UNICEF Canada President & CEO responds to Government of Canada announcement

OTTAWA, Jan. 7, 2016 /CNW/ - Today, at a press conference, The Honourable Marie-Claude Bibeau, Minister of International Development and La Francophonie, announced that the Government of Canada is extending its commitment, through the Syria Emergency Relief Fund, to match every eligible dollar donated by individual Canadians in response to the Syrian Crisis until February 29. David Morley, UNICEF Canada's president and CEO took part in today's announcement and had the following response to the match extension:

"We're very pleased by Canada's commitment today to extend the match for the Syrian crisis response—allowing for Canadian donations made up until February 29 to reach twice as many children and families in Syria and the region with critical, life-saving support. Thisbasic needs. They have been force to leave their homes. Collapsed health services have left children highly vulnerable to potentially fatal diseases such as measles, pneumonia and polio. In areas of heavy conflict, indiscriminate bombing and shelling have destroyed water and sanitation infrastructure leaving millions of people at risk of disease outbreak. This conflict has forced more than half of all Syrians to leave their homes and more than 17 million people are in need of support in Syria and in neighbouring countries – including more than eight million children. The majority are still living inside Syria, where UNICEF is responding to those most in need through coordinating relief efforts and providing health care, education and protection to children and their families and reaching those in hard-to-reach and