0. MAJOR CHANGES SINCE PREVIOUS VERSION OF THE HIP
Third modification (15 December 2015)
This modification addresses the needs of displaced people, covering the dramatic developments, both in country of origin, Syria, as well as along the refugee routes in Turkey and Western Balkans.
In Syria:
Nearly five years after the start of the conflict, the violence is again intensifying in Syria.
Inside Syria, 13.5 million people - two thirds of the population -are now in need of urgent assistance, out of which more than 6 million are children. At the same time, the number of registered Syrian refugees in neighbouring countries amounts to almost 4.4 1nillion, including close to 2.3 million in Turkey.
Amidst the intensification of fighting, needs are increasing even further. Meanwhile, the UN have announced that humanitarian appeals remain severely underfunded: the Syria regional refugee and resilience plan (3RP) 2015 is only covered at 58%, while the Syria Response Plan 2015, at 42%. Since the beginning of December, some new additional 200 000 Syrians have been forcibly displaced in their own country as a result of the recent intensification of fighting (ground offensive by the Syrian army and air bombing campaign by the Russian).
These populations are in need of life-saving assistance all the more since widespread insecurity, the deepening economic decline, and the reduced availability of basic services (in particular health, water and sanitation) have contributed to the exacerbation of the humanitarian situation over the past year.
Another worrying dramatic development since the very last weeks is the situation of over 12 000 people stranded at the border of Syria with Jordan. The number of people massing along the border has· risen sharply following the recent intensification of conflict in Syria and is expected to continue increasing.
In addition to this dramatic situation, as winter sets in, Syrians leaving inside Syria find themselves ill prepared for yet another harsh season. Against this background, humanitarian actors continue making remarkable efforts to deliver assistance and continue highlighting the need for scaling up immediate life-saving response. Moreover, the local cease fire agreements reached will continue having enormous implications for our work inside Syria requiring the rapid deployment of additional humanitarian response as access to population is guaranteed.
In Turkey:
The overwhelming influx of Syrian refugees and other populations of concern into Turkey has reached startling levels, nearly 2.3 million Syrian refugees have been registered by the Government so far, and Turkey is now the largest host of refugees in the world. Reports shows that 110 000 Syrian refugees have been registered in the country during the last month (between 3 November and 10 December 2015). In addition, approximately 200 000 nonSyrian refugees have also been registered in the country.
Despite enormous efforts from the government as well as generosity from host commtmities, local municipalities and Turkish civil society organisations, many of the over 90% of Syrian refugees that remain in urban and rural areas (as approx. 10% or 263 000 refugees live in the camps), are often unaccounted for, and are surviving under very challenging circumstances.
Access to information, registration and to public services, including education and healthcare, is limited. Many off-camp refugees live in inadequate conditions or in open areas, with rents often causing great strain on their already depleted resources.
It is important to frontload as quickly as possible the commitment from the EU to mobilise EUR 3 billion to respond to both short-term and long-term needs of refugees in Turkey throughout 2016 and 2017 under the Refugee Grant Facility for Turkey. Indeed, the current international donor funding commitments for 2015 remain low with only 35% of the Syria regional refugee and resilience plan (3RP) chapter for Turkey covered, thus being the most underfunded refugee appeal of the neighbouring countries to Syria (excluding Egypt). During the 3438th Council meeting on 14 December 2015, the Council called on the High Represe~tative and the Commission to continue increasing the support for partner countries receiving and assisting refugees.
In Western Balkans:
Since the beginning of the year more than 950 000 people arrived in Europe by sea, according to the UNHCR. During the month of November alone, UNHCR counted close to 140 000 arrivals, which is ten times more compared to November 2014. During the past two months, the number of refugee arrivals to the former Yugoslav Republic of Macedonia and then to Serbia has averaged 6 000/day, with peaks at 9 000 to 10 000 persons per day during the first two weeks of November.
Since 18 November 2015, the former Yugoslav Republic of Macedonia, Serbia, Croatia and Slovenia have been profiling refugees according to their country of origin, allowing passage to those fleeing Syria, Iraq, Afghanistan, while turning back those from Eastern/Horn Africa and Central Asia. Such restrictive measures are creating additional tensions at border crossings and leaving some refugees who rightfully could pretend to seek for asylum stranded without adequate shelter solutions and humanitarian assistance, and the measure increases protection threats for refugees, asylum seekers and migrants.
The provision of reception facilities and associated basic services with expert staff to assist refugees is critically needed to reduce protection threats. Temporary shelters are crucial to accommodate refugees over a period of one or two nights until a maximum of seven days mainly in the vicinity of the reception/transit centres.
The former Yugoslav Republic of Macedonia and Serbia authorities are making relevant efforts in their response. However, gaps in the coordination mechanisms in place are impeding the swift and cost efficient delivery of humanitarian assistance with local and international capacities still under strain, and with the arrival of winter exacerbating the needs.
UNHCR and IOM are planning to publish a revised joint plan for the Western Balkans in early 2016 that will encompass among others basic assistance and shelter activities.
In view of the deteriorating humanitarian situation and the number of people in need in Syria and the Western Balkans, the European Commission has decided to increase by EUR 53 000 000 the budget of the HIP 2015 for the Syria Crisis. This additional funding will be mainly used to respond to the priority needs of the displaced population and most vulnerable groups affected by the ongoing conflict.
In Syria, the additional funding will support multi-sectoral life-saving emergency activities including hygiene and winterization items, temporary shelter/NFis, emergency health, and food. Support to existing information systems on collection of data regarding population movements to informs humanitarian responders in terms of locations and needs will also be considered. Funding will be decided on the basis of capacity of absorption and proven readiness to adjust assistance and intervene in immediate life-saving operations.
Further funding for Turkey will enable the delivery of predictable and dignified support that addresses the basic needs of the most vulnerable populations inside the country including Syrian refugees as well as other populations of concern. The focus will be on providing multi-sectoral hutnanitarian assistance including the provision of food security, non-food items, shelter, protection and other specific basic needs. In addition, the funding will also allow a rapid response to possible newly emerging humanitarian needs. As the funding provided under this third modification is to be disbursed during 2016, it will also be part of the initial package of humanitarian assistance from the Commission under the Refugee Grant Facility for Turkey.
In the Western Balkans, the current HIP will focus on the hutnanitarian needs of refugees and asylum seekers transiting or stranded. The ECHO support will aim at reinforcing the capacity of organizations providing humanitarian assistance to the beneficiaries upon arrival and ensure their protection along the route. In this regards, the provision of temporary shelters will have to be circumscribed to additional tents, rub halls, refugee housing units, voucher for accommodation, renting of premises and, potentially, minor rehabilitations/refurbishment of adequate buildings to be used as transit centres. Contingency planning operations including stock piling of temporary shelter facilities might also be considered. The current HIP will also support the strengthening of key services such as Water and Sanitation, Health, PSS, Food and Non-Food items distribution, according to the humanitarian needs. Funding will be designed in such a way to adjust assistance to react quickly to changing routes and context. Humanitarian assistance will primarily be focusing on Serbia and the former Yugoslav Republic of Macedonia but might as be considered in other countries along the migration route.