Attachments
Highlights
● The influx of people from Lebanon to Syria continues after more than a month since the escalation of hostilities in Lebanon. A total of 440,000 individuals (71% Syrian nationals and 29% Lebanese nationals) are estimated to have crossed the borders into Syria – 25% are women of reproductive age (aged 15 to 49 years). Two border crossing points (Al-Masnaa in Rural Damascus and Joussieh in Homs) were struck on 25 October, rendering the movement of people across them almost impossible. The UN Humanitarian Coordinator in Syria described these attacks as unacceptable and called for them to end immediately.
● Almost half of Syrian families re-entering Syria are female-headed and are in need of assistance including shelter, food, non-food items, legal support as well as health services and support; particularly reproductive health services and menstrual health supplies.
● UNFPA continues to expand the delivery of services to new arrivals through 99 service points, providing sexual and reproductive health (SRH) care through static clinics, women and girls safe spaces (WGSSs), community well-being centers, and integrated SRH/gender-based violence (GBV) mobile teams.
● At SRH service points, UNFPA is providing antenatal care, postnatal care, gynecological, obstetric and family planning consultations/family planning methods and referrals, in addition to awareness raising on health topics.
● GBV activities are focused on GBV prevention and mitigation, including sexual exploitation and abuse (SEA) and managing GBV cases through referrals to specialized services implemented by other actors, especially legal, child protection and relief services. UNFPA’s distribution of sanitary and hygiene items is ensuring the mobility of women and girls and safeguarding their health, well-being and confidence.
● UNFPA is strengthening the capacity of frontline service providers on GBV and mental health and psychosocial support (MHPSS) services, as many women and girls have reported experiencing trauma and anxiety, in addition to fears of sexual and emotional abuse and harassment. Workshops to prepare GBV trainers and case managers are ongoing in Homs and Aleppo. On-the-job training is also being provided by UNFPA staff to field partners, and guidance notes on psychosocial first aid (PFA) and support (PSS) are being shared with partners to inform their interventions. A MHPSS surge staff will join UNFPA Syria shortly.