ReliefWeb

A) INTRODUCTION / HUMANITARIAN SITUATION

• As of March 2019, Turkey-based humanitarian organizations continue to provide life-saving support and services in north-west Syria to conflict-affected populations in Idleb, Aleppo, Hama and Lattakia Governorates.

• The current humanitarian situation is characterized by continued high levels of people in need and the commensurate need for humanitarian assistance and sustained funding. The intensification of hostilities since the beginning of the year is adding further needs to an already dire situation.

• As of 15 March 2019, The Humanitarian Response Plan (HRP) for Syria for 2019 received 4 per cent pf the funding requirement for the year. The 2018 HPR for Syria received 65 per cent of the funding requirement .

• The cumulative effects of years of conflict, violence and destruction had led about 2.7 million in need of humanitarian assistance out of 3.9 million people who live in north-west Syria. Some 1.5 million people are in acute need of assistance and are almost completely reliant on humanitarian assistance to meet their basic needs. Half of the population are IDPs or returnees. On average, 2 million people are reached each month with a range of humanitarian services by cross-border humanitarian actors from Turkey.

• The coping mechanisms of host communities in north-west Syria are exhausted after years of conflict. Both IDPs and host communities need basic services and humanitarian assistance in most communities. Throughout 2018, north-western Syria received several influxes of internally displaced people (IDPs) from different parts of the country, exacerbating already existing high levels of needs and vulnerability both in already congested IDP sites and overburdened communities .

• Early 2019, more than 97,000 people were displaced from areas near the frontlines as hostilities continued and due to flooding. Many people who have been displaced had to leave with very little in terms of belongings. 200,883 displacements were tracked between September 2018 and February 2019 in northwest Syria.

• Syria remains a major protection crisis, with civilians exposed to multiple protection risks related to ongoing hostilities which are triggering harmful coping strategies such as child labour and early marriages).

• Over the last six months, the humanitarian community’s focus has been to respond to most critical life-saving needs to most vulnerable host communities, IDPs in a protracted displacement situation and newly-arrived IDPs including providing winterization response, assisting floods and conflict affected communities and continuing the provision of basic life-saving assistance.

• According to the 2019 Humanitarian Response Plan (HRP) the scale, severity and complexity of humanitarian needs of people in Syria remain extensive. Key priority needs both for host communities and IDPs range from accessing basic life-saving services, providing adequate shelter to supporting livelihood projects in areas where the situation is relatively stable. Efforts are also needed to restore and improve critical infrastructure.

• The intensification of hostilities and related displacements since the being of the year also calls for strengthening operational readiness.