Published : 05-01-2023
Scores of Palestinian refugees have lost their sources of incomes in war-torn Syria, where the conflict enters its 13th year.
Palestinian refugee families in Syria (PRS) can barely manage to secure their livelihood. Unemployment, debts, high levels of poverty, overcrowded dwellings, food insecurity, loss of livelihoods, and economic hardship have had a heavy toll on the Palestinian refugee community.
Several companies and stores shut their doors due to heavy taxes imposed by the Syrian government. An estimated 2,000 Palestinian refugee workers have been laid off in Syria.
At the same time, the conflict and humanitarian crisis in Syria are pushing an ever increasing number of children, including Palestinian refugees, into exploitation in the labour market.
Scores of children continue to toil for long hours with little pay, often in extremely hazardous and unhealthy environments, to contribute to the family income.
A spiralling number of children whose families are taking shelter in displacement camps in northern Syria are also employed in harmful working conditions, risking serious damage to their health and wellbeing.
In neighboring countries such as Jordan and Lebanon, a number of children who fled war-torn Syria with their families are the joint or sole family breadwinners. Children as young as six years old are reportedly working.
The most vulnerable of all working children are those involved in armed conflict, sexual exploitation and illicit activities including organized begging and child trafficking.
The Syria crisis has dramatically reduced family livelihood opportunities and impoverished millions of households in the region, resulting in child labour reaching critical levels.
AGPS calls on the international community, host governments, and civil society to undertake a series of measures to address child labour inside Syria and in countries affected by the humanitarian crisis.
All concerned parties should join forces in order to improve access to livelihoods including through making more funding available for income-generating activities and to provide quality and safe education for all children impacted by the crisis.
Scores of Palestinian refugees have lost their sources of incomes in war-torn Syria, where the conflict enters its 13th year.
Palestinian refugee families in Syria (PRS) can barely manage to secure their livelihood. Unemployment, debts, high levels of poverty, overcrowded dwellings, food insecurity, loss of livelihoods, and economic hardship have had a heavy toll on the Palestinian refugee community.
Several companies and stores shut their doors due to heavy taxes imposed by the Syrian government. An estimated 2,000 Palestinian refugee workers have been laid off in Syria.
At the same time, the conflict and humanitarian crisis in Syria are pushing an ever increasing number of children, including Palestinian refugees, into exploitation in the labour market.
Scores of children continue to toil for long hours with little pay, often in extremely hazardous and unhealthy environments, to contribute to the family income.
A spiralling number of children whose families are taking shelter in displacement camps in northern Syria are also employed in harmful working conditions, risking serious damage to their health and wellbeing.
In neighboring countries such as Jordan and Lebanon, a number of children who fled war-torn Syria with their families are the joint or sole family breadwinners. Children as young as six years old are reportedly working.
The most vulnerable of all working children are those involved in armed conflict, sexual exploitation and illicit activities including organized begging and child trafficking.
The Syria crisis has dramatically reduced family livelihood opportunities and impoverished millions of households in the region, resulting in child labour reaching critical levels.
AGPS calls on the international community, host governments, and civil society to undertake a series of measures to address child labour inside Syria and in countries affected by the humanitarian crisis.
All concerned parties should join forces in order to improve access to livelihoods including through making more funding available for income-generating activities and to provide quality and safe education for all children impacted by the crisis.
