UN, Nordic groups meet at Finland humanitarian aid to Syria

HELSINKI – As talks between the Syrian government and rebel factions continue in Kazakhstan, Nordic and United Nations aid groups are meeting in Finland to discuss the plight of civilians in the war that has killed hundreds of thousands and displaced half the country’s population.

The meetings aim to provide more aid to people in the region, focusing on women, girls and other vulnerable groups such as the disabled.

Finnish Foreign Trade and Development Minister Kai Mykkanen said Monday that people tend to link the word “refugee” to men although 70 per cent are women and children, and most of them live in countries neighbouring Syria, not in Europe.

The two-day Helsinki conference convenes Tuesday with UN representatives to present humanitarian priorities for Syria in 2017 and launch a regional refugee plan.