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Summary Report of the UN Special Rapporteur on the negative impact of unilateral coercive measures on the enjoyment of human rights, Alena Douhan, on her visit to Syria
Medicine:
Syria's once self-sufficient pharmaceutical sector, which catered to over 87% of its needs and exported to 73 countries, has been severely impacted by sanctions, leading to shortages in medicines for chronic and rare diseases.
Sanctions have resulted in difficulties in procuring life-saving medicines and medical equipment, with some doctors having to import them personally at their own expense.
The healthcare sector faces a shortage of medical devices and professionals, with over 50% of healthcare workers having left or died since 2011, exacerbating the crisis during the catastrophic earthquake in February 2023.
Education:
The education sector is severely underfunded, with the 2022–2023 humanitarian response plan receiving only $56 million out of the required $351 million, significantly affecting infrastructure and resources.
Approximately 2.4 million children are out of school, with nearly half of school buildings out of service, contributing to a drop in the literacy rate from 91% before 2011 to less than 80% by 2022.
There's a critical shortage of teachers, with more than 150,000 having left the system, and remaining teachers facing drastically reduced salaries from $500 to $25 monthly since 2010.
Health:
Sanctions have devastated Syria's healthcare, affecting rural areas severely and leading to shortages in chronic and rare disease medications.
Over 50% of healthcare professionals have left or died since 2011, with an acute shortage during the February 2023 earthquake.
Medical equipment shortages are widespread, with many devices unusable due to lack of spare parts and outdated software.
Infrastructure:
50-80% of Syria’s critical infrastructure is destroyed, blocking maintenance and reconstruction efforts due to overcompliance with sanctions.
Foreign businesses and financial institutions refuse to deliver essential construction materials or block financial transactions.
The Caesar Act has significantly hindered reconstruction efforts, exacerbating the situation.
Water:
Water infrastructure is in dire need, with droughts and overcompliance hindering the state’s ability to secure parts for maintenance and repair.
Lack of electricity has led to a decline in water purification, contributing to a Cholera outbreak.
Turkish hydroelectric dam construction has exacerbated drought conditions in the North.
Electricity:
Syrians experience only two to four hours of electricity daily, with frequent voltage surges damaging appliances and machinery.
The country’s energy production is drastically reduced to only 2,300 megawatts out of a storage capacity of 9,000 megawatts.
The gas line from Egypt to Lebanon, which could benefit Syria, is blocked, further reducing energy availability.
Malnutrition:
Over 12 million Syrians face food insecurity, with a 51% increase since 2019, including 2.4 million severely food insecure people.
Malnutrition rates, including stunting and maternal malnutrition, have soared, affecting over 600,000 children under five.
The price of a standard food basket rose by 85 percent between August 2021 and August 2022, surpassing the average public sector salary.
General:
Approximately 90% of Syrians live below the poverty line, with a significant increase in the need for humanitarian aid.
The World Food Programme (WFP) assists 6 million Syrians monthly, indicating widespread food insecurity.
The delivery of humanitarian aid faces challenges due to banking restrictions, affecting the flow of essential aid and funds.
“Through much of American history, America believed that a stronger middle class made democracy and contributed stability in the world. But with this promiscuous use of sanctions, America is betraying its own values to lift people into the middle class. And now by trying to drive them into poverty, and using sanctions as a central instrument of its foreign policy, it’s creating deeper anger, and impoverished people who are less educated, and less capable of competing in the modern world. In theory, all this is to promote democracy or Justice … but of course it’s not going to do that. It’s just going to make people more desperate, more Islamist, and more available to radical ideologies.”
“The overlapping nature of the various sanction regimes in place against Syria, and especially those of the US, have created considerable doubt and uncertainty about how to comply with the panoply of measures in place. A humanitarian actor failing to comply with the various types of sanctions could lead to criminal or regulatory violations of financial. Humanitarian activities may need to abide by sanctions, whether accomplished by INGOs and NGOs, including members of staff, regardless of whether they are funded by states or not.”
“Some 12 million people in Syria - more than half the population – currently face acute food insecurity. That is 51% more than in 2019 and an additional 1.9 million are at risk of sliding into hunger. With basic meals becoming a luxury for millions, nutrition is becoming a serious issue... Data from 2021 shows that one in eight children in Syria suffers from stunting while pregnant and nursing mothers show record levels of acute wasting. Both facts point to devastating health consequences for future generations.”
“They’re saying that even if we don’t succeed in getting rid of Assad.. At least we lock [Syria] into a stalemate… A stalemate that denies Iran and Russia a strategic Victory.”