TRIPOLI, LEBANON -- (Marketwire) -- 01/25/13 -- From January 28 - 30, President & CEO of Save the Children, Patricia Erb, will be in Lebanon while United Nations member states, and UN agencies and NGO's, meet for the first high-level International Humanitarian Pledging Conference for Syria.

"As is always the case, children suffer most in conflict situations," said Ms. Erb. "The international community needs to engage in the effort to assist Syrian refugees. Despite the best efforts of aid workers, camps are reaching a breaking point. This is going to get much worse if numbers continue to rise at such an alarming rate."

Save the Children is calling for urgent funding to be made available to help Syrian refugees in Lebanon, Jordan and Iraq. Families and children fleeing conflict in Syria must have proper shelter and enough warm clothing, warm food, hot and clean water, blankets and heating fuel, to survive the cold months ahead.

Who:      Patricia Erb, President & CEO, Save the Children                  
                                                                            
What:     Patricia Erb will be on the ground in Lebanon while UN member     
          states, and UN agencies and NGO's, meet for the first high-level  
          International Humanitarian Pledging Conference for Syria.         
                                                                            
When:     January 28, 2013 - January 30, 2013                               
                                                                            
Where:    Lebanon; Beddawi refugee camp                                     
                                                                            
Why:      Since the uprising against Syrian President Bashar al-Assad began 
          21 months ago, violence in the country has forced over 440,000    
          refugees to flee to neighbouring countries. Save the Children is  
          on the ground in Lebanon, Jordan and Iraq, helping thousands of   
          children recover from their experiences and prepare for the coming
          winter.                                                           

About Save the Children

As the world's leading independent child rights organization, Save the Children's mission is to inspire breakthroughs in the way the world treats children, and to achieve immediate and lasting change in their lives. We work to create a world in which every child attains the right to survival, protection, development, and participation.