Save the Children has issued an urgent appeal for increased funding to address the dire needs of children and families affected by nearly 14 years of conflict and economic instability in Syria.

With 16.7 million people—almost two-thirds of the population—requiring assistance, the situation is “particularly dire for children” who account for 45% of those in need.

This means three out of every four children in Syria urgently require support.

Recent events have exacerbated the crisis, with over one million people—half of them children—fleeing their homes in the past 11 days.

Rasha Muhrez, Save the Children’s Syria Response Director, said the focus must shift to meeting children’s immediate and long-term needs.

“These families are in desperate need of food, shelter, and warm clothing. Schools are being repurposed as shelters, disrupting education for more than 80,000 children and jeopardising their future. At the same time, some families who have lived in displacement for years are beginning to return home, often to uncertain and unsafe conditions.

“Children need a home for shelter, protection, and stability. But for many children in Syria, ‘home’ has been a faraway concept for 14 years, as they have been dealt blow after blow,” said Muhrez.

“It’s too early to tell what the next few months and years will look like in Syria, but this could be a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity for a brighter, more stable future. To turn this into a reality, the focus needs to be on children—ensuring they are protected, have food and shelter, and can quickly return to school to start rebuilding their lives. Only then can they have a place to call home and a path toward a normal childhood.

“We must make this the turning point for children in Syria—and give them peace and a future.”

Save the Children emphasised the dual need for immediate relief funding to provide basic necessities such as food, water, and emotional support, as well as longer-term investment in education, economic recovery, and resilience-building to secure a better future for Syria’s children.

The organisation has been working in Syria since 2012, supporting displaced families through direct aid and local partnerships. Efforts include distributing food, water, and critical supplies, running centres for displaced people, and operating a helpline for affected families.