WFP Appeals For Access To Besieged Syrian Enclave Amid Reports Of Severe Hunger
ROME - The United Nations World Food Programme (WFP) is concerned about media reports emerging from Eastern Ghouta, a besieged area not far from the Syrian capital. These reports signal extreme cases of hunger and malnutrition among conflict-affected families.
Humanitarian access to the Eastern Ghouta enclave in Rural Damascus has decreased drastically this year compared to the previous year, leaving tens of thousands of people cut off from assistance.
The last time WFP reached Eastern Ghouta was in September, but so far this year only 70,000 people have received food assistance, out of an estimated population of nearly 400,000.
WFP and partners stand ready to deliver life-saving assistance and assess the level of need as soon as safe access is guaranteed.
WFP appeals for unconditional and safe access to the millions of people in need across the country, no matter where they are. An estimated 420,000 people in Syria live in besieged areas, and the vast majority of them are in Eastern Ghouta where food is limited and out of their reach.
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WFP is the world's largest humanitarian agency fighting hunger worldwide, delivering food assistance in emergencies and working with communities to improve nutrition and build resilience. Each year, WFP assists some 80 million people in around 80 countries.
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For more information please contact (email address: firstname.lastname@wfp.org):
Abeer Etefa, WFP/Cairo, Mob. +2 01066634352
Dina Elkassaby, WFP/Cairo, Mob. +2 01015218882