September 09, 2014

Oxfam calls international community for a fairer deal for Syrian refugees

editor:	Murat Suner

Currently, millions of refugees are suffering a similar destiny like Iyad and Nawal and their family. Oxfam reports that they "fled Syria after two of their children – Farah and Imad – were injured by a cluster bomb. With shrapnel still embedded in Farah and Imad’s legs, the whole family fled Syria and were sleeping rough without food or clean water in northern Lebanon when Oxfam staff met them. They were wearing wet clothes and had no money to buy nappies for their youngest baby."

This is the devastating reality of Syrian refugees – a reality that the international community must not turn its back on.

According to Oxfam the number of people killed, displaced or in desperate need of assistance continues to rise: "With 3 million refugees, 6.5 million people displaced inside Syria and 190,000 people killed, the crisis is posing a serious risk to the security and stability of neighboring countries."

However, the international community still lacks of specific and increased commitments that would to help alleviate the suffering. Oxfam demands

- to fully fund the aid response,
- to offer refugees resettlement, and
- to halt the transfer of arms and ammunition.

In its brief Oxfam has developed key indicators in each of these areas, to show how far the international community is falling short of what is needed.

Click here to download Oxfam's brief on Syrian refugees