9 - 24 October 2013

Regional Response to the Humanitarian29 August - 12 Crisis1 September February 20132013

IOM provided gas stoves to 89 newly-arrived households (463 individuals) in Domiz camp. To date, 56,058 Syrian refugees and Iraqi returnees from Syria have benefitted from IOM’s NFI distributions. © IOM 2013.

HIGHLIGHTS

Syria: On 15 - 17 October, IOM assisted around 1,400 beneficiaries in Qudsaya, who fled from Moudamiyyah (which was under siege for months) with essential NFIs includ- ing: hygiene kits, mattresses, jerry cans and clothing items.

Iraq: On 22 October, IOM identified 50 Syrians in Duhok governorate to begin vocation- al training.

Jordan: IOM vaccinated 2,765 refugees against Measles and 1,058 refugees against Po- lio. Since March 2013, 71,146 Syrian refugees have been vaccinated against Measles and Polio upon arrival to Za’atri camp.

Turkey: IOM and partners transported 493 Syrian nationals from Adiyaman camp to medical facilities and social service centres.

Lebanon: IOM provided psychosocial support to 988 individuals through a mobile team in South Lebanon and at a community centre in Baalbek town.

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IOM OPERATIONS IN SYRIA

IOM, in cooperation with the International Federation of Red Cross and Red Crescent Societies and Swiss Red Cross, provided a five-day Training of Trainers workshop on shelter interventions for 22 humanitarian workers. © IOM 2013

Identification and Assessment of Emergency Collective Shelters for Rehabilitation: During the reporting period, IOM identified 87 shelters in (13), Rural (11), Dier Al Zour (10), Al Hassakeh (9), Tartous (9), Qunei- tra (8), (7), Dar’a (7), (7), and Damascus (6) for consideration for the next rehabilitation work plan to start on which will start by next week. The total number of the hosted IDPs in those shelters is 4,122 households (21,254 individuals). The majority of IDPs living in shelters or buildings are extremely vulnerable to low winter tem- peratures as the buildings they occupy have inadequate insulation and protection from the weather. In addition to the rehabilitation of collective shelters, IOM teams are supplying and installing sealing-off kits in (100 kits), Qudsaya (50 Kits), and Homs (50 Kits) as part of a pilot project.

The Syrian Government decided to return schools that are serving as collective centres, back to their original func- tion. The decision will apply on a national level. The process of evacuating all public shelters (schools) and moving of all IDPs to unfinished buildings is on-going. This decision was primarily applied in Aleppo; 10 out of 38 shelters assigned to IOM for rehabilitation were evacuated in the Aleppo Governorate. All agencies participating in shelter rehabilitation works in Aleppo are uninstalling removable items from the public shelters to shift these items to newly occupied unfinished buildings and shelters. IOM is considering the possibility of reprogramming its activities in Aleppo towards a sealing-off kits project.

IOM is also planning to rehabilitate 67 shelters for the next phase (until the end of December 2013) in seven gover- norates (As-Suwayda, Ar-Raqqah Damascus, Dier Al Zour, Hama, Homs and Rural Damascus) and targeting 3,837 families (19,896 IDPs). In 2013, IOM has rehabilitated 41 collective shelters housing 3,023 IDP households (15,039 individuals).

Resettlement Assistance for Refugees accepted for Resettlement from Syria: From 9 to 22 October, IOM provided resettlement assistance to 144 refugees mainly from Iraq and Palestine. The refugees were assisted to travel to Australia (66), Canada (57), New Zealand (13), Romania (4) and the United States of America (4). Since January 2013, IOM has provided resettlement assistance to 4,819 refugees who have been escorted by road from Damas- cus to Beirut and flown out of Rafic Hariri International Airport. IOM is planning to assist an additional 534 refugees before January 2014. 2

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IOM SYRIA OPERATIONS cont. Non-Food Item (NFI) Distribution: During the reporting period, IOM monitored the distribution of 8,727 NFIs kits (including hy- giene and house cleaning kits, mattresses, undergarments, wheelchairs, jerry cans and baby diapers) to 33,785 affected beneficiar- ies in host communities in Damascus, Hama, Homs, Rural Damascus and Tartous. IOM staff worked alongside representatives from the Syrian Arab Red Crescent (SARC), Dar Anis Saadeh and Greek Orthodox Patriar- chate Antioch (GOPA). During the distribu- tion, 1,820 beneficiaries from Damascus and 326 beneficiaries from Homs received more than one kit including family hygiene and house cleaning kits.

