Millions of displaced Syrians could finally make safe, voluntary, and informed decisions to return to the country if conditions are improved. External investments must also be committed to help rebuild ruined infrastructure and economy, according to a new report from the Norwegian Refugee Council (NRC).
New NRC research across Syria has identified a raft of major challenges facing people who are returning or re-integrating: Widespread destruction, insecurity, lack of services and jobs, inadequate education, and lack of ownership documents, amongst countless other legal challenges. These factors have long conspired to keep people in prolonged hardship, amid chronic funding shortages and foot-dragging over rebuilding and reconstruction.
“We have a critical window of opportunity to turn this around – to move from rhetoric to action and support Syrians in paving the way to a better future,” said Julie Phipps, country director for NRC’s Syria Response Office. “Right now, many are going back to find homes demolished or barely livable, no schools, or other basic services. If these conditions do not improve, Syrians will face more tensions that could destabilise their communities and undermine any chances of long-term recovery.”
According to UN figures, around 1.5 million Syrians, both internally displaced and refugees, have returned home since the political change in December last year, although it is not clear how many of those decided to stay.
In one survey that included over 100 returnees, almost half of the respondents said their homes were either destroyed or inhabitable, while 40 per cent said they had no home or proof of ownership. The situation is remarkably worse in areas like Rural Damascus, where the conflict turned large swaths into rubble. Up to 70 per cent of respondents from that region said their homes were destroyed. People who never left their homes throughout the conflict said they were doubtful that their community would be able to take in a large number of returnees.
In Idleb, one person told NRC that people “go home, only to be shocked and turn back”. NRC teams also received reports of a woman who was killed when a damaged ceiling collapsed on her while she was clearing rubble in her home. Others were unable to see a doctor in the area, while unexploded ordnance was also mentioned as a major problem.
The vast majority of those surveyed in cities preparing to receive more returnees, including Aleppo, Rural Damascus, Homs, and Daraa, reported limited or no access to basic services. For instance, one family told NRC that they were moving back to Idleb after attempting to return home because ofa lack of electricity. Similarly, access to water remains equally scant. In addition to vast damage sustained during conflict years, recent hostilities in the northeast of the country and Israeli occupation in the south could deprive hundreds of thousands of Syrians of clean water this summer.
“I returned on my own to Harasta [in Rural Damascus] in early 2025 while my family stayed in Aleppo. I am working on repairing part of our house to make it habitable for my family when they come back. The needs here are numerous. The inability to fully rebuild destroyed homes and the city, and the lack of water and electricity, pose significant challenges. Schools are overcrowded and struggling to accommodate the large numbers, including returnees,” Abu Fahd, a father of four, told NRC.
NRC has worked throughout Syria since 2013, providing displaced Syrians legal aid and counselling, education opportunities, employment and apprenticeship support, shelter support, and access to clean water.
“NRC welcomed the widespread acknowledgement that conditions inside Syria remain unconducive for large-scale returns at this year’s annual pledging conference in March; We also welcomed the shift in discourse from the international community committing to recovery and reconstruction. Donors and humanitarian actors must work alongside the Syrian government to scale up recovery and ensure Syrians can live in safety and dignity,” added Phipps.
