Attachments
SITUATION OVERVIEW
As of 21 February, a total of 147 shelters, including 77 schools and 16 mosques had been established in Aleppo governorate as a result of the 6 February earthquakes. Following the 20 February 6.4 magnitude aftershock, an additional six hundred mosques and eight schools were temporarily re-opened to newly displaced people. 300 people reportedly approached hospitals with signs of panic attacks as a result of the 20 February aftershock. In Lattakia, local authorities reported that 103 buildings had collapsed, and 300 buildings were at risk of collapsing, while 172,000 people have been displaced. Most IDPs are staying with host communities.
NEEDS AND GAPS IN THE PROTECTION RESPONSE
Between 16 to 20 February OCHA-led multi-sectoral assessment of 118 collective shelters (hosting 38,000 people) in Aleppo indicated that:
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Women (51 per cent) are most affected by protection concerns, followed closely by girls (43 percent). Children who are either unaccompanied or staying with relatives were reported in 30 shelters.
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85 per cent of the surveyed respondents reported experiencing high levels of trauma and stress since the earthquake.
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The assessment findings highlighted that the poor shelter and Wash facilities infrastructure, overcrowded shelter and lack of lighting in the collective shelters have led to lack of privacy and increase of incidents of sexual harassment. 27 per cent of respondents reported incidents of sexual harassment and a further 20 per cent expressed fear of harassment and/or a lack of privacy. The data shows that most of the incidents of sexual harassment occur in WASH facilities. There were reported cases in 9 shelters.
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The assessment highlighted potential instances of exploitation and abuse, with 9 per cent of the respondents reporting that they had been asked for physical, emotional, or other kinds of favours in exchange for services and assistance.
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The report also highlighted the need to take into account the specific needs of women, children and people with specific needs and ensure that aid is distributed fairly and consistently. Women and girls in shelters reported a critical need for dignity kits and menstrual items as well as healthcare needs for pregnant women and treating gynecological conditions.
Psychological distress in adults translated into signs of excessive worrying and fear, nightmares, insomnia, disorientation, recalling incidents, while children exhibited unusual crying, sadness, nightmares, fear of loud noises and inability to enter rooms in their homes where they were when the earthquake happened.
There is growing anecdotal evidence of an increase in harmful coping mechanisms. This week the case of a thirteen-year-old girl getting engaged in a collective shelter was reported.
The risks of exposure to Gender based violence (GBV) continue to rise in the collective shelters and at food/NFIs distribution points. The closure of some of the collective shelters and relocation of the affected population also generates increased risks of exposure to negative coping strategies. The most critical need is to ensure the availability and accessibility of GBV essential services for the most vulnerable, especially women and girls hosted in shelters and those who are relocated as a result of the closure of some of the temporary shelters. A critical need is also to strengthen GBV risk mitigation mechanisms, by ensuring collective shelters’ spaces are equipped with lighting, secured toilets, washing facilities that are gender disaggregated. There is an increasing need to ensure all humanitarian aid actors are aware of GBV risks and are trained on ethical standards for humanitarian aid distribution in order to ensure that distributions are conducted through safe access routes and abide by the Do No Harm principles at all times, including to mitigate increasing concerns of sexual exploitation and abuse. Protection sector and GBV AoR already followed up with the shelter and WASH sectors to take actions and reduce the protection risks.
The number of Unaccompanied and Separated children in shelters and communities continues to rise, requiring a more robust mechanism for tracing and reunification of these children. There is an urgent need to introduce normalcy among children through recreational activities. Increased cases of psychological trauma in children and their families necessitate increased psychosocial support and case management support services. As more children are displaced in the communities, there is a need to strengthen community structures to support these children, which also calls for increased awareness of child protection risks in the communities.
People with disabilities, including survivors of explosive accidents, face additional challenges. Earthquake- related damage has made accessing services even more difficult. There is a need to support in particular importation of prosthetics equipment, as well as rehabilitation and medical support.