Voices for Displaced Syrians: The Impact of COVID-19 on Displaced Syrians

Voices for Displaced Syrians

VDSF

Voices for

Displaced Syrians

spread of the virus. While this factor also similarly affects host communities, governments' initiatives

for social support are yet exclusive to only citizens, and do not include the refugees.

Exacerbation of child protection risks, which related to the quarantine, closure of schools, and

economic pressures on households, the expose of children to different forms of child protection risks

like: domestic violence, child labor, early marriage, family separation and other negative coping

mechanisms.

An increase of social tension as a result of the complete ban of movement for Syrian refugees in some

countries like the Zaatari Camp in Jordan and several municipalities in Lebanon. This will exacerbate

poverty and negatively affect the pursuant of durable solutions for refugees.

As in host communities, cases of gender-based violence and school drop-out are also expected to

increase.

أصوات لأجل المهجرين السوريين

The prevention of the disease is highly impaired due to:

o Insufficient availability of clean water;

o Inability to purchase sterilization and personal hygiene materials in sufficient quantities;

o

Large crowding in housing and the poor quality of living areas, and hence, social distancing

cannot be applied effectively;

o

The fragile immunity of the society, due to the general imbalanced nutritional intake as a

result of poverty and destitution, will lead to fast spread of the infection.

On the treatment from the disease, it is very concerning due to the weak medical services for refugee

communities and the absence of health insurance.

Recommendations:

The rapid spread of the infection which is expected in the event that the virus reaches the refugee

camps (due to the impairment of prevention) would lead to a high mortality rates among the refugee

communities (due to the weak medical services).

To the Governments of Lebanon, Jordan and Turkey: Pay attention and consider the refugee sector

when designing the policies to deal with the crisis of the epidemic. This will help to mitigate the serious

consequences on refugees' ability to face the disease and the resulted worsening of social cohesion.

To all countries of asylum: Devise appropriate and safe ways to resume asylum procedures and

redress long-waiting times.

To Donors: Increase funding allocated towards refugee communities in particular in light of the lack

of coverage of local governments' programs for these societies. And, transfer development funds to

host countries that are currently suspended to fund emergency relief operations for refugees, with a

first priority to compensate those who do not have access to livelihood opportunities.

To UNHCR: Enhance coordination and response mechanisms by listening and including the

perspectives and voices of Syrian civil society at the various levels of planning, decision-making and

response, in the national and regional Durable Solutions and Return Work-Groups.

To All: Launch and participate in advocacy campaigns to promote integration and rapprochement

between refugee and host communities by highlighting the non-discriminative nature of the virus

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