Joint Statement by the UN Resident/Humanitarian Coordinator for Syria and Regional Humanitarian Coordinator for the Syria Crisis, on 2017 Humanitarian Response Plan (HRP)

The United Nations is calling for greater assistance to meet the growing needs of millions of men, women and children inside Syria this year.

“Today 13.5 million people in Syria need some immediate form of humanitarian assistance, including 5.8 million children,” said Ali Al-Za’tari, the UN Resident/Humanitarian Coordinator for Syria, following the release of the Humanitarian Response Plan (HRP) for 2017. “The UN and humanitarians partners will continue to respond though all means possible to pressing humanitarian and protection needs to save lives, enhance protection and build peoples’ resilience, which are the three objectives of the Humanitarian Response Plan for 2017.”

Under the plan, USD 3.4 billion is requested to meet the humanitarian needs of 13.5 million people across Syria this year, including close to 5 million in besieged and hard-to-reach locations. 126 humanitarian organizations, including international and national NGOs, UN agencies and international organizations have projects in the plan.

“Despite ongoing relief efforts, millions of Syrians face mounting difficulties in meeting their basic needs,” said Kevin Kennedy, the Regional Coordinator for the Syria Crisis. “It’s imperative we do more.”

After six years of conflict, the humanitarian situation in Syria continues to dominate the scene. Over half the country’s population have fled their homes: 4.8 million people have sought refuge in the region and beyond, and 6.3 million people are internally displaced. Millions have fallen into poverty, forced to take risky choices and face increased protection risks.

In 2017 humanitarian needs are expected to persist if not increase in severity and complexity. Since October 2015, the number of people unable to obtain the basic food required to meet their needs has risen from 6.3 million to 7 million, with households spending up to 25 per cent of their income to meet daily water needs. Continued interruptions in water and power supplies have meant that large segments of the population suffer on a daily basis and in multiple ways from the absence of such essential life necessities and have become dependent on humanitarian aid to provide temporary solutions. Health is among the sectors that has suffered the most and it is a miracle that it can still withstand the mounting pressures on health facilities and health workers.

*** Syria 2017 Humanitarian Response Plan downloadable here

For further information, please contact:
David Swanson, OCHA Public Information Officer, swanson@un.org Tel: +962 (0) 791 417 882
Linda Tom, OCHA Public Information Officer, toml@un.org Tel: +963 958 880 095
OCHA press releases are available at www.unocha.org or www.reliefweb.int