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Summary: Two million children trapped inside Syria are innocent victims of a bloody conflict that has already claimed 70,000 lives, Save the Children warned today, saying that these children are under constant risk of malnutrition, disease, trauma and early marriage. [14 March 2013] - In a new report, Childhood Under Fire, launched to mark two years of violence in Syria, Save the Children details the impact of the conflict on children, showing that many are struggling to find enough to eat; are living in barns, parks and caves; are unable to go to school with teachers having fled and schools being attacked; and that damage to sanitation systems is forcing some children to defecate in the street. Citing new research carried out amongst refugee children by Bahcesehir University in Turkey, the report also reveals the extent to which children have been directly targeted in the war, with one in three children reporting having been punched, kicked or shot at. Combined with the breakdown of society in parts of the country and more than three million people displaced, the conflict has led to the collapse of childhood for millions of youngsters, the charity says. Childhood under Fire details how some young boys are being used by armed groups as porters, runners and human shields, bringing them close to the frontline, while some girls are being married off early to ‘protect’ them from a widely-perceived threat of sexual violence. The report’s key findings are: Thousands of children are facing malnutrition as food production is wiped out and severe shortages take hold. “Why did we leave? Hunger. Food. There was none. No bread. If I stayed my children would have died from hunger,” – Rami, father of three. Millions of children have been forced from their homes and tens of thousands are living in parks, barns and caves. “There were 13 of us in total, crammed into one room. We did not leave that room for two weeks.”- Yasmine, 12. Girls are being married off early in an effort to protect them from perceived threat of sexual violence. My daughter is 16 and she loved school. She is innocent and very pretty. I know that men are hurting women. We could not protect her, so we had to marry her. We needed her to have a protector.” - Um Ali, mother of 2. Families have been left without heating in winter as fuel prices have risen by up to 500 per cent. “In one area of Syria where Save the Children is responding, during the bitter winter, school benches were stolen for firewood; desperate, understandable measures to stay warm, but further erosion of children’s opportunities to learn and play.” - Childhood Under Fire. “For millions of Syrian children, the innocence of childhood has been replaced by the cruel realities of trying to survive this vicious war. Many are now living rough, struggling to find enough to eat, without the right medicine if they become sick or injured. As society has broken down, in the worst cases, hunger, homelessness and terror have replaced school for some of these young people. We cannot allow this to continue unchecked; the lives of too many children are at stake. ” The research by the Bahcesehir University also reveals the extent to which children have been affected by war, with two thirds of children surveyed saying that they had been separated from members of their families due to the conflict. A third of those surveyed had experienced the death of a close friend or family member. Many are showing signs of emotional difficulties as they struggle to come to terms with their experiences. Save the Children, which is providing humanitarian relief in Syria and neighbouring countries, is calling for all parties to the conflict to allow unfettered, safe access to populations in need and to ensure that everything is done to bring the fighting to an end. It welcomes pledges to fund the $1.5 billion humanitarian appeal for Syria, and calls on governments to urgently deliver the money, which is designed to target aid both inside the stricken country and to refugees living on Syria’s borders. Save the Children, in a coalition of NGOs, is also planning a series of vigils in more than a dozen countries around the world on Thursday 14th of March to mark the two years of conflict in Syria. The aid agency is appealing for funds to help its response in Syria, Iraq, Lebanon and Jordan where it is delivering food, warm clothes, blankets, providing education and helping children recover from their experiences. To donate to Save the Children’s Syria appeal please call 00961 738 654 or go to Beirut- Hamra, Save the Children office- Broadway centre facing Costa Café- 6th floor. For more information contact: 00961 738 654. FURTHER INFORMATION:
pdf: http://www.crin.org/docs/Childhood Under Fire- SC report.pdf