Overview 
March 2020
TBC
Highlights
Major Developments in North-West Syria
Over 2.8 million IDPs are living in north-west Syria, including 960,000 people have who have been newly displaced since December as a consequence of the latest escalation in conflict.
Shelter options are extremely limited and many IDPs resort to inadequate types of shelter. According to HNAP, 44% of IDPs use tents as shelter, around 9% are staying in substandard shelter, most of which are unfinished buildings; and 3% of IDPs have found public buildings, like schools, to be the only shelter option, thereby disrupting the provision of public services.
- Response
Shelter/Non-Food Item (SNFI) Cluster members continue to actively respond to the needs of the newly displaced population as well as protracted IDPs in north-west Syria. Around 355,000 individuals, both IDPs and host community members, were assisted with NFI and/or shelter in March. In coordination with the Camp Coordination and Camp Management Cluster, SNFI Cluster members are trying to identify more land to extend the perimeter of existing camps.
In March, almost 200,000 individuals received NFI kits, which contain kitchen sets, mattresses and blankets, as well as winter items. Shelter needs of around 159,000 people were addressed with activities including emergency and/or seasonal shelter assistance and shelter rehabilitation. Of those, more than 86,000 individuals were assisted with the provision of emergency shelter, which includes family tents or shelter kits.
Between October 2019 and March 2020, the SNFI Cluster reached close to 818,000 IDPs with winterization activities, almost two months earlier than last year.
The SNFI Cluster is actively coordinating with the Health and WASH Clusters to respond to the needs of the IDP population in the context of the COVID-19 pandemic. Hygiene measures, in line with recommended WASH practices specific for COVID-19, are promoted during assistance distributions to reduce the risk of transmission. The SNFI Cluster has encouraged its members to provide hygiene kits together with NFI kits and has recommended to add soap. In addition, the SNFI Cluster identified tents to be used as isolation units.
The SNFI Cluster has also developed and widely shared its recommendations to mitigate the risks related to the COVID-19 outbreak for shelter and NFI activities.
