People affected by the conflict have to survive the upcoming cold winter weather with meagre assistance, CARE supports with blankets, winter clothes and cash assistance.
Amman, JORDAN, 16 October, 2014 - As another harsh winter season approaches in the Middle East, CARE International calls for the immediate release of further funding to support millions of people caught up in the conflict in Syria and in neighbouring countries.
“The current funding gap puts millions at risk of disease and death,” says Holly Solberg, Regional Director for CARE’s Syria Response. To date, the UN funding appeals to support Syrians in need (SHARP and RRP) have been only half way financed. CARE’s own appeal has only been funded 25 percent. “Many refugees cannot afford to buy heaters, blankets or winter clothes. Imagine living in a tent or unfinished building, without a heater or a blanket, with outside temperatures below zero degrees. This especially threatens the health of the elderly, disabled and children,” Solberg says.
According to recent estimates, a total of over 19 million people need assistance across the region due to the Syria Crisis. The upcoming winter is particularly threatening for the over 3 million Syrian refugees and the 6.5 million internally displaced people in Syria. For example, in Lebanon almost half of the 1.2 million refugees live in informal settlements, unfinished buildings, garages, worksites and warehouses, which provide no protection during the freezing winter months.
“If we can anticipate one thing in the Syrian crisis it is the upcoming winter season and the harsh conditions people will have to endure. While the international community can plan for this recurring event, we have not received sufficient funding to protect refugees from rain, snow and cold temperatures,” Solberg says.
Given the protracted nature of the Syria crisis, as well as emerging crises in the region and in other parts of the world, humanitarian funding has not been as forthcoming as needed. The recent escalation of violence in Syria and Iraq has exacerbated the already horrible and unacceptable situation millions of people are dealing with. In Turkey alone, more than 170,000 Syrians have crossed the border since mid-September, putting further strain on a country which already hosts over a million Syrian refugees.
“I spoke to a mother in Turkey, who has recently fled the violence in Kobane. Living in an unfinished building, she is very worried about the freezing temperatures her family will face in a few weeks. They fled without any winter clothing and have no means to pay for heaters or blankets,” Solberg adds.
After almost four years of conflict Syrians are running out of coping mechanisms to help them survive. “We are talking about people who have lost everything. Some refugees have recently arrived; others have fled Syria months and even years ago. Both newly arrived and long-term refugees are struggling more than ever to cope with inadequate housing, high debts and rising costs of living. Some women tell us that they are only eating once a day now in order to save money to provide their children with warm winter clothes”, Solberg says.
CARE has already started to help both refugee and host families in Syria, Turkey, Lebanon and Jordan to cope during the winter, distributing emergency cash assistance as well as mattresses, winter clothes and blankets. “CARE and other organizations are working hard to meet the needs of millions of refugees. However, more funding is needed now to meet the growing needs of refugees during the winter. We need to provide people with practical support now. We must not wait until we see news of people freezing to death or becoming seriously ill. That will be too late”, Solberg appeals.
Media Contact:
Mahmoud Shabeeb; [email protected]
Read more about CARE's response to the Syria crisis.
CARE's Syria Response: CARE's provision of life-saving services to Syrian refugees and host communities in Jordan, Lebanon and Egypt and to people affected by the crisis in Syria has already reached more than 290,000 people. In Jordan, CARE provides Emergency Cash Assistance for refugees so they can pay for basic living costs, including rent, medication and food. CARE assists with vital information on how refugees can access further health, legal and social support and provides psychosocial assistance to women, men and children. CARE Lebanon repairs water and sanitation infrastructure, provides health education sessions, works with municipalities to improve water supply and sanitation infrastructure for refugees as well as for host communities. Syrian volunteers, who are refugees themselves, are an integral part of CARE's Syria Response. Alongside Jordanian and Lebanese volunteers, they assist in organising and preparing distributions of relief items.
During the winter months, CARE helped families in Jordan and Lebanon to prepare for and cope with the cold winter, distributing cash, heaters, fuel vouchers, blankets and floor mats. CARE Egypt has started raising awareness among the refugees of sexual exploitation and other forms of gender-based violence to protect them from any form of abuse. Our support to families affected by the crisis in Syria is based on humanitarian needs alone, no matter which religion, political affiliation or ethnicity people belong to.
About CARE: Founded in 1945, CARE is a leading humanitarian organization fighting global poverty and providing lifesaving assistance in emergencies. CARE places special focus on working alongside poor girls and women because, equipped with the proper resources, they have the power to help lift whole families and entire communities out of poverty.