icon icon icon icon icon icon icon

Syria Crisis: Eighty-three percent of Syria's lights extinguished after four years of crisis

Credit: Johanna Mitscherlich/CARE
Credit: Johanna Mitscherlich/CARE

Eighty-three percent of all the lights in Syria have gone out since the start of the conflict there, a global coalition of humanitarian and human rights organisations has revealed ahead of the fourth anniversary on March 15.

Analysing satellite images, scientists based at Wuhan University in China and the University of Maryland, in co-operation with the #WithSyria coalition of 130 non-governmental organisations, have shown that the number of lights visible over Syria at night has fallen by 83% since March 2011.

“Satellite imagery is the most objective source of data showing the devastation of Syria on a national scale,” said Dr Xi Li, lead researcher on the project. “Taken from 500 miles above the earth, these images help us understand the suffering and fear experienced by ordinary Syrians every day, as their country is destroyed around them. In the worst-affected areas, like Aleppo, a staggering 97% of the lights have gone out. The exceptions are the provinces of Damascus and Quneitra, near the Israeli border, where the decline in light has been 35% and 47% respectively.”

The #withSyria coalition also today released a hard-hitting film and launched a global petition at withsyria.com that calls on world leaders to ‘turn the lights back on in Syria’ by:

  • Prioritising a political solution with human rights at its heart;
  • Boosting the humanitarian response both for those inside Syria and refugees, including through increased resettlement;
  • Insisting that all parties put an end to attacks on civilians and stop blocking aid.

Dr Zaher Sahloul, President of the Syrian American Medical Society, said: “The rise of terrorist groups crossing borders has spread fear and focused the world’s attention on Syria – but it has distracted governments from the suffering of ordinary Syrians and the abuses committed by all sides in this conflict. Every day Syrian medics, aid workers and teachers are taking enormous risks to help their neighbours and loved ones, while the international community continuously fails to pursue a political solution and an end to the violence and suffering.”

In 2014, the UN Security Council adopted three resolutions that demanded action to secure protection and assistance for civilians in Syria. Since then, thousands of Syrians have been killed, and more people have been displaced or are in need of help than ever before. A new report ‘Failing Syria’ released today accuses warring parties and powerful states of failing to achieve what these resolutions set out to do.

Notes to Editors: 

  • The analysis of satellite imagery of Syria was conducted by Dr. Xi Li of the Laboratory for Information Engineering in Surveying, Mapping and Remote Sensing at Wuhan University in China. These figures were updated from Dr Xi’s (2014) study published in the International Journal of Remote Sensing, in which he and Prof. Deren Li analysed the effect of the Syrian Crisis on levels of night-time light as a means of evaluating and monitoring the conflict. By comparing the levels of light in March 2011 and February 2014, they found that in all of the provinces, the levels of night-time light had declined sharply following the breakout of the conflict. Indeed, in most provinces, the level of night-time light decreased by more than 60%. The authors also found that the number of internally displaced persons (IDPs) from each province showed a linear correlation with the level of night-light loss.
  • The province-by-province percentage decline in light is as follows: Idlib (96%); Al-Hasakah (77%); Al-Raqqah (96%); Al-Suwayda (80%); Quneitra (47%); Latakia (88%); Aleppo (97%); Hama (87%); Homs (87%); Daraa (74%); Deir ez-Zor (90%); Rif Dimashq (78%); Tartus (87%); Damascus (33%).
  • These satellite images, spanning the four years of crisis, are available for download here.
  • Photographs and b-roll will also be available of a community-led gathering inside Syria, during which Syrian children will release lights into the dawn sky, symbolising the need to turn lights back on in Syria.
  • The #withSyria coalition is a movement of humanitarian and human rights organisations from around the world, including Save the Children, International Rescue Committee, and the International Federation for Human Rights (FIDH), standing in solidarity with those caught in the conflict. More information, including a new petition and global campaign film: http://www.withsyria.com.
  • A group of aid agencies today also released a scathing critique of the UN Security Council powers detailing how they have failed civilians in Syria. The report, from International Rescue Committee, Norwegian Refugee Council, Oxfam, Save the Children and World Vision, shows that although three UN resolutions meant to secure protection and assistance for civilians were passed last year, humanitarian access to large parts of Syria has diminished and more people are being killed, displaced and are in need of assistance.
  • The video for the campaign, Afraid of the Dark, was created by multi-award-winning agency Don’t Panic, who also created the Most Shocking Second a Day video to mark the conflict’s third anniversary last year. It starts with a young Syrian teenager living a comfortable life, with little more to be afraid of than the dark. But then we realise he is having a flashback to four years ago. Now, he is a 17-year-old man doing what he can to rescue other young victims of the conflict from the darkness that surrounds them.
  • The full list of signatories to this release is:

