31 Aug 2012

GENEVA/ SYRIA

The United Nations Children’s Fund said today (31 August) that it is “deeply concerned", that in Syria and the surrounding region, "we may be or are looking at one of the biggest humanitarian emergencies in the lastdecades.” CH UNTV

Posted at: August 31, 2012 11:57 am

Duration: 01:09

Available in: SD

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STORY: GENEVA/ SYRIA
TRT: 1.09
SOURCE: CH UNTV
RESTRICTIONS: NONE
LANGUAGE: ENGLISH / NATS

DATELINE: 31 AUGUST 2012, GENEVA, SWITZERLAND

SHOTLIST:

FILE – RECENT, GENEVA, SWITZERLAND

1. Wide shot, Palais des Nations

31 AUGUST 2012, GENEVA, SWITZERLAND

2. Wide shot, press room
3. SOUNDBITE (English) Patrick McCormick, UNICEF Spokesperson: 
"UNICEF is concerned, deeply concerned, that in Syria and the surrounding 
region we may be or are looking at one of the biggest humanitarian 
emergencies in the last decades, when you consider so many of the 
factors involved in this crisis. My colleague just mentioned one, it 
may seem trivial but it's not, back to school. Children are meant to be 
going back to school in a couple of weeks. Is that going to happen? I 
doubt it. So they are going to be stuck in refugee camps or IDP camps in 
Syria."
4. Close up, journalist
5. SOUNDBITE (English) Patrick McCormick, UNICEF Spokesperson: 
"There are many other issues, many other challenges, shelter, 
water and sanitation which make up a big emergency."
6. Tilt up, from hand to journalist's face
7. Wide shot, press room

STORYLINE:

The United Nations Children's Fund, UNICEF, said today (31 August) that it is "deeply
concerned", that in Syria and the surrounding region, "we may be or are
looking at one of the biggest humanitarian emergencies in the last
decades."

Patrick McCormick, Spokesperson for UNICEF, said that, in addition to desperately needing
food, shelter, water and sanitation, children caught up in the violence in Syria are most likely to miss out on their education, being unable to return to school when the new term is due to start in the next couple of weeks.

The Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs (OCHA) estimates that 1.2 million people are displaced in Syria, with more than half of those being children. Nearly 230,000 others have left Syria and become refugees in neighbouring countries.

UN officials have repeatedly said their efforts in the area are underfunded and they are looking for more resources.