Norwegian Church Aid (NCA) has coordinated its Syria emergency response in close collaboration with its local partners to support vulnerable populations affected by the onslaught of hostilities since 2012. 2015 witnessed further escalation of violence and displacement of Syrians, designated by the UN as a level-3 emergency. NCA, despite difficult security situation and access restrictions, has continued its emergency response assisting Syrian refugees in Lebanon and IDPs in Syria.
December 2016
Installation of photovoltaic plant in Anjar, Lebanon, that operates a pump serving the needs of Syrian refugees and the host community. Photo: Håvard Bjelland/Norwegian Church Aid
Goals for NCA’s Syria Emergency Response
Anchored in a contextually appropriate conflict sensitive design, NCA’s emergency response adheres to humanitarian principles, ensuring provision of emergency relief in an impartial manner and with an emphasis on LRRD principles.
Bringing assistance to people most in need across conflict and disaster prone areas.
Advocate for the right to humanitarian assistance and protection of civilian population.
Scope of NCA’s Syria Emergency Response
While the focus of NCA’s emergency response remains on lifesaving interventions for WASH, GBV support, Protection and WASH cluster coordination, the broader scope also involves the following:
Emergency preparedness and risk mitigation
Recovery and Rehabilitation
Capacity building and Accountability
Advocacy
What We Do
For Syria, NCA’s expertise and main delivery in humanitarian response operations is the provision of WASH services, often combined with other sector responses such as distribution of food and non-food items and provision of shelter, education and psycho-social services.
Emergency water, sanitation and hygiene
Water tank for refugees in Homs, Syria. Photo: GOPA
NCA aims for provision of safe water, sanitation and hygiene promotion in a complete WASH package by:
Drilling and rehabilitation of wells for host communities with large numbers of IDPs, IDPs in camps and refugees in neighbouring countries.
Protecting water networks and provision of safe and hygienic sanitation facilities such as latrines and showers for IDPs and waste removal.
Programmes to reduce health hazards and environmental pollution where IDPs and refugees live in host communities and camps.
Education and awareness raising programmes on hygiene and sanitation.
Photovoltaic plant in Anjar, Lebanon operates the water pump, serving the needs of Syrian refugees and the host community, significantly reducing tensions.
Emergency shelter and Non-Food Items
NCA has directly assisted IDP and refugee camps settlements with infrastructure needs, tents and life-saving winterisation kits for tents and non food items. Through partner networks NCA supports distributions of non-food items such as blankets, mattresses, winter clothes, household articles and hygiene kits to vulnerable IDPs and refugees.
Gender Based Violence (GBV)
NCA’s GBV program is implemented in partnership with national, local and/or community-based organisations with experience in gender and/or protection programs. Prioritized program components include psychosocial support and complementary medical services, protection from violence, awareness-raising, advocacy and capacity-building of partners and relevant government offices.
Capacity building of partners and empowerment of IDPs, refugees and community members
This is facilitated through participatory processes, protection and accountability, and community and user ownership principles. NCA’s emergency response features a quality assurance and capacity building programme supporting partners, local actors and relief councils in WASH and GBV programmes.
Where We Work for Syrian Refugees and IDPs
Syria
Iraq
Jordan
Lebanon
Turkey
How We Work
In partnership and coordination with international organisations (e.g. the UN agencies, and ACT Alliance. In WASH clusters, NCA actively contributes in capacity building of WASH partners, while developing technical guidelines in relation to mainstreaming cross cutting issues in emergency response cycle.
Working with local communities and partners such as International Orthodox Christian Charities (IOCC), the Greek Orthodox Patriarchate of Antioch and All the East (GOPA), NCA facilitates access to and support war-affected populations in 10 out of 12 governorates in Syria.
Results
Building of a water plant in Anjar, on the border to Syria, after capita talet has increased sixfold. Lebanon. Photo: Håvard Bjelland/Norwegian Church Aid
As of 2016, an estimated 2.7 million Syrian refugees and IDPs received access to clean water, sanitation and hygiene, and received non-food items in the region.
The disaggregated results include the following:
2.3 million people received access to clean water and better sanitation conditions.
290,000 people received hygiene training and hygiene items.
78,358 people received food aid, warm clothes and non-food items.
24,000 IDP children at 45 schools received access to clean water and better sanitation conditions, in addition to psycho-social services.
21 wells were drilled, 912 water tanks and 1,000 water filters installed.
45 towns and villages in Syria benefitted from Solid waste Management
1450 (750 women and 700 men) Syrian refugees in Lebanon received psycho-social, medical and legal services to mitigate GBV related issues in camps.
