Press Release: 15 Years After Syria’s Conflict Began, Children Face New Risks Amid Middle East Escalation

Amman, 15 March 2026 – Fifteen years after the conflict in Syria began, millions of children remain caught in one of the world’s most complex humanitarian crises. Renewed escalation across the Middle East risks further destabilizing communities already struggling to recover from years of violence, displacement and economic collapse.

Today, more than 7 million children in Syria require humanitarian assistance. Many were born during the conflict and have known nothing but war.

Across the country, children continue to face the consequences of damaged infrastructure, prolonged displacement and limited access to basic services. An estimated 6.2 million people remain internally displaced, including 1.4 million living in camps.

At the same time, 14.6 million people are food insecure, including 600,000 children under the age of five suffering from wasting, one of the most life-threatening forms of malnutrition.

Access to education remains severely constrained. Thousands of schools have been destroyed or damaged or are being used as shelters for displaced families. Many children have already lost years of learning. Children with disabilities face even greater barriers to accessing education, healthcare and protection services.

Years of conflict have also left deep psychological scars. Many children have witnessed violence, lost family members, or continue to live in constant uncertainty. Risks of child labour, child marriage, and gender-based violence remain widespread.

Explosive ordnance contamination continues to threaten children’s lives and restrict safe access to schools, water points and essential services.

Ongoing displacement and population movements are placing additional strain on families and communities, weakening protection systems, and increasing risks for children.

“The end of conflict has brought hope, but it has not ended the suffering,” said Emmanuel Isch, Director of World Vision Syria Response. “Syria’s children need sustained support now more than ever.”

Throughout 2025, World Vision Syria Response delivered assistance across Syria and supported displaced Syrians in Jordan and Türkiye. 

“In communities that only recently became accessible, we saw children returning to classrooms, families drinking clean water, and parents gaining access to livelihoods that allow them to begin rebuilding their lives and futures,” added Isch. 

Only in 2025, World Vision reached more than 4.2 million people, including 2.5 million children, through integrated humanitarian programmes.

This included:

• Education and psychosocial support for 28,840 children through rehabilitated learning centres.
• Nutrition support for more than 63,000 children, including treatment for malnutrition.
• Protection services for nearly 36,000 people, focusing on child protection and prevention of gender-based violence.
• Access to safe water for 1.7 million people, alongside sanitation improvements benefiting nearly 400,000 people.
• Food assistance and cash support for 13,000 families in northwest Syria.
• Livelihood support and training for more than 47,000 families, helping families restore income and resilience. 

As Syria marks 15 years since the start of the crisis, World Vision warns that without sustained international support and predictable funding, fragile progress could quickly be reversed, particularly amid growing instability across the wider region.

World Vision is calling on the international community to maintain support for Syrian children and their families, ensuring lifesaving assistance continues while investing in recovery, education and livelihoods.
 

[ENDS]

Notes to Editor: 

For over a decade, World Vision has been on the ground, providing life-saving assistance in Syria, Jordan, and Türkiye. World Vision is committed to expanding its operations within Syria, to reach more areas where children have been exposed to this generational crisis.   

For media inquiries, please contact:  

Khuzaima Jaber, World Vision Syria Communication and Advocacy Manager at:
Khuzaima_jaber@wvi.org +962 79649-7569 cc  wvsrcomms@wvi.org; +962 79649-7569  

Laurentia Jora, Middle East & Eastern Europe Communications Specialist at:  laurentia_jora@wvi.org