Syrian refugees in Morocco : facts and recommendations

Abstract

Defined as the “worst disaster since the end of the cold war”1, starting in the spring of 2011, the Syrian army was ordered to stop demonstrations that took place across the country. The violent response to peaceful demonstrations led to armed conflict between the government and the opposition. As a result of ongoing armed conflict, thousands of Syrians fled Syria to find safety in neighboring countries: Turkey, Lebanon and Jordan. By March 2013, UNHCR announced that the number of refugees fleeing Syria has reached one million2. Since the beginning of the Syrian civil war in 2011, approximately 5,000,000 Syrians had fled their homeland and another 6,000,000 have been displaced, almost one-third of the Syrian population. The number of Syrian refugees in the world is now higher than the entire populations of Denmark, Finland, Norway, Palestine, Ireland Kuwait or Qatar. An estimated six thousand Syrians are believed to be in Morocco by the middle of 20173. This is a study of the status of Syrian refugees in Morocco: The Moroccan governmental and political response to the crisis, facts and solutions of Syrian refugees in Morocco. The main and most important issues that Syrian refugees are facing: 1. Protection: legal, physical and psychological, 2. Adequate healthcare 3. Shelter and basic housing 4. Access to education 5. Employment 6. Food security and access to water