---
title: "Syria Cessation of Hostilities Welcome: Humanitarian Aid Desperately Needed"
slug: "syria-cessation-of-hostilities-welcome-humanitarian-aid-desperately-needed"
post_type: "post"
published_at: "2016-09-16T18:49:02+01:00"
modified_at: "2023-05-10T16:37:47+01:00"
author: "CIHRS"
url: "https://cihrs.org/syria-cessation-of-hostilities-welcome-humanitarian-aid-desperately-needed/?lang=en"
category:
  - "Arab Countries"
  - "International Advocacy Program"
post_tag:
  - "Aleppo"
causes_and_rights:
  - "Protection of Civilians"
country:
  - "Syria"
interest:
  - "Statements and Positions"
---

# Syria Cessation of Hostilities Welcome: Humanitarian Aid Desperately Needed

**A statement from 101 Syrian, regional and international humanitarian and human rights organisations on Syria’s Cessation of Hostilities**

This week’s cessation of hostilities agreement negotiated by Russia and the US could be an important and welcome step forward for the future of Syria. Countless lives are saved each day this cessation holds.[![2982](https://cihrs.org/wp-content/uploads/2012/02/2982-150x150.jpg)](https://cihrs.org/wp-content/uploads/2012/02/2982.jpg)

Now that Russia and the US have brought about a significant reduction in violence and a cessation of airstrikes, they must use their influence over the Syrian government, non-state armed groups and other parties to the conflict to ensure full and unhindered humanitarian access across the country. Besieged areas like eastern Aleppo, where 275,000 people are trapped and desperate for food, fuel and medical supplies, and Madaya, where there has been an outbreak of meningitis, should be prioritized.

**Sporadic and temporary cessations of violence cannot become ends in themselves.** The success of this agreement should not be measured just by a reduction in fighting. It needs to be accompanied by unfettered and sustained humanitarian access throughout Syria; an end to the forced displacement of communities as seen recently in Darayya; and a political process that addresses the root causes of the crisis.

Russia and the United States have proved for the second time that they have the power to silence the weapons in Syria. **The lives of innocent Syrian civilians are in their hands.** The brutal conflict and unlawful targeting of civilians and civilian structures such as hospitals, schools and markets cannot be allowed to recommence.

This cessation of hostilities agreement may provide a rare opportunity to move towards a negotiated political solution to Syria’s devastating conflict. We call on Russia and the United States to ensure that this opportunity is not wasted. The US and Russia’s counterparts in the International Syria Support Group must also stand up to their responsibilities to use their influence to encourage all parties to the conflict to respect the cessation, to monitor and report violations of the cessation, and to comply with their obligations under international humanitarian and human rights law.

**Signed**

1. 11.11.11
2. Abrar Halap Association for Relief and Development
3. Action Contre la Faim
4. Ahl Horan
5. Al Seeraj For Development And Healthcare
6. Alkawakibi Human Rights Organization
7. American Relief Coalition for Syria
8. Amrha
9. Andalus Institute for Tolerance & Anti-Violence Studies
10. Arab Center for the Promotion of Human Rights
11. Arab Coalition for Sudan
12. Arab Foundation for Civil Society
13. Arab Organisation for Human Rights - Mauritania
14. Arab program for human rights activists (APHRA)
15. Association de Soutien aux Médias Libres
16. Attaa for Relief and Development (ARD)
17. Balad Syria Organization
18. Bihar Relief Organization
19. Binna for Development
20. Bonyan
21. Bridge of Peace
22. Cairo Institute for Human Rights Studies
23. CAFOD
24. CARE International
25. CCFD - Terre Solidaire
26. Center for Civilians in Conflict
27. Children Plus
28. Christian Aid
29. Concern Worldwide
30. Council for Arab-British Understanding
31. Damascene House Foundation for Society Development
32. Deir Elzzor United Association (FURAT)
33. Doctors of the World UK
34. Education Without Borders (MIDAD)
35. Emaar AL Sham Humanitarian Association
36. Enjaz Development Foundation
37. Euro-Mediterranean Human Rights Monitor- Geneva
38. Fraternity Foundation For Human Rights
39. Ghiath Matar Foundation
40. Ghiras Al Nahda
41. Ghiras Foundation
42. Ghiras Syria
43. Global Call to Action Against Poverty
44. Global Centre for the Responsibility to Protect
45. Handicap International
46. Help 4 Syria
47. Human Appeal
48. Humanitarian Relief Association (IYD)
49. Ihsan Relief and Development
50. Insan for Psychosocial Support
51. International Humanitarian Relief
52. International Supporting Woman Association (ISWA)
53. International Rescue Committee
54. Irtiqaa Foundation
55. Islamic Relief
56. Just Foreign Policy, US
57. Karam Foundation, NFP
58. Local Development and Small-Projects Support (LDSPS)
59. Maram Foundation for Relief & Development
60. Middle East and North Africa Partnership for Preventing of Armed Conflict
61. Montreal Institute for Genocide and Human Rights Studies
62. Mountain Foundation
63. Najda Now
64. Nasaem Khair
65. Nuon Organization for Peacebuilding
66. Orient for Human Relief
67. Oxfam
68. Pax Christi International
69. Permanent Peace Movement
70. Qitaf Al Khair Relief Association
71. Rethink Rebuild Society
72. Saed Charity Association
73. Save A Soul
74. Save the Children
75. Sedra Association for Charity
76. Shama Association
77. Snabel Al Khyr
78. Society for Threatened Peoples
79. Student-led Movement to End Mass Atrocities
80. Syria Charity
81. Syria Relief
82. Syria Relief and Development
83. Syria Relief Organization
84. Syrian American Medical Society
85. Syrian Education Commission (SEC)
86. Syrian Network for Human Rights
87. Syrian Engineers for Construction and Development Organization (SECD)
88. Syrian Expatriate Medical Association (SEMA)
89. Syrian Medical Mission
90. Syrian Orphans Organization
91. Takaful Al Sham Charity Organization
92. The Center for Victims of Torture
93. The Syrian Establishment for Human Care & Enhancement (MASRRAT)
94. Tuba Dernegi
95. Unified Revolutionary Medical Bureau in East Gouta
96. Union of Relief and Medical Care Organizations (UOSSM)
97. Union of Syrians Abroad
98. Violations Documentation Center in Syria
99. Vision GRAM-International
100. WATAN
101. White Hands - Beyazeller
102. World Vision
103. Zain Foundation