DRC is one of the few INGOs having been authorised by the Syrian authorities to operate in the country. Our activities in Syria target iraqi refugees within the sectors of social support through community centres, education and livelihood support, as the refugees are facing illegality and lack of resources which put at risk their ability to live decently and with dignity in a country affected by unemployment and extensive poverty.
Community Services
As of September 2008, more than 80,000 visits to the centers have been recorded and justify the development and further expansion of the community based program. DRC therefore wishes to open two addition community centers outside Damascus to focus on community profiling, social / recreational / psycho-social support, training and skills development, minor QIPS and to establish information and referral systems.
Education
DRC has been renovating and expanding 7 primary and secondary schools located in the Damascus southern area that accommodate about 7,000 children among which 1,000 are Iraqi children. DRC plans to further rehabilitate schools outside Damascus including building additional class rooms, refurbishing, repainting, upgrading interiors to increase the capacity of the primary, elementary and secondary education. DRC has also agreed with the Ministry of Education to carry out an Education survey by the end of the year 2008 whose findings will help adjust DRC intervention in the Education sector.
Livelihood support
The activties include providing training opportunities for young Iraqi males not able to at tend the formal education system by provision of vocational training initiatives and in-kind grant assistance.
Background and context
Syria has been a host country for Iraqi refugees since the first flow of Shia muslims fled Saddam’s persecution in the 90’s. Unlike other Arab countries, Syria has maintained an open border policy since the outbreak of the third Gulf War, at times allowing Iraqis to enter Syria and to enjoy the same access to services as the resident population. The Iraqi refugee flow was divided into several phases:
- Sunni muslims after the Falluja siege in 2004
- Iraqis from all provinces and areas following the Samarra bombing in February 2006
Since the US led invasion of Iraq in 2003 and the subsequent civil conflict, the number of Iraqis seeking refugee in Syria has increased rapidly. Before the war, an estimated 3 - 400,000 Iraqis were living in Syria. The outbreak of the war itself did not produce large numbers of refugees. It was rather the deteriorating security situation in 2004-2005 that made mainly religious minorities and the middle class flee to Syria. Today, 1,000-1,500 Iraqi refugees are daily crossing the border to Syria, and it is estimated that up to 1.5 million Iraqis are living in the country.
Humanitarian needs
Due to their illegal status, the Iraqi refugee population in Syria is facing a difficult situation being both illegal and out of funds, and their possibilities of living a decent life are limited. The influx of refugees has created additional inflation and pressure on the job market in the country. Criminality has increased, and prostitution of young Iraqi women in need of cash support has become a reason for resentment by the host community. The Syrian education system is also struggling to cope with the increased numbers of children and The access to secondary or tertiary health care systems for Iraqis with chronic diseases is very limited.
Partners and donors in Syria