ACT Alliance; Alkarama Foundation; Alliance for Peacebuilding; American Friends Service Committee; Amnesty International; Andalus Institute for Tolerance and anti-Violence Studies; Arab Coalition for Sudan; Arab Foundation for Civil Society; Arab Organisation for Human Rights – Egypt; Arab Organisation for Human Rights – Libya; Arab Organisation for Human Rights – Syria; Arab Program For Human Rights Activists; Badael Foundation; Bahrain Human Rights Watch Society; Broederlijk Delen; CAABU (Council for Arab-British Understanding); CAFOD; Cairo Institute for Human Rights Studies; CARE France; CARE Germany; CARE International; CARE Luxembourg; CARE UK; CARE USA; Caritas Australia; Caritas Czech Republic; Center for Victims of Torture; ChildrenPlus; Christian Aid; Church of England; Center for Civilians in Conflict (CIVIC); Darfur Bar Association; Dawlaty; Development and Peace; Doctors of the World UK; Euro-Mediterranean Human Rights Network; Fédération Internationale des Droits de l’Homme (FIDH); Fraternity Birati Center for Democracy and Civil Society; Friends Committee on National Legislation; Global Center for R2P; Global Communities; GOAL; Governance Bureau – Sudan; Hand in Hand for Syria; HelpAge International; Human Rights & Democracy Media Center (SHAMS); Human Rights First Society – Saudi Arabia; Human Rights Watch; Humanist Institute for Development Cooperation (HIVOS); International Rescue Committee (IRC); Islamic Relief; Justice et Paix; Karam Foundation; Lebanese Center for Human Rights; Ligue des droits de l’Homme (LDH); MAP UK; Médecins du Monde (MdM); MENA Coalition to Stop use of Child Soldiers; MercyCorps; Middle East and North Africa Partnership for Preventing of Armed Conflict; Najda-Now; No Peace Without Justice; Nonviolence Network in the Arab Countries; Norwegian Church Aid; Norwegian Refugee Council; One World Egypt; Open Doors International; Open Doors UK & Ireland; Oxfam International; Pax Christi International; People In Need; Permanent Peace Movement; Physicians for Human Rights; Protection Approaches; Refugees International; Refugee Council; Relief & Reconciliation for Syria AISBL; Rethink Rebuild Society; Save the Children; Sawa for Development and Aid; Solidarités International; Souriyat Association; South Africa Forum for International Solidarity (SAFIS); Sudan Social Development Organisations (SUDO UK); Syrian American Medical Society (SAMS); Syrian Athletics Body; Syrian Community in Egypt; Syrian Relief and Development; Syrian Women Hand in Hand; Tearfund; The Day After Association; The Syria Campaign; The Violation Documentation Center in Syria; Trocaire; United to End Genocide; Welthungerhilfe; World Food Program USA; World Vision; World Vision UK; Zarga Organisation for Rural Development (ZORD) – Sudan.

-ENDS-

About CARE:

Founded in 1945, CARE is a leading humanitarian organization fighting global poverty. CARE has more than six decades of experience helping people prepare for disasters, providing lifesaving assistance when a crisis hits, and helping communities recover after the emergency has passed. CARE places special focus on women and children, who are often disproportionately affected by disasters. To learn more, visit www.care.org.

