Save the Children Australia Calls for Lasting Difference in Syria
There had been reports that civilians in Syria are clamouring for food, clean water and medical care more than ever. The reports came after Geneva II peace talks between the warring sides failed over the week.
Save the Children Australia is calling for unity of support between Australia and the United Nations to achieve a resolution that will bring full and immediate humanitarian access inside Syria.
The organisation hoped that talks with United Nations Security Council happening in New York can open the opportunity to finally make a lasting difference in Syria.
It particularly called for Australia's Foreign Minister Julia Bishop to use Australia's influence as one of UN's top decision-making body to bring the issue to the table.
"We encourage Foreign Minister Julie Bishop to help unite the Security Council this week in a resolution demanding full and unfettered humanitarian access in Syria. Syria's children cannot wait any longer, the chief executive for Save the Children Australia, Paul Ronalds, said.
Mr Ronald's emphasised that Australia has a key role to play in the talks as one of the members of the Security Council.
"Ultimately, we need an end to the bloodshed and for parties to agree to stop the fighting. But until that happens, full and immediate humanitarian access would ensure medical care for injured children, food for starving families, clean water, shelter and some hope for the future," Mr Ronald's said.
Australia had been one of UN's top decision-making bodies and Ms Bishop is widely acknowledged as a chief architect of a UN Presidential Statement on humanitarian access inside Syria.
The UN Presidential Statement is primarily aimed to send a strong message to all of the parties fighting in Syria that they should facilitate unfettered humanitarian access.
However, Save the Children Australia did not see any positive outcome since 2013. People continue to die and the humanitarian situation continue to deteriorate.
"The Australian sponsored UN Security Council Presidential Statement on Syria was an important and welcome step, but we are concerned by the very limited progress in its implementation since its adoption over four months ago. A resolution would be a clear statement that enough is enough, and that the world is united in its call to allow all civilians affected by the war in Syria to receive the life-saving aid they are entitled to," Mr Ronalds added.