Amman, Jordan, October 14, 2024 — While the eyes of the world are rightly focused on the devastating conflict engulfing Lebanon, and the humanitarian catastrophe that continues to unfold in the occupied Palestinian territory, inside Syria - a country now experiencing its 14th year of conflict and crisis – IRC is warning of a deteriorating humanitarian situation for more than a quarter of a million Syrian and Lebanese who are estimated to have now crossed from Lebanon as they flee the conflict.
Tanya Evans, IRC’s Country Director in Syria, said:
“Underlying the vulnerability of many of those newly displaced, over half of the new arrivals are women and girls, and more than 60 per cent are children. Many have embarked on long journeys to the north in the hope of being reunited with extended families, or so that they can be hosted in areas they already know.”
“Through IRC’s staff and partners on the ground, we are hearing reports of Syrian families who have been forced to pay large sums of money to get to their intended destinations. Once arrived, many are reporting not having any money left over to purchase their basic necessities. In the northeast, conditions in the camps housing new arrivals are dire. With IRC teams reporting a lack of a lack of privacy, insufficient materials to protect families from the elements, and inadequate water supplies for drinking or washing. Our protection teams also report a high prevalence of psychological trauma in those newly arrived.”
In response to the crisis, the IRC has Mobile Health Units supporting rapid health assessments and referrals, and Mobile Protection Units providing Psychological First Aid to new arrivals in northeast Syria. We have also initiated our emergency team to coordinate a wider response in health and protection through mobile teams and community health workers in locations where both Syrians and Lebanese fleeing Lebanon are now present.
Ultimately, both Lebanese refugees and Syrians who have once again been forcibly displaced, are in effect fleeing one crisis, only to find themselves in another. Only a quarter of this year’s humanitarian response plan in Syria has been funded, while needs across the country are at their highest since the start of the conflict. IRC calls for the international community to act urgently to scale up support to both new arrivals and the vulnerable host communities receiving them.
The IRC has been working in Syria since 2012 and is currently responding to needs in northwest and northeast Syria, directly and in partnership with local organizations. We provide lifesaving health care, including support for health facilities and mobile health teams offering critical trauma care, as well as primary, reproductive, and mental health services. The IRC also delivers counseling and protection services for women and children, particularly survivors of violence, along with early recovery and early childhood development support.