600,000 children, adolescents, and women in Homs and Hama to benefit from increased provision of education, basic healthcare, and skill-building services
DAMASCUS, 19 December 2022 – The Government of Japan has contributed US$5.1 million to UNICEF to provide vulnerable children and their families in Homs and Hama, Syria, access to education, basic healthcare, and skill-building services.
“I am pleased to continue the partnership with UNICEF and would like to reiterate the Government of Japan’s strong commitment to address challenges vulnerable children in Syria face, bolster opportunities to access critical social services and give more girls and boys a fair chance in life,” said Hirofumi Miyake, Charge d’Affaires of Japan in Syria.
In Syria, most families grapple to survive amid the continuous challenges of the impact of the conflict, the deepening economic crunch and increasing poverty. Many schools have been destroyed and damaged because of the conflict and are no longer in use. Low numbers of rehabilitated schools further hamper children’s access to learning. Similarly, the primary health care system in Syria remains largely non-functional.
“I would like to thank the Government of Japan for its invaluable support. This contribution demonstrates its unwavering dedication to invest in the wellbeing and futures of the most vulnerable children, adolescents, and women in Syria. It will help UNICEF to improve access to basic social services and bolster the communities’ resilience in Homs and Hama,” said Ghada Kachachi, UNICEF Syria Representative a.i.
The partnership with Japan will support rehabilitating schools and providing textbooks to enhance children’s opportunities to learn. It will help in restoring health centres, equipping them with essential medical kits and supplies, and training healthcare workers and volunteers to bolster access to primary healthcare on community level. It will also assist in rehabilitating youth friendly spaces, providing skill-building services and opportunities, and strengthening social, civic, and digital engagement to foster social cohesion and empower and equip young people to build better futures.
The Government of Japan is UNICEF’s longstanding and valued partner. Since 2017, it has provided UNICEF’s interventions with more than US$81 million to support vulnerable children and families in Syria.