Following the adoption of UN Security Council Resolution 2165, UNHCR established its cross-border activities from Southern Turkey in July 2014.
Through its cross-border programme, together with its six international and local NGOs, in 2019 UNHCR provides emergency lifesaving assistance to the internally displaced persons and others vulnerable people in need of humanitarian assistance in northern Syria. Activities included the provision of Core Relief Items, address protection risks and provide protection services, develop the capacities of local humanitarian actors and support the inter-agency coordination efforts.
In addition, UNHCR is leading the Protection, Shelter/Non-Food Items (NFI) and Camp Coordination and Camp Management (CCCM) Clusters. All Clusters operate within the inter-cluster mechanisms and closely follow the humanitarian developments in the conflict areas in northwest Syria and contribute to the inter-agency emergency preparedness plans accordingly.
The Protection Cluster (co-led by UNHCR and IRC) brings together 56 active members. The three Sub-Clusters include Child Protection (co-led by UNICEF and World Vision), Gender Based Violence (co-led by UNFPA and Global Communities), and Mine Action (led by UNMAS). It also covers a Protection Monitoring Task Force (co-led by UNHCR and IRC) and a Housing, Land and Property Technical Working Group (co-led by UNHCR and NRC). The Protection Cluster is working to (1) expand the provision of protection services and protection monitoring inside Syria; (2) ensure a protection lens is applied to overall humanitarian response; (3) mainstream protection into all cross-border humanitarian aid activities; and (4) build the capacity of national actors on protection.
The Shelter and Non-Food Items Cluster in Southern Turkey is led by UNHCR coordinating the efforts of 53 active member organizations in the cross-border operation. The Cluster addresses emergency shelter and NFI needs by providing in-kind assistance as well as non-conditional/conditional cash or voucher. It promotes household and community resilience. The Cluster also raises awareness and provides technical guidance on housing, land and property rights on humanitarian shelter activities.
The CCCM Cluster coordinates the efforts of 71 active member organizations providing cross-border assistance in northwest Syria. CCCM Cluster activities focus on informing humanitarian partners on the needs in the settlements, tracking internally displaced people (IDP) movements and coordinating the provision of multi-sectorial assistance in the IDP settlements in northwest Syria.