What happened in Syria?
In 2025, Syria’s humanitarian crisis entered its fourteenth year, with ongoing conflict, protracted displacement and economic collapse continuing to place enormous strain on families.
As of early 2025, 16.5 million people across Syria needed humanitarian assistance, with 1.9 million people facing extreme needs in Rural Damascus alone. Living costs had risen sharply, access to basic services remained limited, and health risks, including outbreaks of acute watery diarrhoea and cholera, were increasing.
Women and girls were disproportionately affected. Many faced heightened health risks, violence, psychosocial distress and limited access to essential hygiene and reproductive health supplies. Female‑headed households were among the most economically vulnerable, often forced to make impossible choices between food, healthcare and basic dignity needs.
How World Vision responded
World Vision delivered emergency relief in Rural Damascus, working with trusted local partner Action For Humanity (AFH) to support women, girls and infants whose basic needs were not being met.
The response reached 3,800 people, including:
- 1,200 women
- 1,600 girls
- 1,000 babies and young children
The project ran from February to May 2025 and was funded by Irish Aid.
What support did families receive?
This emergency response focused on health, hygiene, protection and dignity, particularly for women, adolescent girls and infants.
Support included:
- Dignity kits for women and girls, providing essential hygiene and sexual and reproductive health items
- Baby kits for mothers with infants, supporting newborn care, hygiene and wellbeing
These supplies helped to reduce health risks, support maternal and infant care, and restored a sense of dignity during crisis, particularly in displacement and return settings where services were limited.
Who was prioritised?
The response prioritised women, girls and families facing the greatest vulnerabilities, including:
- Female‑headed households
- New returnees
- Pregnant and lactating women
- Women and girls with disabilities
Widowed women - Adolescent girls at risk of early or forced marriage
- Households with infants and young children
Targeting was guided by protection and gender‑based violence coordination standards, with local consultation to ensure fairness and sensitivity.
Protection, dignity and accountability
In a highly sensitive and volatile context, World Vision and Action For Humanity applied strong safeguarding and accountability measures, including:
- Gender‑sensitive and inclusive distribution approaches
- Separate waiting areas and staggered distribution schedules to reduce protection risks
- Community feedback and complaints mechanisms
- Staff training on child safeguarding and protection from sexual exploitation and abuse
Focus group discussions with women and girls helped to ensure the contents of dignity kits were appropriate and responsive to their needs. The response was coordinated with health, nutrition and protection actors to strengthen referrals and avoid duplication.