Overtaken By Need: The World's Failure to Meet Syria's Humanitarian Crisis

The human cost of Syria’s conflict has risen beyond all expectations. There are already more than 1.3 million Syrian refugees in neighbouring countries. Inside Syria itself, 6.8 million people struggle in urgent need of assistance.

This briefing describes how, as the numbers grow, the money to help some of those refugees and displaced people is running out. UN appeals have received only half of the funding they sought – to help far fewer people than they now need to assist. And Oxfam’s humanitarian programme is struggling with insufficient funds to help as much as it needs to, despite the generosity of its supporters and the public.

The world has failed to find common purpose to end Syria’s brutal conflict. Shamefully, it has also failed to provide enough aid to help the conflict’s most vulnerable victims. Without a massive increase in aid now, and secured funding for long-term aid, millions of Syrians will miss out on the food, water, shelter and medical care that they desperately need.

Donor governments – in the region and the OECD – must urgently give more aid now, and be ready to give more in the longer term as, tragically, the needs increase.