United Nations Under-Secretary-General for humanitarian affairs and emergency relief coordinator Martin Griffiths attends a press conference in Geneva on Dec 1, 2021. (FABRICE COFFRINI / AFP)
UNITED NATIONS – The situation for people in Syria remains grim as humanitarian needs have grown while funding has shrunk, said UN Under-secretary-General for Humanitarian Affair Martin Griffiths on Monday.
"We continue to fail the Syrian people in what they need, what they deserve, and what they are entitled to in terms of humanitarian assistance and protection," he told the Security Council in a briefing.
We continue to fail the Syrian people in what they need, what they deserve, and what they are entitled to in terms of humanitarian assistance and protection.
Martin Griffiths, UN Under-secretary-General for Humanitarian Affair
Violence continues to kill and injure civilians. As winter sets in, millions of people are in the cold. Internally displaced people living in temporary tents are especially vulnerable, he said.
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The humanitarian operation simply does not have sufficient funds to provide the basic shelter, heating, and warm clothes to all of those in need, he noted.
Over 5 million people do not have sufficient and safe water in northern Syria. Food security, access to electricity, and livelihoods are also impacted. COVID-19 continues to wreak havoc across Syria, with vaccination rates below 5 percent, and women bearing the disproportional part of that impact, said Griffiths.
The economy continues its downward trajectory. Food costs more now than at any time since the World Food Program started monitoring such costs in 2013. Many families spend on average 50 percent more on basic items than they earn each month and they are forced to rely on credit and loans and help. It should be obvious that this is simply not sustainable, he said.
Immediate life-saving activities remain a priority. But there is also a need to help people in Syria chart their own course toward a better future. Early recovery is another critical aspect of the humanitarian response, he said.
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"Beyond food, people in Syria are the same as people anywhere. They want jobs — to earn a living — they want their basic needs met, and they want a future."