstances.
   • B. Psychological and Social Support: Providing psychological and social support services for children affected by the conflict, including group and individual therapy programs.
5. International and Local Cooperation:
   • A. Collaboration Between Organizations: Strengthening cooperation between international and local organizations to ensure coordinated efforts and avoid duplication in providing aid.
   • B. Partnerships with the Private Sector: Encouraging partnerships with the private sector to provide the necessary resources and expertise to support children.
6. Awareness and Increasing Consciousness:
   • A. Awareness Campaigns: Organizing awareness campaigns to raise awareness about the importance of supporting children in Syria and collecting necessary donations.
   • B. Media and Communication: Using media and social media to spread information about the situation in Syria and the needs of children.

We believe that these combined efforts can contribute to improving the situation for children in Syria, especially in the affected northern regions.

Conclusion:

Our hope remains vested in the future generations of Syria, for children are the seeds of tomorrow, and they will be the ones to rebuild their country. This underscores the importance of providing protection and support for them, as well as preparing them to become the leaders of the future. Civil society, in turn, plays a crucial role in defending children’s rights, providing essential services to them, and building a more just and equal society. We must all work together for a better future for Syrian children, a future that preserves their dignity and rights, and ensures them a decent life.

What Syrian children are enduring is a crime against humanity, and it cannot be ignored. The international community, governments, and humanitarian organizations must increase their efforts to provide protection to Syrian children, offer the necessary humanitarian aid, and hold accountable those who commit crimes against them. Moreover, civil society must continue its struggle for children’s rights and pressure governments to implement international human rights laws. We must all bear the responsibility towards these children and work hard to end their suffering.

International human rights laws provide a strong legal framework for protecting children. All countries that are parties to these agreements must commit to implementing them and ensuring the protection of children’s rights in all circumstances, including armed conflicts. The international community must also work to strengthen accountability mechanisms for violations of children’s rights and ensure that perpetrators of these crimes do not escape punishment.

Family Affairs Office
Research Team
Research and Studies Department
Studies
Syrian Future Movement

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