A new UNHCR report on the future of Syria says refugee children from there face a "startling degree of isolation and insecurity".
The UN refugee agency says that 29% of children interviewed said that they leave their home once a week or less. It adds that homes are often a crammed apartment, a makeshift shelter or a tent.
"It should be no surprise that the needs of these children are vast. Too many have been wounded physically, psychologically or both. Some children have been drawn into the war—their innocence ruthlessly exploited," it says.
It adds that as a result of all this, a generation is growing up without a formal education. "More than half of all school-aged Syrian children in Jordan and Lebanon are not in school", the report comments.
This map shows the movent of children in the region as of October 31st this year
In Lebanon, it is estimated that some 200,000 school-aged Syrian refugee children could remain out of school at the end of the year.
It also finds that a vast number of babies born in exile do not have birth certificates. A recent UNHCR survey on birth registration in Lebanon revealed that 77% of 781 refugee infants sampled did not have an official birth certificate.
Between January and mid-October 2013, only 68 certificates were issued to babies born in Za’atari camp, Jordan. Over 1.1 million Syrian children are refugees.
As of 31 October 2013, 291,238 Syrian refugee children were living in Jordan, and 385,007 in Lebanon.
It comes as the Justice and Defence Minister Alan Shatter has completed a three-day visit to the Middle East. He discussed the overall security situation in the region, the implications of conflict in Syria and recent events in Egypt.
The Minister also visited a refugee camp in Jordan and the held discussions with the Deputy Justice Minister there. Discussions also included the agreement of the six world powers with Iran and the prospects for progress in the Israeli-Palestinian peace process.
He was also briefed on how Gaza has been affected by events over the past 12 months, action required to improve the circumstances of Palestinians living in Gaza and security concerns in Israel.
Minister Shatter with Israeli Defence Minister, Moshe Ya’alon
Referring to the incident in the Golan Heights yesterday in which one Irish soldier was mildly injured, the Minister said that he had been fully briefed on Wednesday by Irish Commanders deployed with UNDOF and by the Head of Mission of UNTSO, Ireland's Major General Michael Finn in Jerusalem.
The Minister noted that "we know that our troops were deployed to the Golan Heights at a time of increased instability but that they are fully trained and equipped to undertake their important duties on behalf of the United Nations. They remain fully committed to this task".
See a video of his visit below:
