Geneva Feb. 20 (SANA) — Every child in Syria has the right to a secure childhood free from the shadows of past conflicts, UNICEF Goodwill Ambassador Muzoon Almellehan declared Thursday, calling for urgent investments in education and safety to break cycles of hardship.
In a video-linked press briefing with UN agencies in Geneva, Almellehan portrayed Syria at a pivotal moment of rebuilding. Her recent field visits revealed growing optimism among parents, educators, young people, and local officials, with tangible progress in community revival despite persistent obstacles like war debris and crumbling infrastructure.
“Children can’t learn without safety, and there’s no tomorrow without schools,” she warned, spotlighting how millions remain sidelined from education by damaged facilities, poverty, and displacement. Daily threats from unexploded ordnance and weak services compound the crisis, she noted.
Prioritizing girls’ education stands out as a game-changer, Almellehan said, fostering faster family resilience, community strength, and economic gains. UNICEF is ramping up efforts across Syria to rebuild classrooms, restore water systems, deliver health and nutrition aid, bolster mental health support, and reintegrate out-of-school children.
A Syrian activist who fled in 2013, Almellehan endured life in Jordan‘s Zaatari refugee camp before resettlement in the UK. UNICEF named her its first Goodwill Ambassador for refugees in 2017.
