UN report: 16 million displaced Syrians need urgent humanitarian aid news

The United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees reported that more than 16 million displaced people inside Syria are in urgent need of urgent humanitarian assistance.

A report published by the Commission on its official website said: “Despite the voluntary return of more than a million refugees from countries such as Turkey, Lebanon and Jordan, and the return of nearly two million internally displaced persons to their areas of origin after the fall of the regime of ousted President Bashar al-Assad, the country is still witnessing one of the most complex and urgent humanitarian crises in the world.”

The report added that more than 70% of Syrian refugees live in poverty, inside displacement camps, with limited access to basic services, education, or job opportunities, and few opportunities for them to return to their hometowns.

The UN report explained that the situation inside Syria is very fragile. Homes, water systems, schools and health facilities are either damaged or overburdened, and many returnees arrive in uninhabitable homes or neighborhoods that lack basic services. Security risks also remain, including landmine contamination and instability in several areas of the country.

He continued, “Millions of refugees have lost their sources of livelihood and are increasingly unable to meet their basic needs, including access to clean water, electricity, food, medicine, and paying rent. The economic situation has also exposed them to multiple protection risks, such as child labor, gender-based violence, early marriage, and other forms of exploitation.”

The report also stressed that the situation of Syrian refugees in neighboring countries is also difficult. Economic uncertainty in countries like Lebanon has pushed Syrians there into poverty, with more than 90% of Syrian refugees relying on humanitarian aid to survive.

In Jordan, more than 93% of Syrian families reported that they are in debt to cover basic needs. In Türkiye, 90% of Syrian refugees cannot fully cover their monthly expenses or basic needs.

The report pointed out that children bear the brunt of the crisis, as about half of all Syrian refugees are under the age of eighteen, and many of them grew up knowing only conflict and displacement.

He added that displaced children’s access to education is irregular, whether inside or outside Syria, which puts an entire generation at risk. Child labour, early marriage and other protection risks are also on the rise as it becomes more difficult for families to survive.