On 10 October, IOM joined a convoy to 1,400 IDPs from Moudamiyyah registered in Qudsaya for NFI assistance Homs to distribute 3,000 house cleaning kits from IOM. © IOM 2013 (Photo: IOM Syria) to 15,000 beneficiaries. From 15 to 17 Octo- ber, IOM assisted around 1,400 beneficiar- ies in Qudsaya, who fled from Moudamiyyah (which was under siege for months) with hygiene kits, mattresses, jer- ry cans and clothing items.

Since January 2013, IOM has assisted 462,003 IDPs in 12 governorates in Syria through the provision of 127,609 NFI kits including mattresses, blankets, cleaning items, insecticides, adult and baby diapers, kitchen sets, undergar- ments, jerry cans, and disability support items.

Wahbiyah’s Story

During an assessment of the Judaidet Shel- ters, IOM staff met with Wahbiya, a resident of one of the shelters.

“Around ten months ago, my family and I escaped the fighting and moved to [25 kilometres southwest of Damascus]. In Qatana, we were giv- en a house to stay in but due to our dire need for assistance, we moved to Damascus where we stayed in a mosque for two months receiving hu- manitarian aid from an NGO. We were then trans- ferred to this shelter in Judaidet Artouz looking for Wahbiyah cuts out paper figures for a child living at the better humanitarian assistance as we were prom- shelter. ised”.

Wahbiyah and her five children live in a classroom which they share with another family with only a plas- tic sheet partition separating the two families from each other. She spends her days cooking lunch meals for IDPs at the church-run kitchen or volunteering to assist elderly people in their houses and all for free.

Judaidet Artouz shelters contain around 7,800 displaced households in rented apartment complexes, un- finished buildings and in four collective shelters. Approximately 65 per cent of its IDPs have fled the inse- curity and poverty from and Khan al-Shieh in Rural Damascus, while the rest came from other parts of Syria, some as far as Aleppo. The four collective shelters house 150 households all together.

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IOM OPERATIONS IN IRAQ

Newly arrived Syrian refugees in Domiz camp registered for NFI assistance from IOM. To date, 56,058 Syrian refugees and Iraqi returnees from Syria have benefitted from IOM’s NFI distributions. © IOM 2013.

Transportation Assistance to Syrian Refugees: During the period IOM in coordination with UNHCR, Harikar, and the Development and Modification Centre (DMC) transported 5 vulnerable households (32 individuals) from Peshkha- bour border to a transit site in Guelam. Since mid-August 2013, IOM has transported 47,554 Syrian refugees to 11 locations throughout northern Iraq.

From 10 to 13 October, in support of cultural activities, IOM, in coordination with UNHCR, UNWomen, UNICEF, and the DMC, provided transportation assistance to 1,340 Syrians from Domiz camp to attend a film festival in Duhok City. IOM facilitated the transportation on a daily basis, using eight buses (with a capacity of 30 passengers) each making two trips.

Non-Food Items (NFI) Distribution: On 8 October, IOM provided gas stoves to 89 newly-arrived households (463 individuals) in Domiz camp. To date, 56,058 Syrian refugees and Iraqi returnees from Syria have benefitted from IOM’s NFI distributions.

Livelihood Assistance: On 22 October, vocational training for 50 Syrians in Duhok governorate started. The two- month training includes courses on bookkeeping, marketing, IT, and provide basic English language training. IOM plans to assist 100 beneficiaries in Akre refugee camp with small business/in-kind grant packages through 50 joint businesses.

As of 14 October, 867 individuals have benefitted from a total of 1,290 different livelihood services provided by IOM.

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IOM OPERATIONS IN JORDAN

Emergency Transportation of Refugees: IOM provides transport assistance for Syrian refugees from the screening centre, Rabaa’ al Sarhan, to Za’atri and the Emirates Jordanian Camps. During the reporting period, 3,512 Syrian refugees were transported from the Rabaa’ al Sarhan Screening Centre to Za’atri camp (3,369 refugees) and Emirate Jordanian camp (143 refugees). As IOM teams routinely continue to medically screen all arrivals to Za’atri camp, they reported that 61 indi- viduals were identified with medical conditions requiring im- mediate referral for treatment. Since transport operations began in July 2012, IOM has transported 348,107 Syrian refu- gees from border areas to camps. All new arrivals received refreshments, hygiene kits, and shoes upon arrival at the IOM reception centre in Za’atri camp. Top left - IOM offer two Mathematics classes per week for children between 9 and 15 years old at EJC. Top Immunization of New Arrivals: During the reporting period, right - Fashion design classes are offered twice a week IOM immunized 2,765 refugees (6 months to 30 years) against for women at EJC. Above - IOM offer sewing classes for Measles, 1,058 refugees (new-born to 5 years old) against Po- women three times a week at EJC. Classes are offered lio, and 763 children (6 months to 5 years old) received Vita- as part of the Vocational Training programme. © IOM min A supplements. Since March 2013, 71,146 Syrian refugees 2013 (Photo: IOM Jordan) have been immunized against Polio and Measles in Za’atri camp.