Resources

Cash and Voucher Assistance During COVID-19

Guidelines and a tip sheet for adapting cash and voucher programming during COVID-19.

Read More

From Cholera to COVID: Applying Lessons Learned

Lessons learned and program recommendations for COVID based on CARE's learning from previous epidemics.

Read More

Working with Savings Groups During COVID 19 (French)

Un outil de CARE sur comment travailler avec les groupements d'epargne et credit dans le context de COVID 19

Read More

Syria Crisis: Eighty-three percent of Syria’s lights extinguished after four years of crisis

Eighty-three percent of all the lights in Syria have gone out since the start of the conflict there, a global coalition of humanitarian and human rights organisations has revealed ahead of the fourth anniversary on March 15.Analysing satellite images, scientists based at Wuhan University in China and the University of Maryland, in co-operation with the

Read More

Syria Crisis: Eighty-three percent of Syria’s lights extinguished after four years of crisis

Eighty-three percent of all the lights in Syria have gone out since the start of the conflict there, a global coalition of humanitarian and human rights organisations has revealed ahead of the fourth anniversary on March 15.Analysing satellite images, scientists based at Wuhan University in China and the University of Maryland, in co-operation with the

Read More

Syria Crisis: Eighty-three percent of Syria’s lights extinguished after four years of crisis

Eighty-three percent of all the lights in Syria have gone out since the start of the conflict there, a global coalition of humanitarian and human rights organisations has revealed ahead of the fourth anniversary on March 15.Analysing satellite images, scientists based at Wuhan University in China and the University of Maryland, in co-operation with the

Read More

CARE Cash and Voucher Playbook

A substantial body of evidence shows that giving vulnerable people money instead of in kind assistance allows them to meet a variety of needs while making aid budgets go further.

Read More

Doing Nexus Differently

How can Humanitarian and Development Actors link or integrate humanitarian action, development, and peace?

Read More

Typhoon Haiyan Resconstruction: Results So Far

4 page summary highlighting results so far from the Typhoon Haiyan Reconstruction Project, funded through Global Affairs Canada

Read More

Helsinki Report Stand and Deliver digital

On 4 February 2016, the international community agreed on a ‘comprehensive new approach’ to address the protracted Syria crisis at the “Supporting Syria and the Region” Conference in London. Donors, and neighboring countries, which host the vast majority of those who have fed Syria, committed to significant financial pledges and policy changes to improve the lives of refugees and host communities. As the one-year mark of the conference approaches, 3 NGO platforms and 28 organizations have reviewed whether donors and host governments have fulfilled their commitments, and whether their actions have led to an improvement in the situation for refugees and host communities in the region.

Read More

Suffering in Silence: 2016

In 2016, we saw numerous news-breaking humanitarian crises. Yet these headlines were just the tip of an ever-growing humanitarian iceberg. Underneath these more visible crises lay many more that never made it into the news. This report highlights where the global community must step up action to bring an end to human suffering and promote a world of peace and social justice.

Read More

SOUTH SUDAN Emergency Factsheet January 2016

Read More

CARE Impact Syria Crisis March 2016

Read More

CARE Syria Crisis Fact Sheet March 2016

Read More

CARE On Her Own refugee media report Sept 2016

Read More

Yemen Factsheet (March 2016)

A one-page factsheet showing the humanitarian needs of Yemen and how CARE is responding as of March 2016.

Read More

Women, Work, and War: Research Study

Five years of war and displacement have triggered fundamental shifts in gender roles and responsibilities, both in Syria and in neighboring countries. In Syria before the crisis, women’s economic participation was relatively low at 22 percent in 2010, with some legal barriers but mainly sociocultural norms and practice limiting women’s roles and responsibilities inside and outside the house. As a result of the upheaval, however, Syrian women and men feel that their roles and responsibilities have been reversed: while women increasingly participate in decision-making on income and expenses and assume responsibilities outside the home, men have lost their traditional role as the sole breadwinner and decision-maker.

