Situation in Numbers
In Syria
5.3 million
# of children affected
13.1 million
# of people affected
(HNO, 2018)
Outside Syria Over 2.5 million
(2,525,027)
# of registered Syria refugee children
Over 5.6 million
(5,611,172)
# of registered Syrian refugees
(UNHCR, 17 July 2018)
UNICEF Appeal 2018 US$ 1.287 Billion
Funding Status
US$ 720.9 Million
Highlights
During the reporting period, UNICEF through regular programmes, emergency responses and Inter-Agency convoys has reached approximately 1.6 million people in hard-to-reach and besieged (BSG) locations across Syria with life-saving interventions and critical services in the areas of WASH, education, health and nutrition, child protection, and youth and adolescent development.
UNICEF continued to support the vulnerable Syrian population at Jordan's north-east border, whereby 6,288 children under the age of five accessed the clinic in Rukban for medical consultations (32.5 per cent for respiratory tract infections and routine immunization). At least 1,540 children and 2,595 women were vaccinated since the introduction of this service in early March 2018. In addition, 4,151 children and 5,468 pregnant and lactating women (PLW) were screened for malnutrition. 19 cases of severe acute malnutrition and 33 cases of moderate acute malnutrition cases among the screened children and 102 malnourished PLW received treatment.
Through funds received from donors in 2018, UNICEF and implementing partners in Syria and neighbouring refugee host countries supported over 1.6 million children to access formal education and over 148,000 others to non-formal or informal education. In addition, about 362,000 children and adults accessed structured and sustained child protection and psychosocial support programmes, 260,000 children accessed routine immunization services, and 520,000 children and pregnant and lactating women were screened for acute malnutrition. Meanwhile, almost 1.5 million people benefitted from improved water supply.
As of 15 July 2018, UNICEF appeals for Syria crisis response is 44 per cent underfunded, this includes funds carried-forward from the previous year. UNICEF's response to Syrian refugees in Iraq continues to be most underfunded (71 per cent) followed by Jordan (59 per cent) and Egypt (55 per cent). Sustained and unearmarked donor funding remains critical to support to one of the world's longest and most complex humanitarian crises.
Situation Overview & Humanitarian Needs:
In north-western Syria, particularly in Idleb, the humanitarian situation is increasingly dire with more than a half a million people displaced to and within Idleb since late 2017. Idleb governorate is home to roughly 2.4 million people, of whom half are internally displaced (IDPs). The sustained influx of IDPs into Idleb governorate continues to put additional strain on the already overburdened and underserved community. By mid-July 2018, an agreement was reached between Government of Syria forces (GoSF) and armed opposition groups (AOGs) to evacuate the entire population of the besieged Foah and Kafraya towards Aleppo as a first destination which ended the besiegement of the two towns. Improvised explosives remain a threat with over 22 incidents reported in May and June. Concerns remain around the influence of armed groups in Idleb governorate and any potential impact on programmes.
Prolonged military operations in Afrin district of Aleppo governorate culminated in the Turkish take-over of nearly all of Afrin district and resulted in the displacement of an estimated 138,800 individuals. Additionally, 15,485 individuals have been registered inside Aleppo city, but numbers could be much higher. Returns to Tall Refaat is still expected (from Euphrates Shield areas), as well as returning movement to Afrin (from current IDPs) might increase if controlling parties allow. Humanitarian access in Afrin district is improving and while Turkish authorities provide the majority of the response, the UN cross-border humanitarian partners are also contributing. The recent multi-sector rapid assessment considered needs to be high, with most health facilities and schools in rural areas closed, service providers having fled, and high risk of explosive remnants of war. Additional assistance is needed particularly for people in rural areas and the IDP sites.
Approximately 295,823 people from and within Ar-Raqqa governorate were displaced due to military operations in 2017. An estimated 138,000 individuals returned to Ar-Raqqa city since October 2017. An additional 188,000 returned to Deir-ez-Zor governorate since November 2017, although conditions for returns remain unsafe due to high levels of explosive hazards. Explosive hazards also continue to hamper humanitarian access, particularly in Ar-Raqqa city, although access to basic services continues to improve, including through repair of the water network. Only 50 per cent of Raqqa city is reported to receive water through the network. Explosive hazard clearance operations continue to be focused on critical infrastructure, with many residential areas still contaminated. Stabilization actors are clearing key infrastructure from mines in Ar-Raqqa city, with coordination mechanisms established to ensure that humanitarian considerations are reflected in the prioritized areas.
The prolonged siege of East Ghouta in Rural Damascus came to an end, with parties reaching local agreements in some areas which led to the evacuation of combatants and their families to the north. A large proportion of the population of East Ghouta remained displaced throughout the reporting period, including an estimated 93,373 people in IDP sites in Rural Damascus governorate, of whom 78,938 people moved out through a sponsorship system, following security clearance.
In May, several local agreements were established resulting in the evacuation of about 5,000 combatants and their families. Following the local agreements and evacuations from East Ghouta and East Qalamoun, new agreements were reached in southern Rural Damascus and Yarmouk camp. While conflict between the GoSF and the Islamic State of Iraq and the Levant (ISIL) in areas of Yarmouk and surrounding areas continues, several reports indicated death tolls and causalities among civilians in the contested areas.
In Rural Homs, after years of armed conflict, a reconciliation agreement was reached in mid-May which resulted in the evacuation of combatants and their families from the hard-to-reach (HtR) areas of northern rural Homs. Around 35,648 people were reportedly evacuated towards western Rural Aleppo.