23 January 2014 Children of Syria A UNICEF update A new life and a new challenge for Safa skin, which doctors in Za’atari are working carefully to remove. “Even small sounds make her scared and she hides,” says Ahmed. “All of the girls are living in constant fear.” Thanks to the NGO Handicap International, Safa now has a wheelchair, receives regular physical therapy sessions and has been measured for a prosthesis. Every morning Ahmed walks his daughters to one of the UNICEF schools in Za’atari. Safa and her twin sister Marwa are in grade one and ©UNICEF/Jordan-2013/Noorani their teacher Miss Abeer makes sure Ahmed walks two of his daughters, six-year-old Safa and nine-year old Aya, to school in the Safa is treated like all of the other Za’atari refugee camp in northern Jordan. students. By Melanie Sharpe trees, and took her to a hospital in In the afternoon they go to a UNICEF- rural Damascus. When Fatima and ZA’ATARI, Jordan – When the supported child friendly space run by Ahmed arrived, they learned their farmhouse that Fatima, Ahmed and daughter had been gravely injured our partner Save the Children, where their six daughters (aged 2-10) were and would lose her right leg. children play, socialize and receive sheltering in was attacked, each went psychosocial support. “I’m not with any side. What’s the to grab three of their girls and run for fault of our daughters? They’re not Safa says she likes going to the child their lives. I remember my youngest guilty. Why would this happen?” asks friendly space, “I like playing. I am daughter’s face was covered in blood Ahmed. like the other children then.” and I realized I couldn’t find Safa,” says Fatima. Almost five months have passed since the attack and the family of nine Humanitarian It was a neighbour who eventually – including Ahmed’s elderly mother found Safa, one of their six-year- Wardeh – now live in a small caravan leaders call for old twins, bleeding in burned down in the Za’atari refugee camp in Jordan. action to protect Somehow Safa Syrian children still smiles and has Ahead of the Geneva II peace adjusted to having to crawl to get talks on January 22, UNICEF around by herself. and our Executive Director, But she’s shy and Anthony Lake, joined other buries her face in her humanitarian organizations hands when asked questions. Her entire and leaders in issuing an open back is covered in letter urging the protection of scars from the attack. ©UNICEF/Jordan-2013/Noorani Syria’s children: Safa (in red) plays at a UNICEF/Save the Children child friendly She still has pieces space in the Za’atari refugee camp. of shrapnel under her See the text of the letter on the next page www.unicef.org/mena childrenofsyria.info www.twitter.com/unicefmena www.facebook.com/unicefmena Children of Syria 23 January 2014 Open letter: Humanitarian leaders call for action to protect Syrian children “With the parties in Syria’s conflict Every child in Syria who is hurt, Margaret Chan, Director-General of the meeting in Geneva, we believe the or killed, or loses a loved one, World Health Organization time has come to urgently focus on represents yet another failure by the Ertharin Cousin, Executive Director, the plight of children. Over 11,000 international community. We hereby World Food Programme Syrian children have already lost commit to becoming champions for Leila Zerrougui, Special Representative their lives. From the shelling of Syria’s children, speaking out for their for the United Nations Secretary General residential areas to attacks on rights at every opportunity. An entire on Children and Armed Conflict schools and hospitals, children generation is being lost to violence. Mark Malloch Brown, former United are being targeted. More than 4 All of us bear a responsibility to save Nations Deputy Secretary General and million children have been forced these children.” Administrator of the United Nations to flee their homes, including over Development Programme a million who have fled the country Signed, Jan Egeland, Secretary General, altogether. As they arrive in Geneva, Desmond Tutu, Archbishop Emeritus of Norwegian Refugee Council we urgently call on the parties to the Cape Town and Nobel Peace Laureate conflict not to target children, and Valerie Amos, UN Under-Secretary- Louise Arbour, President and CEO, International Crisis Group to commit to a three-point plan to General for Humanitarian Affairs protect them: Anthony Lake, Executive Director, David Miliband, President and CEO, UNICEF International Rescue Committee 1. Do not prevent life-saving aid President and CEO, from reaching children. António Guterres, United Nations High Carolyn Miles, Commissioner for Refugees Save the Children 2. Do not target, or allow military Executive Director, Kristalina Georgieva, European Winnie Byanyima, use of, schools or health facilities. Oxfam International