UNICEF Executive Director Catherine Russell said that 6.9 million children in Syria need humanitarian assistance, amid continuing needs related to education, healthcare, water and sanitation, and nutrition.
In an interview with the Syrian Arab News Agency (SANA) on Wednesday, September 30, Russell said UNICEF continues to support children and families in Syria by contributing to school rehabilitation, providing vaccines and nutritional support, and helping restore operations at the Jobar pumping station in Damascus, which is expected to provide water to more than one million people in Damascus and Rural Damascus.
Regarding the return of large numbers of families and children to Syria, Russell said that the refugees and displaced people she had met throughout her life had always wanted to return to their homeland. She noted that returning home is highly important for many families and their children who want to settle in their country.
The challenge, according to Russell, is to help the government support returnees and enable them to restore their normal lives, particularly children.
She explained that UNICEF’s work is not limited to education but also includes skills training that helps children participate in their communities.
Russell stressed that providing these services in an integrated manner is highly important for children, noting that successful countries need to invest in these areas. She added that UNICEF is working in partnership with the government and supporting it in ways that strengthen the ability of its institutions to provide the services children need.
UNICEF has been working in Syria for a long time, according to its executive director, who said the organization seeks to strengthen its partnership with the government to support institutions and their capacity to provide essential services for children.
Russell said that UNICEF, in any country, “does its best work through partnership with the government,” as governments are responsible for their children, while UNICEF’s role is to support their efforts.
She added that UNICEF’s areas of work include ensuring children have access to education and healthcare and providing them with better opportunities, as the organization continues to support efforts aimed at meeting the needs of Syrian children.
Contributions to Support Syria’s Children
UNICEF continues to implement programs supporting the most vulnerable children and families in Syria, backed by international contributions.
Last July, the organization announced that it had received a $7.95 million contribution from the Republic of Korea.
The partnership in Syria aims to improve health, nutrition, and education outcomes for at least 400,000 of the most vulnerable children and women in hard-to-reach areas and communities experiencing family returns across the country.
Last August, the government of the Republic of Korea, in cooperation with the United Nations Resident Coordinator in Syria, the United Nations Development Programme (UNDP), the United Nations Children’s Fund (UNICEF), and the United Nations World Food Programme (WFP), launched the second phase of Korea-funded humanitarian assistance initiatives in Syria.
With a total contribution of $18.95 million, the program brings together three integrated initiatives that will help improve the lives of the most vulnerable children, families, and communities across Syria by expanding access to essential services, including education, health, nutrition, and food assistance, while strengthening livelihoods, supporting early recovery, and building resilience.