Read More

Syria Crisis: Eighty-three percent of Syria’s lights extinguished after four years of crisis

Eighty-three percent of all the lights in Syria have gone out since the start of the conflict there, a global coalition of humanitarian and human rights organisations has revealed ahead of the fourth anniversary on March 15.Analysing satellite images, scientists based at Wuhan University in China and the University of Maryland, in co-operation with the

Read More

Syria Crisis: Eighty-three percent of Syria’s lights extinguished after four years of crisis

Eighty-three percent of all the lights in Syria have gone out since the start of the conflict there, a global coalition of humanitarian and human rights organisations has revealed ahead of the fourth anniversary on March 15.Analysing satellite images, scientists based at Wuhan University in China and the University of Maryland, in co-operation with the

Read More

The Forgotten South Executive Summary: Food Security and Livelihoods in Southern Syria

This executive summary analyzes the current economic and livelihoods challenges in conflict-affected communities in Southern Sudan.

Read More

The Forgotten South Executive Summary: Food Security and Livelihoods in Southern Syria

This executive summary analyzes the current economic and livelihoods challenges in conflict-affected communities in Southern Sudan.

Read More

REACH-S Project

Eliminating the immediate suffering of Internally Displaced Persons in host communities

Read More

SHOUHARDO II

Innovative USAID-funded program that links food aid with building long-term food and nutrition security 

Read More

Multi-Sectoral Assistance for Populations in Crisis (MAP)

Providing a means for survival for IDPs experiencing economic and humanitarian uncertainty 

Read More

Syria Crisis: Eighty-three percent of Syria’s lights extinguished after four years of crisis

Eighty-three percent of all the lights in Syria have gone out since the start of the conflict there, a global coalition of humanitarian and human rights organisations has revealed ahead of the fourth anniversary on March 15.Analysing satellite images, scientists based at Wuhan University in China and the University of Maryland, in co-operation with the

Read More

Paper: “Our small peace cannot survive alone”

Lessons in peacebuilding and economic development in South Sudan. 

Read More

Syria Crisis: Eighty-three percent of Syria’s lights extinguished after four years of crisis

Eighty-three percent of all the lights in Syria have gone out since the start of the conflict there, a global coalition of humanitarian and human rights organisations has revealed ahead of the fourth anniversary on March 15.Analysing satellite images, scientists based at Wuhan University in China and the University of Maryland, in co-operation with the

Read More

Emergencies: CARE In Action

Read More

Six Months Later: CARE’s Nepal Earthquake Response

A two-page report about CARE's response to the deadly earthquakes in Nepal in 2015.

Read More

Syria Crisis: Eighty-three percent of Syria’s lights extinguished after four years of crisis

Eighty-three percent of all the lights in Syria have gone out since the start of the conflict there, a global coalition of humanitarian and human rights organisations has revealed ahead of the fourth anniversary on March 15.Analysing satellite images, scientists based at Wuhan University in China and the University of Maryland, in co-operation with the

Read More

Nepal Earthquake: Factsheet

As of July 2015

Read More

Factsheet: Nepal Earthquakes

Read More

Nepal: Rapid Gender Analysis Overview

Read More

Charting a New Course: Overcoming the Stalemate in Gaza

Read More

Syria Crisis: Eighty-three percent of Syria’s lights extinguished after four years of crisis

Eighty-three percent of all the lights in Syria have gone out since the start of the conflict there, a global coalition of humanitarian and human rights organisations has revealed ahead of the fourth anniversary on March 15.Analysing satellite images, scientists based at Wuhan University in China and the University of Maryland, in co-operation with the

Read More

Factsheet: Floods in Southern Africa

Read More

Haiti Earthquake: Progress Report, 2010-2015

Read More

Impact Update: Five Years After the Haiti Earthquake

Read More

Factsheet: CARE’s Response to the 2004 Tsunami

Read More

Haiti Earthquake: Five-year Progress Report

Over the last five years, CARE has transitioned from post-earthquake emergency relief into programming aimed at addressing the underlying causes of poverty that increase vulnerability to disaster. Our efforts have focused on sustainable economic development, rebuilding of the urban fabric, improved education, and food security.