On 19 October, IOM, the Jordanian Ministry of Health (MoH) and partners initiated a nation-wide community mobi- lization and awareness-raising campaign in anticipation to the two-week measles, rubella, and polio immunization campaign scheduled to start on 2 November. In coordination with the MoH and in cooperation with UNHCR and local NGOs, 20 IOM community mobilizers and 20 IOM health workers are working with communities in Ma’an, Kar- nak and Tafeileh governorates, as well as East Amman and Zarqa City. The national campaign will target 3.5 million individuals (under 20 years old) who will be immunized against Measles, German measles (MR) and Polio (for chil- dren under 5 years). The campaign will target Jordanian nationals, Syrian refugees, and people of other nationalities living in Jordan.

IOM will work in close coordination with local NGOs to identify and map Syrian households with limited access to health centres. The information will then be passed on to MoH mobile teams to ensure that all vulnerable benefi- ciaries can be reached during the two-week campaign. During the campaign IOM will transport vulnerable benefi- ciaries to reach vaccination centres.

Tuberculosis (TB) Screening and Awareness-Raising Activities: 3,790 Syrian refugees were screened during the re- porting period and one new case was identified. Since March 2012, IOM has confirmed 88 suspected cases and is providing directly observed therapy (DOT) and follow up for 52 of these cases; 32 cases have completed their treat- ment successfully. IOM provides screening for suspected cases, DOT, and awareness-raising through a team of 42 healthcare community workers who work in the camps and urban communities. Since March 2012, 233,344 benefi- ciaries have participated in TB information and awareness-raising sessions. IOM continues to work with partners and the Ministry of Health to screen for and treat active cases of TB and since March 2012, IOM has screened 319,231 Syrian refugees. 5

IOM OPERATIONS IN TURKEY

Transportation for Syrians at Adiyaman camp (1 July - 20 October 2013) Total Male Female Reporting Period pax Passengers Passengers July 3,319 1,993 1,326 August 2,587 1,510 1,077 September 2,574 1,317 1,257 1 - 6 October 474 306 168 7 - 13 October 641 331 310

14 - 20 October 60 17 43 Top - Residents of Adiyaman camp queue to lodge requests for transport assistance following the Eid Beneficiaries assisted 9,655 5,474 4,181 holiday. Above - 9,655 Syrians have benefitted from the transport service since 1 July 2013; 2,066 Syrians are less than 18 years old. © IOM 2013 (Photo: IOM Turkey)

Transportation services for residents of Adiyaman camp: During the reporting period, IOM and part- ners transported 493 Syrian nationals from Adi- yaman camps to medical facilities and social ser- vice centres. A total of 9,655 Syrian nationals have benefitted from the transportation services in Adi- yaman camp since the project began on 1 July 2013. IOM secured additional funds to continue this activity till next year and expand it to another camp.

Training sessions in Urfa: On 25 October, IOM will facilitate training sessions for a workshop organized by UNICEF and the Ministry of National Education (MONE) in Urfa. This will be the second workshop hosting Syrian teachers from several camps in South East Turkey, as well as Turkish trainers from the Ministry of Education. IOM’s training session will cover psychosocial support in emergencies and building the resilience of children in schools.

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IOM OPERATIONS IN LEBANON Transit Assistance to stranded migrants and refugees accepted for resettlement from Syria: During the reporting period, IOM provided assistance to 145 refugees from Iraq, Palestine and So- malia who were accepted for resettlement, to transit through Lebanon. The caseload includes 68 female and 77 male passengers (20 of whom were children). Since February 2013, 4,866 refugees and 634 stranded mi- grants were assisted by IOM to transit through Lebanon.

Humanitarian Admission Program (HAP): On 30 Octo- ber, approximately 180 Syrian refugees are expected to depart Lebanon for Kassel, Germany. This is the third group of refugees to travel to Germany under the Ger- man Government Humanitarian Admissions Program. IOM assigned two medical doctors as escorts to accom- pany a stretcher case from departure in Beirut to the reception centre in Friedland.

