Syria Crisis - Emergency Assistance to Syrian Refugees in Iraq and Lebanon - Mercy Corps 2013

October 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 Mercy Corps is providing life-saving assistance to meet the critical needs of 11 200 Syrian refugees and vulnerable host communities in Iraq and Lebanon. In Lebanon Mercy Corps is assisting 9 500 Syrian refugees and vulnerable Lebanese host communities by providing safe water sanitation and hygiene services essential household items (such as clothing) and assistance to help households prepare for winter. In Iraq Mercy Corps is assisting 1 700 Syrian refugees living in non-camp communities by: (i) distributing emergency household items including blankets and other items to help people survive the winter; (ii) providing unconditional cash assistance to the most vulnerable and (iii) providing livelihoods support or assistance to help people find a way to earn a living again.

The expected outputs for this project include: (i) improved water and sanitation access in schools and refugee/host communities through infrastructure rehabilitation and hygiene education (Lebanon); (ii) improved ability to withstand winter temperatures in targeted communities (Lebanon and Iraq); and (iii) improved access to sustainable livelihoods in refugee communities (Iraq). The expected intermediate outcome is reduced vulnerability of crisis-affected people especially women and children.