UNITED NATIONS, Feb. 15 (Xinhua) -- The United Nations Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs (OCHA) on Friday hailed the successful delivery of aid to a remote makeshift settlement in Rukban on the Syria-Jordan border.
The United Nations and the Syrian Arab Red Crescent on Thursday completed a nine-day mission to Rukban, delivering much-needed humanitarian assistance to more than 40,000 displaced people, said OCHA in a press release.
This is only the second time that the United Nations has been able to reach the remote site from within Syria, where the cold winter months have exacerbated an already dire situation, it said.
"This UN and Syrian Arab Red Crescent inter-agency convoy has provided life-saving assistance to people at Rukban, many of whom are women and children who have been stranded in the desert in extremely harsh conditions for years, and allowed us to listen to their needs and wishes for the future," the press release quoted Sajjad Malik, the UN resident and humanitarian coordinator in Syria, as saying.
"People have been telling our teams how desperate their situation is; they are cold, hungry and lack access to the most basic services. Even water is scarce. What limited commodities are available are too expensive for most to afford. Women and girls face serious protection risks such as early marriage and sexual abuse."
The convoy distributed a one-month food ration to over 8,300 families, along with shelter materials and core relief items, including blankets, sleeping mats and water containers. Some 10,000 dignity kits were distributed to women and girls, while critical nutritional supplies were provided to young children, said OCHA.
Essential medicine and equipment were provided, and thousands of children were vaccinated. The United Nations also ensured that education supplies covering the needs of 8,000 children as well as recreational materials to children were part of the convoy, it said.
"While the completion of this convoy is an important achievement ... it is clear that much more is needed. The people at Rukban need a long-term solution, allowing them to return to their homes or a place of their choosing in safety and dignity. In the meantime, we need sustained access to provide ongoing assistance, and immediate steps need to be taken to improve people's access to medical treatment, including reproductive health care," said Malik.
The complex, large-scale aid operation is the biggest ever carried out by the United Nations in Syria. The mission lasted nine days, consisting of 133 trucks -- 118 loaded with relief supplies and 15 carrying logistics supplies -- with more than 300 staff, volunteers and commercial suppliers taking part. It took more than two months of advocacy and negotiations with all parties to ensure safe access to the site, said OCHA.
The United Nations continues to call on all parties to ensure safe and sustained access to people in need in Rukban and to people in need elsewhere in the country, it said.
