Push and pull factors in syrian migration

Since the outbreak of a civil war in Syria in it has been d that the rate of migration has also escalated. This kind of migration is mainlycaused by both pull and push factors. According to the Migration Policy Centre, “ An estimated 9 million Syrians have fled their homes since the outbreak of civil war in March 2011, taking refuge in neighbouring countries or within Syria itself.” The United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees (UNHCR) reports that about 2. 5 million Syrians have fled to neighbouring countries such as Turkey, Lebanon, Jordan and Iraq. About 100 000 refugees have also managed to get asylum in European countries. David Williams also concurs with this by stating that “ An average of almost 5, 000 Syrians are fleeing into neighbouring countries every day.” This has resulted in the officials warning of the need for more humanitarian aid to the support communities.
Many Syrians have been forced out of their homes and ultimately their country as a result of raging war. There is no peace in this country as a result of the war and it is hardly possible to live in such a place. It can also be seen that homes and other necessary infrastructure have been destroyed as a result of this war. As a result, the Syrians are left with no option but to migrate to other areas that are believed to be safe. Many people who have migrated from the war torn Syria have sought refuge in neighbouring countries as well as other European countries. These people are often forced to seek asylum or refuge as a result of the fact that they are left with nowhere to stay after their homes have been destroyed in the raging civil war in their country.
Some people are also encouraged to migrate to other destinations by the favourable conditions thought to exist there. However, not all of them find their lives rosy in these far away destinations such as Europe. Yardly Jim and Planigiani, Gaia aptly state that “ Having risked their lives in hopes of settling in prospering Northern Europe, many Syrians found themselves trapped in the south, living illegally in Italy, hiding from the police, as they tried to sneak past border guards and travel north to apply for asylum.” There are some lucky ones who have successfully applied for refuge and some have found employment. As a result of tough European laws on migration as well as asylum seeking, many people have found themselves trapped in these far off destinations believed to be safe havens.
The children as well as the education sector have not been spared by the devastating conflict in Syria. According to the United Nations Children’s Fund (UNICEF), the number of children affected by war and in need of humanitarian assistance has doubled from last year. The UN reports estimates “ that a total of 5. 5 million children have had their lives devastated by the war, and calls on the international community to take action.” Schools have been destroyed and the majority of them closed as a result of the civil war. This has also resulted in children migrating together with their parents to places that are believed to be safe. However, the war has traumatised many children who are holed in refugee camps together with their parents. These children are malnourished and they are exposed to harsh weather conditions, something unbearable at their tender age.
Over and above, it can be noted that there are mainly two factors that encourage people to migrate from one country to the other. These factors are known as push and pull. As illustrated by the case of Syria, it can be observed that millions of people are pushed out of their country as a result of the devastating war that has left millions destitute and homeless. These people are forced to seek refuge in other neighbouring as well as far of countries. On the other hand, it can be noted that people are encouraged to move to other regions as a result of promising living conditions existing in that area. These are known as pull factors. Of concern is the fact that migration caused by war is not voluntary in most cases since it is beyond the control of many people. People are forced to move to other places not by desire or will but the need to protect their lives.
Works cited
Migration Policy Centre, “ Syrian refugees- A snapshot of the crisis- In the Middle East and
Europe.” < http://syrianrefugees. eu/>. February 2014. Web 10 July 2014.
UN News Center. “ Number of children affected by conflict in Syria has doubled since last
year – UN. < http://www. un. org/apps/news/story. asp? NewsID= 47320#. U75clEDuPMw>. 11 March 2014. Web. 10 July 2014.
Williams David. “ The calamity of the century: Syrian civil war prompts worlds biggest
refugee crisis as UN reveals TWO MILLION people have fled fighting.” . 4 September, 2013. Web 10 July 2014.
Yardly Jim and Planigiani, Gaia. “ Out of Syria, Into a European Maze: As war rages on,
more refugees are risking a journey to what they hope will be prosperous new lives.” The New York Times. < http://www. nytimes. com/2013/11/30/world/middleeast/out-of-syria-into-a-european-maze. html? pagewanted= all&_r= 0>. 29 November 2013. Web. 10 July 2014