UN: 9.3 Million Syrian Children in Need of Assistance

A displaced Syrian girl sits outside her family's tent at a refugee camp in Bar Elias, Bekaa Valley, Lebanon, Friday, March 5, 2021. (AP/Hussein Malla)
A displaced Syrian girl sits outside her family's tent at a refugee camp in Bar Elias, Bekaa Valley, Lebanon, Friday, March 5, 2021. (AP/Hussein Malla)
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UN: 9.3 Million Syrian Children in Need of Assistance

A displaced Syrian girl sits outside her family's tent at a refugee camp in Bar Elias, Bekaa Valley, Lebanon, Friday, March 5, 2021. (AP/Hussein Malla)
A displaced Syrian girl sits outside her family's tent at a refugee camp in Bar Elias, Bekaa Valley, Lebanon, Friday, March 5, 2021. (AP/Hussein Malla)

A total of 9.3 million Syrian children are in need of aid than at any time since the devastating civil war erupted in the country over a decade ago, the United Nations warned on Sunday.

“Millions of children continue to live in fear, need and uncertainty inside Syria and the neighboring countries,” said Adele Khodr, UNICEF Regional Director for the Middle East and North Africa.

The UN agency said more than 6.5 million children in Syria are in need of assistance while in neighboring countries, 2.8 million Syrian refugee children depend on aid.

Khodr said many families struggle to make ends meet, adding that the prices of basic supplies including food are skyrocketing, partially as a result of the crisis in Ukraine.

UNICEF said the agency faced a severe cash shortfall to provide aid and that it has received less than half of its funding requirements for this year.

“Of our requirements to reach children and families impacted by the crisis in Syria, we urgently need nearly $20 million for the cross-border operations, the only lifeline for nearly 1 million children in the northwest of Syria,” UNICEF declared.

Humanitarian aid delivered to the northwest of Syria pass mainly through the border between Turkey and Syria, without going through government channels in Damascus.

The agency repeated that the crisis in Syria is far from over.

“Only in the first three months of this year, 213 children were killed or injured. Since the beginning of the crisis in 2011, over 13,000 children have been confirmed killed or injured,” it said.

Since it began over a decade ago, the conflict has killed nearly half a million people, wounded more than a million and displaced half the country’s population, including more than 5 million refugees, more than at any time since World War II.



Grundberg Concludes Visit to Sanaa, Urges Houthis to Deescalate Tensions, Release Detainees

Grundberg arrives at Sanaa airport, Yemen (AFP)
Grundberg arrives at Sanaa airport, Yemen (AFP)
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Grundberg Concludes Visit to Sanaa, Urges Houthis to Deescalate Tensions, Release Detainees

Grundberg arrives at Sanaa airport, Yemen (AFP)
Grundberg arrives at Sanaa airport, Yemen (AFP)

The United Nations Special Envoy for Yemen, Hans Grundberg, urged on Thursday Houthi leaders to reduce national and regional escalation and release the detained UN staff and other humanitarian personnel.
The envoy stressed his determination to safeguard the progress made to date on the peace roadmap, which has been frozen since Houthis have stepped up their attacks against shipping routes in the Red Sea corridor.
Grundberg’s comments came on Thursday as he concluded a visit to Sanaa, his first to the Yemeni capital since May 2023.
The visit comes amid hopes that his efforts would prepare the ground for concrete actions for advancing the peace process in the country.
In a statement, Grundberg said he held discussions with senior political and military officials to renew engagement on the political process, focusing on addressing challenges and exploring possibilities for advancing peace within the region’s complex context.
During his meetings with Houthi leaders, the special envoy stressed the importance of national and regional de-escalation to foster an environment conducive to dialogue.
He urged the need for concrete actions to pave the way forward for a political process to achieve sustainable peace and stability across Yemen.
Grundberg’s discussions also highlighted the importance of taking steps to address economic challenges and improve living conditions, while simultaneously advancing preparations for a ceasefire – critical components of the road map and reaching a political resolution that meets the aspirations of Yemenis.
“I am determined to safeguard the progress made to date on the roadmap and keep focus on the prospects for peace in Yemen,” Grundberg noted.
Discussions on the conflict-related detainees file built on the progress made during negotiations held in Oman in July 2024.
The envoy emphasized that the file is vital for confidence building between the parties and advancing previous commitments.
He then underscored the importance of prioritizing this humanitarian issue as a step toward fostering trust that can help enable broader agreements and signal commitment to the peace process.
Protection of Civil Society
The Special Envoy started his visit to Sanaa at the home of the family of his colleague who has been arbitrarily detained by Houthis since June 2024.
He expressed his deepest compassion for what they have been enduring during this difficult period and offered his support, a statement by his office said.
Grundberg then updated the family on the UN efforts to secure the release of all arbitrarily detained personnel.
He also expressed solidarity with the families of the other detainees, acknowledging their shared anguish and the urgent need for their loved ones' release.
In all his discussions, the envoy strongly urged Houthis to release immediately and unconditionally the detained personnel from the UN, NGOs, civil society, and diplomatic missions.
Grundberg then echoed the Secretary General’s message that the arbitrary detentions are unacceptable and constitute a violation of international law.
“We must protect the role of civil society and humanitarian personnel. They make vital contributions to peace and rebuilding Yemen,” stated the Special Envoy.
Grundberg arrived in Yemen after holding talks with Omani officials in Muscat. Present at the talks was Houthi spokesman and chief negotiator Mohammed Abdelsalam.
The envoy is hoping to make a breakthrough in the Yemeni crisis after his efforts stalled with the Houthis launching their attacks on the Red Sea and Gulf of Aden shipping routes.
The Visit’s Agenda
Grundberg, a Swedish diplomat, is in Sanaa as part of his efforts to push the Houthis to take concrete actions for advancing the peace process.
He will also be pushing for the release of the arbitrarily detained UN personnel and also from other NGOs, civil society and diplomatic missions.
The envoy said he plans to conduct a series of national and regional meetings in the coming days under his mediation efforts.