Goodbye Message from the Resident Representative, Ramla Khalidi
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Goodbyes are never easy but bidding farewell to Syria will probably be one of the hardest of my career. In September, I will be leaving UNDP Syria, which I had the privilege to lead for over three years. Departure will be difficult for many reasons, but I will here highlight three.
First, is my deep admiration of the Syrian people. I have traveled extensively across the country, visiting thirteen of fourteen governorates. Everywhere I have been, I have witnessed perseverance, endurance, and a steadfast will from Syrians to rebuild their lives and communities. I have been struck by the number of grassroots initiatives to rehabilitate local public services and infrastructures. I’ve been humbled by the enthusiasm with which women, youth, the elderly, and people with disabilities have helped us identify solutions to local recovery challenges, very often building on their own resources and capacities. I’ve been awed by efforts of community members of all walks of life to help fellow Syrians resolve issues related to access to civil documentation or housing, land, and property rights, through informal dispute resolution mechanisms. It is this endless resourcefulness and desire to move forward that makes me confident in UNDP Syria’s vision and approach to early recovery in Syria: one that is participatory, inclusive, bottom-up, and which puts communities in the driving seat of recovery. An approach that favors dialogue and cooperation to strengthen social bonds all while promoting local economic recovery, access to essential services and dignified livelihoods.
Despite my firm belief in how UNDP – and the United Nations Country Team more broadly – is trying to empower Syrians through early recovery, the second reason why goodbye is difficult is because I know that, as an international response, we are still failing Syrians. I leave this operation cognizant that humanitarian needs are on the rise and that communities are under greater stress than ever before, despite armed crisis having subsided in many areas of the country. We are not doing enough, and Syrians know it. I was encouraged by conversations in the Brussels VI Conference earlier this year, where there was unanimous agreement on the need to scale up early recovery across Syria. I am equally, if not more encouraged, by the wide spectrum of Syrian voices – both inside and outside the country – calling for the same, seeing in early recovery not only a humanitarian imperative, but also an opportunity to empower Syrian communities. It is high time that the international community acted on these commitments and aspirations for all vulnerable Syrians.
My gratitude and sense of camaraderie with the many partners – local, national, and international – that have supported the work of UNDP’s devoted and dynamic team in Damascus and in the field, is the last reason why goodbye will be hard. This includes the local communities, which helped us design our projects, identify our beneficiaries, and improve our programmes. It includes several national NGOs, which delivered assistance for us there where our own security protocols would not let us venture. Their connection to local populations and relentless efforts to reach those most in need do not cease to impress me. It also includes fellow UN agencies and INGOs. We work in an enormously complex context, where needs are growing and where challenges – from drought to energy scarcity to risks of doing harm – can at times feel daunting. Yet the spirit of partnership within the Syria Humanitarian Country Team has been a source of strength, defined by constant cooperation to find collective solutions – within available resources and parameters – to provide the best possible assistance to Syrians in need. Finally, our donors, without whom none of our work would be possible. I would like to thank them for their trust, for their confidence, and for their determination to stand firmly by the Syrian people, wherever they may be.
I leave Syria with a heavy heart, because I fear we are not doing enough. I fear that, by not adequately adapting our assistance to the current realities of the Syrian crisis, we are, despite all our efforts, leaving Syrians behind. When the day comes that the international response provides, at scale, the kind of context sensitive, risk-informed early recovery assistance that Syrians across the country so desperately tell us they need, this goodbye will feel a little less bitter and a little sweeter. I am confident that, with the joint efforts of all partners, that day will soon arrive.
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In the second quarter of 2022, UNDP Syria continued to implement its resilience-building programme for enhancing a positive change in people’s life. UNDP has implemented several interventions based on the participatory, integrated area-based approach to optimize positive impact on the people living in targeted areas.
UNDP is also continuing to implement context-specific interventions that emphasize community engagement and address the location-specific needs of Syrians. UNDP is supporting local communities to be more self-reliant and reduce their dependence on humanitarian relief.
