Regional Situation Report for Syria Crisis #38 - 1-31 October 2015

While security continues to be an ongoing challenge in Syria, the country’s internal and global political atmosphere is also becoming more complex due to an external air intervention.

The country’s fragile situation is further affected by numerous factors, including statements being issued by local and international figures, both within and outside of Syria. Some anecdotal reports suggest massive displacements in Aleppo and rural Hama. As such, many women and girls are exposed to threats including lack of reproductive health services and greater exposure to incidents of gender-based violence.

As winter sets in, displaced families, including women, face the risk of threats including exposure to communicable and noncommunicable diseases. The poor economic conditions of these families, coupled with the limited access of humanitarian actors due to security constraints, is further weakening the ability of these families to cope. Consequently, according to anecdotal reports received from international partners, women are being forced to exchange sex for substantive assistance.

The unilateral financial and economic measures imposed on Syria are not only leading to further deterioration of the financial condition of Syrian families, but also depletion of the local market.