Up to 2 million children have been affected by the conflict in Syria. The charity 'Save The Children' says the lives of the 'forgotten victims' have been torn apart.
1-in-3 have been hit, kicked or even shot and the charity also warns young boys are being used by armed groups as porters and human shields.
The new "Childhood Under Fire" report was launched to mark 2 years of violence in the country. The charity says it shows that many children are struggling to find enough to eat, are living in barns, parks and caves, are unable to go to school with teachers having fled and schools being attacked and that damage to sanitation systems is forcing some children to defecate in the street.
It cites new research carried out among refugee children by Bahcesehir University in Turkey. The report adds that combined with the breakdown of society in parts of the country and more than 3 million people displaced, the conflict has "led to the collapse of childhood for millions of youngsters".
The report's key findings are:
- Thousands of children are facing malnutrition as food production is wiped out and severe shortages take hold
- Millions of children have been forced from their homes and tens of thousands are living in parks, barns and caves
- Girls are being married off early in an effort to protect them from perceived threat of sexual violence
- Families have been left without heating in winter as fuel prices have risen by up to 500%
Carolyn Miles is President and CEO of Save the Children. "For millions of Syrian children, the innocence of childhood has been replaced by the cruel realities of trying to survive this vicious war" she said.
"Many are now living out in the open, struggling to find enough to eat, without the right medicine if they become sick or injured. As society has broken down, in the worst cases, hunger, homelessness and terror have replaced school for some of these young people. We cannot allow this to continue unchecked; the lives of too many children are at stake" she added.
