Berlin, GERMANY (December 18, 2014) — As the Syria crisis nears its four-year mark, conflict has devastated the nation, forcing half of the country’s population to leave their homes, including over 3.2 million who have sought refuge in neighboring countries and depend on live-saving assistance. Host countries are becoming severely strained in maintaining the needs of refugees and host communities.
World Vision is extremely concerned about the growing needs of refugees and host communities alike, especially in light of diminishing funds and increasing tensions in the region.
On December 18, World Vision, among others, will attend a meeting in Berlin for the launch of the Regional Refugee and Resilience Plan (3RP), an integrated plan developed by UN agencies, international NGOs, and different host governments, across the region, in response to the increased needs and funding shortfalls.
The 3RP replaces the current Regional Response Plan 6 appeal and will attempt to link refugee response plans more closely with resilience elements of the national development plans of the host countries. There is a separate plan for operations in Syria, known as the Syria Response Plan (SRP), and this is also due to be released alongside the 3RP in Berlin.
World Vision is calling upon the international community to support the 3RP process in various ways, including through increased flexible funding, for both humanitarian and longer-term assistance to the most vulnerable, both refugees and host communities.
While World Vision is pleased that a plan is being launched to link and integrate refugee response and resilience with the aim of involving both host governments, the international community and implementers, critical areas must be addressed going forward. The international community must ensure that the 3RP:
- Has further clarity, transparency and consistency in its processes in terms of reporting structures, approaches and regional coherence (as the 3RP roll out will look very different for each country).
- Remain country-driven and flexible to reflect the NGO approaches to bridging immediate and longer-term assistance.
- Supports host countries to respond according to vulnerability, so that both Syrian refugees and vulnerable host communities and other groups receive support.
“The sheer scale of the Syrian crisis is unprecedented and its urgency commands us to work together in effective and accountable ways to meet the needs of the most vulnerable in affected communities,” says Wynn Flaten, director of World Vision’s Syria Crisis Regional Response, based in Amman, Jordan. “We are hopeful the 3RP will bring together humanitarian and development responses to build resilience of host communities. We are looking forward to the overall goal of improving conditions and livelihoods for the most vulnerable.”
As the 3RP aims to benefit both refugees and local communities it will directly reach 4.27 million refugees across the five countries and 1 million people in local communities. The plan estimates an additional 20 million people in local communities will benefit indirectly. The 3RP region covers Lebanon, Jordan, Turkey, Iraq, and Egypt. The 3RP is jointly led by UNHCR and UNDP.
World Vision works on the ground to prevent further human suffering, but ultimately the only way this will be achieved is through a political solution to the crisis.
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Resources and website:
On Monday, December 15, the Lebanon-specific plan under the 3RP was launched and a webpage campaign devoted to the country’s plan. View the Lebanon iNGO forum’s homepage. Link: http://lhif.org/
About World Vision:
World Vision is a Christian humanitarian organization conducting relief, development, and advocacy activities in its work with children, families, and their communities in nearly 100 countries to help them reach their full potential by tackling the causes of poverty and injustice. World Vision serves all people regardless of religion, race, ethnicity, or gender. For more information, please visit www.WorldVision.org/media-center/ or on Twitter @WorldVisionUSA.
Highlights
- World Vision is extremely concerned about the growing needs of refugees and host communities alike.
- Integrated response plan developed by United Nations, NGOs, governments will include emergency relief, resilience.
- Syria Crisis response remains severely underfunded.