Impact of the Armed Conflict in Syria on Children with Disabilities

The conflict in Syria has been one of the deadliest in the world, killing at least 350,000 people over the past decade and forcibly displacing over 13 million. Widespread atrocities, extensive violations of international human rights and humanitarian law, and high humanitarian needs have characterized the conflict. Civilian infrastructure has been damaged or destroyed on a massive scale, the health system has been ravaged, and an estimated 12 million—about 54 percent of Syria’s population—are food insecure, with the Covid-19 pandemic further exacerbating humanitarian needs. The United Nations (UN) Human Rights Council has expressed concern that people with disabilities, along with women, children and older persons, are among the most at risk of abuse and violence in Syria.