Syria is home to one of the oldest civilizations in the world, with a rich heritage, a diverse ethnic group and fertile plains, mountains, and deserts. However, amongst this beauty and a population of 18.3 million, 6.8 million Syrians have been forced to flee their country and, since 2011, 6.9 million people remain internally displaced because of the horrors of the Syrian Civil War. Approximately 5.2 million refugees have found security in neighbouring countries such as Turkey, Lebanon, Jordan, Iraq and Egypt, but 13.4 million people remain suffering in Syria as their communities are torn apart. The Syrian people’s battle for their rights has led to catastrophe.
It all started when a group of teenagers were arrested and tortured for fighting for their self- autonomy through anti- government graffiti in the southern city of Daraa in March 2011. Their harsh treatment led to peaceful protesting in the city, which was met with strong, unmoving administration, meaning tensions rose, and a plethora of Syrians took to the streets to demand their own freedom. However, they were violently suppressed by government security forces. Conflict quickly escalated as more protestors demanded an end to the high levels of unemployment, widespread corruption, and lack of political freedom. The country descended into a civil war that forced millions of Syrian families out of their homes.
More than 70% of Syrian refugees live in poverty and this has been exacerbated by the Covid-19 pandemic. A WorldBank-UNHCR report estimates that 4.4 million refugees were driven into poverty in the immediate aftermath of the pandemic. Millions have lost their livelihoods and are increasingly unable to meet their basic needs. This includes access to clean water, electricity, food, medicine and paying rent. The economic downturn has also exposed them to multiple protection risks: child labor, gender-based violence, early marriage and other forms of exploitation.
Sadly, eleven years of crisis have had a profound impact on Syrian children. They have been exposed to violence and indiscriminate attacks, losing their loved ones, their homes, their possessions, and everything they once knew. They have grown up knowing nothing but the crisis. Today, approximately 47% of Syrian refugees in the region are under 18 years old and more than a third of them do not have access to education.
Shedding light on the hardships and resilience of Syrians refugees, a new movie called ‘The Swimmers’ was released on Netflix on the 11th of November. It is based on a true story about two Syrian sisters, Yusra and Sara Mardini, fleeing their war-torn home in Damascus. In the film (and in real life), they swam for hours through the Mediterranean Sea to reach Greece as asylum seekers. From there they passed through Macedonia, Serbia, Hungary and at last reached Germany where they stayed at a refugee camp. Their treacherous journey involved rape, discrimination and many of their companions were killed or turned away at borders. Yusra Mardini competed at the Rio Olympics and won her heat with a 100 metres butterfly (01:09.21). This story demonstrates the way these two young girls bravely sought a better life, which their own country was incapable of granting.
This touching movie did not only inspire me to dig deeper about the history of Syria, but also made me more self-aware of the struggles, agonies and desperation of refugees. It is our duty to support and raise awareness so that they too can have basic human rights.
Comments