Highlights
In Syria, the delivery of humanitarian assistance to several locations continued to be hampered due to ongoing or renewed hostilities. During May 2017, only three interagency convoys to Duma, Wadi Barada and Jirud in Rural Damascus took place, with UNICEF delivering multi-sectoral assistance to 42,000 people in need.
As operations continue against ISIL in Ar-Raqqa in Syria, about 70,000 displaced people in informal settlements and shelters in Ein Issa, Jib Al Shaer and Karama are receiving clean water on a daily basis and non-food items. Nearly 91,000 people benefitted from multiple UNICEF WASH interventions in Ar-Raqqa in the reporting month.
The eviction of refugees living in informal settlements across Lebanon continues. By the end of May, about 250 people evicted from three sites in Tripoli in the northern governorate relocating to a new site where UNICEF is providing WASH support. An additional estimated 4,500 people in Baalbeck, Hermel and Bekaa relocated to other areas within the same governorates. Approval of new or potential relocation sites, WASH and shelter services are cited as most urgent priorities by the evicted. UNICEF continues to provide assistance to the affected people along with other responding humanitarian partners.
At Jordan’s north-eastern border with Syria, an emergency immunization campaign helped reach over 10,000 Syrian children (up to 15 years) with polio vaccines and more than 5,000 children under the age of five with vitamin A supplementation. In addition, 55 children (up to 15 years) were vaccinated against measles, and 81 women of childbearing age against tetanus toxoid. Services were delivered at the UNICEFsupported Rukban clinic which provides critical health and nutrition services to the vulnerable Syrian population at the border area.
UNICEF in Syria and Iraq continue to have critical funding gaps against their 2017 appeals for affected Syrian populations, with only 17 per cent and 26 per cent of the 2017 total appeal received (including carry-over) as of mid-June 2017 respectively. Lack of critical donor funding will affect the sustainability of UNICEF response to vulnerable populations through its partners.
Humanitarian Overview:
Notwithstanding the cessation of hostilities declared on 30 December 2016 in Syria, and the announcement, in early May 2017, of the potential establishment of four de-escalation zones across the country, fighting in multiple areas resulted in continued civilian deaths and injuries, including children, and the destruction of civilian infrastructure. This hampers the delivery of humanitarian assistance to several locations affected by ongoing or renewed hostilities, increasing the vulnerability of people in need, particularly children and women.
In Dara’a and in Rural Damascus, particularly in East Ghouta, lack of sustained access and continued siege impacts the protection of about 704,000children and their access to vital and lifesaving assistance. In the north-east regions, internally displaced people (IDPs) are exposed to physical threats while they are on the move, given the significant hazard of explosives contamination and exposure to fighting or cross-fire. Moreover, infiltration of ISIL fighters behind the frontlines of the Syrian Democratic Forces have recently caused major security incidents against the civilian population, including children, and highlighted the challenge of creating a safe operating space for humanitarian actors.
In the first quarter of 2017, the United Nations verified over 430 grave violations against children; including killing and maiming, recruitment and use of children and abduction of children, attacks on schools and hospitals and instances of denial of humanitarian access.
The implementation of inter-agency (IA) convoys in early 2017 continued at a low pace due to lack of systematic operational approvals and the fluctuating security situation. In May, only three IA convoys (Duma, Wadi Barada and Jirud in Rural Damascus) took place, with UNICEF delivering multi-sectoral assistance to 42,000 people in need.
The number of refugees, migrants and asylum seekers registered in Turkey remained relatively static, at just over 3.3 million. Of these, nearly three million are Syrians, including over 1.3 million children, while the remaining 310,000 are nationals primarily from Iraq (133,886) and Afghanistan (131,588). Along the western coast, the number of refugees and migrants attempting to cross from Turkey into Europe increased in May, possibly due to warming weather and calmer seas. According to the United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees (UNHCR), 1,600 people including around 350 children, 12 of whom were unaccompanied and or separated minors, were rescued or apprehended while attempting to cross by land and sea to Europe. Under the framework of the EU-Turkey Statement, five rounds of returns took place in the reporting month for 87 people (all adult single males), bringing the total number of people re-admitted to Turkey since the Statement came into effect to 1,181.
Lebanon continues to host an estimated 1.5 million Syrian refugees of whom 1.01 million are registered , in addition to 300,000 Palestinian refugees. The security situation often compounds with complex social and political concerns, contributing to a precarious and unpredictable humanitarian situation.
Eviction of Syrian refugees living in informal settlements from the area surrounding Riyak Airbase in Baalbeck, Hermel and Bekkaa governorates continued during may. By the end of the month, an estimated 4,500 individuals have relocated within the two governorates.
Approval of new or potential relocation sites, WASH and shelter services are cited as most urgent priorities by the relocated refugees.
During the same month, close to 250 people were evicted from three sites in Tripoli, north governorate, most of whom moved to a new site where UNICEF is providing WASH support. The three sites were established after the two major evictions that took place in late 2016 and early 2017. UNICEF along with other agencies continues to respond to the needs of the evicted refugees.
Furthermore, security operations have been going on in several locations across the country, mostly in Baalbeck, Bekkaa and Akkar, Tripoli, targeting suspected Islamic extremists.
Jordan now hosts 2.7 million refugees, including 660,315 registered Syrian refugees6 (51 per cent children), 63,024 Iraqi refugees (33.2 per cent children) and over 2.1 million long-staying registered Palestinian refugees. While 78.6 per cent of the Syrian refugees live in host communities, the remainder are in four camps .
In addition, an estimated population of about 55,000 Syrians remains in areas near Hadalat and Rukban at Jordan’s North-East desert border area with Syria (the berm). UNICEF is responding to the needs of the vulnerable population through daily supply of clean water and establishment of water supply infrastructure, identification and training of community volunteers on child protection and education and the operation of a clinic at Rukban for children under the age of five. On 7 May, a new round of humanitarian distributions began coordinated among responding agencies, with UNICEF supplying hygiene kits for all households, baby kits (1-3 years) and clothes for children (4-16 years). The distributions will continue into June.