Attachments
In 2020, UNHCR has sent across the border over 440,000 core relief items and shelter materials to assist 239,000 individuals.
61% of those items were sent in March alone and included 11,100 tents, 17,000 hygiene kits, 17,000 kitchen sets and 68,000 mattresses.
In 2020, through its partners, UNHCR has provided protection services, such as information dissemination and referrals, to over 26,713 individuals.
MAJOR DEVELOPMENTS
Prior to the new wave of violence that has started in mid-December 2019, over 2.8 million people, out of a total population of 4 million living in north-west Syria, were estimated to be in need of humanitarian assistance. The 960,000 newly displaced people because of this latest escalation in hostilities in Idleb and western Aleppo are part of a much larger displaced population that shares a now saturated area with the host community: more than 400,000 new IDPs have found shelter in Aleppo and over 555,000 in Idleb. The fighting has caused the destruction of civilian infrastructure, including health facilities, schools, bakeries, and has disrupted the provision of basic services in the region, thus further deteriorating an already dire situation for the population. Most of the new IDPs are women and children and a high number are people with specific needs. Protracted IDPs share the same urgent needs as new IDPs.
In January, the UN Security Council Resolution that enables the cross-border humanitarian response was renewed for six months until 10 July 2020.
In March, the World Health Organization declared COVID-19 a pandemic. While there are no known cases in northwest Syria, humanitarian actors are active in preparedness and response planning to ensure effective prevention and response to COVID-19 and, at the same time, continue delivering lifesaving humanitarian assistance.