UN Makes Record Funding Appeal for Syrian Refugees

The UN hopes to raise $6.5 billion to assist as many as 9 million refugees who have fled the civil war in Syria, many of whom live in massive camps and tents hastily set up in bordering states. “The conflict in Syria, now in its third year, has defied all attempts at peace,” explains Barbara Surk for the Associated Press. “A biting cold spell marking the beginning of winter has added another layer of misery to their grim existence.” UN Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon adds that the situation has “deteriorated beyond all imagination.” Surk describes charity groups rushing to distribute blankets, water and other supplies, but needs are overwhelming as prices for fuel and food climb. The civil war and the refugee crisis threaten global security, argues the UN High Commissioner for Refugees. Children are not attending school and parents struggle to find work, even as refugees continue to cross borders in search of safety. The UN website points out that another $6 billion is needed for refugee crises elsewhere in the globe. – YaleGlobal