Sida's work in Syria

Women are a particularly important target group, as the conflict has left many women responsible for supporting their families. By supporting ACTED, the International Rescue Committee (IRC) and the Syrian Resilience Consortium (SRC), Sida is helping to ensure that more people have a more sustainable livelihood. Farmers are supported with seeds, greenhouses, training, improved irrigation and animal feed. Providing access to childcare makes it easier for women to work on harvesting and livestock.

• ACTED’s website
• IRC’s website

Almost 2.5 million children lack access to education and many are at risk of dropping out.10 Sida supports the United Nations Children’s Fund (UNICEF), which provides clean water to people by rehabilitating water and sanitation systems, and gives children access to schooling. The installation of solar panels to ensure access and the restoration of school buildings for IDPs are also part of the work.

UNICEF’s website

For the children of Syria, the destruction of schools and teaching materials is part of everyday life. Sida supports the efforts of UNICEF in Jordan and Save the Children in Syria and Lebanon, including teaching refugee children.

UNICEF website

Sida supports the United Nations Population Fund (UNFPA) and a programme that provides girls and women who have been victims of violence with psychological and legal support, training for police officers, doctors and civil society representatives, as well as long-term strengthening of institutions and systems for recording and reporting sexual and gender-based violence.

UNFPA’s website

Knowledge of human rights is generally low in Syria. Through support to organisations such as Kvinna till Kvinna and the Euromed Feminist Initiative (EFI), Sida strengthens civil society organisations that combat gender-based violence, strengthen women’s rights and increase gender equality. The work contributes to increasing the knowledge of civil society and the population about human rights, in particular women’s rights and gender equality. EFI has, among other things, established an Internet-based feminist political academy that has spread throughout the country. The training strengthens women’s capacities and increases their opportunities for influence.

• Kvinna till Kvinna website (in Swedish)
• About EFI on Openaid (in Swedish)

Sida supports Free Press Unlimited (FPU) and International Media Support (IMS), which in turn support dozens of Syrian independent media. The programmes promote independent media to ensure that Syrians inside and outside the country have access to accurate information. Strengthening media organisations by, for example, developing business plans and increasing their income through subscriptions is included, as is enhanced digital and physical security and psychosocial support for journalists.

• Free Press Unlimited website
• International Media Support (IMS) website

Sida supports the UN Children’s Fund, UNICEF, which focuses on the right to education for children from the age of 3. The UN Population Fund (UNFPA) combats sexual and gender-based violence against women and children. Kvinna till Kvinna provides support, protection and vocational training to young people and children.

• UNICEF’s website
• UNFPA’s website
• Kvinna till Kvinna’s website (in Swedish)

In Syria, there is widespread impunity for violations of human rights and international humanitarian law. International Media Support (IMS) supports organisations working to verify, document and investigate human rights abuses. This work has helped to provide evidence of war crimes and crimes against humanity committed by representatives of the Syrian regime and armed groups.

About the work in Syria on IMS’ website

Sida provides emergency humanitarian assistance to combat hunger through cooperation with Action Against Hunger (AAH). Water, sanitation, hygiene and health initiatives are also part of the work. The assistance focuses on reaching the people most in need and in hard-to-reach areas.

Action Against Hunger website

Sida provides humanitarian assistance to people affected by war and armed violence through the International Committee of the Red Cross (ICRC), including protection, distribution of food and other essentials, restoration of water supplies, and support for health services. The ICRC seeks to ensure that those involved in the fighting fulfil their obligations under international humanitarian law.

ICRC website

Sida supports girls and women through the organisation International Rescue Committee (IRC). The support provides protection and life-saving interventions to girls and women at risk of gender-based violence and provides support and assistance to those already affected.

IRC web page

High transport costs and a lack of transport and medicines make it difficult for hospitals and health facilities in north-west Syria to provide people with access to health care. Sida supports Islamic Relief to improve people’s access to health facilities, including medicines and medical equipment. Support is also provided to health workers.

Through the Norwegian Refugee Council (NRC), Sida supports affected people in areas such as shelter, water, sanitation and hygiene, capacity building and education.

NRC website

Through Sida’s support, the UN Children’s Fund (UNICEF) provides life-saving and life-sustaining support to the most vulnerable people, such as children and women, not least by increasing access to nutritious food for pregnant and lactating women, and supporting vulnerable children throughout the country through education and protection.

About Humanitarian Action for Children at UNHCR web page

The UN Humanitarian Land Funds in Syria are targeting both the people acutely affected by the earthquake and those in need of humanitarian support due to the worsening of protracted, recurrent humanitarian needs. The funds have different geographical focuses in order to reach all affected people.