Attachments
Highlights
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According to the Ministry of National Education, in January 499,843 refugee children (252,735 girls, 247,108 boys) were enrolled in temporary education centres and public schools across the country.
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Almost 1,400 refugees and migrants made the dangerous sea journey to Greece in January – the lowest numbers seen since the UN and Turkish authorities began reporting on the crisis in 2015.
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Nearly 7,200 Syrian refugee children (3,875 boys and 3,303 girls) benefitted from psychosocial support (PSS) in camps and host communities; of these, 1,169 children (519 boys, 650 girls) were referred to specialized services.
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UNICEF reached 7,796 Syrian refugee and 2,580 vulnerable Turkish households with cash-based winter assistance in Şanlıurfa, Kilis, Mardin, Şırnak, Siirt, Batman and Diyarbakır, benefitting an estimated 31,000 children.
Situation Overview & Humanitarian Needs
After a short holiday break in January, refugee students returned to school to begin the second semester of the 2016-2017 academic year. According to latest data from the Ministry of National Education, nearly 500,000 Syrian refugee children (252,735 girls, 247,108 boys) are enrolled in formal education across the country, while an estimated 370,000 remain out of school.1
Meanwhile, the bitter winter weather continues to place additional hardships on the most vulnerable refugee and migrant families, particularly those endeavouring to cross into Europe. In January, only about 1,400 refugees and migrants made the dangerous sea journey to Greece, while some 750 were rescued or apprehended – the lowest numbers seen since the UN and Turkish authorities began reporting on the crisis in 2015.2
With the conflict in Syria soon entering its 7th year, as well as the continued deterioration of the humanitarian situation in Iraq and Afghanistan, UNICEF is appealing for US $237.5 million under the new Regional Refugee and Resilience Plan (3RP) and Regional Refugee and Migrant Response Plan (RRMRP) for 2017. The scale-up of services and strengthening of existing national systems will remain a top priority for both responses, with emphasis on the expansion of informal and non-formal education opportunities and improved care for at-risk children and victims of gender-based violence.