A/HRC/21/50 C. Socioeconomic and humanitarian situation 32. The crisis precipitated a rapid decline in the State‘s economy. It has exacerbated preexisting levels of poverty and unemployment driven by a decade-long drought in rural agricultural areas, which led to the displacement of farmers to cities, and growing resentment against those who were, or appeared to be, enjoying the economic benefits distributed by the Government. According to the International Monetary Fund, the economy of the Syrian Arab Republic will contract significantly in 2012, primarily because of sanctions. The sharp drop in economic growth has been accompanied by alarming indicators, such as the devaluation of the Syrian pound, which has lost 30 per cent of its value since the onset of events, and inflation that soared to over 50 per cent.3 33. The militarization of the conflict deepened the humanitarian crisis. Thousands of Syrians have been internally displaced or have fled to neighboring countries. At the time of writing, the United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees (UNHCR) estimated that 1.5 million people had been internally displaced. The Syrian population is increasingly turning to the Syrian Arab Red Crescent, the World Food Programme and other organizations for help.4 By July, there were 114,208 Syrians registered as refugees, receiving assistance in four neighbouring countries (42,682 in Turkey, 34,050 in Jordan, 29,986 in Lebanon and 7,490 in Iraq).5 Refugees inside the Syrian Arab Republic, including some 500,000 Palestinians and more than 103,000 registered Iraqi refugees,6 are also affected by the situation. UNCHR reported that more than 13,000 Iraqi refugees left the Syrian Arab Republic in the first half of 2012, most returning to Iraq.7 34. On 16 July, the commission received information from the Government of the Syrian Arab Republic stating that it had been subjected ―to more than 60 packages of illegal unilateral coercive sanctions by the United States of America, the European Union, the League of Arab States, Turkey, Switzerland, Canada, Australia, Japan and others‖. In the Government‘s view, these sanctions, which target economic, financial and agricultural life in the country, amount to collective punishment against the Syrian people. The Government particularly deplored the sanctions imposed on the import of oil products, including domestic gas and fuel oil, which severely affected the livelihood of ordinary Syrians. The negative consequences of sanctions, including those on public and private banking systems, oil exports and the import of medical supplies, were also denounced. 35. Accounts from interviewees demonstrated that entire communities are suffering from a lack of food, fuel, water, electricity and medical supplies. Shortages are especially acute in areas such as Homs, Idlib, Dar‘a and Hama. People forced by the hostilities to leave their homes are in urgent need of shelter. According to the Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs, the number of people in urgent need of assistance has risen sharply, from an estimated 1 to 1.5 million people,8 and continues to rise steadily. 36. The fourth meeting of the Syrian Humanitarian Forum, held on 16 July 2012, concluded that the deteriorating humanitarian situation was a matter of grave concern to the 3 4 5 6 7 8 Matthew Epstein and Ahmed Saeed, ―‗Smart‘ sanctions take toll on Syria‖, Financial Times, 18 July 2012. UNCHR, ―UNHCR gravely concerned about dramatic escalation of Syria exodus‖, 20 July 2012, available from www.unhcr.org/50094bdcb.htm. See UNHCR, Syria Regional Refugee Response, data.unhcr.org/syrianrefugees/regional.php. The Government of the Syrian Arab Republic estimates that the number of Iraqi refugees in the country stands at more than 1 million. OCHA, Humanitarian Bulletin, Syria, No. 3, 5 July 2012. OCHA, Humanitarian Bulletin, Middle East and North Africa, No. 2, May–June 2012. 9