Parliament’s Syria debate must include impact on vulnerable children

A debate on a motion backing the principle of military action in Syria is under way this afternoon in the Houses of Parliament.

Justin Byworth, Chief Executive of World Vision UK, said:

“We're concerned that any increase in hostilities in Syria will mean a significantly greater flow of refugees into surrounding countries. Even the threat of military intervention resulted in a reported 6,000 Syrian refugees fleeing to the Lebanese border in a 24-hour period – six times more than usual.

“So a crucial part of the Parliamentarians’ debate on Syria must be the impact of their decisions on the vast numbers of vulnerable children in the region. As ever, they’re the ones who suffer disproportionately in conflict.

 “By Christmas, there are set to be a million refugees in Lebanon, making up a third of this tiny country’s population. Our staff on the ground fear this number could increase dramatically with dire consequences.”