Highlights
• In Syria, despite a number of ceasefire and de-escalation agreements that were reached since 4 May 2017, escalation of military activities was reported in several provinces during September including Idleb and eastern Ghouta, and increased airstrikes in Hama and Aleppo, which impeded humanitarian access to people in need. Hundreds of schools in Idleb and Aleppo were forced to close temporarily and health services at multiple hospitals were disrupted.
• In September, UNICEF delivered clothing kits for children, nutrition items and water purification kits, 10,000 school bags and educational materials, in the newly accessible areas of Deir-Ez Zor-city. Meanwhile, there are reports that ISIL no longer controls Raqqa city, where there were an estimated 8,000 civilians trapped in the city during the end of the fighting. With no access for humanitarian agencies, the city was completely cut-off from life-saving assistance, with basic services either partially or completely out of service. UNICEF is working with other aid partners to ensure services and supplies are provided, particularly for the vulnerable children.
• With the start of the new school year 2017-2018 and In line with the No Lost Generation Initiative, UNICEF and education partners continue to accelerate efforts around the key pillars of increasing access to equitable education opportunities, improving quality of formal and non-formal education within a protective environment and education system strengthening. In 2017, about 1.8 million children were enrolled in formal education and over 112,700 others in non-formal or informal education with UNICEF support in Syria, Jordan, Iraq, Lebanon, Egypt and Turkey.
• Following the Kurdistan Regional Government referendum on independence on 25 September 2017, access to the Kurdish region has been severely restricted for NGO staff, particularly after the federal Government imposed full control over Erbil and Sulaymaniyah international airports. UNICEF and partners are providing assistance through field facilitators to the vulnerable Syrian refugee population (93 per cent) living in the KRI governorates.
• The situation of about 50,000 Syrians residing at Jordan’s north-eastern border “the berm”, of whom 66 per cent are believed to be women and children, remains highly vulnerable. Since 5 September 2017, the Hadalat camps has emptied out, with 3,000-3,500 Syrians having relocated to Rukban. UNICEF works with other aid partners to provide safe water and basic health services to the camp population, although at modest levels due to access constraints.
• As of 15 October, the UNICEF appeal for Syria is 51 per cent underfunded and the Iraq appeal for the response to Syrian refugees is 59 per cent underfunded, including carry-forward. Donor funding is urgently needed to continue this critical assistance to vulnerable populations – particularly children – sustainably.
Original source: UNICEF.
Posted on 30 September 2017
