Protect a Generation: Support Children Displaced by Conflict says Senate Report
Ottawa – Today, the Standing Senate Committee on Human Rights tabled its report entitled: Protecting a Generation: Are UNICEF and UNHCR Mandates Meeting the Needs of Syrian Children?. The report examines the mandates and practices of the United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees (UNHCR) and United Nations International Children’s Emergency Fund (UNICEF) and how these organizations have evolved to meet the needs of displaced children in modern conflict situations, with particular attention to the current crisis in Syria. In its report, the Committee makes nine recommendations to the Government of Canada and concludes that no changes to the mandate of either organization are needed.
“As our Committee heard during testimony, the Syrian refugee crisis is being called the worst since the Second World War. It is necessary for a country like Canada to take a lead role in supporting front-line efforts by humanitarian organizations such as UNHCR and UNICEF. Our Committee is calling on the Government of Canada to continue support for innovative initiatives like ‘No Lost Generation’ which is making a meaningful difference in the lives of children in conflict and providing hope to them for a better future.”
- Senator Mobina Jaffer, Chair
“The success or failure of Syrian relief efforts will define the future for a generation of children. Our report calls for continued efforts by the Government of Canada to rally international support behind efforts which are proven successful, such as initiatives by UNHCR and UNICEF to provide psychosocial support, education and skills-building programs.”
- Senator Salma Ataullahjan, Deputy Chair
Syrian Humanitarian Crisis by the numbers:
- Since the start of the conflict, 210,000 Syrians have been killed, at least 840,000 have been injured
- Children make up almost half of the 7.6 million internally displaced persons (IDP) in Syria and more than half of the almost 4 million refugees
- Ten thousand children have died since the start of the conflict
- 2 million children inside Syria are unable to receive education
- 5.7 million children do not have access to appropriate health services in Syria
Recommendations also call for the Government of Canada to work with partners, including UNHCR and UNICEF, to improve cooperation and coordination between humanitarian actors, to continue to advocate for the needs of children affected by conflict and actively support efforts to negotiate humanitarian access in Syria through the relevant diplomatic channels.
As the report outlines, education was seen by many witnesses as extremely important in providing hope of a better future for children displaced by war including millions of Syrian children and ensuring that they heal from their experiences and avoid repeating patterns of violence. The Committee, therefore, highlights the “No Lost Generation” (NLG) initiative which uses education to bring together four important elements: learning, health care, psychosocial support and child protection. The report recommends DFATD continue to support and promote NLG to other funders and encourages UNHCR and UNICEF to share best practices and success stories from the initiative.
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