Children of Syria

          With all of the fighting going on and the focus mainly on the country and political decisions, people tend to forget about the civilians, especially the children. Recently, 15 out of 75 children died from being accidentally injected with muscle depressant instead of measles vaccines. It is unsure weather the vaccines we're mixed up because the labeling is so similar or because there was a security breach by vandals backed by President Assad. Numerous vaccines have been distributed to children across Syria because diseases such as measles and polio have been spreading due to the breakdown of state institutions that would usually treat diseases such as these. The UN has launched immunization campaigns in order to keep the spread of these diseases from being spread. The program that had been administering these vaccinations has been suspended for the time being although the World Health Organization urges the efforts to resume seeing as it is vital for the health of the nation.
          Another shocking factor about Syria is the schooling. At this moment, Syria is ranked the second worst in school attendance in the world. In large cities such as Aleppo, only 6% of children attend school and the majority of those children reported that they have a hard time or cannot focus at all. ISIS has also banned the teaching of science, math, evolution, and democracy. Instead, schooling is based off of "how to be Islamic" and "denouncing infidels". Teachers are also not allowed to use the term Syrian Arab Republic and must instead say Islamic State. The charity Save the Children is working meticulously to try and provide alternative schooling and welfare for the children of Syria. It is said that half of the refugees in Syria are children. Teachers also reported that about half of the children are easily scared and about 40% are clearly unhappy.
          It is important to keep the children in the minds of the worlds in times like these. They are the future of the nation and so far it will be a generation racked with PTSD and skewed world views. If these children are not properly cared for, the nation will never return to normalcy or a state of safety and trust.


BBC News and Reuters Canada