Commissioner for International 3. Do not use explosive weapons Cooperation, Humanitarian Aid and Kevin Jenkins, President and CEO, in populated areas. Crisis Response World Vision International A wedding over work books in Iraq By Chris Niles Back at her parents’ house they invited neighbours over for a cup of SULIMANIYAH, Iraq — Dilda was juice to announce the marriage. never one of those young women who’d picked out the white dress Normally, Syrian weddings are even before she’d met the man she planned on a much grander scale. was going to marry. I never imagined But Dilda’s father, Abdul didn’t want my wedding day; I was completely a big celebration. devoted to study,” she says. “It would be very improper to have ©UNICEF/Jordan-2013/Noorani And she certainly never imagined a party while our brothers and 17-year old Dilda has lost her dream to be a doctor. she’d be married at 17. “I wanted to sisters are suffering and being killed imagining a more prosperous future. become a doctor. I was very good in in Syria,” he said. “She had a nice school.” dress, but no songs, no party.” Even as they fled the chaos in Syria, Dilda clung to the hope that she Instead, Dilda is newly wed to Marriage was an economic necessity would soon return to resume her Razan, 23. The wedding was a quiet for Dilda’s family, who are struggling studies and her life. affair. The couple rented clothes and to feed their children. Her father had some photos taken. The day’s works as a labourer and two younger “When we left I tried to bring my text brothers are also employed. festivities also included a trip to books. I thought I might go back UNHCR to revise their registration It’s a far cry from their old life, where again, and I could use the time in as a new refugee family. the family was comfortably off, and Iraq to study,” she says. www.unicef.org/mena childrenofsyria.info www.twitter.com/unicefmena www.facebook.com/unicefmena Children of Syria 23 January 2014 Preventing a lost generation of Syrian children A new campaign is launched to provide education and protection NEW YORK — UNICEF, UNHCR, Save the Children, World Vision and other partners have called for governments, aid agencies and members of the public to become champions for the children of Syria and support the “No Lost Generation” strategy, which aims to provide those affected by the conflict with the chance to shape a more stable and secure future. Through the US$1 billion strategy, the organizations are focusing donor and public support on critical education and protection programmes to lift Syrian children out of misery, isolation and trauma. The strategy was unveiled ahead of a major donor conference in Kuwait © UNICEF/NYHQ2013-0322/Feyizoglu in January for humanitarian aid for A Syrian refugee girl attends her first day of class, in the city of Sanliurfa, Turkey Syria. “We cannot vulnerable of all victims of the Please visit the new website conflict, say the four organizations, established at: seeing their families and loved ones sit and watch www.championthechildrenofsyria.org killed, their schools destroyed and a generation their hopes eroded. Too many have that tells the stories of children been wounded either physically, affected by the conflict. disappear in front psychologically or both. Children of us” have also become vulnerable to the worst types of exploitation including A major public engagement child labour, recruitment into armed campaign under the hashtag groups and forces, early marriage Refugees by #childrenofsyria was also launched, and other forms of gender-based numbers* using social media to enlist violence. Lebanon 884,000 supporters and public contributors. UNHCR, UNICEF, Save the Children, “As the conflict approaches another World Vision and other partners Jordan 590,000 across the region will channel the bitter anniversary, we cannot sit and Turkey 577,000 watch a generation disappear in $1 billion into programmes that, front of us,” said UNICEF Executive in partnership with governments Iraq 212,000 Director Anthony Lake. “If we fail and local communities, deliver Egypt 132,000 these children now, an entire region safe education, protection from will lose a generation of potential exploitation, abuse and violence, North Africa 18,000 leaders, teachers engineers, doctors psychological care and support and Total 2,416,000 offer more opportunities for social and – above all- peacemakers, upon (UNICEF estimates that 50% of these cohesion and stability in an already whom the hope for a stable, healthy refugees are children.) and prosperous society depends.” volatile region. These programmes - Figures have been rounded include strengthening national and *UNHCR registered refugees and individuals awaiting For nearly three years, Syria’s community-based child protection registration as of 23 January 2014 children have been the most systems.