Read More

Learning from Crisis: Strengthening Humanitarian Response Since the 2004 Indian Ocean Tsunami

Read More

Five Years After The Haiti Earthquake:

Building Back Safer, Stronger - A Financial Update

Read More

Haiti Earthquake: 5 Year Donor Report

Haiti Earthquake Emergency Response Fund - January 2010 – December 2014

Read More

CRITICAL DIAGNOSIS

The Case for Placing South Sudan’s Healthcare System at the Heart of the Humanitarian Response

Read More

One Year Later: Typhoon Haiyan Emergency and Recovery Response

One year later, CARE continues to reach needy families and communities affected by Typhoon Haiyan.

Read More

One Year After Typhoon Haiyan

From Emergency Aid to "Build Back Safer"

Read More

Syria Crisis: Eighty-three percent of Syria’s lights extinguished after four years of crisis

Eighty-three percent of all the lights in Syria have gone out since the start of the conflict there, a global coalition of humanitarian and human rights organisations has revealed ahead of the fourth anniversary on March 15.Analysing satellite images, scientists based at Wuhan University in China and the University of Maryland, in co-operation with the

Read More

Fact Sheet:Syria Crisis: CARE’s response in Jordan, Lebanon and Egypt

June 2012 through March 2014

Read More

‘THE GIRL HAS NO RIGHTS’

This 12 page report on Gender-Based Violence in South Sudan, from May 2014, provides the results of interviews and research CARE is...

Read More

The Syrian Humanitarian Crisis

Read More

South Sudan Crisis Factsheet April 2014

Read More

Syria Crisis: Eighty-three percent of Syria’s lights extinguished after four years of crisis

Eighty-three percent of all the lights in Syria have gone out since the start of the conflict there, a global coalition of humanitarian and human rights organisations has revealed ahead of the fourth anniversary on March 15.Analysing satellite images, scientists based at Wuhan University in China and the University of Maryland, in co-operation with the

Read More

Syria Crisis: Eighty-three percent of Syria’s lights extinguished after four years of crisis

Eighty-three percent of all the lights in Syria have gone out since the start of the conflict there, a global coalition of humanitarian and human rights organisations has revealed ahead of the fourth anniversary on March 15.Analysing satellite images, scientists based at Wuhan University in China and the University of Maryland, in co-operation with the

Read More

Lives Unseen: Urban Syrian Refugees and Jordanian Host Communities Three Years into the Syria Crisis

Urban Syrian refugees and Jordanian host communities three years into the Syria Crisis

Read More

Syria Crisis: Eighty-three percent of Syria’s lights extinguished after four years of crisis

Eighty-three percent of all the lights in Syria have gone out since the start of the conflict there, a global coalition of humanitarian and human rights organisations has revealed ahead of the fourth anniversary on March 15.Analysing satellite images, scientists based at Wuhan University in China and the University of Maryland, in co-operation with the

Read More

Syria Crisis: Eighty-three percent of Syria’s lights extinguished after four years of crisis

Eighty-three percent of all the lights in Syria have gone out since the start of the conflict there, a global coalition of humanitarian and human rights organisations has revealed ahead of the fourth anniversary on March 15.Analysing satellite images, scientists based at Wuhan University in China and the University of Maryland, in co-operation with the

Read More

Syria Crisis: Eighty-three percent of Syria’s lights extinguished after four years of crisis

Eighty-three percent of all the lights in Syria have gone out since the start of the conflict there, a global coalition of humanitarian and human rights organisations has revealed ahead of the fourth anniversary on March 15.Analysing satellite images, scientists based at Wuhan University in China and the University of Maryland, in co-operation with the

Read More

Reaching Resilience Handbook

A handbook for aid practitioners and policymakers in disaster risk reduction, climate change adaptation and poverty reduction

