Just over three years ago, the Zaatari refugee camp was established to accommodate the growing number of Syrian refugees who were fleeing to the neighbouring country of Jordan. Located around 70 kilometres from the capital city of Amman and 30 kilometres from the Syrian border, Zaatari occupies a space of some seven square kilometres and…
A Letter from RI’s President on the Syrian Refugee Crisis
This week, you have likely seen the heartbreaking photos of Syrian refugees fleeing tragic circumstances. The images serve as a stark reminder of why we do the work that we do.
Open Letter to President Obama on Syria
We urge the protection of Syrian civilians – both for humanitarian reasons and for the purpose of combatting extremism.
A Generation of Syrians Born in Exile Risk a Future of Statelessness
Without official proof of a Syrian father, exiled Syrian children are at a heightened risk of statelessness, which could make their ability to access education, health care and social services less likely, and could prove a barrier to returning and taking up Syrian citizenship, if and when the possibility arises.
July 2015. Time to think about winter.
The conflict that began in Syria in March 2011 has now endured through four winters, with a fifth one on the way. If it seems too early to be thinking about preparing the displaced for winter, consider that each of the past four winters in the region has been greeted with insufficient planning, funding shortfalls,…
World Refugee Day: Beyond the Numbers
World Refugee Day: a day to “recognize the lives of refugees and those who are dedicated to helping them.” So many of the people dedicated to helping refugees (and IDPs, asylum-seekers, and the stateless, all of whom are included in the purview of World Refugee Day) are refugees themselves. We normally think of international aid workers as the ones helping the displaced, but in places where access is difficult or dangerous, it’s often a case of refugees helping their own communities.
Aid Inside Syria: A Step in the Right Direction?
Providing humanitarian aid in a conflict zone is a challenge all over the world. But perhaps no situation has proved more complex than that of Syria.
Birth Registration in Turkey: Protecting the Future for Syrian Children
Almost 12 million women, men, and children are displaced inside or outside of Syria.
The Last Injustice
It’s one of those things you don’t think about until someone specifically brings it up. You don’t think about it partly because it doesn’t seem to be the most urgent need, and partly because you just don’t want to have such an image in your head. It’s a mental picture that’s not easy to get…
Moving Beyond Emergency Assistance for Syrian Refugees
Today, nearly 80 donor governments and 40 aid agencies are gathering in Kuwait for the Third International Pledging Conference for Syria. The conference aims to raise much-needed funds for the Syria Response Plan and the Regional Refugee and Resilience Plan (3RP).