Brussels V Conference - "What is next for Syria's children?" NLG side-event
On March 24, No Lost Generation is organizing a side-event to the Brussels V Conference. Co-sponsored by Irish Aid and BMW, "What is next for Syria's children?" will address the specific impact of 10 years of war on Syrian children
"What is next for Syria's children? The impact of a decade of war in Syria and neighbouring countries" - March 24, 13:00-14:45 CET / 14:00-15:45 AMM / 7:00 - 8:45 EST
March 15 marks the tenth year of the conflict in Syria which has resulted in the deaths of hundreds of thousands of people, the displacement of millions internally and across borders, constrained humanitarian access, and the destruction of the Syrian economy, key infrastructure, and social fabric; the
consequences of which will be felt for decades to come. The impact on children has been immense with almost 6 million children born into war and with an estimated 40% Syrian children below the age of 17 living as registered refugees in neighboring countries.
The COVID19 pandemic has made things worse, decimating health systems globally and putting children at more risks, and even more so in the context of conflict and displacement. Nearly half of Syrian refugee children are involved in child labor while also experiencing high levels of sadness and fear caused
by the loss of employment of their parents, and due to limited access to education. The immediate and long terms effects of the ongoing crisis coupled with the secondary impacts of COVID19 are endangering every child’s future and mental wellbeing, while significantly reducing their ability to thrive
and bounce back as youth unemployment is reaching new highs.
The proposed event will explore the costs of the conflict and associated consequences (both immediate and longer-term) for children and communities. The event will unpack the current needs of Syrian children, adolescents and young people, and the next steps to address these if we are not to lose a
generation of children. First, we will hear the voices from young people themselves, giving them the space to share their own perspectives, dreams and fears. We will then draw on the evidence of our NLG members and leadership of specialist agencies in the areas of: access to quality education,
addressing harmful coping mechanisms, transition from education to employment and mental wellbeing.
The event will enable key stakeholders including States and donors working in response to the Syria crisis to critically engage with both harrowing and important findings and recommendations essential to any decision-making process, both regarding the current conflict situation, and the potential future post-conflict era. The recommendations coming out from the young people themselves and the rest of the panelists will inform the Syria V Brussels Conference discussions on what concerns children’s needs in the country and across the region.
Co-sponsored by Irish Aid and BMZ, the event will be moderated by Nina Nepesova, World Vision International's Humanitarian Policy and Advocacy Director and Muzoon Al-Mellehan, Syrian education activist, NLG champion and UNICEF Goodwill Ambassador.
Speakers will include:
Mr. Frank Smyth, Irish Aid Humanitarian Aid Director
Dr. Stefan Oswald, Director General, Marshall Plan with Africa, displacement and migration, Federal Ministry of Economic Cooperation and Development, Germany
Mr. Johan Mooij, Syria Response Director, World Vision International
Mr. Ted Chaiban, Regional Director, UNICEF Middle East and North Africa
Mr. Michael Miller, European Commission, DG Near - Head of Unit, Middle East
Four young Syrian refugees from Egypt, Turkey, Jordan and Lebanon
