Two new plans to address humanitarian needs arising from the ongoing violence in Syria will be launched in Geneva, Switzerland, today.
The Syria Humanitarian Assistance Response Plan (SHARP) and Syria Regional Response Plan 5 (RRP 5) outline ways that the United Nations and aid agencies can help the nearly seven million people in Syria in urgent need of assistance, as well as the 1.6 million refugees in neighbouring countries.
But the success of the proposed plans relies on donor countries providing adequate funding to humanitarian organisations to support Syrian civilians both inside and outside their own nation, warns international aid agency World Vision.
World Vision Australia’s head of Humanitarian and Emergency Affairs Anthea Spinks said three million children had already been affected by the violence in Syria, and it was imperative the international donor community took this chance to fund a comprehensive response.
“We have heard repeated allegations that children are being used in combat; that children as young as six are being detained or abducted; and that there are numbers of unlawful killings,” Ms Spinks said. “The situation for children in Syria or neighbouring countries is dire, and the international community has to act urgently to prevent further harm.”
With the release of the Syria Humanitarian Assistance Response Plan and Syria Regional Response Plan 5, World Vision calls on donor countries to:
URGENTLY fund NGOs and UN agencies to alleviate the further suffering of children caught up and affected by conflict, including funding for child protection;
ENSURE aid allocations include international and local NGOs to enable fast and efficient delivery of relief, especially to the most vulnerable, and to address bureaucratic impediments to timely disbursements of aid;
PROVIDE funding and assistance to refugee hosting countries in accordance with their need;
STOP blurring the lines between humanitarian aid, politics and military action. Humanitarian assistance should not be conflated with military aid of any form. Humanitarian aid is delivered on the basis of need, in line with humanitarian principles of impartiality, neutrality, humanity and independence.
To donate to the World Vision Syrian Refugee Crisis please call 13 32 40 or go to www.worldvision.com.au
Media contact: Kate Rose – 0418 528 683 /kate.rose@worldvision.com.au