Syria Joint Response in former Non-Government Controlled Areas

Despite the recent fall of the former regime in Syria, the humanitarian situation in Northwest and Northeast Syria remains critical, with millions of people continuing to face dire conditions as a result of years of ongoing conflict, displacement, and economic instability. According to the 2024 Humanitarian Needs Overview (HNO), over 15.3 million people across Syria require humanitarian assistance, with particular emphasis on the northwest and northeast regions, which are among the most affected. In Northwest Syria, including Idleb and Aleppo, the conflict has resulted in widespread displacement, with approximately 2.8 million people forced to flee their homes. The region also suffers from significant food insecurity, with nearly 3 million people unable to meet their basic nutritional needs. The ongoing fighting has devastated the health infrastructure, with many hospitals and clinics either damaged or destroyed, leaving the population without adequate medical care. Health services are especially critical for vulnerable groups such as children, pregnant women, and those suffering from chronic illnesses, but shortages of medical supplies and personnel exacerbate these challenges. Furthermore, protection needs remain high, as women and children continue to face risks of gender-based violence, exploitation, and recruitment by armed groups. The 2024 HNO highlights that Idleb alone has over 1.2 million people in urgent need of protection services.

In Northeast Syria, which includes Raqqa, Hasakeh, and Deir Ez Zor, the situation is equally dire. Over 1.3 million people in these governorates remain displaced or living in extremely difficult conditions, particularly in makeshift camps or informal settlements. The region struggles with severe food and water insecurity, with many communities relying on humanitarian aid to meet basic needs. Disruptions in the agricultural sector, compounded by the lack of access to markets, have left many people unable to grow or purchase enough food. Clean water is also a significant concern, as damage to infrastructure during the conflict has hindered the delivery of safe drinking water to communities, increasing the risk of waterborne diseases. Health services in the northeast are similarly overstretched, with limited access to medical care for displaced persons, and the healthcare system remains fragile with inadequate supplies and damaged facilities. According to the 2024 HNO, these areas are at high risk for further instability, with insecurity stemming from ongoing clashes between various armed groups, including ISIS remnants, which severely hinder both humanitarian access and recovery efforts. Protection concerns, especially for women and children, are widespread, with reports of gender-based violence and trafficking. The economic situation in both regions remain dire, with many people unable to find stable work due to the destruction of infrastructure and the lack of local resources.

In response to these overwhelming needs, humanitarian organizations are focused on providing emergency relief, including food assistance, healthcare, shelter, and protection services. However, access remains constrained by insecurity and bureaucratic obstacles, and the overall funding gap for Syria’s humanitarian response in 2024 remains significant. As detailed in the HNO, nearly 80% of the population in Northwest Syria is reliant on aid, and the situation in Northeast Syria is similarly dire, with the vast majority of the population requiring humanitarian support to meet basic needs. While the international community continues to provide assistance, the scale of the crisis necessitates urgent and sustained efforts to address the root causes of instability, support recovery, and ensure the protection and dignity of civilians in these regions.

The Joint Response

As part of the SJR NGCA 2024-2026, five consortium local partners in NWS (IYD, IDA and GAN) and NES (DRD and Ashti), with War Child as the lead, are providing a joint multi-sectoral response in Idleb, Raqqa, Deir-ez-Zor, and Al-Hasakeh governorates, aiming to provide life-saving humanitarian support to those in need, prioritising people in the most vulnerable positions.

The response proposes an integrated Food Security and Livelihood (FSL), Health, Nutrition, Protection, Education, Water Sanitation and Hygiene (WASH), and Shelter intervention.

The activities carried out under this Joint Response are the following:

• Formal and non-formal education activities to children, in addition to technical and vocational education to youth
• Psychosocial support interventions using evidence-based methodologies for children (Team Up) and caregivers
• Case management services and cash for protection to specific cases
• Primary health care services to children and adults in addition to nutrition services to address people with severe or acute malnutrition
• Mental health psychosocial sessions to children, youth, and caregivers
• Protection mainstreaming activities across all activities through awareness raising sessions in the community
• Rehabilitation of public water systems and piped water networks, including solar water pumping technologies
• Repair and improvement of sewage networks, in addition to removal of wastewater
• Rehab of individual shelter units through a cash for shelter approach
• Graveling roads, levelling tents, providing solar lighting systems, and establishing rainwater drainage systems in the IDP campsites
• Vocational training including cash grants for start-up businesses