Syria - IOM is scaling up its emergency winterization plans to respond to the urgent needs of vulnerable IDPs and affected population facing harsh winter weather in Syria.

Temperature in Syria during winter can be as low as 3-5 degrees Celsius at night, creating dire conditions for displaced people. “My kids are shivering at night and we need blankets and warm clothes,” said one displaced mother.

IOM has installed winterization measures including roof, wall, and ground insulation in 25 collective centers in Damascus and Latakia. It has also installed 280 shelter kits in Rural Damascus and Homs, benefiting a total of over 9,300 vulnerable displaced individuals.

To speed up delivery of non food aid, IOM procured items locally in various governorates. Items include thermal blankets, winter clothing and mattresses.

Since December 1st, IOM has reached more than 170,000 IDPs and affected people with the provision of winter items, emergency shelter repair and rehabilitation intervention in eight governorates (Rural Damascus, Damascus, Latakia, Tartous, Daraà, Hama, Homs and Idleb). 

“Despite some access problems in some areas resulting in postponement of some field missions, IOM plans to reach more areas and more people in the coming weeks,” said Maria Rumman, IOM Chief of Mission in Syria.

IOM plans to reach an additional 328,000 IDPs and affected individuals in Aleppo, Homs, Hama, Latakia, Tartous, Rural Damascus and Damascus, bringing the total estimated number of beneficiaries to over 500,000 IDPs by mid-February 2014.

IOM has so far reached affected populations and IDPs in host communities (74 per cent), IDPs in collective centers (7 per cent) and affected population in cross line areas (18 per cent).

IOM has a field presence in all 14 governorates in Syria that enhances the organization’s field operations, monitoring and reporting. IOM monitors most of the field operations in coordination with local NGOs.

IOM activities are supported by contributions from ECHO, UK-DFID, UN-OCHA CERF and ERF, as well as the Governments of Canada and Germany.

For more information, please contact

Maria Rumman
IOM Damascus
Email: mrumman@iom.int