[Congressional Record Volume 160, Number 43 (Friday, March 14, 2014)]
[House]
[Page H2471]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




            SYRIA NEEDS UNRESTRICTED HUMANITARIAN ACCESS NOW

  (Mr. McGOVERN asked and was given permission to address the House for 
1 minute and to revise and extend his remarks.)
  Mr. McGOVERN. Mr. Speaker, I rise today to call attention to the 
third anniversary of the crisis in Syria which will be commemorated on 
March 15. The United Nations estimates that over 100,000 people have 
been killed since the violence and unrest began in 2011; 9.3 million 
people, half of the Syrian people, need humanitarian assistance. 
240,000 of them are living under siege, surviving under the constant 
threat of shelling and aerial bombardment. Moreover, they have faced 
life-threatening shortages of food, water, and medical supplies for 
more than a year. Children are literally starving to death, while 
military forces show no respect for humanitarian workers.
  A diplomatic end to the crisis must be pursued. At the same time, the 
humanitarian crisis must be ameliorated. Humanitarian relief must be 
allowed to reach the civilians, and the wounded and the sick must 
receive the medical attention that they need. Indiscriminate aerial 
bombardments must cease, and civilians must be granted safe passage out 
of the besieged areas. The Syrian people need unrestricted humanitarian 
aid now.

                                                       UNICEF,

                                      New York, NY, Mar. 11, 2014.

 Number of Children Suffering More Than Doubles in Third Year of Syria 
                                Conflict


  Among hardest hit are 1 million children under siege and in hard-to-
                              reach areas

       As the conflict in Syria approaches another sombre 
     milestone, more than twice as many children are now affected 
     compared to 12 months ago, says a new report by UNICEF 
     published today. Particularly hard hit are up to a million 
     children who are trapped in areas of Syria that are under 
     siege or that are hard to reach with humanitarian assistance 
     due to continued violence.
       Under Siege--the devastating impact on children of three 
     years of conflict in Syria focuses on the immense damage 
     caused to the 5.5 million children now affected by the 
     conflict and calls for an immediate end to the violence and 
     increased support for those affected.
       The report includes the accounts of children whose lives 
     have been devastated by the three year old war, and 
     highlights the profound traumas many have experienced. 
     Children such as four-year-old Adnan, who fled with his 
     family to Lebanon, suffered facial scarring when his home was 
     bombed and still suffers from emotional distress. ``He cries 
     all night,'' his mother is quoted as saying. ``He is scared 
     of everything and is afraid when we leave him, even for a 
     second.''
       UNICEF estimates that there are 2 million children like 
     Adnan in need of psychological support or treatment.
       ``For Syria's children, the past three years have been the 
     longest of their lives. Must they endure another year of 
     suffering?'' said UNICEF Executive Director Anthony Lake.
       The report warns that the future of 5.5 million children 
     inside Syria and living as refugees in neighbouring countries 
     hangs in the balance as violence, the collapse of health and 
     education services, severe psychological distress and the 
     worsening economic impact on families combine to devastate a 
     generation.
       The report draws attention to the suffering experienced by 
     children and their families who have been trapped in areas 
     under siege for many months. Cut off from aid, living in 
     rubble and struggling to find food, many Syrian children have 
     been left without protection, medical care or psychological 
     support, and have little or no access to education. In the 
     very worst cases children and pregnant women have been 
     deliberately wounded or killed by snipers.
       In host countries, 1.2 million Syrian children are now 
     refugees living in camps and overwhelmed host communities, 
     and have limited access to clean water, nutritious food or 
     learning opportunities.
       The report says that three years on, Syrian children have 
     been forced to grow up faster than any child should. UNICEF 
     estimates that 1 in 10 refugee children is now working and 1 
     in every 5 Syrian girls in Jordan is forced into early 
     marriage.
       The report calls on the global community to undertake six 
     critical steps:
       End the cycle of violence in Syria now
       Grant immediate access to the under-reached 1 million 
     children inside Syria
       Create an environment where children are protected from 
     exploitation and harm
       Invest in children's education
       Help children's inner healing through psychological care 
     and support and
       Provide support to host communities and governments to 
     mitigate the social and economic impact of the conflict on 
     families.
       ``This war has to end so that children can return to their 
     homes to rebuild their lives in safety with their family and 
     friends. This third devastating year for Syrian children must 
     be the last,'' said Lake.

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