In a video message to the conference Standing with Syria: Meeting the Needs for a Successful Transition
In Damascus, UNFPA Director Arakaki listens to women affected by conflict in Syria talk about their situations and the support they need.
Healthcare, protection for women at risk
Meanwhile within Syria, the humanitarian crisis remains acute, especially for women and girls.
Having concluded a mission to the country, Shoko Arakaki, Humanitarian Director at the UN Population Fund (UNFPA) highlighted the devastating impact of war on Syria’s healthcare system, with four in ten hospitals damaged or destroyed.
Lack of resources have further complicated the situation and recent funding cuts have forced the closure of over 100 UN-supported health facilities in northwest Syria.
She warned that gender-based violence has become “normalised” after years of conflict, but financial constraints may force UNFPA to withdraw support for protection efforts such as safe spaces for women.
“Women and youth in Syria still need our support,” she stressed, urging donors to invest in healthcare, protection, livelihoods and education.
Hope amid the apprehension
“These are deeply uncertain times for Syria,” she said, adding that in the midst of apprehension, she sensed a feeling of hope.
She noted her meetings with “extraordinary women” providing lifesaving reproductive health services, protecting survivors of violence, offering vocational training – even while they themselves are vulnerable.
“[I felt] hope in the Syrian people who are defying the odds to help each other, despite immense hardship,” she added.