No partial pledges: aid must reach Syrians

Published: 15th June 2023


Reacting to donor pledges made at the Brussels conference on Syria today, Oxfam in Syria Country Director, Moutaz Adham, said:

“While we welcome these donor pledges, they are modest.

“February’s earthquake, on the back of 12 years of conflict and counting, has seen buildings crumble, financial collapse and some of the highest levels of hunger since the war began.

“Syrians need aid to lift themselves out of this crisis, but this aid pledged is a drop in the ocean. It will continue to see Syrians make agonizing choices to survive; buy medicine or a loaf of bread? Push young girls into early marriage or have no money to feed them? Send children to school, or pay for a roof over their heads? No one should be forced to make these choices, yet Syrians have to.”

 

Notes to editors

Oxfam in Syria recently reported that almost three-quarters of displaced Syrians in Aleppo are skipping a meal every day since the earthquake.

Since 2013, Oxfam has been working in Syria and with Syrians in neighbouring countries and the communities hosting them. We make sure people have clean water, distribute cash so people can put food on the table, and buy life-saving medicine. We support farmers to start farming again by distributing seeds and doing trainings, and bakers to start baking again by fixing old bakeries.

The devastating 7.8 magnitude earthquake near the Türkiye-Syria border in February caused one of the biggest disasters in the region in recent years. Tens of thousands of people were killed and many more injured. Thousands of buildings collapsed, exposing countless people to the then-harsh weather conditions.

Together with a Syrian partner, Oxfam is providing people impacted by the earthquake with clean drinking water. Oxfam teams are also installing water tanks in shelters, and fixing water taps and toilets. We are also delivering hygiene kits (including soap, sanitary pads, and diapers). We have supported safety checks for damaged buildings, so families could return home. Oxfam aims to reach 800,000 people over the coming three years with lifesaving aid in Syria. To date, our team has reached over 400,000 people in shelters and affected communities in Syria.

 

Contact information

Dania Kareh in Syria | DKareh@oxfam.org.uk | +963 958 001242

Jade-Leigh Tenwick in Belgium | jade.tenwick@oxfam.org | +32 473 562260

Roslyn Boatman in MENA region | Roslyn.Boatman@oxfam.org | +216 29076086