Bana*, 17, took this picture of a damaged house in Northwest Syria where the writing on the wall says ‘don’t forget about us’

Brussels, 15 June - In response to the outcomes of the seventh annual Brussels Conference to support the future of Syria and the region, Save the Children’s Policy and Advocacy Adviser for the Middle East, North Africa and Eastern Europe Nourhan Abdelaziz said:

“It is extremely disappointing to see that once again, the international community has failed children in Syria and neighbouring countries who urgently need their support to survive.  

“Today’s announcement of 4.6bn euros for this year and 1 billion euros for 2024 is a drastic drop from last year, in the face of sky rocketing needs. This is simply not enough for the 6.8 million people displaced inside Syria but also over 5 million refugees in neighbouring countries like Lebanon, Egypt and Türkiye.

While these pledges and the conference itself are a marker of solidarity, there remains a huge gap between what has been committed and what is needed for children and their families.

Inside Syria, we’re seeing increased child labour and child marriage rates, school dropouts, diseases that were once eradicated like measles and cholera. Two thirds of schools across the country are damaged, destroyed or occupied.

In neighbouring countries, vulnerabilities continue to mount, and there’s  an urgent need to remove barriers that hinder children’s survival, learning and ability to achieve their full potential.  In countries like Lebanon, with an already fragile economy and the highest rates of food inflation in the world[1], the multi-layered crisis has led parents to resort to desperate measures, with increasing numbers of children no longer in education and being made to work or get married.

Syrian people, wherever they are, have shown remarkable resilience over 12 years of conflict. Now it’s our turn to help them lead more dignified lives. As needs will continue to outstrip resources available, we cannot keep doing the same thing and expecting a different result. The international community must commit to longer term early recovery funding so that the critical, basic services and infrastructure that children need can be appropriately rehabilitated. That is how we can help Syrian families rebuild their lives both in Syria and across the wider region.”

-ENDS