Flash Update on the Influx of Syrian Returnees and Refugees from Lebanon to Syria - September 2024

As hostilities in Lebanon escalate, thousands of Syrians and Lebanese have crossed into Syria, arriving in Rural Damascus, Homs, and Tartous Governorates in desperate need. Preliminary assessments indicate urgent needs for protection, health services, food, non-food items, water, and hygiene supplies. Humanitarian support is coordinated by UNHCR and the Syrian Arab Red Cross (SARC), with UNFPA providing sexual and reproductive health (SRH) services and gender-based violence (GBV) programming through existing facilities in Homs, Daraa, and Tartous.

UNFPA is fully engaged in inter-agency coordination, participating in assessments and delivering critical aid. As part of its response, UNFPA has prepositioned 38,000 female dignity kits and is distributing 5,000 dignity kits and 10,000 sanitary napkins to meet the immediate needs of women and girls at Border Health-Protection Support Points. The organization is also deploying midwives and psychosocial support workers, while partners provide SRH, psychosocial, and referral services in Homs, Tartous, and Daraa. The GBV Sub-Sector is coordinating with partners to assess the availability of GBV services and ensure dignity kit distribution.