Communities in north-west Syria have faced an onslaught of crises in 2023 – from earthquakes and ongoing food shortages to the most significant escalation of hostilities in four years. Now, a population of 4.5 million is bracing for another cold season of rain, flooding, and snow. For many, this is their twelfth year of winter in conflict.

800,000 people still in tents

After more than 12 years of conflict, Syria is today home to the world’s second-largest number of internally displaced people (IDPs). In the north-west alone, 2 million people live in over 1,500 camps or self-settled sites with limited predictable access to heating, clean water or other necessities. According to the Camp Coordination and Camp Management (CCCM) Cluster, 87 per cent of IDPs live in sites that need camp management and 79 per cent live in sites with a critical level of overcrowding that puts their health at risk. 80 per cent of residents in IDP sites are women and children.

Living conditions are particularly grim for 800,000 people who are still living in tents, many of whom have stayed in the same worn-out tent for multiple years. In the last winter season, more than 5,400 tents were damaged by fire, flood and snowstorms, according to the CCCM Cluster. This year, over 30 flooding and wind incidents have been reported between 20 and 28 November with an expected increase of incidents in the coming months.

From cash for winter to dignified shelters

The humanitarian community started the winter response in October with an emphasis on providing life-saving supplies such as heating fuel, stoves, winter clothes, and winterization kits (including thermal blankets and carpets).

Cash is the most preferred modality, making up more than half of the response modalities, as it enables communities to purchase what they need of their choice during this difficult period. By the end of November, over 40,000 individuals were provided with cash for winter and 7,400 individuals were supported with winter supplies, according to the Shelter and Non-Food Items (SNFI) Cluster.

In early December, the Syria Cross-border Humanitarian Fund (SCHF) completed its Standard Allocation, valued at some $31 million – bringing the total allocated to $140 million this year. Over 70 per cent of the Standard Allocation went directly to national NGOs and a total of $9.5 million was allocated specifically for winterization activities.

Efforts are ongoing to move people out of tents into dignified shelters, with current progress under Phase 2 of the Action Plan since it was launched in March 2022 and updated this summer after the earthquakes. The completion of this plan could reduce dependency on short-term annual winter support which presently takes up 50 per cent of the SNFI Cluster’s annual budget. By mid-December, over 28,500 families – or 35 per cent of the target of 81,520* - have so far been supported with dignified shelters with ongoing projects for an additional 7,000 families. The main challenge has been securing sustained funding. According to the SNFI Cluster, unless funding increases, it will take another five years to reach the target at the current rate.

*This is an estimated percentage by SNFI cluster based on households living on sites with proper housing, land and property (HLP) rights

“There is not enough food”

“For the cost of two tents which have to be replaced every six months, what we'd like to do is provide a dignified shelter which provides more privacy, more durability and lasts for much longer,” said David Carden, UN Deputy Regional Humanitarian Coordinator for the Syria Crisis (DRHC), in a UN interagency visit to Idleb on 15 November.

The delegation, comprised of OCHA, IOM, UNHCR (SNFI Cluster Coordinator) and WFP, spoke with families residing in two camps supported by the NGO IYD. The first camp in Sarmada houses some 900 households living in tents. The UN delegation oversaw the distribution of winter kits, each of which included thermal blankets, carpets, plastic sheets for insulation and other items. The delegation was also briefed about a two-way communication system that enables communities to report complaints or offer feedback on the aid they receive. In the second camp, in Deir Hassan, the delegation sat down with families who had been moved out of tents into dignified shelters funded by the Syria Cross-border Humanitarian Fund (SCHF). In contrast to the flimsy walls of tents, these shelters are made of sandwich panel material with each unit having its own kitchen and bathroom.

Despite the differences in shelter arrangements, one key concern was commonly raised in both camps: “There is not enough food.”

Inadequate funding with humanitarian consequences

This year saw the reduction of funding for WFP and its partners in north-west Syria by 50 per cent resulting in a scale-down of the operation. At the same time, the price of food baskets in Syria has doubled in 2023 and food insecurity is at an all-time high with 4 out of 5 Syrians in the north-west being deemed food insecure. Food distributions have been made every other month since the summer which is also reflected in the sharp drop of people reached. In the first half of 2023, 2 million people on average have been supported with food assistance each month in north-west Syria. Since July, this monthly number halved to no more than 1 million people as reported by the Food and Security and Livelihoods (FSL) Cluster.

The prospects for the new year are also difficult given the tight funding environment. In early December, WFP announced the suspension of its General Food Assistance programme for the whole of Syria in 2024 due to insufficient funding. Over the past year, this programme provided food baskets and vouchers to almost 1.3 million people in north-west Syria. In 2024, the organization will continue to support Syrian families affected by emergencies and natural disasters through smaller, time-bound and more targeted emergency response interventions.

In addition to food insecurity, underfunding has implications across all sectors. As this year comes to a close, the 2023 Humanitarian Response Plan for Syria remains a third funded – far less than in 2022 which reached 52 per cent funded. The SNFI Cluster’s winter appeal, which targets 2.1 million people with winter assistance, has also lingered at only 30 per cent funded. As of 15 December, 24 SNFI members reported winter plans and the current secured funding could only target 785,000 people. In the absence of insulation and heating in the next months, it is the most vulnerable - women, children, persons with disabilities and the elderly – who bear the most risk of respiratory infections, hypothermia, and preventable deaths. Any cutback of assistance, coupled with increased food insecurity and inflation, will have humanitarian consequences.

As stated by the OCHA Director of Operations and Advocacy, Edem Wosornu, on behalf of the Emergency Relief Coordinator, in a briefing to the Security Council on 28 November: “The people of Syria have suffered more than enough. Yet this winter, humanitarians are being asked to prioritize one vulnerable life over another.”

