-
13 years
of conflict
-
12 Million
people displaced
-
90 %
living in poverty
The conflict in Syria, which is now in its 13th year, has displaced 12 million people across the region. Two-thirds of the population require humanitarian assistance, and 90% of families live in poverty.
The economic crisis sparked by the conflict continues: 12.5 million people are food insecure, and this continues to push families – especially women-headed households – towards negative coping strategies. All of this has negative consequences for gender-based violence and child exploitation within the country.
The earthquake which hit Syria in March in February 2023 exacerbated the ongoing crisis in the northwest of the country. Here, families continue to face immense challenges: displacement, a lack of access to healthcare, hunger and malnutrition. Millions of people still grappling with the aftermath of the destruction face a deteriorating humanitarian crisis.
CARE’s work in Syria
CARE UK has supported communities in Syria since 2017, when it started supporting vulnerable families through the Syria Resilience Programme. Between 2017 – 2021, the programme supported over two million people through livelihood activities, Cash-for-Work opportunities, multi-purpose grant distributions, and emergency distributions, in addition to protection awareness and psychosocial support services.
The Syria Resilience Initiative (SRI) supports communities in Syria and consists of three agencies - CARE, the International Rescue Committee and Mercy Corps. It works alongside Syrians to rebuild their lives and their livelihoods; find innovative ways to overcome the challenges they face; and foster stronger, inclusive, and supportive communities.
One of the projects delivered by the SRI is the UK Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office's Building Local Resilience in Syria project, which works with people in Syria to deliver cash-for-work opportunities, grants and livelihood activities. With Syria increasingly under threat from the impacts of climate change, it also works with communities - especially smallholder producers - to increase their resilience to environmental pressures.