UNDP achieves this by:
- Enhancing people’s employability, specially youth and female groups, through creating jobs, providing skills and vocational training, and reviving disrupted small local businesses.
- Supporting rural livelihoods to increase agricultural production and enhance food security for local communities.
- Ensuring clean and healthy environments through the safe removal of debris and solid waste.
- Supporting improved access to critical basic services, including education, health, water and electricity, through the light rehabilitation of damaged schools, community health centres, water and electricity networks and power stations, as well as introducing renewable energy solutions.
- Engaging local communities in dialogue and promoting social cohesion, through targeted participatory workshops and social activities including arts, culture and sports.
- Supporting green recovery to facilitate and promote green solutions to leverage sustainable recovery through business-driven initiatives that is gender aware and sensitive.
As cross-cutting interventions, UNDP ensures that a context sensitive human rights-based approach informs its programme and seeks to mainstream gender equality, empower women and youth, and include persons with disabilities across its programme.
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With the generous funding from the International Fund for Agricultural Development (IFAD), UNDP has implemented the project titled ‘Livelihoods Resilience Building Project (LRBP)” to respond to the urgent needs of the most vulnerable and fragile rural communities in Syria including small-scale livestock herders and farmers who are particularly vulnerable to the pressure of the COVID-19 pandemic.
Through this project, UNDP has provided essential agricultural inputs and farm tools as well as livestock and animal feed in an effort to build resilience and food security of the most vulnerable in rural areas. The project has directly supported 659 farmers including 406 female farmers through farming input distribution.
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UNDP’s beneficiary complaint hotline is helping to ensure more transparent, accountable assistance. Receiving both administrative and operational complaints, the hotline offers beneficiaries a direct line of communication to the UNDP Country Office.
Fadia is a mother of nine children and is one of UNDP’s beneficiaries who received an in-kind grant to support a home-based food processing business. She was happy to start making cheese and other dairy products and sell them through her community network. More importantly, the project supported her self-reliant and enabled her to feel strong enough to confront any kind of exploitation or abuse.
“I know now how to say no to anyone who tries to take advantage of my situation. I was relieved to know that I can share my concerns and complaints through UNDP’s helpline” said Fadia after attending an awareness session on the prevention of sexual exploitation and abuse (PSEA).
She added: “The information I received helped me to say “No” to a person who impersonated a UNDP staff. He threatened to take back the equipment that I received from UNDP if I didn’t exchange certain services with him. I remember well what UNDP PSEA focal point told me; that UNDP's support is free with no obligation to provide any service in return.”
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Empowering MSMEs as economic drivers and means for decent livelihoods in Syria
The private sector can be one of the most important actors and partners for early recovery and resilience. Micro, small and medium enterprises (MSMEs) constitute about 95 percent of the total enterprises in Syria and are a major contributor to gross domestic product and employment.
On the margins of the Brussels VI Conference on supporting the Future of Syria and the Region, UNDP and the London School of Economics and Political Science (LSE) held a virtual side event where key findings and recommendations from the joint assessment on the overall situation on MSMEs were presented, followed by a discussion on how MSMEs can be supported as key resources for livelihoods both in urban and rural areas. The side event proposed a continuous dialogue to develop innovative and implementable solutions to expand inclusive economic opportunities and create decent jobs on an equitable and quality basis as part of early recovery efforts. Read more and watch the recording.
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Farming in harmony with nature
Agricultural production in Syria faces a myriad of challenges related not only to more than ten years of devastating crisis and consequent displacement, but also to the impacts of drought and other effects of climate change. All which had a profound negative impact on fragile rural communities.
In 2020, UNDP introduced regenerative agriculture to vulnerable small farmers in Rural Damascus. Regenerative agriculture mimics the processes found in natural ecosystems, which eventually help increase soil fertility, and improve efficient and sustainable water consumption.
Adopting regenerative agricultural practices is among the least costly and most immediate actions that can help mitigate the effects of climate change. It captures substantial amounts of carbon from the air and stores it in the soil, improving the quality of water, air, and soil, and increasing farm production of nutrient-dense foods that are free from chemical contaminants. Regenerative farm systems are designed to work in harmony with nature, while also maintaining and improving economic sustainability. Read more
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Women led social enterprises pave the way towards economic independence, empowerment, and community solidarity.
