Record Numbers Behind Syria’s Tragedy
Only record numbers are able to justify the horrors that have inflicted Syria, one of the biggest human migrations since WWII. Syria is on its knees, powerless, as a result of the battle. Syria as well as neighboring countries, continue to feel the detrimental effects the war has placed on the region, even after more than a decade of war.
The Syrian war, now in its eleventh year, has inflicted an almost unprecedented level of destruction and loss on the Syrian people and economy. So far, more than 400,000 people have died directly as a result of the war, with millions more non-lethal casualties. Nearly half of the country’s pre-conflict population (nearly 21 million people) has been displaced.
The dispute has a significant social and economic effect, which is only increasing. The consequences of the war have been compounded by a lack of consistent access to health care, education, housing, and food, which has driven millions of people into unemployment and poverty. Syrians remain highly vulnerable to additional shocks, such as the ongoing COVID-19 outbreak, due to a severely deteriorated healthcare system.
Spill Over in Neighbouring Countries
Furthermore, Syria’s external economic relations have been further strained by a worsening economic and political crisis in neighboring Lebanon, as well as the implementation of the Caesar Law, resulting in fuel shortages, price spikes, and a rapid depreciation in local currency.
Over the past decade, the Mashreq region has seen more than its fair share of deaths, economic losses, and turmoil. The world’s most advanced economies will be challenged by the region’s major economic and social shocks. The Syrian war has exacerbated the region’s problems, but there are other factors to consider, as the Mashreq countries seek to recover.
Refugee Crisis
Despite the generosity of hosting governments, the nearly 1.7 million Syrians registered in neighboring Jordan and Lebanon live in precarious conditions. Due to unprecedented demand, refugees have few legal rights and have limited access to public services. The overwhelming majority of these refugees live on the outskirts of cities or peri-urban areas, many in makeshift camps.
According to a joint report released by the World Bank Group and the United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees, nearly nine out of ten registered Syrian refugees residing in Jordan are either poor or will be in the near future, based on UNHCR’s assistance threshold. Children make up about half of the refugees, and women make up the rest
Despite the goodwill of host countries and the best efforts of the international community, the size and pace of the Syrian conflict has resulted in ongoing difficulties for Syrians both within and outside the country. For Syrian refugees, taking refuge is not necessarily a “win-win” situation (i.e., improved security and economic opportunities). Access to protection, on the other hand, is limited.
Poverty is prevalent among refugees, and it is expected to intensify in the near future. In 2014, seven out of ten Syrian refugees registered in Jordan and Lebanon could be classified as living below the poverty line. A majority of these refugees are vulnerable to both monetary and food shocks, in addition to poverty. Between 2013 and 2015, there is evidence that Jordan’s poverty rate increased.
The International Monetary Fund has projects which help strengthen social resilience and local infrastructure by providing employment, economic opportunities, health, education, and emergency services. The World Bank also oversees the Lebanon Syria Crisis Trust Fund, which was founded in 2014 to provide grant funding to projects that help Lebanon cope with the effects of the Syrian crisis. The State-and-Peace-Building Trust Fund of the Bank provides funding for the Fund.
