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IOM Regional Response to the Syria Crisis
IOM Regional Response to the Syria Crisis
SITUATION REPORT
131 - February 29 August 2013
27 Psychosocial professionals and volunteers were trained on ‘Puppetry for Social Dialogue’ in Damascus. To date, IOM has
trained 182 professionals and community workers from various governorates in Syria in mental health and psychosocial considerations.©
IOM 2013
HIGHLIGHTS
Syria: IOM distributed 14,264 NFIs including hygiene
and house cleaning kits, jerry cans, and baby diapers
to 41,448 affected beneficiaries in Homs, Damascus,
Rural Damascus, Idleb, Hama, and Latakia.
Iraq: IOM transported 37,073 Syrian refugees from
Peshkhabour and Sehela border crossings to reach
camps and transit sites in Dahuk, Erbil and Sulaymaniyah.
Jordan: IOM screened 934 suspected cases of Tuberculosis
(TB) and organized awareness-raising sessions
for 7,836 Syrian refugees and members of the
host community.
Since March 2011, IOM has provided
assistance to over 1.5 million vulnerable
migrants, IDPs, refugees and communities
affected by the humanitarian crisis
in Syria. IOM provides assistance to
affected communities in Syria, Iraq, Lebanon,
Jordan, Turkey, and Egypt. IOM
staff is being sensitized to heightened
security risk levels and threats. Despite a
marked deterioration of security across
the region in the past two weeks which
has impacted operations particularly
inside Syria and Lebanon, IOM was able
to provide humanitarian assistance to
over 85,000 vulnerable individuals.
IOM ▼ Situation Report – 29 August 2013
1

IOM
OPERATIONS
IN SYRIA
Non-Food Item (NFI) Distribution:
From 13 to 27 August,
IOM distributed 14,264 NFIs
including hygiene and house
cleaning kits, jerry cans, and
baby diapers to 41,448 affected
beneficiaries in Homs, Damascus,
Rural Damascus, Idleb, Hama,
and Latakia. IOM staff
worked alongside representatives
from Orthodox Charity,
Syria Trust, Al Faihaa Association,
and Syrian Arab Red Crescent
(SARC) to ensure quick and
efficient delivery of assistance
to the most vulnerable beneficiaries. On 26 August,
distributions in Rural Damascus were cancelled due to
insecurity.
IOM is finalizing the rehabilitation of a warehouse in
Tartous. IOM will preposition items in Tartous to assist
the Organization to respond quickly and effectively to
needs reported in the area. Tartous, is a port city, located
in close proximity to the Syrian-Lebanese border.
Since January 2013, IOM has assisted over 277,472
IDPs in 12 governorates in Syria through the provision
of 89,307 NFI kits including mattresses, blankets, cleaning
items, insecticides, baby diapers, kitchen sets, underwear,
jerry cans, and disability support items. IOM
plans to reach 500,000 IDPs by the end of 2013.
Psychosocial Support to Affected Communities: IOM
provides operational assistance and training to increase/build
the capacity of professionals and volunteers
to provide psychosocial support to people affected
by the crisis in Syria.
During the reporting period, IOM staff ran 2 workshops:
Since July, IOM has trained 102 shelter managers in Damascus, Rural Damascus, Tartous,
and Homs. © IOM 2013 (Photo: IOM Syria)
· Training on Art-Based Interventions (21 – 25 August):
IOM, with the support of the Syrian Society for Social
Development (SSSD) trained 27 professionals
and volunteers on ‘Puppetry for Social Dialogue’ in
Damascus. The participants were from the SSSD,
the Children Culture Directorate, Ministry of Education,
SARC, Faculty of Education, Terre Des
Hommes (TDH), International Medical Corps (IMC),
UNRWA, Greek Orthodox Patriarchate of Antioch
(GOPA), Danish Refugee Council (DRC), volunteers
from Good Sheperd NGO and local community volunteers
from Damascus, Homs, and Quamishly.
