By Mubarak Al-Hajri
BEIRUT, March 20 (KUNA) -- United Nations Children's Fund (UNICEF) praised on Thursday Kuwait's huge efforts in supporting international organizations working on the Syrian refugees crisis and the care of children.
Contributions of Kuwait' various institutions covering support to UNICEF programs, including government support, during the past period has reached around USD 5 million, mainly assigned to support programs on the protection, education, health, and nutrition of displaced Syrian children, UNICEF Director of Media Communication Office in Lebanon Suha Bastani said during a visit to KUNA's Office in Beirut.
Bastani highlighted the suffering of children due to the Syrian crisis since March 2011, noting in this regard that the number of children affected by the crisis since March 2013 has risen from 2.3 million to more than 5.5 million children.
She noted that the number of children displaced inside Syria more than tripled from 920,000 children to nearly three million children.
In the meantime, the number of refugee children has doubled more than four times from 260,000 to more than 2.1 million children, including 425,000 children under the age of five.
The UNICEF official added that Kuwaiti institutions were keen on supporting displaced children through education. She highlighted the role and efforts exerted by Kuwaiti Red Crescent Society and various Kuwaiti charities in support for displaced people.
Bastani also asserted the importance on the role of the media in delivering humanitarian messages and highlighting the great suffering experienced by displaced Syrians. (end) mah.mb KUNA 202346 Mar 14NNNN