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Syria Crisis December 2018
1
WFP, supported by Switzerland, provides food to vulnerable people in Syria. © WFP Syria
Switzerland's humanitarian activities in response to the Syria crisis
The conflict in Syria has created an unprecedented humanitarian crisis. The civilian population continues
to suffer from the serious consequences of the ongoing armed conflict and the incessant violations of
human rights and international humanitarian law (IHL) committed by a multitude of armed groups.
The population struggles to access clean water, food and basic healthcare. Medical facilities and
humanitarian personnel have been regularly targeted by parties to the conflict, which constitutes a
serious violation of IHL. Besides the security risks, bureaucratic obstacles complicate the provision of
humanitarian aid on the ground to the people who are most in need.
Due to the conflict’s devastating impact on the whole region and the heavy burden shouldered by Syria’s
neighbouring countries, Switzerland’s response to the Syria crisis is part of a regional strategy defined
for the period 2015-2018. This strategy covers Syria, Jordan, Lebanon and Iraq as well as Turkey and it
involves humanitarian aid, development, promotion of peace and defence of IHL. The objective is to help
providing safe, sustainable, peaceful living conditions for vulnerable and conflict-affected populations.
Switzerland's engagement addresses the causes of fragility as well as the prevention and transformation
of conflicts.
Since 2011, Switzerland has allocated more than CHF 373 million (about CHF 50 million a year) to assist
the affected population. In 2018, Switzerland is committed to support the populations in need in Syria
and the neighbouring countries with 61 CHF million. Switzerland is actively responding to the immense
humanitarian needs and working to strengthen the resilience of populations in Syria and in the region.
To this end, the Swiss Agency for Development and Cooperation (SDC) is engaged in three main areas:
provision of basic services (healthcare, food, education, and shelter), protection of civilians and water
management. These are implemented along:
direct actions (projects implemented by SDC)
assistance for the affected civilian populations in Syria and neighbouring countries via
humanitarian partners (UN agencies, International Committee of the Red Cross,
international NGOs)
Secondment of experts from the Swiss Humanitarian Aid Unit (SHA) to partner
organisations (specialists in the fields of construction, protection water and sanitation,
and cash assistance)
Facts and figures
People in need of
humanitarian aid
(OCHA 2018; World Bank 2018)
- 13.1 million in Syria (including
6.2 million internally displaced
persons) out of 18.27 million
people currently in Syria
- 5.6 million refugees outside of
Syria
Swiss humanitarian budget for
the Syria crisis since March
2011
- over CHF 373 million
- 52% in Syria
- 48% in Lebanon, Jordan, Iraq
and Turkey
SDC presence in the region
- Cooperation Office in Amman,
Jordan
- Cooperation Office in Beirut,
Lebanon
- Project Office in Chekka,
Lebanon
- Project Office n Zahle, Lebanon
- Humanitarian Office in Ankara,
Turkey
- Humanitarian Office, Damascus
Contributions to partners
since 2011
Organisations
Amount (in
million CHF)
ICRC, IFRC,
Swiss Red Cross
67.8
NGOs 100.2
UNHCR 42.5
WFP 35.2
UNRWA 46.7
OCHA 17.5
UNDP 13.2
UNICEF 13.6
UN-HABITAT 4.8
FAO 5.9
World Bank 4.9
IOM 3.9
2
Through the Humanitarian Aid division of SDC, Switzerland is
supporting several projects in Syria as well as in the region.
Examples of supported projects are:
Switzerland’s direct actions: Rehabilitation of schools in
Jordan and Lebanon
More than 625,000 children in Lebanon and more than
226,000 in Jordan are refugees from Syria. Many among them
have no access to education. This means that the Syria crisis
threatens to create a lost generation of children with no home,
no family and no future. The Humanitarian Aid of SDC has
been rehabilitating 110 schools (58 in Jordan and 52 in
Lebanon) since 2012, which enables more than 87,000 pupils
to get equal access to a formal education.
