Crisis watch

North-East Syria

Following the recent military operation in north-east Syria, CARE remains concerned for the safety and well-being of hundreds of thousands of civilians in northeast Syria. The UN reports that an estimated 160,000 people have been displaced since 9 October. Vital services, such as water supplies and health facilities, have been interrupted.

The violence is disrupting life-saving humanitarian aid to people in urgent need of assistance, including more than 700,000 Syrians who were already internally displaced. Of the 3 million civilians in northeast Syria, 1.8 million were already in need of humanitarian assistance, including over 900,000 in acute need. Many Syrians have fled their homes multiple times over the course of this conflict and are dependent on aid. 

Women and girls are most affected by this conflict. The violence has displaced many families, causing unparalleled suffering and leaving countless broken homes and separated families in its path. Many women have lost a husband, son, or brother to the war and are escaping the fighting with nothing but the clothes on their backs and the children in their arms. Women and girls make up more than 70% of the people in need in Syria. Vulnerable groups include 5.2 million women of reproductive age and 2.2 million children under the age of 5. Women are in need of protection and psychosocial support services that address their specific needs, as they show great courage and resilience in the face of violence and displacement, and while caring and providing for their families.

CARE is assisting vulnerable and displaced people in northeast Syria by providing clean water and sanitation. CARE is carrying out much-needed distributions of hygiene kits and winter clothes and is providing psychosocial support, including psychological first aid to those immediately affected by the violence. CARE plans to assist 20,000 people in northeast Syria with life-saving and emergency assistance by the end of October.

Northern Syria

As Turkey begins a new military operation in northern Syria, CARE is deeply concerned about the risk any escalation in violence will pose to civilians. Unconfirmed sources already point to population movements out of Syrian towns bordering Turkey. Military action is likely to trigger mass displacement and disrupt humanitarian aid delivery to vulnerable populations, some of whom have already been displaced multiple times during the conflict. It is crucial that the protection of civilians is held paramount and that their freedom of movement is maintained, in order to escape conflict. CARE calls on parties to the conflict to take all possible steps to avoid harm to civilians and to ensure humanitarian actors have sustained, unimpeded and safe access to vulnerable men, women and children in need.

CARE has been providing aid in Syria since 2014, and has reached more than 4.5 million people so far. Our work is focused on food security, livelihoods, women’s economic empowerment, shelter, water and sanitation, maternal and reproductive health support, and psychosocial support for people in crisis.

Burkina Faso

An escalation of armed violence and insecurity in parts of Burkina Faso’s northern and eastern regions has increased displacement and rapidly worsened the humanitarian situation: 1.3 million people are in need of humanitarian assistance among whom 289,000 people are internally displaced. Many schools and health centres are closed and people are struggling to access safe water and food. So far CARE has reached nearly 14,000 people through the distribution of NFI kits (non-food items: sleeping mats, water cans, buckets, soap); vouchers/coupons for 30 days drinking water for internally displaced people; dignity kits for women and girls; and 2,000 tarpaulins.

Thailand

Flash floods, landslides, and storms have affected more than 400,000 households in 32 provinces of Thailand since the end of August. 49 evacuation centres have been set up and are currently hosting nearly 20,000 people. CARE Raks Thai has distributed hygiene products and medical supplies (including mosquito repellant) in 8 villages, reaching 4,500 people, and provided food (rice) to communal kitchens in 10 villages, benefiting 3,676 people.

Sulawesi (Indonesia)

One year after a devastating earthquake and tsunami struck the Indonesian island of Sulawesi, thousands of women and girls continue to face challenges in accessing safe shelter, water an sanitation facilities. Since the emergency hit, CARE has reached 60,000 people through hygiene kits distribution and promotion, clean water rehabilitation and distribution, shelter repair materials and training, latrine rehabilitation and construction, and cash grants. Bonaria Siahaan, CEO of CARE Indonesia, said:

CARE is committed to supporting the people of Central Sulawesi for the years to come and is increasingly shifting its focus to help restore economic livelihood activities, particularly for women.