After the training, participants commented that
they were now equipped to use puppetry as a
counseling medium and they had leant how to use
their voices and body language when working with
children.
Since July 2013, IOM has trained 102 shelter managers
in Damascus, Rural Damascus, Tartous and Homs on
how to protect and promote the psychosocial wellbeing
of the residents in the day-to-day activities of the
shelter. Shelter managers report that they observe
stress reactions amongst the residents of the collective
shelters such as fatigue, stress, and insomnia. Sometimes
the stress may be caused by the conditions of the
centers, and the way their services are organized.
· Training of Trainers (18 – 22 August): On 22 August,
IOM completed the training of 15 professional
trainers to deliver supportive communication, active
listening and self-care workshops to NGO frontline
workers. These professionals will organize
training workshops in Homs, Aleppo, and Lattakia;
910 frontline workers will benefit from this programme.
To date, IOM has trained 182 professionals and community
workers from various governorates in Syria in
mental health and psychosocial considerations, who
have provided assistance to over 42,000 men, women,
and children affected by the crisis.
Identification and Assessment of Emergency Collective
Shelters for Rehabilitation: During the reporting period,
IOM staff completed technical assessments of 18 shelters
in Rural Damascus that accommodate 412 IDP
households (2,644 beneficiaries).
IOM ▼ Situation Report – 29 August 2013 2

SYRIA OPERATIONS cont.
Repair and rehabilitation of 42 collective shelters is ongoing
in Homs (20), Hama (9), Latakia (7), and Damascus
(6). The shelters under repair accommodate 2,925
IDP households (14,680 individuals). Progress reports
indicate that repair and rehabilitation of almost 60% of
the 42 shelters is complete.
Since January 2013, IOM has identified 342 collective
shelters and completed technical assessments of 97
shelters in 4 governorates. According to the SARC, the
number of displaced population in Syria has reached
4.25 million with 147,000 IDPs living in over 829 shelters.
Repatriation to Stranded Migrants: IOM provides assistance
to vulnerable stranded migrants to leave Syria
and return to their countries of origin. From 13 to 27
August, IOM provided repatriation assistance to 148
stranded migrants, including 118 adults and 21 children
to return to the Philippines (96), South Sudan
(16), Yemen (15), Sudan (12), Ethiopia (4), and Moldova
(5). During the reporting period, IOM teams reported
delays at the Masnaa border crossing into Lebanon
as there is an influx of refugees leaving Syria as a result
of the escalation of violence in Damascus. IOM has a
remaining caseload of 658 stranded migrants who require
assistance to leave Syria. Since January 2013,
IOM has assisted 636 stranded migrants (473 adults
and 107 children).
Resettlement Assistance for Refugees from Syria:
From 13 to 27 August, IOM provided resettlement assistance
to 291 refugees from Iraq (117), Palestine (7),
Somalia (7), and 4 Syrian nationals married to Iraqi and
Palestian refugees. The refugees were assisted to travel
to Australia (125), Canada (88), United States of
America (65), New Zealand (11), and Finland (2). Since
January 2013, IOM has provided resettlement assistance
to 4,061 refugees who have been escorted by
road from Damascus to Beirut and flown out of Rafic
Hariri International Airport. IOM is planning to assist
1,600 refugees before January 2014.
Accommodation and toilet blocks were delivered to a collective
Center in Latakia, that accommodates over 5,000
IDPs. © IOM 2013 (Photo: IOM Syria)
Ahmed’s Story.