Assistance via humanitarian partners
Provision of medical relief to conflict-affected populations
The health situation in Syria continues to deteriorate with
attacks on health facilities, damaged infrastructures, and
critical shortages in medical staff and supplies. Over 12 million
people are in need of vital health assistance. The project
conducted by Médecins du Monde (MdM) aims to improve
access to quality health services for conflict-affected
population (both IDPs and host communities) in Idleb and
Dara’a Governorates through the provision of medical and
financial support as well as capacity building to health service
providers.
Supporting access to safe and adequate housing in Syria
Today over 8 million people in Syria are living in areas affected
by hostilities. Multiple displacement and damage to, or
destruction of housing have resulted in over-crowded sub-
standard shelters, as well as rising rents and poor protection
of housing tenure. The displaced have limited access to basic
services and face barriers to accessing essential household
items. Switzerland co-finances a new project by the
Norwegian Refugee Council (NRC) to support vulnerable
conflict-affected populations with multi-sector assistance
through improved access to adequate housing, including
strengthened security of tenure and improved access to
WASH, Education, and Livelihoods.
Strengthening the resilience of rural families
Restricted access to food and water continue to be used as a
weapon of war in Syria. The 7 million food insecure people
spend up to 25% of their income to meet minimum daily water
needs. Cost of seeds and fuel are equally high, forcing many
families to abandon their agricultural activities. With Swiss
financial support, the Damascus based Spanish NGO Acción
contra el Hambre (ACF) improves access to water in rural
communities. The project aims also at increasing the yield of
wheat by 200kg per household, animal production by 27% in
the Southwestern Governorate of Dara’a and by 34% in the
Northeastern Governorate of Hassakeh.
Support to traumatized children
Children in Syria are victims of numerous severe violations of
their basic rights, mainly due to child recruitment, child labour,
domestic violence, exploitation, family separation and early
marriage. In addition to severe protection issues, 1/3 of
school-aged children are out of school. Switzerland supports
a project by the NGO War Child Holland that tackles these
problems through the creation of child-friendly spaces and
access of vulnerable children to quality education. Until April
2017, the project has already reached 83,000 children,
strengthening their self-confidence and self-esteem.
Supporting the protection of Syrian refugees in Turkey
Around 500’000 Syrian refugees in Istanbul are exposed to
multiple social and protection risks. In December 2015, the
NGO Support-to-Life (STL) set up a community center in
Küçükçekmece, a populous industrial city district. The center,
which continues to be supported by Switzerland, provides
protection and social support, promotes linkages to the host
community and referral to state services with a focus on
women, children and youth among the refugees.
Secondment of Swiss experts
Experts from the Swiss Humanitarian Aid Unit provide
technical support and strategic advice to UN agencies and
thus contribute to an effective, coordinated response to the
humanitarian challenges in Syria and the region. Until now,
Switzerland has deployed 40 experts to Syria, Lebanon, Iraq,
Jordan and Turkey, where they support the international
response to provide drinking water and basic sanitation,
shelter, cash-based programming, the protection of the most
vulnerable populations, including children and youth. There
are currently 9 experts on the ground in the region.
Humanitarian diplomacy
Switzerland’s known credibility regarding IHL and human
rights as well as its good reputation as a reliable, efficient and
neutral actor have been key to opening doors for delivering
humanitarian aid. Switzerland plays an active role in
humanitarian advocacy, political and humanitarian dialogue.
The fact that Switzerland does not ban contacts with armed
groups is crucial for enabling humanitarian diplomacy on
access and facilitation of political dialogue. Indeed, it is a
principled position to maintain contact with all relevant actors
in order to improve the humanitarian situation in Syria.
Switzerland will therefore continue to engage in concrete
humanitarian endeavours, especially related to improving
humanitarian access and the working environment for aid
agencies.
Further information
SDC
Swiss Humanitarian Aid
Department
Effingerstrasse 27
3003 Bern, Switzerland
Tel. +41 58 462 31 24
Fax: +41 58 464 16 94
Email: hh@deza.admin.ch
@SwissHumAidUnit
Media contact:
FDFA Information
Federal Palace West Wing
3003 Bern, Switzerland
Tel. +41 58 462 31 53
Fax: +41 58 464 90 47
Email: info@eda.admin.ch
www.eda.admin.ch
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