GENEVA: The UN Refugee Agency (UNHCR) issued a global plea on Tuesday to ensure that the plight of Syrians displaced by the country's 12-year civil war is not forgotten.
"Syria is the world's largest displacement crisis, 11 years after it began. Over 13 million people have either fled or been displaced within the country's boundaries "UNHCR spokesperson Boris Cheshirkov said at a press conference on Tuesday, as per Xinhua news.
Cheshirkov said, countries surrounding or adjacent to Syria have taken in more than 5.6 million Syrian refugees. Due to the terrible socio-economic consequences of the Covid-19 pandemic, many countries are now facing significant financial pressure.
"Today, the majority of Syrian refugees in the region are poor. For the most vulnerable among them, including as single moms, children without a caregiver, and persons with impairments, the outlook is bleak "Cheshirkov issued a warning. The situation is particularly dire in Lebanon, where over 90% of Syrians live in abject poverty.
More than 6.9 million people are still internally displaced in Syria, with 14.6 million people in need of humanitarian aid. Three quarters of all households in the country will be unable to achieve their most basic demands by 2021, Cheshirkov said.
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