Twelve years on, Syrian children endure one brutal crisis after another
Children in Syria have endured hardships for years, including conflict, natural disasters and public health crises
12 years of conflict leave massive needs
Even before powerful earthquakes rocked Syria in February 2023, millions of families required assistance due to an unprecedented economic crisis and deepening poverty. Now, as the conflict in Syria enters its 13th year, millions of children in Syria are at risk from the devastating effects of malnutrition.
An estimated more than 600,000 children under the age of five are stunted, the result of chronic undernutrition, leaving them at risk of irreversible physical and psychological damage. Meanwhile, hostilities continue unabated in several parts of the country, particularly in the northwest, and continue to leave children in fear of attacks and at risk of displacement.
The suffering facing Syria’s families was compounded by the deadly 6 February earthquakes, particularly in the coastal area and the northwest of the country, as houses were destroyed, critical infrastructure was decimated, and many children were left afraid to return homes as aftershocks have continued.
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