Syria Cross-border Humanitarian Fund: 2024 First Reserve Allocation Strategy

Over 5 million people in northwest Syria are bracing for another cold winter season of unpredictable flooding, rainstorms, and snow. Nearly 70 percent of the population live in over 1,500 camps and informal settlements, often in overcrowded conditions and lacking basic amenities like sewage drainage, electricity, and water supply. After more than 13 years of conflict and displacement, 800,000 individuals, primarily women and children, still live in tents. Last year, over 1,000 shelters were damaged by flooding, with 70 percent of all displacement sites lacking basic care and maintenance.

Underfunding—the 2024 Humanitarian Response Plan (HRP) for Syria is only 27.3% funded—threatens essential services in the northwest, as winter approaches. Poor shelter and heating increase health risks and respiratory infections, damaged roads and contaminated water exacerbate vulnerabilities. Although 2 million people urgently need winter assistance, the Winterization Plan is just 10% funded. In addition, half of the health facilities are non-functional, affecting 1.5 million people, and over 1 million children face school dropouts amid ongoing closures.

The 2024 First Reserve Allocation (RA1), titled “Ensuring Life-Saving Winter Assistance and Critical Services for Populations in Northwest Syria,” aims to address critical needs during the winter season, prioritizing life-saving support and resilience for those at most risk.

The Deputy Regional Humanitarian Coordinator (DRHC), in consultation with the Advisory Board and Inter-Cluster Coordination Group (ICCG), has allocated an estimated US$25 million under RA1, prioritising funding under two strategic envelopes:

• Envelope 1: Ensuring humanitarian life-saving, and life-sustaining, multi-sectoral winter assistance for populations at risk in northwest Syria (Indicative US$10 million).
• Envelope 2: Maintaining continuous access to essential services while strengthening the resilience of vulnerable populations in northwest Syria (Indicative US$15 million).

The allocation supports targeted, coordinated, multi-sectoral humanitarian efforts in CCCM, Education, Early Recovery, Health, Multipurpose Cash, Shelter, and WASH. Through targeted winterization support, it will provide essential supplies such as fuel, heating, and winter clothing, supporting IDP site facilities and critical infrastructure to prevent disruptions in services during severe weather. Through Envelope 2, the most vulnerable people will be able to access basic health and education services and will be empowered to meet their needs through cash assistance.

The SCHF remains committed to supporting local and national partners to address immediate needs and foster long-term stability by strengthening community resilience, particularly in underserved and high-risk areas. This allocation prioritizes assistance for people with disabilities, women, and children, focusing on integration and inclusion across sectors.

While addressing pressing needs for essential services and assistance to populations at heightened risk, the allocation remains essential in addressing the substantial funding gap within the humanitarian response in Syria.