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Five Years Later: A Story of Hope

Five years after the start of the Syrian crisis, the birth of the 5,000th baby in Zaatari camp highlights the importance of reproductive health services.

By UN Foundation

March 15^th, 2016

the human toll of the crisis in syria

The numbers are stunning. Five years after conflict erupted in Syria, more than 13 million people are in urgent need of humanitarian assistance, and more than half of Syrians have fled their homes. Today, more than 4 million Syrians have left the country altogether, many to neighboring countries. In early March, the United Nations Foundation visited Zaatari, the largest Syrian refugee camp in Jordan. With a population of more than 80,000, it is now considered to be the fourth largest city in Jordan.

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Zaatari camp stretches into the Jordanian desert as far as the eye can see.

hope, resilience, and new life in the face of adversity

Behind these numbers are the stories of real people - families who are persevering in the face of tremendous adversity. Here is one of those stories.

On February 23, baby Rima was born in Zaatari as the second child to parents Khoulod Ahmad Suleiman, 21, and Mohammad Salameh, 22. Like many couples, they wanted to start a family after they got married. Unlike most couples though, they had to start this chapter of their lives far away from home, in a refugee camp. While they originally intended to stay in Zaatari for a few months, they have now lived in the camp for more than two years. In this uncertain situation, they’ve tried to find some degree of normalcy: Mohammad successfully runs Zaatari’s thriving falafel shop, and they are now the proud parents of two girls, Rima and Alaa, both born in the Women and Girls’ Comprehensive Center, which is supported by the United Nations Population Fund (UNFPA).

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Khoulod Ahmad Suleiman, 21, and Mohammad Salameh, 22, with their newborn daughter, Rima, and Alaa, 2.

a happy milestone: the 5,000th baby safely born in zaatari's clinic for women and girls

Rima is the 5,000th baby born in the clinic. Since UNFPA started managing the clinic, not a single woman has died giving birth. These 5,000 successful childbirths in Zaatari are even more impressive when we consider that 800 women die every single day due to pregnancy-related causes. In addition to providing high quality antenatal and postnatal care, the UNFPA-supported clinic safely delivers between 6-10 babies every day. Baby Rima was named after Dr. Rima Diab, who helped deliver her. Dr. Rima has worked six days a week at the clinic for the last three and a half years. She said she is driven by her desire to ensure every woman can give birth safely and comfortably. She is one of 39 staffers who keep the clinic open 24/7.

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Dr. Rima Diab, with her namesake, works long hours, six days a week to ensure that women have access to quality health care.

providing essential health services

After Khoulod gave birth to baby Rima, she was provided with a “new mother and baby” kit with basic supplies, put together by the United Nations Children’s Fund (UNICEF) and distributed by UNFPA. Khoulod says she wants to have another child, but wants to wait two or three years. In the meantime, the clinic will be able to provide her with free family planning information and services. The clinic serves 20,000 girls and women in Zaatari, providing critical comprehensive sexual and reproductive health services, gender based violence services, counseling, educational programs, and programs aimed to reduce early and forced marriage.

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The entrance to the clinic, supported by UNFPA in partnership with Jordanian Health Aid Society.

Women wait in line to receive comprehensive sexual and reproductive health care services.

There are six beds in the maternity ward.

A newborn, hours old, in the maternity section of the clinic. She is one of three babies born the morning of our visit.

UNICEF and UNFPA work together to provide new moms with essential supplies.

The clinic provides a full range of contraception options, in addition to other medication, free of charge.

Staff in the immunization room. Babies receive their immunizations, provided by UNICEF, while mothers receive their postnatal checkup.

each of us can help

There is much more work to be done. Currently, there are more than 630,000 refugees in Jordan, 16,000 of whom are pregnant at any one time. They are at increased risk of trauma, disease, and gender based violence. In fact, more than 60 percent of preventable maternal deaths occur in humanitarian settings. Additionally, the Syrian crisis has exacerbated issues like early marriage, which puts girls at an increased risk of pregnancy-related complications and death.

Families who have to flee their homes go through so much and deserve access to quality health services. The work of UNFPA, UN humanitarian agencies, and their partners is more important than ever. Each of us can help ensure that they have the resources to perform their life-saving and life-changing work.

To learn more and donate, click here .

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Three generations of Syrian women sit outside of the clinic.

Footnotes

Cover photo credit: Patrick Adams; Other credits: UNFPA

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FootNotes

Cover photo credit: Patrick Adams; Other credits: UNFPA

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