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Faced with a worsening humanitarian situation, the European Union has increased its humanitarian funding for the Syria crisis by €64 million. The funding comes at a time when there are new displacements inside Syria, and a growing concern over the deteriorating humanitarian situation.
The additional money will bring vital support in the areas of health, food, water and sanitation, and protection, both inside Syria and in neighbouring countries hosting Syrian refugees.
"The humanitarian situation is going from bad to worse as fighting has intensified in the absence of a political solution. This additional funding will provide much needed assistance to the people in need. But far more will be needed given the scale of the crisis. I call upon all donors to stand by their commitments made in support of the people of Syria. With this contribution, the European Commission shoulders its responsibility and will continue to do so," said Christos Stylianides, EU Commissioner for Humanitarian Aid and Crisis Management.
EU humanitarian funding is increasingly addressing health and protection needs. Inside Syria, the health system has been crumbling due to ongoing systematic assaults on medical personnel and facilities, which have forced nearly half of Syria’s doctors to flee the country and have led to a severe shortage of essential drugs.
As a consequence, 200 000 Syrians have died from chronic illnesses due to lack of access to treatment and drugs and life expectancy has decreased by 20 years compared to the situation before the start of the conflict.
Women and children are the main victims of this crisis. Since March 2013, the number of children in need has more than doubled to 5.5 million, with malnutrition on the rise. This situation is being further aggravated by continued obstacles to the delivery of aid by all warring parties. Humanitarian access has further decreased rather than improved.
Today's funding top-up is part of the €200 million pledged from the EU’s humanitarian budget at the Third International Pledging Conference for Syria in Kuwait in March 2015.
Read more on ECHO's website.
