Neena Gill // We must stand with Syria's women | International Politics and Society - IPS

6.3.18

We must stand with Syria's women | International Politics and Society - IPS: According to aid workers, the UN was made aware of such practices as early as in 2015 - but turned a blind eye. Humanitarian news agency IRIN on Monday backed up allegations that the organisation has repeatedly shelved direly needed reforms to its humanitarian aid in Syria. But it also provides important clues as to the source of the problem, reminding us of how the Syrian Assad regime continues to actively prevent the majority of UN aid convoys from entering rebel-held areas. This means that aid ends up in the often abusive hands of uncontrollable middlemen.

In response, one might ask whether working through third parties, even if unreliable, is better than not delivering any aid at all. This is the wrong question to ask.