Catholic aid agencies call for new deal, as Syrian refugees exceed 5 million

A group of Catholic aid agencies are calling on this week's Brussels Conference on Syria to recommit support to Syrians forced to flee, as more than five million Syrians - or a quarter of the country's pre-war population - have been forced to cross borders and register as refugees in neighbouring countries.

The agencies, including CAFOD, warn that the Brussels Conference meeting, must put front and centre the need to mobilise funds for longer-term development for Syrian refugees.

In a joint report, 'Livelihoods and social cohesion must be priority sectors' - the Catholic aid agencies argue the Brussels Conference needs to offer a new deal of investment for Syria's neighbouring governments that would allow Syrian refugees to better support themselves and their families financially.

Alan Thomlinson, CAFOD's Programme Manager for Syria, said: "With no end to the conflict in sight, despite a fragile peace process, and no prospect of safe return home for Syrian refugees; the Brussels Conference must deliver a new deal by providing more investment to neighbouring countries hosting refugees, in support of employment opportunities and to stimulate economic growth, that benefit both refugees and host communities alike."

The overwhelming majority of Syrian refugees are living in informal settlements established on agricultural land in Lebanon, in cramped flats in Jordan, and in housing with very basic necessities in Turkey. They need jobs, education and healthcare.

The report highlights that livelihoods and social cohesion remain underfunded. With the right help from international donors, Syria's neighbouring governments should develop policies that allow refugees to better support themselves financially without the risk of arrest by authorities. This would also allow refugees to contribute to the economy of the communities hosting them.

"The Brussels Conference needs to provide some benefits to host communities, and particularly to the smallest enterprises - so that experienced trades people, farmers and teachers, among others, can put their skills to good use", said Alan Thomlinson.

"In Lebanon, for example, the Lebanese are often the ones already employing Syrians informally. Apart from jobs, there is also a need to lift legal and political barriers that put refugees outside the law and deprived them of educational opportunities as well as basic services such as healthcare.

"This is critical to offering, hope, safety and dignity to millions of refugees."

In the six years of the Syrian conflict, nearly 400,000 people have been killed, and half of the country's population has been displaced by the violence. Turkey has taken in the most Syrian refugees, nearly 3 million, while Lebanon hosts more than 1 million and Jordan more than 600,000.