10 things you need to know about Syria

Syria: relentless suffering and constant flux

Syria’s regime change is dominating global news, and the situation is beyond complex. While some Syrians celebrate—waving flags and dancing—others struggle to survive, forced to flee their homes amidst November’s surging violence. But there’s more you need to know.

In this article, we’ll describe the threats Syrians have faced for almost 14 years. We’ll explain why so many are displaced. We’ll explore the scale of Syria’s humanitarian crisis--especially for children--and how World Vision is helping.

10 things you need to know about Syria

1. Syria is home to one of the oldest civilizations in the world, with a rich artistic and cultural heritage. It appears throughout the Bible with Syria’s capital, Damascus, named as early as the book of Genesis.

1. The majority of Syrians identify as Sunni Muslims, though the country is also home to Kurds, Armenians, Turkmen, Alawis, Jews, and some Christian denominations. Since November 2015, Canada has welcomed 44,620 Syrians of different faiths and ethnicities as refugees.

1. Syria’s enduring armed conflict began in March 2011. The government’s brutal suppression of a citizen uprising triggered a full-scale civil war, drawing in foreign armies and international fighters. The conflict caused more than half a million violent deaths by 2024.

1. Syria’s ongoing humanitarian disaster isn’t simple. Climate change has compounded the civil conflict crisis, wreaking havoc on farms and gardens. Natural disasters like floods, wildfires and a deadly 2023 earthquake have compounded suffering. The country’s economy is in turmoil.

1. Today, Syria is facing one of the world’s largest displacement crises. By December 2024, some 14 million Syrians had left everything behind, seeking refuge in safer Syrian communities or neighbouring countries. Thousands were unaccompanied children.

1. Millions of Syrians are malnourished or severely malnourished. The World Food Programme notes that half the country’s people lack the necessary food. The farming sector has severely depleted as agrarian families flee for safer places.

1. Children born in Syria since 2011 have known nothing but war and conflict. “In many parts of Syria, they continue to live in fear of violence, landmines and explosive remnants of war,” said former UNICEF Syria Representative Bo Viktor Nylund.

1. Eighty-five per cent of Syrian households struggle to make ends meet, increasing their reliance on negative coping mechanismssuch as child labour. Syria’s social support systems are decimated, laying children bare to neglect and abuse of all kinds. Unaccompanied children are at high risk.

1. Since 2011, World Vision has supported work across Syria, Lebanon, Jordan and Türkiye, helping Syrian families forced from home, as well as vulnerable host communities. We’ve provided child protection, food distribution, education and healthcare, as well as water, sanitation and hygiene services.

1. Today, the Syrian situation is in flux. By December 4, some 178,000 Syrians were newly displaced after weeks of violence, putting additional pressure on host families, communities and countries. By December 8, more than two-thirds of people within Syria faced humanitarian need.

We urge you to follow news updates about the situation in Syria. Please pray for Syrians during this time of colossal change and widespread suffering.