What are the effects of being as refugee as a child?
Blogged by: Mackenzie
The Syrian Civil War has brought the refugee crisis to the forefront of the mainstream media’s attention in recent years; however, the public tends to focus on the issue of where these mass numbers of migrants will be settled, as opposed to the impact it has on their physical and mental well-being. While the two are equally important concerns, the latter seems to be rarely discussed.
As one could expect, the horrors of living in a war-torn nation have long-lasting effects on the millions of those who have been forced to flee Syria in recent years. This is especially true for children, who make up over half of the refugee population.
The United Nations International Children’s Emergency Fund (UNICEF) reports that as the conflict reaches its’ fifth year, one in every three Syrian children has grown up knowing only war and deprivation. These youths are often exposed to violence, sexual assault, torture, and other horrific experiences both before and after leaving their home countries, which frequently lead to mental illnesses down the road. Even after escaping conflict in Syria, many do not have access to the resources they need to treat these illnesses.
The nations that are bordering Syria are the ones that are holding the greatest numbers of migrants; according to the United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees (UNHCR), more than 4.8 million refugees are located in Turkey, Jordan and Lebanon alone. These countries have become extremely overcrowded, and there are not enough schools available to educate Syrian youth as well as those who were born in these countries.
A combination of these disadvantages— a lack of education, medical and psychological assistance, and overcrowded living conditions— puts Syrian children at a significant detriment and will make it extremely difficult for them to progress in the future if the civil war is not soon resolved.
Photos from:
https://blogs.unicef.org.uk/2013/05/29/children-of-syria-filming-a-tv-appeal/ https://hongkongvolunteer.wordpress.com/category/refugees/
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