Attachments
Introduction and Methodology
HSOS is a monthly assessment that provides comprehensive, multi-sectoral information about the humanitarian conditions and priority needs inside Syria. This factsheet presents a thematic review based on the HSOS assessment of the priority needs and humanitarian assistance, economic conditions, living conditions, access to basic services, COVID-19 situation, and the security and protection situation in the Greater Idleb area in Northwest Syria (NWS). Sector-specific indicator findings by location can be found on the HSOS dashboard.
The assessment is conducted using a key informant (KI) methodology at the community level. REACH enumerators are based inside Syria and interview three to six KIs per assessed location, either directly or remotely (via phone). KIs are chosen based on their communitylevel and sector-specific knowledge. This factsheet presents information gathered in 371 communities across the greater Idleb area. Data was collected between 1-25 June 2022 from 1,345 KIs (12% female). Unless specified by an endnote, all indicators refer to the situation in the 30 days prior to data collection. Findings are indicative rather than representative, and should not be generalized across the population and region. Findings that are calculated based on a subset of the community are indicated by the following footnote, with each subset specified in the endnotes.
The complete monthly HSOS dataset is available on the REACH Resource Centre.
Key Highlights
Households relied more strongly on agriculture with the start of the harvest season, however barriers to agricultural livelihoods have increased. Furthermore, daily wages for unskilled labour have increased this month, but currency depreciation has outstripped wage growth. The declining economic situation of households has contributed to an increase in the number of communities in which KIs reported children working, with younger boys having seen the strongest increase.
-
Seasonal increase in reliance on agriculture. A range of crops are harvested during the summer months, leading to an increased reliance of households on agricultural production. KIs in 75% of communities reported that own food production was one of the most common sources of food in their communities, up from 60% in May.
Meanwhile, KIs in 65% of communities reported cash crops as one of the main sources for meeting basic needs, up from 49% in the previous month. This has led to a slight decrease in reliance on aid – reportedly a main source for meeting basic needs in 37% of communities, a reduction after a continuous increase up to 44% between January and May. However, the need for livelihoods assistance remains high with KIs in 69% of communities reporting the high operational costs for agriculture, up from 61% in May and much higher than the 49% in January. This was partially due to the impacts of the Ukraine crisis on global fertiliser prices, though high fuel and input cost have been affecting farmers over a longer period. -
Reported daily wages for unskilled labour increased, but strong currency depreciation meant that households are not better off. The mean reported wage rate increased from 31.3 Turkish lire (TRY) per day in May (median 30 TRY) to 33.5 TRY in June (median 35 TRY), a 7% increase in one month. In the same time, the median exchange rate in Idleb governorate went from 15.1 TRY per USD in May to 16.8 TRY in June,11% higher. This suggests that the wage value in USD slightly decreased within the past month. This follows a trend of decreasing purchasing power in Greater Idleb resulting from strong inflation.
-
Increasing rates of children working. In June, KIs in 92% of communities reported sending children to work as a coping strategy for a lack of livelihoods, up from 88% in May and 82% in January. Increasing levels of children working are linked to the worsening economic situation caused by the declining value of the Turkish lira and higher prices related to the Ukraine crisis. Looking at the groups most strongly affected, almost twice as many KIs reported child labour as a protection risk for boys aged zero to eleven than they did a month before (KIs in 25% of assessed communities in June versus 13% in May). For the other age and gender groups, this remained more stable.