Syria
Overview
Thirteen years of conflict and displacement have devastated Syria’s infrastructure, rendering many towns uninhabitable and leaving public services barely functional. Essential systems—such as schools, hospitals, water networks, roads, and electricity—have been severely damaged, while the economy continues to decline. Over 90% of the population lives below the poverty line, and more than 16.5 million people require humanitarian assistance, with over half unable to access or afford adequate food.
Displacement remains a major issue. In 2024, over 823,000 people were newly displaced—largely due to ongoing violence in the northeast and south—though more than half returned home by year’s end. Between November 2024 and February 2025 alone, 828,000 IDPs returned, while 617,000 remain displaced. In northwest Syria, about 2 million IDPs live in over 1,500 camps or informal settlements, with 700,000 enduring extreme winter conditions in inadequate tents, lacking heating and flood protection.
The situation is further compounded by widespread housing destruction from years of conflict and the February 2023 earthquakes, particularly in the northwest. Across 1,774 displacement sites in northern Syria, 2.3 million people face severe shelter needs. Damaged infrastructure, warehouse lootings, NFI supply disruptions, and bureaucratic delays continue to hinder aid delivery and shelter rehabilitation.
Following a major change in Syria's situation on December 8, 2024, the humanitarian community began adapting the Whole of Syria (WoS) coordination structure to align with a unified IASC country framework. The Shelter/NFI Cluster in Syria has unified operations across Northeast Syria (NES), Northwest Syria (NWS), and the Humanitarian Country Team (HCT) hubs.
The Shelter/NFI Cluster has transitioned into a unified, nationwide Syria Shelter/NFI Cluster to ensure more streamlined and effective response operations.
Immediate Needs
Urgent shelter and NFI needs span both emergency and recovery contexts: -
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Housing repairs and rehabilitation for returnee families whose homes are damaged, looted, or unfinished.
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Rental support and transitional shelter for households whose homes are destroyed.
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Essential NFIs, including blankets, mattresses, solar lighting, and winterization supplies—particularly critical in emergency collective centres in the northeast and camps in the northwest.
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Tent replacement and emergency sealing-off kits for IDPs in substandard shelter, especially those currently housed in schools.
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Infrastructure rehabilitation, including flood mitigation systems and access roads in camps, and risk reduction measures for areas vulnerable to climate hazards.