UNMAS Syria Response
Operating under the mandate of Security Council resolution ...
UNMAS Syria Response
Operating under the mandate of Security Council resolution 2165
(renewed in 2017 with SCR 2393) allowing cross-border assistance in Syria,
UNMAS deployed the Syria Response programme at the request of the Deputy
Regional Humanitarian Coordinator in August 2015 and subsequently activated the
Mine Action Sub Cluster under the Protection Cluster to address the impact of
explosive hazards within Syria. UNMAS is the lead agency for the Mine Action
Sub Cluster for the Syria Response, working in support of the mine action
response within Syria.
UNMAS provides leadership for the humanitarian mine action sector,
working to reach affected civilian populations through the expansion and
provision of humanitarian mine action services inside Syria, strengthening
participatory approaches to programming, and mainstreaming mine action into
wider humanitarian activities.
In Syria, 8.2 million people live in communities reporting
explosive hazard contamination; men, women, and children, are exposed to the
threat of debilitating injuries and death on a daily basis. According to the
2018 HNO, 2.9 million people inside Syria live with a permanent disability and
there are 30,000 new conflict-related trauma cases per month leading to
thousands of permanent disabilities requiring long-term and multi-dimensional
support. Protracted conflict has eroded and overburdened the health system in
Syria, so that large gaps remain in the provision of post-operative
rehabilitation care. The conflict in Syria has been characterized by the
extensive use of explosive weapons. Between January 2015 and May 2018, an
average of 165 explosive hazard incidents were reported per day across the
country. The Syrian crisis has led to the mass displacement of millions of
Syrians with over 5.5 million refugees now supported by the neighboring
countries of Turkey, Jordan, Lebanon, Iraq and Egypt. The conditions for the
safe return of refugees have not yet been met, however some civilians are
voluntarily returning. The presence of explosive hazard within Syria is a major
protection concern for the safety of those refugees considering moving back to
Syria.