Syria Humanitarian Fund 2019 2nd Reserve Allocation - Annex 5: Allocation Strategy Paper template

I. Allocation Overview

Project Proposal Deadline: 29 March 2019, Damascus, (24:00 / midnight)

A) Introduction / Humanitarian situation

1. The objective of this Second Reserve Allocation is to meet life-saving needs in North East Syria. Specifically, the allocation aims to: i) meet critical gaps in displacement sites across Al-Hasakeh and Deir-ez-Zour governorates, including Al-Hol, Areesha and other IDP camps/sites; and ii) provide life-saving support to key areas where spontaneous returns are already taking place, such as in Ar-Raqqa city and Hajin. In so doing, it is envisaged that a potential by-product of additional resources in North East Syria will be a diversification of partners and reinforced capacity which better enables actors to scale-up response efforts and ensure continuity of services and assistance in the event of a sudden withdrawal of existing forms of humanitarian support.

Approximately, US $12 million is available as part of this Second Reserve Allocation.

2. The humanitarian situation in North East Syria remains extremely complex and highly fluid, characterised by ongoing hostilities, high-levels of population movement (including new displacements and spontaneous returns), extensive explosive hazard contamination, large-scale destruction of civilian infrastructure, a fragmented and disrupted health system, insufficient supply of clean water and waste management services, limited support for education activities for children and adolescents, and an agriculture-based economy which has experienced the lowest harvest in years. Combined, these multiple and interwoven crises have left 1.65 million people across Al-Hasakeh, Deir-ez-Zour and Ar-Raqqa governorates in need of humanitarian assistance in 2019, and contributed to an environment where the recourse to negative coping mechanisms (child labour, early/forced marriage, recruitment) is a common feature generating an array of protection risks.
As many as 134,100 people are now residing in 57 IDP sites, informal settlements and collective centres across North East Syria. In the major sites in Ar-Raqqa and Al-Hasakeh governorates, restrictionsto the free movement of IDPs have been in place since 2017, with negative repercussions on the capacity of the affected community to be self-reliant. The conditions in these sites are therefore dire with residents reporting widespread challenges, ranging from access to education and healthcare (both cited as major concerns), to inadequate shelter and WASH facilities, as well as child protection issues such as early marriage and child labour. The situation is particularly concerning in Al-Hol camp, Al-Hasakeh governorate – the largest displacement site in North East Syria – which has received more than 62,000 new-arrivals from the last ISIL-held enclave of Hajin and Baghouz since the beginning of December 2018. The vast majority of these new arrivals are women and children. From 4 December to 12 March, 120 deaths have been reported either en route, shortly after arriving at the camp or after referral; 80 per cent of them, children under the age of five. The rate and scale of the influx has overwhelmed the camp, which has now already been extended multiple times, and exhausted existing resources, forcing partners to re-direct funds and humanitarian supplies intended for other areas / operational activities to respond to the emergency.

1. At the same time, Ar-Raqqa city and Deir-ez-Zour governorate continue to experience spontaneous return movements, with Hajin city and surrounding areas seeing anywhere between 15,000-25,000 people return since December 2018. In the Hajin areas of return, there are shortages of basic commodities and a lack of basic services – particularly access to safe and clean water and health. Since the beginning of March, the consumption of contaminated water has resulted in 1,000 cases of acute bloody diarrheoa that led to at least 12 deaths. Furthermore, as many as 12,000 people in the Mayadeen area of Deir-ez-Zour have been infected with Leishmaniasis, and if no immediate action is taken to collect and dispose garbage as well as spray insecticides in crowded pockets then the disease may spread further causing serious injury to those affected, as well as potentially death. Of equal and considerable concern is school safety and functionality in both ArRaqqa and Deir-ez-Zour governorates given the high-levels of mine contamination and conflict-affected damage which has affected the structural integrity of buildings and led to over-crowding and a severe lack of secondary education in the worst impacted areas.

2. Currently, humanitarian actors are reaching an estimated 600,000 people on a monthly basis across the three governorates of North East Syria. Given the dynamic situation on the ground, however, partners are preparing a contingency plan to mitigate potential gaps in assistance and service delivery in the event of changes in control. To this end, additional capacities in some sectors will be needed. The allocation will, therefore, also aim to serve as a catalyst to surge existing capacities and/or mobilise additional capacities to the area to engage in transitional activities, if needed.

3. The decision to opt for a Second Reserve Allocation on this occasion rather than a First Standard Allocation has been taken by the Humanitarian Coordinator a.i. following regular HCT meetings which have assessed the situation in North East Syria in detail and given the nature and severity of the needs on the ground, which continue to grow and outstrip existing capacity and resources to respond. This has resulted in the emergence of critical gaps across nearly all sectors which must be urgently addressed to prevent further loss of life.