event
Malcolm H. Kerr Carnegie Middle East Center

Eleven years on the crisis: What does the future hold for Syrian children and young people?

Wed. March 30th, 2022
Live on YouTube and Facebook

Eleven years since the beginning of the crisis in Syria, the situation of children remains dire. With an absence of a political solution in the country, the needs of children and young people continue to grow. They bear the heaviest brunt and -as in other conflicts- they suffer first and suffer most. 

Inside Syria, more than 6 million children are in need of assistance. In neighbouring countries, more than 2.7 million Syrian children live as refugees. Ongoing violence and armed conflict, as well as poverty, unemployment, the COVID-19 pandemic, and regional and global geopolitical dynamics and crises have impacted children. The ripple effects of the situation will continue to negatively impact the lives and futures of millions of children in Syria and neighboring countries. For more than a decade, these children have been in survival mode, not knowing what tomorrow will bring, as they face grave violations of their rights.  

During this event, we will discuss what the future might hold and what the best ways are to respond to the needs, aspirations and concerns of Syrian children and young people. 

The Malcolm H. Kerr Carnegie Middle East Centre, Gallup International/ ORBl, the No Lost Generation (NLG) initiative and UNICEF are coming together to provide an overview of the situation of Syrian children, based on examination of global and regional dynamics and by presenting voices of young people. The event aims at kickstarting a discussion on the future of aid, given the multiple needs of children inside Syria and in neighbouring countries, in a complex political context and emerging crises. 

Join us on Wednesday, March 30 from 10:00 - 11:30 a.m. Beirut/Amman time for a public panel with Kathryn Achilles, Bertrand Bainvel, Johnny Heald, Marwan Muasher and Maha Yahya, moderated by Arwa Damon to discuss these issues and more.

The discussion will be held in English. Viewers may submit their questions for the panelists using the live chat feature on Facebook and YouTube during the event.

For more information, please contact Josiane Matar at josiane.matar@carnegie-mec.org. 

Political ReformMiddle EastSyriaLevant
Carnegie does not take institutional positions on public policy issues; the views represented herein are those of the author(s) and do not necessarily reflect the views of Carnegie, its staff, or its trustees.
event speakers

Kathryn Achilles

Achilles is advocacy, media and communications director- Syria Response Office at Save the Children International

Bertrand Bainvel

Bainvel is UNICEF's deputy regional director for the Middle East and North Africa, No Lost Generation co-chair

Arwa Damon

Damon is an award-winning senior international correspondent based in CNN's Istanbul bureau.

Johnny Heald

Heald is the managing director of ORB International UK

Marwan Muasher

Vice President for Studies

Marwan Muasher is vice president for studies at Carnegie, where he oversees research in Washington and Beirut on the Middle East. Muasher served as foreign minister (2002–2004) and deputy prime minister (2004–2005) of Jordan, and his career has spanned the areas of diplomacy, development, civil society, and communications.

Maha Yahya

Director, Malcolm H. Kerr Carnegie Middle East Center

Yahya is director of the Malcolm H. Kerr Carnegie Middle East Center, where her research focuses on citizenship, pluralism, and social justice in the aftermath of the Arab uprisings.