UNFPA - United Nations Population Fund

Published purpose

November 2013 - The humanitarian situation in Syria has rapidly deteriorated over the past year as a result of the civil war in the country. The United Nations estimates more than 110,000 people have been killed, and hundreds of thousands more wounded, due to the violence. Within Syria, some 9.3 million people are in need of humanitarian assistance, 6.5 million of whom are internally displaced. In addition, over 2.2 million Syrian refugees are living in host countries in the region. Women and children are particularly vulnerable to the gravest consequences of the conflict and host countries are increasingly overstretched by the influx of people needing assistance. With DFATD’s support, the United Nations Population Fund (UNFPA) is increasing access to health care services, protection, clinical and social services for refugee and host populations inside Syria and in neighbouring countries, in particular pregnant women and survivors of sexual and gender-based violence. Project activities include: (i) providing health care services, protection, clinical and social services through mobile teams, camps-based services and home-to-home visits; (ii) training refugee and host communities on methods to prevent and address sexual and gender-based violence; and (iii) training health professionals and social workers to provide psychosocial support for victims of sexual and gender-based violence.