Read More

Three Months After the Storm

Update on CARE's Response to Typhoon Haiyan

Read More

Syria Crisis: Eighty-three percent of Syria’s lights extinguished after four years of crisis

Eighty-three percent of all the lights in Syria have gone out since the start of the conflict there, a global coalition of humanitarian and human rights organisations has revealed ahead of the fourth anniversary on March 15.Analysing satellite images, scientists based at Wuhan University in China and the University of Maryland, in co-operation with the

Read More

White Paper on Food Aid Policy (2006)

This paper briefly summarizes our analyses, options, and directions on food resources and spending on food aid. 

Read More

South Sudan Humanitarian Snapshot

January 4, 2014

Read More

South Sudan Crisis Response Plan

January to March 2014

Read More

South Sudan Crisis

Situation Report as of January 4, 2014

Read More

Syria Crisis: Eighty-three percent of Syria’s lights extinguished after four years of crisis

Eighty-three percent of all the lights in Syria have gone out since the start of the conflict there, a global coalition of humanitarian and human rights organisations has revealed ahead of the fourth anniversary on March 15.Analysing satellite images, scientists based at Wuhan University in China and the University of Maryland, in co-operation with the

Read More

The Syrian Humanitarian Crisis: Raising the Profile of Women and Girls

We call on donor governments to address the specific needs of women and girls affected by the crisis in Syria.

Read More

Humanitarian Action at CARE USA: Capacity Statement

Read More

Syria Crisis: Eighty-three percent of Syria’s lights extinguished after four years of crisis

Eighty-three percent of all the lights in Syria have gone out since the start of the conflict there, a global coalition of humanitarian and human rights organisations has revealed ahead of the fourth anniversary on March 15.Analysing satellite images, scientists based at Wuhan University in China and the University of Maryland, in co-operation with the

Read More

Roadmap for Continued U.S. Leadership to End Global Hunger

Read More

Sex and Age Matter: Improving Humanitarian Response in Emergencies

Read More

Food Security and Humanitarian Implications in West Africa and the Sahel

Read More

Syria Crisis: Eighty-three percent of Syria’s lights extinguished after four years of crisis

Eighty-three percent of all the lights in Syria have gone out since the start of the conflict there, a global coalition of humanitarian and human rights organisations has revealed ahead of the fourth anniversary on March 15.Analysing satellite images, scientists based at Wuhan University in China and the University of Maryland, in co-operation with the

Read More

Syria: Humanitarian Snapshot

As of 17 September 2013

Read More

Syria Crisis: Eighty-three percent of Syria’s lights extinguished after four years of crisis

Eighty-three percent of all the lights in Syria have gone out since the start of the conflict there, a global coalition of humanitarian and human rights organisations has revealed ahead of the fourth anniversary on March 15.Analysing satellite images, scientists based at Wuhan University in China and the University of Maryland, in co-operation with the

Read More

Syria Crisis: Eighty-three percent of Syria’s lights extinguished after four years of crisis

Eighty-three percent of all the lights in Syria have gone out since the start of the conflict there, a global coalition of humanitarian and human rights organisations has revealed ahead of the fourth anniversary on March 15.Analysing satellite images, scientists based at Wuhan University in China and the University of Maryland, in co-operation with the

Read More

Haiti Earthquake: Three Year Report

Three years after the worst earthquake in Haiti’s history, the massive task of recovery and reconstruction continues.

Read More

Syria Crisis: Eighty-three percent of Syria’s lights extinguished after four years of crisis

Eighty-three percent of all the lights in Syria have gone out since the start of the conflict there, a global coalition of humanitarian and human rights organisations has revealed ahead of the fourth anniversary on March 15.Analysing satellite images, scientists based at Wuhan University in China and the University of Maryland, in co-operation with the

Read More

CARE Haiti: Governance

CARE Haiti places strong emphasis on developing the principles of good governance in all its program sectors.

Read More
Back to Top