Syria Crisis December 2018

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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

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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