International relief organizations hope the G-20 meeting in Antalya, Turkey, on Nov. 15-16 will provide the “spark of political leadership” necessary to deal with a Syrian refugee crisis that is fast spiraling out of control.
Syria’s war has driven 7 million people to flee their homes and another 4 million to leave the country altogether. Of the more than 11 million people displaced inside and outside the Middle Eastern country, over half are children. Initiatives with names like “No Lost Generation” underscore the severity of the crisis.
Neighboring countries — Jordan, Iraq, Lebanon and Turkey — have seen their refugee populations balloon, while conditions in settlements offer Syrians little reason to hope for a brighter future. Many of them have moved on to other uncertain options — via dangerous water routes and unyielding bureaucracies — in Europe and the United States. But Western states’ resettlement commitments haven’t kept pace with the number of people in need of housing, basic services and new livelihood options.
About the author
Michael Igoe@AlterIgoe
Michael Igoe is a Senior Reporter with Devex, based in Washington, D.C. He covers U.S. foreign aid, global health, climate change, and development finance. Prior to joining Devex, Michael researched water management and climate change adaptation in post-Soviet Central Asia, where he also wrote for EurasiaNet. Michael earned his bachelor's degree from Bowdoin College, where he majored in Russian, and his master’s degree from the University of Montana, where he studied international conservation and development.
