Frequently Asked Questions About Syrian Refugees
Who are Syrian refugees?
The Syrian refugees are a population who have been forced to flee Syria due to violence, persecution or war. The vast majority of Syrian refugees live in neighboring countries such as Turkey, Lebanon, Jordan, Iraq and Egypt.
More than 6 million people in Syria have been driven from their homes but remain displaced inside the country, living in terrible conditions. During Syria's hard winters, they risk freezing to death.
Syrian children - whether inside Syria or elsewhere - do not see bright and happy futures inside Syria. On average, 86% of Syrian refugee children surveyed in Jordan, Lebanon, Turkey and the Netherlands said they would not want to return to their country of origin.
For more information on refugees, read our page What is a refugee?.
How many Syrian Refugees are there?
After ten years of war in Syria, 13 million people are displaced, including 6.6 million Syrian refugees.
When can Syrian refugees return home?
Conditions in Syria are not ready for refugees to return. Besides the ongoing conflict in many areas, there is no access to quality education, jobs or stable income - all basic necessities.
Any return to Syria has to be dignified, informed, voluntary and safe. This cannot happen before the conflict is over and without peace and guarantees for people returning.
What are Syrian refugee children calling for?
In a recent report, Save the Children explored how children’s environment, experiences and access affect their sense of safety, inside and outside Syria.
The study found that children want to feel safe where they are. They want to have a say on their future and meaningful access to opportunities to learn and grow.
Children’s top priority is for the violence in Syria to end. They also want an end to harassment on the streets, and for just and the rule of law to prevail.
The need for stronger legislation to ensure people are treated equally and are not discriminated against was also highlighted by children in this survey.
How many children are out of school in Syria, and what does the future look like for them?
An estimated 2.4 million children are out of school, 1.6 million children are at risk of dropping out.
For children in Syria, it is not only COVID-19 that serves as an obstacle for the continuity of their education. Between February 2019 and February 2020 alone, 92 incidents occurred where a school or education facility was attacked. This has meant that children in Syria have had to live under the constant threat of violence.