During a visit to the Sport City Collective Shelter in Latakia City, that accommodates
over 5,000 IDPs, IOM staff noticed a ten year old boy in obvious
distress who was screaming at his mother. Ahmed, a Syrian IDP,
who suffers from a hearing impediment, is struggling to adjust to living at
the center. His mother explains that for many months she was unable to
communicate with her son as she left his hearing aid behind in their home
on the night they fled (4 August 2012). She told staff that the night they
were forced to leave their home in Oubin she was panicking and did not
have time to search for the aid as she was desperately trying to get her 7
children out the house and to safety. It was a number of months before a
local charity were able to secure a replacement hearing aid, during those
months it was difficult to explain to Ahmed what had happened to his
home and his school and his friends. He still believes that his house and
Ahmed (age 10) school are waiting for him in Oubin (Alhaffah District) and he cannot understand
why the family remains at the collective center. Ahmed and his family are completely dependent
on food, NFI, and shelter assistance provided at the center as the family relied on income generated
from the produce from their farm which they can no longer access.
In 2013, IOM has distributed almost 9,400 NFI kits in the Sport City in Latakia. The kits include baby diapers,
underwear, house cleaning items, insecticides, and the disability kits include wheel chairs and
portable toilets for IDPs with limited mobility. At the center, IOM has installed 60 prefab accommodation
units (each unit accommodates 3 families), and 49 toilet and shower units. 7,000 IDPs will benefit
from improved facilities and services once the repair and rehabilitation work being carried out by IOM
is complete in early September.
IOM ▼ Situation Report – 29 August 2013 3

IRAQ OPERATIONS
A Syrian family from Al Hasaka.
They crossed into Iraq on 16 August
after waiting to cross at the
border for six days. Now they are
living in a building under construction.
© IOM 2013 (Photo: IOM
Iraq)
Assistance to Syrian Refugees to reach Camps and
Transit Sites from the Border: Since 15 August, IOM
has arranged over 1,500 trips to transport 37,073 Syrian
refugees from Sehela and Peshkhabour border
crossings to camps and transit sites in Dahuk, Erbil and
Sulaymaniyah. The population of Syrian refugees in
Iraq is now considered to be approximately 197,000.
IOM has transported refugees to Aarbad District camp,
Gawer Gosik camp, Baharka temporary camp, Kawa
camp and Qushtapa town, Harir Camp in Basrima,
Bekhme Dam area, and Domiz Camp. This influx of refugees
has been accommodated across 8 camps and
communities in Dahuk, Erbil, and Sulaymaniyah.
Since 23 August, IOM has erected 170 tents in Harir
camp, to accommodate approximately 850 Syrian refugees.
Vulnerability and Needs Assessments in Ninewa:
From 18 to 25 August, IOM, in coordination with local
authorities in Zumar sub-district, assessed 50 families
(420 individuals) to identify families eligible to receive
NFI assistance. Key findings indicate that all the families
had entered Iraq in the last 3 months through the
Sehela border crossing; none of the families had registered
with UNHCR. Most of the families were either
renting accommodation or living in buildings still under
construction without any basic services. Few families
had a regular source of income; the majority of families
rely on food assistance from the local community.
11 of the 50 families are female-headed households
and 36 families report at least one member with a disability
or chronic disease requiring treatment. All the
households assessed meet the vulnerability criteria
and will receive NFI assistance from IOM.
IOM has deployed 16 – 18 staff to collect basic information
from refugees travelling on IOM transport to
create rough profiles on family demographics, places
of origin, desired locations in Iraq, and priority needs
and services.
Refugees speaking with IOM staff report that thousands
remain behind waiting to cross into Iraq. Refugees,
most of whom have come from Aleppo, Hasskahes,
Qamishli and Efrin, report that the conditions in
Syria have deteriorated quickly in the past few months
as fighting has intensified, with shortages of food and
a surge in the cost of basic commodities.
IOM provided 200 tents for newly arrived refugees in Harir
camp. © IOM 2013 (Photo: IOM Iraq).
IOM ▼ Situation Report – 29 August 2013
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LEBANON OPERATIONS
IOM is providing 104 vulnerable
Syrian refugee families in South
Lebanon with rental assistance for
6 months. © IOM 2013
Challenges for Access and Implementing Activities:
Since 15 August, IOM activities and operations in South
Lebanon and Tripoli have been impacted by heightened
security measures following incidents in Tripoli
and Southern Beirut.
