Syria Crisis - Health and Rehabilitation Services - Handicap International 2016

March 2016 – The humanitarian situation in Syria continues to deteriorate as a result of the civil war and intensified violence in the country. The United Nations estimates that 13.5 million people inside Syria including 6 million children are in need of humanitarian assistance. Combined with over 4.2 million Syrians seeking refuge from the conflict in neighbouring countries this is the largest number of people displaced from conflict in the world. Women and children are particularly vulnerable to the consequences of the conflict and host countries are increasingly overstretched by the influx of people fleeing the conflict. With DFATD’s support Handicap International is assisting conflict-affected people in Jordan and Lebanon. Project activities include: (1) identifying vulnerable people assessing their needs and referring them to Handicap International internal services and/or external organizations; (2) providing physical and functional rehabilitation services to persons with functional limitations including people with injuries and/or disabilities; (3) providing tailored prosthesis and orthotics devices and rehabilitation services to Syrian-crisis affected people with injuries and/or disabilities; (4) providing psychosocial support services for people suffering from severe psychological distress; (5) strengthening the capacity of local rehabilitation services’ providers at camp health facility and community levels; and (6) providing tailored support to key stakeholders on inclusion of vulnerable groups or people (including people with functional limitation).

The expected outcomes for this project include: (1) increased access to essential services for the most vulnerable people (including people with functional limitation and/or severe psychological distress); (2) improved health status and reduced vulnerability of vulnerable people with functional limitations; and (3) improved psychosocial well-being for people suffering from severe psychological distress. The expected ultimate outcome is lives saved suffering alleviated and human dignity maintained in countries experiencing humanitarian crises or acute food insecurity.