2017 Requirements: US$1,041,550,413
The Syrian refugee crisis remains the largest and longest lasting humanitarian crisis since the end of World War II. Countries neighbouring the Syrian Arabic Republic are hosting more than 4.8 million registered Syrian refugees, including more than 2.2 million children.By the end of November 2016, Turkey had the highest number of registered Syrian refugees (2,764,500), followed by Lebanon (1,017,433), Jordan (655,833), Iraq (227,971) and Egypt (115,204). 5 Depleted resources, the high cost of living and restricted livelihood opportunities due to lack of access to employment and legal residency are making it difficult for vulnerable families to meet their own and their children’s basic needs. Too many Syrian refugee families are forced to resort to negative coping practices, which often lead to early marriage and child labour. Syrian refugees, including unaccompanied and separated children who lack legal documentation, are also in constant fear of being exposed and therefore are vulnerable to exploitation such as working in low-paying and dangerous jobs. The overall situation is exacerbated by weak economic growth in host countries, overstretched resources and services that are struggling to meet the additional needs of affected local communities.
Humanitarian strategy
Under the 2017–2018 inter-agency Regional Refugee and Resilience Plan, the humanitarian response will be increasingly combined with efforts to build the medium- and long-term resilience of affected individuals, households, communities and institutions in the five refugee-hosting countries. The UNICEF response covers 2017 and 2018, with planned actions based on previous years’ results to achieve scale up for the most vulnerable, as well as operational efficiencies. Under the No Lost Generation initiative, UNICEF will enhance the quality of and access to integrated child protection, education, youth engagement and livelihood programmes for Syrian refugee and vulnerable host community children and youth. Nutritional screening and the provision of micronutrients and supplements for the most vulnerable will be reinforced as will vaccination through campaigns and routine immunization systems, including against polio and measles. The welfare of the most vulnerable refugees and members of impacted communities will be improved through child cash grants designed to facilitate access to basic services. The humanitarian water, sanitation and hygiene (WASH) response will remain a top priority and will include building resilience by supporting national efforts and systems to expand sustainable access to adequate and equitable WASH services in communities and schools. UNICEF will also increase its humanitarian response to Syrian refugees in the Berm area at the Jordan–Syrian Arab Republic border.
UNICEF will deliver programmes in coordination with the operations described in the separate Humanitarian Action for Children appeals for the Syrian Arab Republic, Iraq and the refugee and migrant crisis in Europe.
Results from 2016
As of 31 October 2016, UNICEF had received US$627.8 million against the US$856.5 million appeal (73 per cent funded).6 In 2016, UNICEF’s response continued to support government and partner efforts to deliver essential services in refugee camps and host communities.
With outreach campaigns, more than 680,000 children across the region enrolled in formal education and more than 75,000 accessed informal education. Limited capacity across education systems in the region meant that more than 700,000 children (48 per cent of school-aged children) remain out of school; scale up is planned for 2017, however. UNICEF supported national protection systems and reached more than 386,000 children with psychosocial support. To maintain the region polio free, UNICEF and partners vaccinated more than 17.6 million children under 5 in Egypt, Iraq, Jordan and Lebanon.
WASH services focused on the delivery of adequate and sustainable supply of safe water in refugee camps and host communities. For Syrians living in host communities, UNICEF provided support in the most vulnerable areas, despite challenges related to the cost and reliability of services.
More than 169,000 people benefited from hygiene promotion sessions and/or received hygiene kits. UNICEF sustained cash programmes that benefited 19,000 families in Egypt, Iraq and Jordan and one-off cash grants/vouchers were distributed to more than 260,000 people in Lebanon and Turkey. Basic assistance to Syrian refugees and affected populations will continue in 2017–2018 in Iraq, Jordan, Lebanon and Turkey.