Syria remains one of the World Food Programme’s biggest emergencies, and the numbers are staggering. A quarter of all refugees in the world are Syrian and they have sought safety in 130 countries.

Many chose to stay close to home, hoping that one day Syria would be safe enough for them to return. At the end of 2021, more than 5.7 million Syrian refugees were registered in Turkey, Lebanon, Jordan, Iraq and Egypt.

These families – and those who remain in Syria – are facing unprecedented humanitarian needs. The war in Ukraine has dealt a fresh blow to families who were already struggling with soaring food prices. Wheat – a staple food for families across the Middle East – is trapped in Ukrainian ports as Syrian families face record levels of hunger, poverty, and food insecurity.

“Saying that the situation in Syria is alarming is a euphemism,” said WFP Executive Director David Beasley. “The international community must acknowledge that not taking action now will inevitably lead to a catastrophic future for Syrians. They deserve our attention now, and they deserve our unconditional support.”

For Syrians who fled, finding safety has revealed a new set of challenges as families have struggled to rebuild their lives. Now parents are being forced to go into debt, take their children out of school and cut meals to survive. (ILKHA)