Children at a Crossroads: Hope and Hardship in Post-Assad Syria
Asli Saban, Visiting Fellow, Institute for Migration Studies, Lebanese American University
Introduction: A Nation’s Fragile New Dawn
The fall of the Assad regime on December 8, 2024, marked a watershed moment in Syria’s modern history. After more than a decade of civil war, Syrians dared to hope for renewal and reconstruction. Yet the path forward remains fraught with difficulties. Years of conflict have devastated infrastructure, displaced millions, and fractured the nation’s social fabric. Despite aspirations for a brighter future, Syria faces an array of interlocking challenges, including an ongoing humanitarian crisis, a fragile economy, environmental shocks, and the deep psychological trauma inflicted by war. Since 2011, more than 14 million Syrians have been forced to flee their homes, with 4.6 million becoming refugees abroad and more than 7.4 million remaining displaced within Syria. As the new government attempts to navigate a complex political and social transition, it must address the urgent need to protect and empower Syria’s most vulnerable citizens: its children.
The Lingering Crisis: Displacement and Its Toll
The Syrian conflict has created one of the largest displacement crises in modern history. Internally displaced persons continue to face food insecurity, inadequate shelter, and severely limited access to healthcare. Refugees in neighboring countries such as Lebanon and Jordan grapple with resource shortages, legal restrictions, and shrinking humanitarian aid. Socioeconomic collapse has driven 85 percent of Syrian households into poverty, forcing families into harmful coping mechanisms such as child labor, early marriage, and substandard diets that perpetuate cycles of deprivation. Children, in particular, have borne the brunt of this hardship. Nearly seven million children in Syria live amid destroyed infrastructure and severely limited access to basic services, while three million displaced children face precarious conditions in neighboring countries. From birth, Syrian children face daunting health challenges. Malnutrition among pregnant women has resulted in high rates of low birth weight and developmental delays among newborns. With over half of Syria’s healthcare facilities destroyed or non-functional, many children lack access to essential vaccinations and treatment for preventable diseases such as measles and polio.
War has also torn families apart, leaving hundreds of thousands of children orphaned or separated from their caregivers. Many lack official documentation, which hinders access to education, healthcare, and legal protections. The psychological impact is equally profound. Nearly 90 percent of Syrian children require mental health support due to exposure to violence, displacement, and the loss of loved ones. Many orphaned and unaccompanied children experience severe trauma, anxiety, and depression. Without stable family structures, they are vulnerable to exploitation, including child labor, early marriage, and recruitment into armed groups. The war’s long-term impact also includes the marginalization of children with disabilities. According to the Assistance of Coordination Unit’s 2023 Report, 85 percent of children with disabilities in Syria dropped out of school, and 13 percent are engaged in work to support families.
Families overwhelmed by hardship sometimes isolate disabled children or subject them to neglect, severely limiting their development and social inclusion. For orphaned disabled children, these challenges are even greater, as they often lack advocates to secure medical care, education, or specialized support. The exploitation of children has been one of the war’s darkest legacies. Armed groups and militias, both government-aligned and opposition, have recruited thousands of children for combat, logistical support, or forced labor. Reintegration of former child soldiers, along with educational and psychological support, is crucial to breaking cycles of violence and reintegrating these children into society.
Rebuilding Syria: Policy Gaps and Transition Challenges
The new Syrian government has pledged to pursue civil peace, reunify the country’s territory, rebuild state institutions, and revive the economy. However, public declarations remain vague, and concrete policy measures are lacking. This uncertainty raises concern both within Syria and among international partners hoping for a stable transition. Years of sanctions, financial isolation, and war damage have left Syria’s economy in ruins. Institutions have decayed, and societal divisions remain deep. While accountability for past abuses is essential, it must be balanced with efforts to promote reconciliation and rebuild public trust. Without clear policies and effective governance, efforts to address Syria’s humanitarian and development challenges risk faltering.
Beyond Relief: Crafting Sustainable Solutions
Emergency aid has provided essential short-term relief but cannot address the deep-rooted structural challenges Syria faces. Too often, funding gaps, suspended aid programs, and the short-term nature of humanitarian responses have left critical needs unmet. A comprehensive long-term strategy is urgently required. Expanding trauma-informed care and community-based psychosocial support services is critical, especially for children affected by violence, forced recruitment, and sexual exploitation. Restoring and modernizing the education system is equally important. Schools must be reopened and adapted to meet the needs of displaced children and those with disabilities. Vocational training programs should equip youth with practical skills to contribute to the country’s recovery. A national child protection framework is needed to implement Law No. 21 of 2021 with safeguards against all forms of violence and effective on-the-ground monitoring. Strengthening juvenile justice laws and the capacity of professionals to apply the best interests of the child is key to ensuring protection and accountability. Rebuilding Syria’s healthcare, education, and child welfare institutions must prioritize transparency, accountability, and efficiency. Empowering these institutions is vital to delivering sustainable services that can break cycles of vulnerability.
Conclusion and Call to Action
Syria stands at a critical crossroads. While the fall of the Assad regime has opened a window of opportunity for renewal, the country remains in a fragile state. Millions, especially displaced children, orphans, and individuals with disabilities, continue to suffer. Without sustained efforts to rebuild institutions, deliver long-term solutions, and promote social healing, the cycle of hardship will persist. The new Syrian government must place child protection, mental health, education and economic opportunity at the center of its agenda.
This includes developing a national child protection strategy as a foundational pillar of building a welfare state. However, it cannot succeed alone. The international community must partner with Syria to translate policy promises into practical outcomes.