The Syrian refugee crisis remains the largest refugee and displacement crisis of our time. Let’s break this topic down — in photos and videos.
![What you need to know about the Syrian refugee crisis The Syrian refugee crisis is the largest refugee and displacement crisis, affecting 17.6 million people. Let’s break this topic down — in photos and videos.](https://wvusstatic.com/www/uploads/2020/03/D220-0241-3jpg_725283-web.jpg)
Since the Syrian civil war officially began March 15, 2011, families have suffered under ongoing brutal conflict that has killed hundreds of thousands of people, torn the nation apart, and set back the standard of living by decades.
The situation is getting worse as the COVID-19 pandemic has driven at least 1.1 million Syrian refugees and displaced people into poverty.
![What you need to know about the Syrian refugee crisis in photos and videos An aid worker teaches a boy how to wash his hands.](https://wvusstatic.com/www/uploads/2020/03/W220-0174-021.jpg)
Extreme cold is making life even harder, especially for children.
![20191001_Norma Storm_Lebanon_Syrian refugees (49b) Children walk through a landscape of water, makeshift tents, and huge snow-covered mountains dominating the background.](https://wvusstatic.com/www/uploads/2019/01/20191001_Norma-Storm_Lebanon_Syrian-refugees-49b.jpg)
We entered the 12th year of the Syrian refugee crisis on March 15, 2023.
![What you need to know about the Syrian refugee crisis The Syrian refugee crisis is the largest refugee and displacement crisis, affecting 17.6 million people. Let’s break this topic down — in photos and videos.](https://wvusstatic.com/www/uploads/2020/03/D220-0235-1-web.jpg)
Still, about 6.8 million Syrians are refugees.
![What you need to know about the Syrian refugee crisis The Syrian refugee crisis is the largest refugee and displacement crisis, affecting 17.6 million people. Let’s break this topic down — in photos and videos.](https://wvusstatic.com/www/uploads/2020/03/D220-0244-73-web.jpg)
The majority of Syria’s refugees, about 5.6 million, have fled — by land and sea — across borders to neighboring countries but remain in the Middle East.
![What you need to know about the Syrian refugee crisis The Syrian refugee crisis is the largest refugee and displacement crisis, affecting 17.6 million people. Let’s break this topic down — in photos and videos.](https://wvusstatic.com/www/uploads/2020/03/D220-0251-2-web.jpg)
Another 6.8 million people are displaced within Syria. Some 900,000 people in northwest Syria have been displaced by conflict since December 1, 2019.
![What you need to know about the Syrian refugee crisis: Syrian civil war anniversary 2020 The Syrian refugee crisis is the largest refugee and displacement crisis, affecting 17.6 million people. Let’s break this topic down — in photos and videos.](https://wvusstatic.com/www/uploads/2020/03/W005-0121-022-web.jpg)
Nearly 15.3 million people in Syria need humanitarian assistance.
![What you need to know about the Syrian refugee crisis The Syrian refugee crisis is the largest refugee and displacement crisis, affecting 17.6 million people. Let’s break this topic down — in photos and videos.](https://wvusstatic.com/www/uploads/2020/03/D220-0301-20-web.jpg)
About half of the people affected by the Syrian refugee crisis are children.
![What you need to know about the Syrian refugee crisis The Syrian refugee crisis is the largest refugee and displacement crisis, affecting 17.6 million people. Let’s break this topic down — in photos and videos.](https://wvusstatic.com/www/uploads/2020/03/D220-0221-8jpg_849941-web.jpg)
June 20 is the United Nations–sanctioned World Refugee Day, a time to show the world that we stand with refugees.
![What you need to know about the Syrian refugee crisis The Syrian refugee crisis is the largest refugee and displacement crisis, affecting 17.6 million people. Let’s break this topic down — in photos and videos.](https://wvusstatic.com/www/uploads/2020/03/D220-0237-58jpg_725239-web.jpg)
But Syrians deserve to be remembered every day of the year.
![What you need to know about the Syrian refugee crisis The Syrian refugee crisis is the largest refugee and displacement crisis, affecting 17.6 million people. Let’s break this topic down — in photos and videos.](https://wvusstatic.com/www/uploads/2020/03/D193-0055-040jpg_482942.jpg)
World Vision has been working in the Middle East for nearly 40 years.
![What you need to know about the Syrian refugee crisis The Syrian refugee crisis is the largest refugee and displacement crisis, affecting 17.6 million people. Let’s break this topic down — in photos and videos.](https://wvusstatic.com/www/uploads/2020/03/D220-0221-12jpg_849943-web.jpg)
Since the Syrian refugee crisis began, World Vision staff have helped more than 7.5 million children in the region.
![What you need to know about the Syrian refugee crisis The Syrian refugee crisis is the largest refugee and displacement crisis, affecting 17.6 million people. Let’s break this topic down — in photos and videos.](https://wvusstatic.com/www/uploads/2020/03/D220-0255-24jpg_771457-web.jpg)
In Syria, we’re providing healthcare, emergency food, shelter repair kits, and clean water, sanitation, and hygiene behavior change support. We’re also operating Child-Friendly Spaces and child protection training.
![What you need to know about the Syrian refugee crisis: Winter kits distribution in northwest Syria The Syrian refugee crisis is the largest refugee and displacement crisis, affecting 17.6 million people. Let’s break this topic down — in photos and videos.](https://wvusstatic.com/www/uploads/2020/03/W378-0035-010.jpg)
![What you need to know about the Syrian refugee crisis: Azraq refugee camp The Syrian refugee crisis is the largest refugee and displacement crisis, affecting 17.6 million people. Let’s break this topic down — in photos and videos.](https://wvusstatic.com/www/uploads/2020/03/D193-0096-03jpg_526174-web.jpg)
In Iraq, we’re providing food aid, health services, clean water and sanitation, and livelihood training. Children receive education, recreation, and programs in life skills, peacebuilding, and resilience.
![What you need to know about the Syrian refugee crisis The Syrian refugee crisis is the largest refugee and displacement crisis, affecting 17.6 million people. Let’s break this topic down — in photos and videos.](https://wvusstatic.com/www/uploads/2020/03/W177-0084-064-web.jpg)
![What you need to know about the Syrian refugee crisis The Syrian refugee crisis is the largest refugee and displacement crisis, affecting 17.6 million people. Let’s break this topic down — in photos and videos.](https://wvusstatic.com/www/uploads/2020/03/D220-0298-38-web.jpg)