Funding gap for Syrian refugees manifests in more kids working, marrying: UNICEF
OTTAWA — Observers see a growing number of Syrian child brides as a tangible impact of the $3 billion gap between the financial needs of displaced Syrians in the Middle East and the funds available to pay for them.
After seven years of living in exile, Syrians are increasingly under pressure and that’s driving a rise in child marriage, said Robert Jenkins, a Canadian who is in charge of UNICEF efforts in Jordan.
“Living this long in an environment which you can’t settle and build roots, you’re in transit almost by definition,” Jenkins said in a phone interview from Toronto after two days of meetings with Canadian government and UNICEF officials.
“But also the funding crisis that the international community and the UN is experiencing is having a bearing on the support that can be provided to refugees.”