UNICEF Syrian Arab Republic Humanitarian Situation Report (Year End) - 01 January to 31 December 2025
Highlights
- In 2024, Syrian children continued to endure the effects of the ongoing conflict, economic collapse, and displacement, culminating in the fall of the government on 8 December. The humanitarian situation remains fluid and unpredictable.
- Active hostilities in northeast Syria have raised serious concerns for the safety and well-being of children and their families. Access to critical social services is limited, and there are growing risks of water shortages for 3 million people due to damaged water infrastructure.1
- Schooling has been disrupted for approximately 230,000 children.2
- Syrian children face severe risks from unexploded ordnance, with 116 children killed or injured in December 2024 alone.
- In 2024, UNICEF and its partners reached over 12.5 million people, of whom 7.3 million were children3 (51 per cent girls), and 225,792 were people with disabilities.
SITUATION IN NUMBERS
7,500,000 children in need of humanitarian assistance
16,700,000 people in need of humanitarian assistance
7,240,000 internally displaced people
FUNDING OVERVIEW AND PARTNERSHIPS
In 2024, UNICEF appealed for US$401 million to provide lifesaving assistance to 8.5 million people across Syria, including 5.4 million children. Of the total funding requirements, US$191 million was raised, leaving a gap of US$210 million (52 per cent).
UNICEF expresses its sincere gratitude to its partners who supported its humanitarian response in Syria this year, including the governments of Australia, Austria, Bulgaria, Canada, Finland, Germany, Italy, Japan, the Republic of Korea, New Zealand, Norway, Kingdom of Saudi Arabia, Sweden, Switzerland, United Kingdom and the United States of America, as well as GAVI, GPE, ECHO, KS Relief, CERF and the Syria Humanitarian Fund. Special thanks are also extended to the governments of Belgium, Denmark, and the Netherlands, UNICEF national committees, and private sector partners for contributing flexible resources.
SITUATION OVERVIEW AND HUMANITARIAN NEEDS
The 14-year crisis in Syria has had a profound and devastating impact on children and their families. In 2024, the situation grew even more dire, worsened by ongoing conflict, displacement, escalating security issues, and significant economic collapse. However, on 8 December, the change of government brought some hope and optimism, although the situation remained unpredictable. The challenges throughout the year severely strained resources and intensified vulnerabilities, leading to a rise in urgent protection concerns and basic services needed for children. Political changes have complicated access to essential social and protection services. Further, the lack of economic opportunities has made it even more difficult to support children and their families.
Active hostilities in northeast Syria continued to have an adverse impact on children and their families. The humanitarian response remained critical as children continued to bear the brunt of this protracted conflict.
At the start of 2024, around 16.7 million people, including 7.5 million children,7 required humanitarian assistance. Since 23 September, hostilities in Lebanon and subsequent events in Syria after 27 November, have exacerbated the situation for vulnerable populations. Hostilities in Lebanon displaced approximately 562,000 people into Syria, with 63 per cent of them being Syrians and 37 per cent Lebanese or other nationalities.8 Over 58 per cent of these displaced individuals were children, which added significant strain to Syria’s already fragile resources and services.
Prior to the change of government, 7.2 million Syrians were internally displaced, with 3.4 million in the northwest, including 2 million living in overcrowded camps. Following the events of 27 November and the change of government on 8 December, the number of newly displaced peaked at 1.1 million people on 12 December. Currently a number of 627,500 remain newly displaced, while more than 522,000 have returned.9 Since 8 December, more than 210,000 Syrian refugees have returned to Syria, primarily to Aleppo, ArRaqqa and Dar’a governorates.
In addition to the prolonged conflict, climate-induced shocks and power supply disruptions have intensified water scarcity and food insecurity. Nearly 13.6 million people require access to water, sanitation, and hygiene (WASH) services.11 Access to water has become increasingly challenging due to active hostilities in northeast Syria, which have damaged fragile water infrastructure. This has heightened the risk of water shortages for more than 3 million people in Aleppo city and surrounding rural areas, over 413,000 people in Manbij and Kobani, and over 25,000 in 85 villages in Ar-Raqqa.12 The lack of access to and maintenance of water resources and pumping stations increases the risk of the prevalence of water-borne diseases.
Continued hostilities also exacerbated the risks posed by unexploded ordnance contamination. The lack of security, combined with risks from explosive remnants of war and ongoing violence continued to cause psychological trauma among children. Syrian children continued to endure the devastating effects of unexploded ordnance at a distressing rate. In December 2024 alone, UNICEF reported 116 children killed or injured by unexploded ordnance, averaging nearly four per day. 13 The number of casualties from unexploded ordnance has tripled in recent months, with children accounting for about 50 per cent of casualties. In the northeast region, children and women continued to face arbitrary arrests, widespread violence, and forced relocations. Persistent insecurity and ongoing economic hardships contributed to continuous human rights abuses, fear, and psychological trauma. This situation perpetuated gender-based violence and child marriages and increases the risk of sexual exploitation and abuse.
In 2024, approximately 7.2 million children and education personnel continued to require critical and sustained education services. This included 3.3 million girls affected by poverty. Over 2.45 million children were out of school and over 1 million children are at risk of dropping out, particularly those with disabilities.14 In northeast Syria, schooling for around 230,00015 children was interrupted due to displacement and active hostilities since 27 November. Over 68,700 children were unable to attend school as 133 schools were used as emergency collective centres for displaced people from Aleppo and other governorates.
Even before the influx from Lebanon and the worsening of the humanitarian situation in November 2024, many hospitals and health facilities were either non-functional or only partially functional. The 2023 SMART survey revealed a dramatic deterioration in maternal and child nutrition in Syria. The prevalence of acute malnutrition increased from 1.7 per cent in 2019 to 4.8 per cent in 2023, while stunting increased from 12.6 per cent to 16.9 per cent. Furthermore, the survey revealed a child food poverty crisis affecting more than 3 out of 4 children aged 6-23 months, nearly half of whom were severely affected.
Before the collapse of the government in early December, access constraints in Deir-ez-Zor governorate and Northwest Syria continued to hinder the delivery of services. In Qamishli, access constraints have deepened due to security concerns. Access constraints to Ras Al Ain in Al Hasakeh governorate and Tell Abiad Area in Ar Raqqa governorate persisted. Following the government change in December and the significant shift in territorial control, access to many of these areas improved, with fewer bureaucratic hurdles for movement, visas and permits. However, challenges remain, especially with NGO registration, banking systems and approvals. Access to northeast Syria (NES), particularly east of the Euphrates River, remains challenging due to complex local politics and military dynamics. Humanitarian organizations face a shifting operational environment, with varying challenges depending on the area of control. While places like Menbij, Tell Refaat, southern Aleppo, south Idleb, Dar’a, As-Sweida, and rural Damascus are newly accessible, access to frontline areas, like Tishreen Dam and Al Khafsa water station, remains difficult.
The World Bank’s October 2024 economic update estimates that extreme poverty will rise from 33.1 per cent in 2024 to 37.4 per cent in 2025. The ongoing economic crisis, marked by inflation and currency devaluation, has exacerbated poverty and aid dependency, particularly among vulnerable groups like women, children and persons with disabilities. Although there has been some stabilization in prices, living conditions remain challenging due to diminished purchasing power and ongoing service shortages.
