CERF provides grant of $2.6 million for UN agencies in Syria

22 November 2011: Following the eruption of protests in March 2011, United Nations agencies began to adapt ongoing programme activities to respond to civil unrest in the country.

The Central Emergency Response Fund (CERF) has provided $2.6 million to six United Nations agencies and the International Organization of Migration (IOM) in Syria. CERF-funded projects will provide seed funding to support and expand humanitarian response in affected areas.

Funds provided to the United Nations Children’s Fund (UNICEF) will allow more than 15,000 boys and girls, women and men to have improved access to information on basic health services and psycho-social assistance. In addition, a UNICEF project will offer immediate support to more than 10,000 school-age children in affected areas to assist their reintegration back to school. UNICEF, working with government partners, seeks to ensure that children remain in schools and participate in psycho-social activities in a supportive environment.

Projects supported by the Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO) will offer immediate support to 3,400 destitute farmers and small herders. The project will assist them in the restoration of their livelihoods and help them to stay or resettle in their home villages.

The United Nations Population Fund (UNFPA) will support activities that will ensure access to reproductive health services, including basic and comprehensive emergency obstetric care and psychological support services.

IOM activities will offer immediate life-saving evacuation assistance for up to 225 highly vulnerable migrants stranded in Syria with no other means of returning home.

Projects supported by the United Nations Development Programme (UNDP) will enhance the prevention, protection and response to vulnerable groups with special attention given to the protection of women and girls and vulnerable children.

World Food Programme (WFP) funded projects will save lives and protect livelihoods through provision of emergency food assistance to affected people.

World Health Organization (WHO) funded projects will ensure obstetric, surgical and medical capacity for health service delivery, support emergency health services in affected areas and provide emergency rooms and operating theatres in area hospitals.