ACT Appeal SYR131: Syria Regional Humanitarian Response
I.
OPERATIONAL CONTEXT
1. The crisis: details of the emergency The civil war inside Syria is now extending into its third year, and the number of civilian causalities, internally displaced people, and refugees continue to grow to astounding numbers. According to ACT emergency response mechanism guidelines, the crisis qualifies as both a "mega" and a "protracted" emergency. 1 Millions of Syrians have been forced to leave their homes, over a million of whom have crossed international borders into neighbouring countries, and who are often unable to meet even the most basic of needs. As of 29 August 2013, the United Nations Commission for Refugees (UNHCR) has registered close to 1,800,000 refugees in Lebanon, Jordan, Iraq, Turkey and Egypt and North Africa, with a further 200,000 persons awaiting registration.2 However, backlogs in the registration process, and disincentives to register such as protection concerns means the total number of refugees is likely far higher. Intense fighting continues to devastate inside the country. An estimated 6.8 million people inside Syria, almost 33% of the population, are in need of relief support3. Humanitarian response efforts are hampered by constantly shifting battle lines and the constant movement of armed groups, and dire economic conditions are exacerbating the crisis. By the end of 2012, the total loss to the economy due to the crisis was estimated at $48.4 billion and each year the conflict continues, costs the country 18% of the Syrian GDP4. Rapid inflation has made the purchase of daily items progressively more difficult, putting the extremely poor in a highly precarious position, unable to afford basic foodstuffs, healthcare or personal items necessary for human survival. According to the Syrian Ministry of Local Administration (MoLA) there are approximately 4,250,000 internally displaced persons (IDPs) inside the country – mainly women, children and the elderly, most of whom have been displaced multiple times to escape the ever-spreading violence.5 While some IDPs lodge with family members and/or friends, most now live in either: improvised/makeshift shelters constructed of salvaged materials, derelict or abandoned buildings, with host families, or in collective accommodation such as a repurposed school or mosque. Most of those attempting to escape hostilities have been forced to abandon all belongings. Those who cannot find safety inside the country flee to neighbouring nations. Unregistered and newly arrived refugees have been identified by the UN agencies and host governments as among the most vulnerable. Many are female-headed households with several children, many of whom are under five years of age. Shelter is a primary concern to new arrivals. If they can afford it, refugees rent space, though overcrowding and exorbitantly high rents force many families to overcrowd in accommodation. Despite initially warm and hospitable receptions at the onset of the crisis, growing intolerance and resentment towards the refugee community in the context of already resource-poor host environments presents a serious challenge. While host communities in both Jordan and Lebanon initially accommodated refugees with sympathy and hospitality, struggles over depleting resources are building tensions. Rampant inflation of accommodation prices and overcrowding of hospitals and schools are reducing the already low quality of living for poor host community families. Recent developments such as the purported use of chemical weapons around Damascus towards the end of August, 2013 are but one indicator of the increasing severity of the crisis. News of the attack spurred protests in refugee communities, adding to an already palpable sense of unrest. In the same month, incidents such as 1 http://www.actalliance.org/resources/policies-and-guidelines/act-responsemechanisms/2012_FINAL_ACT_Response_to_Emergencies_and_Annexes_APPROVED_ENGLISH.pdf 2 http://data.unhcr.org/syrianrefugees/regional.php, August 2013 3 Ibid 4 Ibid 5 Syria Crisis, ECHO Factsheet, Humanitarian Aid and Civil Protection, European Commission, 11 May 2013
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