The British Red Cross expressed their concern today [7 June 2013] as both the UN and International Federation of the Red Cross extended their appeals for Syrian refugees.
The UN has launched their largest ever appeal, and the International Federation of the Red Cross has also revised their existing appeals for Syria’s border countries to £48million. The Red Cross are due to revise their appeal for Syria itself in the coming weeks as the numbers in need there rose to 6.8million.
Last month the International Committee of the Red Cross (ICRC) extended their budget for Syria to £70m, making it in budgetary terms their largest operation of 2013.
Katy Attfield, head of Disaster Management for British Red Cross, said:
“Right now there are millions of people facing a desperate situation and there is no sign of a solution. The humanitarian situation both inside Syria and the neighbouring countries is worsening, which is why the Red Cross Red Crescent are scaling up support. We will need to provide aid for some time to come, and that takes money and resources.”
The British Red Cross is supporting the work of the Syrian Red Crescent and other Red Cross societies in Turkey, Lebanon and Jordan. One project, a cash transfer programme in Jordan, is due to run out of funding next month.
“Jordan has at least 500,000 refugees, and the majority are living within Jordanian communities. The cash programme in northern Jordan supports both the refugees and the communities who are housing them, but these resources are not infinite.”
The British Red Cross is appealing for funds for Syria and the region, and has provided aid including ambulances, food, blankets and emergency shelter.
To donate to the Syria Crisis Appeal go to redcross.org.uk/syriacrisis or call 0845 054 7206.
For further information contact Penny Sims: psims@redcross.org.uk / 020 7877 7044 / 077103 917 03.