Syria Crisis - Improving Access to Water and Sanitation in Lebanon - Oxfam-Québec 2013

September 2013 - The humanitarian situation in Syria has rapidly deteriorated over the past year as a result of the civil war in the country. The United Nations estimates that 100 000 people have been killed and hundreds of thousands more wounded due to the violence. Within Syria some 6.8 million people are in need of humanitarian assistance 4.25 million of whom are internally displaced. In addition more than 2 million Syrian refugees are living in host countries in the region. By the end of 2013 the United Nations estimates that 10 million people in Syria will need humanitarian assistance and a further 3.55 million refugees from Syria will have fled to host countries where resources are increasingly overstretched by the influx of people needing assistance. With DFATD’s support Oxfam Québec is improving the health and physical safety of up to 1 250 crisis-affected households (6 250 people) in Lebanon including Syrian refugees vulnerable members of host communities and Lebanese returnees from Syria. Project activities include: trucking water into drought-prone areas; improving water storage and water supply points; rehabilitating sanitation facilities; distributing sanitation kits; conducting public health promotion campaigns; distributing non-food items through in-kind or vouchers; provision of winter items such as stove fuel and blankets; and increasing access to protection information and referrals to appropriate assistance and protection services.

The expected outputs for this project include: access to safe water sanitation hygiene and protection services increased for up to 6 250 crisis-affected people (1 250 households); access to winter items for up to 6 250 crisis-affected people (1 250 households) increased; and access to services to reduce physical risk. The expected intermediate outcome is reduced vulnerability of crisis-affected people especially women and children.