Feature (1 month ago)
A family watches television inside a dignified shelter in the Shuayb Camp in Idleb. The shelters, implemented last November by Mercy-USA and funded by the SCHF, were largely undamaged by the earthquakes. 16 April 2023. Photo: OCHA/Ali Haj Suleiman
2023 EARTHQUAKES: SITUATION OVERVIEW
The end of April marks nearly three months since the earthquakes first struck.
The UN and humanitarian partners are continuing to respond to needs in north-west Syria driven by 12 years of conflict and the impacts of the earthquakes. More than half a million people have been supported with early recovery interventions including rehabilitation of key infrastructure, such as schools and health facilities, as well debris removal. Nearly 500,000 people in north-west Syria have been reached with multi-cash support, valued at US$16.5 million, since the start of 2023. Some 90 per cent of these individuals received support after the earthquakes.
Progress on vaccination efforts against preventable but deadly diseases has also been made this month.
Following the cholera vaccination drive in March, a vaccination campaign against measles and polio was launched in north-west Syria on 7 April by the World Health Organization (WHO), the Vaccine Alliance (GAVI) and UNICEF, in partnership with local health NGO partners and the Syria Immunization Group. Over 3,000 health workers were involved, many of whom were affected by the earthquakes themselves. By 20 April, 92 per cent of polio and 87 per cent of measles vaccination targets (800,000 children) were reached.
Against this backdrop, hostilities have also been reported in the area. Since the earthquakes struck, at least seven civilians have been killed and 15 injured, including five children, according to monitoring conducted by the Office of the United Nations High Commissioner for Human Rights (OHCHR), as of 20 April.
The UN continues to cross to north-west Syria almost daily.
As of 27 April, 79 cross-border missions have been completed, notably to conduct programme monitoring, including that of projects funded by the Syria Cross-border Humanitarian Fund (SCHF), assess needs, strengthen area-based coordination and engage directly with communities. Among the priority needs voiced by communities have been the call for dignified shelters and education for children.
Since February, the humanitarian community has reached over 275,000 people with emergency tents and Non-Food Item (NFI) kits while also continuing the progress on dignified shelters since the launch of the Action Plan last March. As of 20 April, over 16,000 of dignified shelters (out of a target of 63,500) have been completed across north-west Syria, of which 1,900 were done in 2023. However, given the toll of damaged homes due to the earthquakes, the Action Plan and its target are currently under revision. The humanitarian community also called to attention the need to replenish the stock of NFI kits and tents due to the shift of pre-earthquake programming and in preparation for any future large-scale displacements or weather incidents.
While the Syria Earthquake Flash Appeal has secured over 98 per cent of the required funding, covering three months, more support is needed for the overarching humanitarian response. The Syria Humanitarian Response Plan (HRP) for 2023 remains largely underfunded. Only $375 million has been received out of the $4.8 billion required (some 7.8 per cent), as of 28 April.