ReliefWeb

Highlights

The total number of Syrian children in need inside Syria and in host countries: 8 million children

Internally displaced children: 2.6 million

Total registered refugee children outside Syria: over 2.5 million

CHILD PROTECTION

In 2018:

1,106 children verified killed – the highest ever number of children killed in a single year since the start of the war.

748 children injured.

806 children were recruited and used in combat. In refugee host countries:

Nearly 10,000 Syrian refugee children are either unaccompanied or separated, and many of these children are vulnerable to exploitation, including child labour, due to lack of legal documentation

EDUCATION

Inside Syria:

In 2018, the UN verified 120 attacks on schools – the highest ever number since the start of the war. An estimated 40 per cent of school infrastructure in Syria has been damaged or destroyed in the war. Over 2 million children – over one-third of Syria’s child population – are out-of-school - and 1.3 million children are at risk of dropping out. In refugee host countries:

The flow of refugees out of Syria has added a huge strain on service provision in neighbouring countries, challenging Syrian and host communities’ access to basic services, including education. Over 800,000 children remain out-of-school.

POVERTY

Inside Syria:

Over 83 per cent of Syrians live below the poverty line, pushing children into extreme survival measures - such as child labour, early marriage and recruitment into the fighting - to help their families make ends meet. In refugee host countries:

More than 90 per cent of Syrian refugees are living in host communities and facing challenging conditions. These circumstances have pushed children to extreme survival measures including dropping out of school to work or marry. HEALTH

Inside Syria:

In 2018, the UN verified 142 attacks on hospitals and health personnel – the highest number ever recorded in one year since the start of the war. Only half of the health facilities are functioning.

FUNDING REQUIREMENTS

In 2019, UNICEF is appealing for US$ 1.2 billion for its programmes for children inside Syria and in neighbouring host countries.