AMMAN, Jordan (July 14, 2014) — World Vision welcomes today’s United Nation’s Security Council resolution on cross-border and cross-line humanitarian access in Syria, which, if responsibly implemented, has the potential to ensure life-saving aid reaches hundreds of thousands of vulnerable children and families inside Syria. But the organization warns that passing the resolution is just one of many, many steps -and a huge international effort – needed to ensure the protection, safety and wellbeing of children in Syria.
“Ensuring that children affected by the Syrian conflict receive the aid and protection they need is going to take a big effort from parties to the conflict and the international community,” said Wynn Flaten, World Vision’s Response Director for Syria. “It will also take massive increases in funding, donor flexibility, and coordination from all aid actors to effectively bring aid to the 4.7 million people living in hard-to-reach areas inside Syria.”
World Vision has been responding to the Syrian crisis since 2011, first in neighbouring Lebanon, and soon after in Syria and Jordan.
“Everything about this crisis is complicated, and geared against children,” said Flaten. “Children are still being killed, injured, displaced, and denied access to schools, healthcare, psychosocial support and protection. Many are living day-to-day, and in fear. Aid agencies can’t reach them safely, and even when they can, they barely have the funding. In terms of private donations, this has been one of our hardest crises for which to fundraise.”
“We have been pushing hard for increased, safe humanitarian access, and we welcome this step in that direction. We continue to push for an increased effort for peace, and for the international community to step up its commitments to the children of Syria.”
World Vision has to date reached 250,000 people inside Syria with interventions including food, health, water and sanitation and basic supplies.
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About World Vision:
World Vision is a Christian humanitarian organization conducting relief, development, and advocacy activities in its work with children, families, and their communities in nearly 100 countries to help them reach their full potential by tackling the causes of poverty and injustice. World Vision serves all people regardless of religion, race, ethnicity, or gender. For more information, please visit www.WorldVision.org/media-center/ or on Twitter @WorldVisionUSA.
Highlights
- Organization calling for continued focus on securing aid for hundreds of thousands of vulnerable children inside Syria
- World Vision has been responding to the crisis since 2011
- To date organization has reached 250,000 people within Syria