Transit Assistance to stranded migrants and refugees
accepted for resettlement from Syria: The Government
of Lebanon has suggested IOM establish an office
at the Masnaa border crossing point since the Organization
maintains a presence at the Lebanese-Syrian
border crossing point in Masnaa. IOM operates a landbridge
between Damascus and Beirut since February
2013 to assist refugees accepted for resettlement from
Syria and stranded migrants, to transit through Lebanon
and fly out of Rafic Hariri International Airport.
Since February 2013, 4,091 refugees and 510 stranded
migrants were assisted by IOM to transit through Lebanon.
Resettlement Assistance to 5,000 Syrian Refugees:
IOM is finalizing preparations for a charter flight for
124 Syrian refugees to Germany which is scheduled for
11 September 2013. These refugees, who form part of
the 5,000 Syrian refugees accepted for resettlement to
Germany, are the first group to travel to Hanover. IOM
is providing these refugees with medical screening,
cultural orientation, assistance to obtain travel documents,
and resettlement transport. Over the next 12
months, IOM, in coordination with the Government of
Germany and UNHCR, will assist 5,000 Syrian refugees
to be resettled to Germany.
Shelter Assistance to Vulnerable Syrian Refugee
Households: Nationwide shelter shortages continue to
concern IOM and partners. Since June 2013, in coordination
with the local municipalities, IOM assessed
1,620 households and identified 104 of the most vulnerable
Syrian refugee families, across 8 villages in
South Lebanon, in need of rental assistance for six
months. On 23 August, IOM distributed the first
monthly installment to 40 households. IOM is currently
procuring shelter support and weather-proofing items
for distribution before the onset of winter. IOM will
focus on distributing these items to refugees with special
needs and those living in high-lying areas of the
country affected by low temperatures, snow, and high
rainfall during the winter months.
Rapid Health Assessment Findings: The initial findings
from an ongoing health needs assessment, completed
by an IOM emergency health response team, indicate
that there are gaps in health service coverage despite
the multitude of health actors (both national and international
humanitarian actors) already working on the
ground to support the existing national health care
system. The main gaps and constraints that have been
identified are financial barriers, geographical coverage
gaps, and health workforce constraints. Health needs
are on the increase across the country due to the continuous
influx of refugees and Lebanese returnees fleeing
Syria. Certain areas, such as Mount Lebanon, remain
largely uncovered by health sector partners.
Non-Food Item (NFI) Distributions: During the reporting
period, IOM distributed 110 hygiene and dignity
kits to 552 beneficiaries in Ghassaniyeh and El
Merouaniye. IOM has started the procurement of winter
NFI items. At the request of UNHCR, IOM will focus
distributions in areas in the North and the Bekaa areas
which are not covered by partners. IOM is planning to
distribute 2,900 kits for an estimated 14,500 vulnerable
beneficiaries.
IOM ▼ Situation Report – 29 August 2013 5

IOM OPERATIONS IN TURKEY
Residents of Adiyaman camp wait in the shade for transport services organized by IOM and camp management; 60% of all
beneficiaries making use of this service are male. © IOM 2013 (Photo: IOM Turkey)
Transportation services for residents of Adiyaman
camp: From 13 to 25 August, IOM and partners
have assisted 1,269 Syrian nationals with transportation
services from Adiyaman camp to medical
facilities and social service centers. Since the beginning
of the pilot project, 5,248 Syrian nationals
benefitted from the transportation services in Adiyaman
camp. On 22 August, the Disaster and
Emergency Management Presidency of Turkey
(AFAD) requested that IOM expand the project to
other camps. IOM will complete feasibility assessments
in the coming weeks to determine where
best to provide the intervention.
