UAE Press: Children Bear Brunt Of Syrian Conflict
Umer Jamshaid Published March 17, 2020 | 10:30 AM
ABU DHABI, (UrduPoint / Pakistan Point News / WAM - 17th Mar, 2020) While the world attention remains focused on the fight against COVID-19 coronavirus pandemic, Syria marked a grim milestone this weekend with the beginning of the tenth year of brutal war, a UAE newspaper has commented editorially.
"UN figures revealing that nearly 5 million children have known nothing but war distinctly highlight the damaging effect of the deepening tragedy, which is compounded by the fact that there seems to be no end to the war itself as yet," said Gulf Today in an editorial on Tuesday.
Around 4.8 million children have been born in Syria since the conflict began nine years ago, with an additional million born as refugees in neighbouring countries, according to the UN Children’s Fund, UNICEF.
"The war in Syria marks yet another shameful milestone," as UNICEF Executive Director Henrietta Fore, points out.
Millions of children are entering their second decade of life surrounded by war, violence, death and displacement. The need for peace has never been more pressing. Children have been bearing the brunt of the conflict. Statistics reveal the extent of the suffering faced by hapless children, who should be studying in the schools or playing in the gardens.
According to verified UN data from 2014, when official monitoring began, until the end of last year: more than 9,000 children were killed or injured in the conflict, close to 5,000 children – some as young as seven – were recruited into the fighting and nearly 1,000 education and medical facilities came under attack.
UNICEF has also laid out the figures that reveal Syria’s continuing child and healthcare crisis, saying that two in five schools cannot be used because they are destroyed, damaged, sheltering displaced families or being used for military purposes; over half of all health facilities are non-functional; more than 2.
8 million children are out of school inside Syria and in neighbouring countries; over two-thirds of children with physical or mental disabilities require specialised services that are unavailable in their area.
The economic situation is deteriorating so fast that ordinary Syrians struggle keep up with prices that rise even over the course of a day. The Currency is collapsing: it now takes 500 syrian Pounds to get a Dollar, 20 times the pre-2011 amount.
The war has left cities and villages in ruins and displaced more than 11 million people internally and abroad, with many seeking refuge in neighbouring and other countries. With over one million Syrian children orphaned since the fighting began, a huge question mark remains about their future. The number of people in Syria who are food insecure is said to have increased to 7.9 million people, a 22 percent rise in just one year.
The paper quoted UN Secretary-General Antonio Guterres as highlighting the need for a peaceful solution to the crisis. "The conflict in Syria is entering its tenth year. A decade of fighting has brought nothing but ruin and misery. And civilians are paying the gravest price. There is no military solution. Now it is the time to give diplomacy a chance to work," as he mentioned in a message posted on his Twitter account.
The conflict in Syria has exacted an unconscionable human cost and caused a humanitarian crisis of monumental proportions. The catastrophic suffering endured by the Syrian people for so many years should end. The warring parties should stop hitting schools and hospitals and stop killing or maiming helpless children.
"The international community should do everything it can to help fulfil the Syrians’ legitimate aspirations of peace, progress and prosperity," concluded the Sharjah-based daily.
Related Topics
Recent Stories
Govt committed to developing gems, jewellery sector: Minister
Three new bills introduced in Senate
Nine dead, 1,318 injured in Punjab road accidents
Ukraine, Russia exchange fire, at least seven dead
1st-ever National Sports Revival conference starts next month
Joint venture decided for action against MEPCO’s defaulters
Modern irrigation system imperative to deal with water scarcity: UAF VC
Bringing 4.4mln hectares suitable land under olive cultivation to address econom ..
One woman died after speedy bus overturned
155 killed in Tanzania as heavy rains lash East Africa
Parliament committed to resolve public issues on priority basis: Ghulam Mustafa
Collaborative Care of Diabetes Centre inaugurated in Faisalabad
More Stories From Middle East
-
UAE announces ‘Zero Bureaucracy Program’ to reduce bureaucracy
3 months ago -
COP28 President-Designate welcomes Transitional Committee agreement to operationalise Loss and Damag ..
6 months ago -
Global Media Congress 2023 to feature Co-Production Majlis as a new networking platform
6 months ago -
Young female athletes shine at Abu Dhabi World Youth Jiu-Jitsu Championship
6 months ago -
King of Jordan receives Abdullah bin Zayed and ministers participating in Arab coordination meeting
6 months ago -
Abdullah bin Zayed participates in coordination meeting of Arab foreign ministers, joint meeting wit ..
6 months ago
-
3rd annual conference of Emirates Society of Clinical Microbiology kicks off in Dubai
6 months ago -
SIBF 2023 hosts Nobel laureate to discuss emergence of ‘Afrofuturism’ in global discourse
6 months ago -
ALC announces winners of Kanz Al Jeel Award 2023
6 months ago -
SIBF turns spotlight on remarkable contributions of women
6 months ago -
Global assets in spot bitcoin ETFs hit $4.16 billion
6 months ago -
Rescuers struggle to find Nepal quake survivors as deaths reach 157
6 months ago