In 2021, the United Nations Development Programme (UNDP) launched the Idea Challenge project, the first social enterprise programme in Syria with the aim of supporting the development of new and/or existing social enterprises that contribute to women’s economic empowerment.
Women’s participation in the labour force remains relatively weak at 22 percent, compared with 78 percent for men. With less access to land and asset ownership women face significant barriers in accessing financing opportunities. Among micro, small and medium sized enterprises, women own 35 percent of businesses, of which 73 percent operate in the informal sector. That is why it is important to invest in social enterprises that are led by women, staffed by women, and created for women who can be catalysts for change. Read more.
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UNDP Syria Launches On-Line Platform to Expand Legal Awareness among Vulnerable Syrians
Lack/loss of civil documentation impacts all population groups with specific vulnerabilities for women and children. It limits the ability of widowed or divorced women to inherit property, get custody of children, legally remarry, or register children born through subsequent relationships.
UNDP Syria recently launched an online platform aimed at expanding access to up-to-date legal information for Syrians both inside and outside the country, with a focus on civil documentation and HLP issues. The platform provides information on relevant national legislation and rights, allows beneficiaries to connect with legal professionals contracted by UNDP to solicit more tailored information on specific cases, and provides referral services to other partners in the Protection Sector. Read more.
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Angie's journey on the road to a brighter future
In Syria, 28% of the population lives with some form of disability. Persons with disabilities in Syria face multiple structural, legal and administrative barriers to access health care, education, employment and to participate fully and equally in community life. Meet Angie and follow her inspiring journey.
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Supporting fragile rural communities in Syria
Agriculture is a cornerstone of the Syrian economy. Fragile rural communities in Syria have been hard hit by climate change.
Today, more than 50% of the population is food insecure. Watch how we are promoting and supporting farmers in Syria to use conservation and regenerative agriculture.
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Zukhrof (Aleppo): Women led social enterprise
With the purpose of keeping the ancient art of engraving and painting on wood alive and break the historic domination of men on this field, Nadra, Omar, Ayaa, Alaa and Laila from Aleppo established a workshop where women can train and sell their products in the market.
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Social Solidarity Kitchen (Swaida): Women led social enterprise
With the objective of supporting university students from the profits, eight women from Swaida got together and started a catering business that currently employs 30 women.
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Stitches (Tartous): Women led social enterprise
Nisreen and Rajaa from Tartous got together and started a workshop back in 2019 specialized in handmade embroidery and accessories. With the funds received, they were able to expand the workshop. They have since trained a total of 25 women, some of whom have started their own businesses.
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Community resilience support in Aleppo, in partnership with Japan
Thanks to generous support from the people of Japan, UNDP continues to support community resilience and help the most vulnerable people in Syria rebuild their lives. See glimpses of Embassy of Japan’s visit to Aleppo and UNDP’s key achievements in partnership with the Government of Japan.
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The role of the civic sector in Syria has grown in recent years with the increasing needs of the society for its services, which is reflected in the diversity of its activities and the expansion of its geographical distribution. In addition to its charitable work, the civic sector's activities are centred around awareness, development and social cohesion. All of this coincides with the increasing need for CSOs to empower their staff's capabilities, skills, and knowledge.
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On 18 May 2022, the Government of Finland and the United Nations Development Programme (UNDP) Syria signed an agreement today worth EUR 4,000,000 to support the resilience of persons with disabilities (PWDs) and advance a holistic approach to disability inclusion in Syria. The support to be provided through this agreement aims to directly build the resilience of and improve the livelihoods of about 2,000 PWDs and builds on an existing partnership between Finland and UNDP (2018-2022) that has resulted in supporting 5,944 PWDs for physical and mental as well as livelihood support and providing 71 service providers, working in disability inclusion, health, accessibility, psychosocial support, and policy making with capacity building opportunities. Read more.
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