Ammon News - AMMONNEWS– The government of Iceland has donated $180,000 to UNICEF emergency child protection programmes in Jordan. The funds received will enable UNICEF to strengthen its response to the protection issues facing Syrian children in the camps and host communities.

"UNICEF is one of four key multilateral agencies in Iceland's strategy for international development cooperation in the next four years. UNICEF is an important channel for Iceland´s official development aid, not least in conflict-affected areas, where children are among the most vulnerable. We are grateful for the good work UNICEF is doing in the area." said Minister for Foreign Affairs of Iceland Mr. Gunnar Bragi Sveinsson.

Out of around 500,000 registered and unregistered Syrian refugees, there are over 250,000 Syrian children in Jordan alone. UNICEF and partners have provided access to psychosocial support services to some 50,000 children both in camps and community settings since the beginning of the year.

“We need to remember that this is a children’s emergency. Children cross the border having lost months of schooling, experienced traumatic events, sometimes lost family members and often exposed to increased risks of exploitation, neglect and abuse,” said UNICEF Representative in Jordan, Dominique Hyde.

“Child Protection is a vital part of our assistance to Syrian refugees and this contribution by the government of Iceland enables UNICEF to continue its work to improve the protection of Syrian children. By providing them with safe places to just be children, we are committed to the future of this generation of Syrian children,” she added.

UNICEF provides safe places to Syrian children in Jordan that include 33 Child and Adolescent Friendly Spaces, five Youth Spaces and eight playgrounds that reach over 6,500 children per day. These places help children rebuild a sense of stability and recover from their experiences inside Syria.

UNICEF, however, is facing funding shortfalls, with only 30% of its Child Protection funding requirements covered until the end of the year. It is crucial for UNICEF to continue activities that help reconnect Syrian children with their childhood and give them the tools to rebuild their futures.