Suffering is mounting for more than 5.3 million Syrians this winter season amid a lack of basic supplies, shelter and blankets in the opposition-held areas and neighboring countries of Jordan, Turkey, Lebanon and Iraq.
Displaced people are waiting for the aid organizations and camp administrations to start preparing for the winter months by providing insulators and heating devices in order to withstand the difficult months ahead. For many displaced people, this wait will be longer given the increase in the number of people arriving to the camps fleeing the fighting in Syria’s northern Jazira region.
Syrian refugees and displaced are particularly vulnerable during winter months when temperatures dip below freezing, as already desperate and destitute families struggle to cope with the costs of heating, insulation and adequate clothing.
Refugee and displacement camp managers and organizations operating in the region said none of them have started preparing for the coming winter, nor are there any plans in the short term to prepare.
In Jordan, winter cash assistance has proved to be the most effective and flexible way of supporting vulnerable refugee families. According to the UNHCR, an additional 50,000 vulnerable Syrian refugees in Jordan will receive much needed assistance this winter.
This article was edited by The Syrian Observer. Responsibility for the information and views set out in this article lies entirely with the author.