Prior to departure all refugees travelling to Germany attend a -3 day cultural orientation (CO) course provided by IOM. During the CO sessions, participants are provid- ed with information on what they can expect once they arrive to Germany. Nine CO sessions were held for the Syrian refugees travelling on the third charter flight. Par- ticipants asked questions related to housing, healthcare, and employment opportunities. For some parents, their During the cultural orientation sessions, IOM trainers ex- concerns related to how their children would be re- plained what products and items should be placed in hand or ceived by students and teachers in schools and whether hold luggage. Approximately 180 passengers will travel on 30 there would be tutoring support to translate key learn- October. © IOM 2013. ing concepts into Arabic until their children were fluent in German. rent grants to 639 Syrian households. The assistance indirectly benefits 475 Lebanese families renting to Syri- Since 11 September, IOM has assisted 217 Syrian refu- an refugee families. gees to leave Lebanon under the HAP programme. Over the next 12 months, IOM, in coordination with the Gov- Support to the National Tuberculosis Programme: IOM ernment of Germany and UNHCR, will assist approxi- conducted an assessment on 18 October at the Armeni- mately 4,000 Syrian refugees to be resettled to Germa- an Sanatorium in Azounieh, specialized in the treatment ny. of tuberculosis (TB). This assessment follows IOM’s as- sessment of five TB centers of the National Tuberculosis Shelter Assistance to Vulnerable Syrian Refugee Programme under the Ministry of Public Health, and Households: Access to shelter remains a concern for procurement of microscopes for these centers in order Syrian refugees in Lebanon. Many households are in to support their diagnostic capacities. need of financial assistance to pay their rent or they are forced to relocate to informal tented settlements and The Armenian Sanatorium is the only tuberculosis hospi- abandoned buildings. On 9 and 10 October, IOM distrib- tal in Lebanon; suspected cases of TB are referred to uted monthly cash-for-rent subsidies to 50 households there from all over the country. The Armenian Sanatori- (342 individuals) in nine villages in Zahrani, South Leba- um is a charitable, non-profit organization founded in non. 1923 and is located in the village of Azounieh between the districts of Chouf and Aley. It currently has 50 beds From 9 to 18 October, IOM assessed 60 households and for tuberculosis patients, in addition to 120 beds for the identified 41 households of the most vulnerable Syrian geriatric population. The average occupancy rate of the refugee families in need of rental assistance in North tuberculosis hospital is around 35 patients at any given Lebanon. time.

Since August 2013, IOM has distributed 1,320 cash-for- 7

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During their hospital stay, patients receive their medica- tions in a timely manner and are followed up consistently by residing physicians. Upon discharge, patients are instructed to follow up with a TB centre situated in close proximity to their residence location and are given a medication stock enough for about four days post-discharge. The major needs detected during the assessment of the hospital in- cluded: additional staff, bed linens, medical equipment, better ventilation system, re-opening of the laboratory, and a transport vehicle for TB patients.

Mental Health and Psychosocial Support to Syrian Refu- gees: During the reporting period, 988 individuals in South Lebanon (301 beneficiaries) and Bekaa (687 beneficiaries) IOM staff assisted residents of a collective center in South were provided with psychosocial support implemented Lebanon to prepare to celebrate Eid al Adha. © IOM 2013. through a mobile team (in the South) and a community cen- tre (Dari Centre) in Bekaa. 292 women, 12 men, 18 adoles- cents and 666 children participated in recreational, educational, and artistic mediation activities, physical, aware- ness sessions, family support groups, focus group sessions, individual counselling sessions, family orientations and referrals to specialized services.

Lebanese Returnees Registration and Profiling Project: IOM and the High Relief Commission (HRC) have finalised the registration and profiling of 85 per cent of the identified caseload of 20,000 Lebanese returnees. On 10 Octo- ber, IOM met with the HRC leadership to close the project. On 21 October, IOM and HRC started the extraction of data from the registration exercise and are in the process of analysing the data and drafting recommendations to be included in the final report. The report is expected to be released by mid-November.

IOM’s initiatives are supported by:

Government of the People’s Republic Government Government Humanitarian Aid Government Government Government of Chile of Cyprus and Civil Protec- of Italy of Slovakia of Vietnam of China tion

CONTACTS: Syria Crisis Coordination Unit | Vincent Houver I [email protected] Donor Relations Division | +41.22.717.92.71 | [email protected]

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