Highlights

Nearly half of the 6.8 million people affected by the crisis in Syria are children. Over 1.5 million Syrians have already fled into neighboring countries. All are in urgent need of assistance. During the reporting period UNICEF and partners scaled up efforts in support of national immunization campaigns, ensuring that children across all affected countries continue to be vaccinated against preventable diseases.

Food security levels are generally better than a year earlier in East Africa and the Sahel, with most areas facing either IPC phase 1 ‘minimal’ or phase 2 ‘stressed’ conditions, thanks to favorable agro-climatic conditions in 2012.

REGIONAL OVERVIEW

KEY DEVELOPMENTS

REGIONAL HIGHLIGHTS

• Registration waiting periods have been significantly reduced and is now 30 days or less in all locations across the region, save Irbid (Jordan) and South Lebanon, where it is projected that the waiting period will also be reduced to under 30 days by the end of May. Registration is crucial for ensuring protection and delivering assistance.

Movement by internally displaced persons continues to be large-scale and fluid, as many Syrians are displaced multiple times. The estimated number of IDPs now stands at 4.25 million.

Syria

HIGHLIGHTS

• A 7.8 earthquake hit South-Eastern Iran on 16 April, close to the border with Pakistan. The impact was felt in both countries, with 14 people killed, 73 injured and two missing.

• New and worsening humanitarian crises since 2011 have led to a considerable increase in CERF allocations to the MENA region. The largest recipients have been Pakistan, Syria and Yemen.

HIGHLIGHTS

* Syria: IOM distributed 630 hygiene kits and 1,000 blankets to 4,150 beneficiaries in Salah El Dien and Al Hamdanieh.

* Iraq: During the reporting period, IOM conducted vulnerability assessments of Syrian refugee families and Iraqi returnees families in Baghdad, Erbil and Anbar.

* Jordan: IOM organized the transportation of 8,643 Syrian refugees to Za’atri camp and 536 Syrian refugees to Emirates Jordanian Camp (EJC).

* Lebanon: On 27 April, IOM distributed Non‐Food Items (NFI) to 21 Lebanese returnee families in Hermel.