Projects

Short Description:

Overall goal

The overall goal of UNICEF's work in Syria is to address and alleviate the multiple risks of violence, exploitation and abuse, including recruitment into armed forces and groups, early marriage, child labor and family separation which children and youth face. Within the UNICEF Syria program, this Austrian contribution could contribute to improved access to basic services such as water, health and nutrition for conflict-affected children and their families.

Expected results

Some of the targets of the 2017 UNICEF program in Syria include: Nutrition: 2.3 million children and pregnant and lactating women screened for acute malnutrition and 8,500 children under 5 treated for severe acute malnutrition. Health: 3.2 million children under 5 vaccinated against polio • 2.1 million children and women supported through primary health care consultations. Water /Sanitation/Hygiene: 4.8 million people served through the repair, rehabilitation and augmentation of water and sanitation systems. Child protection: 2.5 million individuals reached with mine risk education activities. Education: 2.8 million children aged 5 to 17 enrolled in formal education • 336,000 children aged 5 to 19 enrolled in non-formal education. Social protection: 920,000 children protected from extreme weather with clothing kits and blankets through direct distribution and e-vouchers. Early recovery and livelihoods: 14,900 families receiving regular cash transfers • 450,000 adolescents and youth involved in or leading civic engagement or social cohesion initiatives • 1,500 youth aged 15 to 24 years benefiting from livelihoods support, including seed funding.

The Austrian contribution in the amount of 1 million Euros could, for instance, reach up to 100,000 conflict-affected people in Syria with life-saving support in Water and Sanitation, Health and Nutrition.

Target group / Beneficiaries

Target group: Of the total population in need of 13.5 Million, in line with the 2017 Humanitarian Action for Children (HAC) for Syria, UNICEF plans to reach 12 Million people, of which 5.8 Million are children. This corresponds to the total number of children (<18) in need. Austria's contribution to UNICEF of Euro 1 million could reach up to 100,000 potential beneficiaries, up to 43,000 are estimated to be children.

Partners: UNICEF works with a diverse number of both international and national NGOs. Potential partners for the life-saving support outlined above include Oxfam, Syrian Arab Red Crescent (SARC) and Action Contre la Faim (ACF).

Region: UNICEF with its partners is active in conflict affected locations under government and non-government controlled areas, especially areas with high concentration of IDPs including in Aleppo, Rural Damascus, Raqqa, Homs and Hassakeh.

Activities

Activities include:

1. Emergency WASH assistance to newly displaced IDPs, e.g. through water trucking, distribution of hygiene kits, jerry cans and installation of water tanks

2. Rehabilitation and emergency repairs of WASH infrastructure to increase resilience of communities which host Internally Displaced Persons (IDPs), e.g. repair of damaged water pipes, rehabilitation of ground water wells (for contingency water supplies), and repair of damaged electro-mechanical equipment in pumping stations.

3. Hygiene and sanitation promotion in areas densely populated by IDPs, e.g. through hygiene campaigns, garbage clean ups in IDP camps, provision of soap and essential hygiene items.

4. Cross-border activities reaching beneficiaries inside Syria (these activities are the same types of activities as mentioned above with the only difference being the modality of delivery, i.e. the implementation and interventions are coordinated from Amman and Gaziantep).

5. Basic health and nutrition services for children under 5, e.g. provision of inter-agency health kits, supporting health centers with necessary medicines and equipment, provision of therapeutic foods such as high energy biscuits for malnourished children in addition to micro-nutrient supplementation for nutrient deficiencies.

Context

As the conflict enters its seventh year the humanitarian situation in Syria remains extremely critical. Over half of the country’s population has fled their homes; 4.8 million people have sought refuge in the region and beyond, and 6.3 million people are internally displaced. By the end of 2016 more than 13.5 million people have been in need of humanitarian assistance, with children accounting for almost half of the total number of people in need - close to 6 million . Life-saving and life-sustaining humanitarian needs are acute across the country.

Before the start of the conflict, nearly 96% of the population in Syria was served by piped water systems through municipal networks. Today the piped network only covers about 50% of needs. As a result of direct conflict, damages to infrastructure, electricity cuts, deliberate water cuts and lack of spare parts for repairs it is estimated that 70% of the population have irregular access to safe water and are accessing water from unsafe sources. As a consequence, Water, Sanitation and Hygiene related diseases from which children are particularly vulnerable (acute diarrhea, leishmaniosis and hepatitis) are on the rise throughout the country. UNICEF's total 2017 funding requirements for its Syria operation amount to USD 354,638,896.