Cash is a critical form of humanitarian assistance, making up 60 per cent of the Shelter/NFI winter response modalities.

Multi-purpose cash assistance in particular took prominence in the earthquake response given the resilience of local markets. Its flexibility enables families to buy what they need of their own choice, all while stimulating the local economy. Within a week of the earthquakes, $1.8 millions of multi-purpose cash was distributed to 13,000 affected families, who were either homeless, displaced, or in need of medical care. This support has since exponentially risen. As of 15 November, some 215,000 families – nearly 1 million people - have received multi-purpose cash valued at $32 million since the start of 2023. At least half of Afrin’s population and nearly a quarter of Harim’s population were supported.

In addition to multipurpose cash, the humanitarian community is also providing sector-specific cash and voucher assistance to communities. Between January to August this year, some 700,000 individuals in 40 out of 45 sub-districts have been reached with this type of support, valued at $93.2 million.

Despite the added value of cash distribution, the Cash Working Group (CWG) also noted that there are liquidity and capacity challenges for the operation in north-west Syria. After the earthquakes, some partners also reported a shortage of 50 and 100 USD bills temporarily alongside small banknotes. Small coins are not available in PTT offices which are the Turkish postal offices used by Syrians for money transfers. The transfer amount must be paid in $50 or multiples thereof which complicates money transfer. Additionally, there is insufficient capacity to cover all needs in north-west Syria with only 10 PTT offices running across northern Aleppo, according to the CWG. There are no PTT offices in Idleb.

Among the nearly 1 million people supported with multipurpose cash are those from the most vulnerable groups. 46-year-old Nuriddin and 53-year-old Ali are two displaced fathers living with disabilities in Al Bab, northern Aleppo. Due to their disabilities, finding employment has been difficult.

Nuriddin used to be a farmer but he became disabled after an injury to the head. Now in a wheelchair, Nuriddin lives with his family of six in a small house. He lost his daughter to the conflict and his three sons currently work temporary jobs but the income flow has not been stable. To help feed his family, he started to plant tomatoes, mint and peppers in the backyard of his home.

Ali was displaced to Al-Bab many years ago. He lost his left leg and right arm to hostilities in the conflict. He currently lives with his pregnant wife and five children – one son is paralyzed and another cannot speak. Due to his disability, Ali could not find work and used cash assistance to buy the items in need according to the season. For winter, this means securing items such as a stove, food, blankets and medicines.

Nuriddin’s family receives US$150 in multipurpose cash support every couple of months while Ali’s family was supported with $75 on three occasions. Both stressed their purchase priorities as food and the most basic of necessities – but it’s not enough.

“My family and I are appreciative of cash assistance but it does not cover all the basics,” said Nuriddin, adding that his family is in great need of medicines. His wheelchair, which he has had for five years, has some defects, but he has no choice but to keep using it. He added: “I also want to send my children to school but it’s not possible with these financial difficulties.”

Ali stressed his family needs “at least $100 each month to cover the basic needs.” When asked about his message to the international community, he shared: “Do not leave people with disabilities behind. Do not forget our communities who depend on this humanitarian assistance.”

On the occasion of the International Day of People with Disabilities, on 3 December, UNDP and OCHA launched a global photo competition titled “Change-makers in action: Building disability inclusive, resilient communities” showcasing the role of persons with disabilities as agents of change in resilience building.

More than 100 photographs have been submitted from 23 countries. Among the finalists were Shafak Organization (who won 1st place) and SARD (8th place) from the cross-border response.

To view their photos showcasing agents of change from north-west Syria, and other photos and stories from around the world, click here.

Active hostilities continue to be reported almost daily. Incidents have largely shifted to frontline areas in November since hostilities escalated on 5 October. However, civilian deaths and injuries continued to be reported including women and children. According to the CCCM Cluster, more than 9,000 people were displaced throughout November with the two most commonly cited push factors as loss of income and hostilities. 42 per cent of the newly arrived stated food and shelter as their top needs.

Since 5 October at least 99 civilians have been killed – nearly 40 per cent are children – and more than 400 others injured, according to local health authorities as of 18 December. Among the latest notable incidents:

• Between 15 and 17 December, at least seven people – including a pregnant woman – were killed when shelling struck residential and front-line areas in Idleb and western Aleppo. Nearly two dozen others were injured, with a displacement camp and vegetable market affected.

• On 9 December, shelling struck residential neighborhoods in Idleb city and Sarmin, affecting one displacement camp and causing fire to a city market. At least nine civilians, including three children, have been killed and 27 others have been injured.

• On 2 December, a school in Idleb was hit by shelling while students were present, resulting in the injury of five children and one teacher.

• On 25 November, shelling in southern Idleb killed nine civilians, including one woman and six children from the same family, while they were harvesting olives on agricultural land.

For background on the escalation of hostilities, please read the last OCHA Flash Update (27 October).

• The UN continues to cross almost daily from Türkiye to north-west Syria. In November, 35 UN cross-border missions were completed.

• In total, as of 20 December, the UN completed 312 cross-border missions reaching 34 out of 45 sub-districts including all sub-districts in northern Aleppo and frontline areas including Tadaf, Bennsh and Taftanaz.

• As of 20 December, 4,856 trucks loaded with UN aid crossed from Türkiye to north-west Syria using three border-crossings since the earthquakes struck. This brings this year’s monthly average to some 400 trucks – the lowest since 2018.

• Underfunding, especially concerning food assistance, significantly influences truck-related figures. Historically, WFP aid makes up the bulk of UN trucks. Since 2014, at the start of the cross-border operation, over 60,500 trucks have crossed from Türkiye to north-west Syria – some 70 per cent of them carried WFP aid.