The UN Central Emergency Response Fund (CERF) has released USD
950,000 to fund IOM’s humanitarian operations in Syria.

The money will help up to 650 stranded and vulnerable migrants
with no other means of returning home to escape the escalating
conflict. They will include female domestic workers brought to
Syria by employment agencies, who are at particularly high risk.
Many have lost their jobs due to the conflict and are now trapped
with little or no money.

To date, IOM has assisted 1,035 migrant workers from 17
countries to return home through the provision of transport and
pre-departure assistance. Another 83 have finalized their departure
procedures and are scheduled to leave Syria once flights become
available. IOM continues to receive requests from Embassies to help
stranded migrants in Syria.

The CERF funds will also ensure continued distribution of
non-food relief items to an estimated 14,000 internally displaced
Syrians (IDPs) currently sheltering in collective centres in
Damascus.

In the past three weeks, IOM, working in close collaboration
with the Syrian Arab Red Crescent and partner NGOs, has distributed
hygiene kits to over 2,350 IDPs in Damascus. 

For more information, please contact

Maria Rumman

IOM Damascus

Tel. +963.933311204

Email: "mailto:mrumman@iom.int">mrumman@iom.int