Syria Crisis – Water and Sanitation in Syria and Lebanon - Humanitarian Response 2014

February 2014 - The humanitarian situation in Syria continues to deteriorate as a result of the civil war in the country. The United Nations estimates that more than 130 000 people have been killed with hundreds of thousands more wounded due to the violence. Within Syria some 9.3 million people are in need of humanitarian assistance 6.5 million of whom are internally displaced. In addition over 2.4 million Syrian refugees are registered and living in host countries in the region. Women and children are particularly vulnerable to the impact of the conflict and host countries are increasingly overstretched by the influx of affected people needing assistance. With DFATD's support this project addresses critical water sanitation and hygiene needs and provides relief items for up to 1 203 842 conflict-affected people in Syria and in Lebanon. Project activities include: (1) rehabilitating outdated water infrastructure with replacement generators to maintain safe water supply for 1.2 million people; (2) enhancing the capacity of eight local civil society organizations to deliver humanitarian assistance and providing small grants to these organizations to reach 23 000 conflict-affected people with relief items; (3) improving the management of solid waste and hygiene practices as well as raising awareness of environment-related health issues for 1 500 families living in informal tent settlements in Zahlé and surroundings in Lebanon.

The expected immediate outcomes for this project include: (1) improved access to safe water solid waste management system and hygiene practices; and (2) increased access to emergency relief items. The expected intermediate outcome is reduced vulnerability of crisis-affected people especially women and children.