Busy living their own lives, some may have forgotten the Arab Spring of 2011, yet this event continues to infect the reality of millions of individuals. Kicked off 4 years ago, the Syria Civil War, also known as the Syrian Crisis, rages on. ISIS, the Syrian government, and various rebel groups still fight for control. As of March 2015, the clashes between these groups have left over 220,000 Syrians dead and millions more displaced.
War is nothing new to the human race, and as disheartening as it may be, people recognize that soldiers will be lost. However, it is the loss of innocent civilians that strikes deep into the heart and soul. The fear of being killed in an airstrike, attacked by a member of ISIS, or being bombed by their own president has caused over 4 million Syrians to flee to nearby nations such as Turkey, Lebanon, and Jordan. Even so, what about those who cannot even help themselves by fleeing? What about the most helpless of all innocent: children?
Children account for 1 million of those 4 million refugees, but there are still 5 million youths trapped in their war-torn homeland. Of the 220,000 killed, children account for 7,000 of the bodies. Additionally, the UN estimates that as a result of the ongoing crisis, 1:3 Syrian children have been either kicked, hit, or shot at. Imagine growing up in constant fear or being wounded or killed, living, in some cases, without electricity or clean running water. These children do not have time to learn to read, write, multiply and divide because they are too busy fighting for their lives. The children of Syria did not choose revolution; they did not choose to be bombed and abused, and they cannot be expected to find safety on their own.
The UN Security Council has tried to help by passing resolutions aimed at protecting and assisting civilians, but it is not enough. Adults often comment that children of the future must be groomed to take over. When the dust settles and the war eventually ends, the children of Syria will not be there to pick up the pieces. Unless they can be rescued from the current turmoil that engulfs Syria, this ‘lost generation’ will not be there to reassemble and resurrect their homeland.
If you would like to learn how to help the children of Syria, visit savethechildren.org. Remember, just because it is not happening to you, does not mean it is not happening.
