SYRIA NEEDS UNRESTRICTED HUMANITARIAN ACCESS NOW; Congressional Record Vol. 160, No. 43

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SYRIA NEEDS UNRESTRICTED HUMANITARIAN ACCESS NOW

(Mr. McGOVERN asked and was given permission to address the House for

1 minute and to revise and extend his remarks.)

Mr. McGOVERN. Mr. Speaker, I rise today to call attention to the

third anniversary of the crisis in Syria which will be commemorated on

March 15. The United Nations estimates that over 100,000 people have

been killed since the violence and unrest began in 2011; 9.3 million

people, half of the Syrian people, need humanitarian assistance.

240,000 of them are living under siege, surviving under the constant

threat of shelling and aerial bombardment. Moreover, they have faced

life-threatening shortages of food, water, and medical supplies for

more than a year. Children are literally starving to death, while

military forces show no respect for humanitarian workers.

A diplomatic end to the crisis must be pursued. At the same time, the

humanitarian crisis must be ameliorated. Humanitarian relief must be

allowed to reach the civilians, and the wounded and the sick must

receive the medical attention that they need. Indiscriminate aerial

bombardments must cease, and civilians must be granted safe passage out

of the besieged areas. The Syrian people need unrestricted humanitarian

aid now.

UNICEF,

New York, NY, Mar. 11, 2014.

Number of Children Suffering More Than Doubles in Third Year of Syria

Conflict

Among hardest hit are 1 million children under siege and in hard-to-

reach areas

As the conflict in Syria approaches another sombre

milestone, more than twice as many children are now affected

compared to 12 months ago, says a new report by UNICEF

published today. Particularly hard hit are up to a million

children who are trapped in areas of Syria that are under

siege or that are hard to reach with humanitarian assistance

due to continued violence.

Under Siege--the devastating impact on children of three

years of conflict in Syria focuses on the immense damage

caused to the 5.5 million children now affected by the

conflict and calls for an immediate end to the violence and

increased support for those affected.

The report includes the accounts of children whose lives

have been devastated by the three year old war, and

highlights the profound traumas many have experienced.

Children such as four-year-old Adnan, who fled with his

family to Lebanon, suffered facial scarring when his home was

bombed and still suffers from emotional distress. \\\`\\\`He cries

all night,'' his mother is quoted as saying. \\\`\\\`He is scared

of everything and is afraid when we leave him, even for a

second.''

UNICEF estimates that there are 2 million children like

Adnan in need of psychological support or treatment.

\\\`\\\`For Syria's children, the past three years have been the

longest of their lives. Must they endure another year of

suffering?'' said UNICEF Executive Director Anthony Lake.

The report warns that the future of 5.5 million children

inside Syria and living as refugees in neighbouring countries

hangs in the balance as violence, the collapse of health and

education services, severe psychological distress and the

worsening economic impact on families combine to devastate a

generation.

The report draws attention to the suffering experienced by

children and their families who have been trapped in areas

under siege for many months. Cut off from aid, living in

rubble and struggling to find food, many Syrian children have

been left without protection, medical care or psychological

support, and have little or no access to education. In the

very worst cases children and pregnant women have been

deliberately wounded or killed by snipers.

In host countries, 1.2 million Syrian children are now

refugees living in camps and overwhelmed host communities,

and have limited access to clean water, nutritious food or

learning opportunities.

The report says that three years on, Syrian children have

been forced to grow up faster than any child should. UNICEF

estimates that 1 in 10 refugee children is now working and 1

in every 5 Syrian girls in Jordan is forced into early

marriage.

The report calls on the global community to undertake six

critical steps:

End the cycle of violence in Syria now

Grant immediate access to the under-reached 1 million

children inside Syria

Create an environment where children are protected from

exploitation and harm

Invest in children's education

Help children's inner healing through psychological care

and support and

Provide support to host communities and governments to

mitigate the social and economic impact of the conflict on

families.

\\\`\\\`This war has to end so that children can return to their

homes to rebuild their lives in safety with their family and

friends. This third devastating year for Syrian children must

be the last,'' said Lake.

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