YMCA Youth & Government Model United Nations Economic and Social Council TOPIC PREPARATION GUIDE E/15/TPG/6 Distr.: General March 2015 Original: English Sixth Committee on Humanitarian Assistance for Refugees of Armed Conflict Section 1 Topic Background 1.1 Since 2011 armed conflict has been steadily increasing in the country of Syria. What began as a violent protest against the government has become a full-scale civil war between multiple factions. 1.2 The death toll from the violence has topped 220,000i. In addition to the death toll, the fighting has displaced over 9 million Syrians. This represents approximately 43% of the total pre-war population of Syria.ii Over 3 million of refugees have fled the country for neighboring countries, while nearly 6.5 million people remain in Syria after being forced from their homes. Nearly half of all displaced Syrians are children. 1.3 Those Syrians who have been forced from their homes by fighting but have not left the country are not technically Refugees but are instead classified as Internally Displaced People (IDPs), a term used by the United Nations High Commission on Refugees (UNHCR). The UNHCR mandate has not typically covered IDPs are they are still under the authority of the State. The UNHCR has expanded its scope to offer service to Syrian IDPs to the best of its ability. iii 1.4 According to the UN High Commissioner for Refugees, Antonio Guterres, “The Syria crisis has become the biggest humanitarian emergency of our era, yet the world is failing to meet the needs of refugees and the countries hosting them.” 1.5 According to the UNHCR, “most of the refugees remain in countries neighboring Syria, with the highest concentrations in Lebanon (1.14 million), Jordan (608,000) and Turkey (815,000). This has led to an enormous strain on their economies, infrastructure and resources. More than four in five refugees are struggling to make a living in urban areas, with 38 per cent living in sub-standard shelter. iv 1.6 As there does not appear to be a near-term solution to the Syrian violence the UNHCR must provide support for refugees in proving longer-term housing, providing for the education of children, and helping adults to find employment. E/15/TPG/5 Section 2 Past International Action 2.1 In 1951 the United Nations adopted the “Convention relating to the Status of Refugees” as the primary document for its response to refugee crisis. It defines ‘refugee’ with the following, “Owing to well-founded fear of being persecuted for reasons of race, religion, nationality, membership of a particular social group or political opinion, is outside the country of his nationality and is unable or, owing to such fear, is unwilling to avail himself of the protection of that country; or who, not having the nationality and being outside the country of his former habitual residence as a result of such events, is unable or, owing to such fear, is unwilling to return to it.”v 2.2 The UNHCR is the UN’s primary agency for Humanitarian aid to refugees and coordinates with other agencies and NGOs to provide, “the protection of civilians, the provision of emergency services and relief supplies, the restoration of livelihoods, the capacity of humanitarian actors, and future preparedness. ”vi “Their operations in the field cover nonfood items (NFIs), shelter, health, cash assistance, and protection among other forms of aid vii 2.3 Through the 2014 Syria Regional Response Plan, UNHCR assists urban refugees with a wide variety of measures, including assistance in the areas of education, livelihoods, and shelter. 2.4 In 2011 UNHRC provided support to IDPs in Somalia after a prolonged drought caused widespread famine 2.5 In 2010 the UNHCR provided humanitarian relief to Pakistani’s displaced by floods. Section 3 Guiding Questions • • • How can UNHCR facilitate access to Syrian IDPs? As the Syrian crisis continues to escalate, how can neighboring countries be encouraged to continue to accept and support Syrian refugees? How do we fund the ongoing humanitarian relief effort in Syria? Section 4 Further Research • Syria Humanitarian Assistance Response Plan & Syria Regional Response Plan. (2014). Common Planning Framework 2014. http://www.unhcr.org/media-rrp6/planning.pdf • International Committee of the Red Cross. (2014, May 8). Syria: Unprecedented humanitarian needs entail record budget. https://www.icrc.org/eng/resources/documents/news-release/2014/05-08-syriabudgetextension.htm 2 E/15/TPG/5 i Hadid, Diaa. "Syrian rebels and government reach truce in besieged area". Huffington Post. Retrieved 18 March 2015. ii https://www.google.com/url?sa=t&rct=j&q=&esrc=s&source=web&cd=4&ved=0CEQQFjAD&url=http%3A%2F% 2Fwww.theatlantic.com%2Finternational%2Farchive%2F2014%2F08%2Fhalf-of-syrias-population-isdisplaced%2F379407%2F&ei=8K4RVeuHIYSWyAT4zIKYCw&usg=AFQjCNE9cdPKBiocXnfpPQKuT1vjzFEkw&bvm=bv.89184060,d.aWw iii 119 UNHCR, Q&A about the Refugee Convention. iv http://www.unhcr.org/53ff76c99.html v 127 UN General Assembly, Convention Relating to the Status of Refugees (A/RES/409 (V)), 1951. vi 145 OCHA, 2014 Syrian Arab Republic Humanitarian Assistance Response Plan (SHARP), 2013, p. 5. vii 141 UNHCR, Syrian Arab Republic. 3