Transportation for Syrian Refugees at Adiyaman camp
(1 July - 29 August 2013)
Reporting Week
Total
pax
Male
Passengers
Female
Passengers
1 - 7 July 980 701 279
8 - 14 July 626 269 357
15 - 21 July 712 409 254
22 - 28 July 663 420 243
29 July - 4 August 568 288 280
5 - 11 August 377 252 125
12 - 18 August 643 378 265
19 - 25 August 679 407 272
Beneficiaries assisted 5,248 3,124 2,075
Residents of Adiyaman camp make use of a transport service to
and from health facilities and the market in Adiyaman city.
© IOM 2013 (Photo: IOM Turkey)
IOM ▼ Situation Report – 29 August 2013
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IOM OPERATIONS IN JORDAN
Emergency Transportation of Refugees: 1,454
Syrian refugees were transported from the Rabaa’
al Sarhan Screening Center to Za’atri camp during
the reporting period (13 to 25 August). While this
is double the number assisted during the previous
reporting period, the figures remain low with an
average of 110 new arrivals per day. As IOM teams
routinely continue to medically screen all arrivals
to Za’atri camp, they reported 45 individuals were
identified with medical conditions which required
immediate referral for treatment. Since transport
operations began in July 2012, IOM has transported
333,876 Syrian refugees from border areas to
camps. All new arrivals received refreshments, hygiene
kits, and shoes upon arrival at the IOM reception
center in Za’atri camp. IOM distributes shoes as many
refugees have lost theirs along the way or their shoes
are worn out because they had to walk for many hours
and sometimes days before reaching the border.
Contingency Planning: During the reporting period,
IOM and partners met to formalize plans to receive a
potential influx of Syrian refugees in the wake of the
alleged chemical attack near Damascus last week. Partners
reviewed contingency plans for an estimated
30,000 to 40,000 new arrivals in the next two weeks.
From January to March 2013, IOM staff were transporting
up to 3,000 Syrian refugees in 24 hour shifts
from the screening center in Raba’ al Sarhan to Za’atri
camp and the Emirates Jordanian Camp. In the event
that there is a surge in new arrivals from Syria, IOM will
deploy surge staff to provide transport for up to 5,000
refugees within 24 hour shifts. Partners have agreed
that up to 20,000 refugees could be accommodated in
Za’atri camp after which they will be transported by
IOM to Azraq camp - which is currently under construction
and is estimated to have the capacity to host up to
50,000 refugees.
IOM and partners are speeding up the construction of
the camp in order to prepare to accommodate new arrivals.
On 28 August, IOM and partners met to revise the figures
for expected arrivals by the end of 2013 and to discuss
the most likely scenarios in preparation for the 6 th
Inter-Agency Regional Response Plan (RRP6).
200
150
100
50
0
Refugees Transported by IOM (13 - 27
August)
On 21 August, following reports of large numbers of
Syrian casualties in areas near Damascus, residents of
Za’atri camp imposed a 3-day mourning period and humanitarian
partners were requested to stop all activities
including visits and distributions. IOM continued to
transport refugees to the camp however health teams
did not carry out TB screening in the camp during this 3-
day period of mourning.
Raising Awareness on Human Trafficking: On 21 August,
the Ministry of Planning and International Cooperation
(MPOIC) endorsed an IOM counter-trafficking program
‘Awareness Raising on Counter-trafficking for Syrians
and Jordanians in Mafraq City’. This is the first counter-trafficking
intervention targeting Syrian refugees in
Jordan. The awareness raising campaign will run for 3
months and IOM plans to raise awareness amongst an
estimated 5,000 urban refugees and members of the
host community in Mafraq - the city hosting the highest
number of Syrian refugees in Jordan.
IOM ▼ Situation Report – 29 August 2013
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IOM’s activities are generously supported by:
CONTACTS:
Preparedness and Response Division | Mario Lito Malanca I PRD@iom.int
Donor Relations Division | +41.22.717.92.71 | DRD@iom.int
IOM ▼ Situation Report – 29 August 2013
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