10 Reasons You Should Still Be Thinking About Syria

As the seemingly endless war in Syria continues, the crisis remains far from over. Millions remain displaced and insecure. The UN World Food Programme recently reached a record number of people inside Syria with urgently-needed food assistance, but drastic and unavoidable cutbacks will soon impact the people who are still in need.

1. Well into its fourth year, there’s no end in sight to the long civil war in Syria.

WFP/Sandy Maroun

And the impacts have been felt across the region as refugees have fled to neighboring countries.

2. There are 6.45 million internally displaced Syrians. In August, WFP reached a record 4.16 million people inside Syria with critical food assistance.

WFP/Dina El-Kassaby

In the largest humanitarian operation in Syria, WFP and partners aim to support 4.25 million people in need of assistance and affected by conflict each month. Recently, access has improved, so more cross-border food deliveries have been possible.

3. There are more than 3 million registered Syrian refugees who have fled the country for Egypt, Iraq, Jordan, Lebanon and Turkey, making the Syria crisis a truly regional one.

WFP/Jonathan Dumont

4. WFP is running out of funding to support operations in Syria and the neighboring countries: It needs $352 million for the regional operation until the end of the year.

WFP/Hani Al Homsh

WFP has to raise $35 million weekly to meet the food needs of people impacted by the Syria conflict. WFP is funded entirely by voluntary contributions from governments, businesses, organizations and individuals.

5. The shortfall means WFP is forced to cut the size of food parcels inside Syria.

WFP/Dina El-Kassaby

6. And cut the number of refugees receiving assistance outside the country.

WFP/Shada Moghraby

7. WFP asked Syrian refugees in Jordan and Lebanon who have been receiving monthly food assistance, “What if you suddenly stopped receiving your monthly food voucher?” They said things like:

WFP/Joelle Eid

“If we stop receiving WFP food vouchers my husband will make us go back to Syria, even if the war is not over by then,” says 52-year-old Aisha while leaving a WFP distribution center in Zaatari refugee camp.

WFP/Joelle Eid

“If we are to starve in Jordan and in Syria, we might as well die in our homeland,” says Safaa, a refugee mother of six children.

WFP/Shada Moghraby

“I cannot imagine how we could survive without the food assistance we get. Without it we would be on the streets, begging for food. At least now, I am able to feed my children,” says Nimer, who’s been in Jordan with his family of 24 for two years.

8. The impacts of funding cuts are widespread. In Iraq, WFP has already been forced to stop providing “school meals” for some 12,000 children.

WFP/Hussam Al Saleh

In Egypt, Iraq, Jordan and Lebanon, WFP is forced to reduce the value of food vouchers. In Turkey, the electronic voucher program is only about 12 percent funded.

9. Neighboring countries hosting Syrian refugees are feeling the political and socio-economic impacts of absorbing high numbers of refugees during this crisis. Cutbacks in food rations could add to the burden felt by these countries.

WFP/Abeer Etefa

10. Action must be taken now to ensure that the impact of the long Syria crisis doesn’t become worse.

WFP/Dina El-Kassaby

Please donate to WFP’s work in Syria and the surrounding countries: wfp.org/syria