Seven Facts About Poverty in Syria
The war in Syria will enter its twelfth year in March, and despite the efforts of international organizations and governments, solutions to the devastating, prolonged armed conflict remain absent. The country remains exhausted by ongoing violence and poverty, with the pandemic only adding to the misery. The continued devaluation of the local currency is pushing more people into poverty.
Adding to the country’s woes, the COVID-19 pandemic has only exacerbated the pre-existing vulnerability of the people. The economic and social disruptions caused by the pandemic have made it difficult for individuals to access essential goods and services and have further strained the country’s already fragile healthcare system.
Furthermore, since early 2022, the war in Ukraine has triggered a rapid increase in fuel prices, negatively affecting fuel imports, according to the World Bank. This has put a strain on the local economy, as well as on individual households who are struggling to afford basic necessities such as transportation and heating.
Here are seven facts about poverty in Syria:
1- Ninety percent of Syrians live below the poverty line. Poverty in Syria impacts people’s ability to secure basic needs like food and commodities.
2- In 2022, food insecurity and hunger reached unprecedented levels, with over half of the population in Syria suffering from food insecurity and 1.3 million experiencing severe food insecurity.
3- Droughts in 2021 led to record-low crop yields, and food prices have increased by 532% between 2020 and 2022. Some estimates put the increase at 800%. Syria is ranked among the top six countries with the highest levels of food insecurity.
4- Poverty is leading to increased exploitation of its people as they struggle to make ends meet. Some vulnerable people living in poverty, such as women, children and the elderly may be forced into human trafficking or forced labor to provide for their families.
5- The situation is particularly dire in northwest Syria, where 4.1 million people, many internally displaced, live in overcrowded and flimsy camps often subject to flooding. These individuals depend on cross-border aid deliveries at risk of being shut down if UN Security Council members fail to reach a lasting agreement to sustain the operations.
6- The cycle of violence and poverty disproportionately affects women and children, with girls increasingly forced into early marriages and boys sent to child labor or recruited into armed conflict.
7- Fuel shortages affect families’ ability to run generators to power their homes, transport and water systems as many people across the country have less than four hours of public electricity per day. At the same time, farmers find it difficult to plant, irrigate and transport their crops to the market, affecting bread production.
Syria faces many challenges, including poverty, a struggling economy, and ongoing violence, leaving millions in dire straits. With the war showing no signs of slowing down and the effects of the pandemic still being felt, the situation in Syria is likely to remain grim for the foreseeable future.
