1. Syrian Refugee Crisis
6 years of war has torn Syria apart. Violent reactions to peaceful protests throughout the country descended Syria into chaos in early 2011.
Hundreds of thousands have been killed in the conflict between the Assad regime, extremist groups and moderate opposition groups. In response to the crisis, the UK has committed £2.46 billion since This includes allocations to over 30 implementing partners (including United Nations agencies, international non-governmental organisations and the Red Cross) and is helping to meet the immediate needs of vulnerable people in Syria and of refugees in the region.
Push Factors
Civil war - 11 million killed or forced to leave
More poverty, no savings, high rent
Short education – 90,000 children without it, 20% of children left school to work for money
Pull Factors
Europe portrayed positively in the media
Lots of work for higher wages
Healthcare for free – in Syria 45 cent per day
More education and for free
Impacts
On the EU Negative
Overpopulation in cities
Lack of housing
Reduction of resources eg. Food
Transport crowded – pollution and congestion
More unemployment
Strain on services such as the NHS
Funding
Providing schooling and paying for specialist teachers to support language barriers
Integration issues
Can lead to tensions
Positive
More money into the economy
More taxpayers to pay for elderly’s health
More driven workers to fill unwanted jobs
Brings a range of skills
Local suppliers gain more profit
Statistics
400,000 People estimated to have been killed by the conflict (UN estimate )
13.5 million people in Syria need humanitarian assistance
Approx. 300,000 to the UK
5 million Syrian refugees in neighbouring countries
6 million displaced within Syria
8.4 million Children in need of which 2.4 million are refugees
More than 50% of Syrian’s are displaced
More than 80% live below the line of poverty
UN appeal for Syria but only 40% funded
Germany hosts 800,000 – the most in Europe
In 2015 there were 2,539 Asylum applications from Syria.
Total Syrian Asylum Applications in Europe between April 2011 and March 2017: 937,718
The UK has pledged to resettle 20,000 Syrians. As of June 2016, 2,682 Syrian refuges have come to the UK through this scheme.