2.2.1 People targeted
Due to the widespread impact of the crisis on all population groups across Syria, this HNRP covers all populated areas of the country. According to the latest IDP Taskforce update in August 2025, the total number of IDPs is 5.5 million. Meanwhile, IDP returnees’ number 1.513 million. However, only an estimated portion of these groups is included in the response plan as targeted populations. Humanitarian needs are analysed across the entire population, with data disaggregated down to the sub-district (admin 3) level. This document focuses on five main population groups: IDPs in camps, IDPs out of camps, vulnerable residents, IDP returnees and refugee returnees.
Population group #1: IDPs in camps
At the end of 2025, according to the CCCM sector, 1.2 million IDPs remain in camps and sites designed to act as a last resort for the short term. Most last resort sites such as informal settlements/camps, planned camps and collective centres are characterised by a lack of camp management systems, poor shelter conditions, overcrowding and varying degrees of access to basic services, increasing the exposure to GBV of women, boys and girls and leaving IDPs in camps vulnerable and in need of humanitarian aid.
Population group #2: IDPs out of camps
According to the IDP Taskforce, over 4.186 million IDPs reside outside of camps in Syria. The majority of IDPs out of camps are concentrated in Aleppo (20 per cent), Rural Damascus (19 per cent) Idleb (15 per cent), Damascus (12 per cent) and Lattakia (9 per cent) Governorates, according to August 2025 Population Task Force data. This group consists of people displaced by hostilities-many of whom are in protracted displacement or have been displaced multiple times and face heightened protection risks. This concentration of displaced populations exacerbates the shortages and access limitations present throughout the country. Out of camp IDPs face psychosocial distress due to disruption in daily routines, exposure to forced evictions, lack of access to land tenure and breakdown in the social fabric. present throughout the country. Out of camp IDPs face psychosocial distress due to disruption in daily routines, exposure to forced evictions, lack of access to land tenure and breakdown in the social fabric.
Population group #3: IDP returnees
According to the IDP task force, there are over 1.5 million IDP returnees from camps and out-of-camp locations. Two governorates have been the main areas of return, with Idlib accounting for 53 per cent and Aleppo 27 per cent of the 2025 (January to August) return caseload. More returns are anticipated in 2026. According to the findings of the latest IDP return intentions survey in Aleppo and Idlib about 378,000 IDPs expressed their intent to return in 2026.
Population group #4 Refugee Returnees
According to UNHCR 1.4 million Syrian refugees returned in 2025 from neighbouring countries and beyond and some additional between 1million-1.6 million are expected to return in 2026. At least 60 percent are vulnerable and will require humanitarian assistance to facilitate their transportation and reintegration.
Population group #5: Vulnerable residents
About 10.8 million vulnerable residents need assistance. This emphasises the considerable impact of economic decline on segments of the population that have historically experienced less direct influence from hostilities and displacement. It indicates a continuous and broadening crisis, with additional segments of the population progressively experiencing heightened humanitarian needs.
Humanitarian Response to Affected Palestine Refugees
The United Nations Relief and Works Agency (UNRWA) was established by the United Nations General Assembly in 1949 (Res 302(IV)) to provide protection and assistance to registered Palestine refugees in its five fields of operation–Lebanon, Jordan, Syria, Gaza, and the West Bank, including East Jerusalem. “Palestine refugees” are those “persons whose normal place of residence was Palestine during the period of 1st June 1946 to 15th May 1948, and who lost both home and means of livelihood as a result of the 1948 Arab-Israel conflict”. In the absence of a solution to the Palestine refugee problem, the General Assembly has repeatedly renewed UNRWA’s mandate, most recently extending it until 30 June 2023 (GA/RES 73/83), O.P. 3), “Affirms the necessity for the continuation of the work of the United Nations Relief and Works Agency for Palestine Refugees in the Near East and the importance of its unimpeded operation and its provision of services, including emergency assistance, for the well-being, protection and human development of the Palestine refugees and for the stability of the region, pending the just resolution of the question of the Palestine refugees”. The Government of Syria has expressed a preference to refer to Palestine refugees living in its territory as Palestine refugees. The United Nations remains guided by relevant UN resolutions.”
The 438,000 Palestine refugees estimated to remain in Syria continue to be among the most vulnerable communities, affected by years of crisis and displacement, compounded by the socioeconomic crisis.
Through this HNRP, UNRWA will continue to prioritise the provision of essential humanitarian assistance, with a focus on meeting the needs of the most vulnerable Palestine refugees. Cash and food assistance to an estimated 420,000 Palestine refugees will remain a priority. Of them, some 149,500 Palestine refugees are considered most vulnerable and will receive a higher cash transfer. UNRWA remains the main provider of assistance to Palestine refugees and maintains operational relations with General Authority for Palestine Arab Refugees (GAPAR) to coordinate its efforts.
Primary healthcare will continue to be provided through 25 medical facilities and mobile points, while referral to secondary and tertiary healthcare services. UNRWA will continue to provide quality education to 49,500 students attending 102 UNRWAmanaged schools across the country, as well as psycho-social support. Support for vocational training will continue, and livelihood opportunities will be enhanced depending on availability of funds. UNRWA will also continue to provide water and sanitation services in accessible Palestine refugee camps, to ensure adequate environmental health conditions and mitigate additional public health hazards. In 2026, UNRWA will continue to support refugees whose homes have been damaged and are in urgent need of minor repairs. Shelter support will be provided through a self-help approach.
UNRWA will mainstream protection across its different interventions and will coordinate with the Protection sector to ensure the inclusion of Palestine refugees into the full range of protection responses. This includes: ensuring the unique status of Palestine refugees is incorporated into advocacy initiatives; the provision of psychosocial support and awareness raising activities with a focus on women, boys, girls, persons with disabilities and older persons; case management for persons experiencing GBV, child protection, EO contamination and other general protection concerns; mine-risk awareness and supporting community-led initiatives that encourage cohesion, particularly within Palestine refugee camps and gatherings. UNRWA will continue to improve existing mechanisms for community participation ensuring that communities are involved in decisions impacting their lives. Complaint feedback and response mechanisms will be strengthened across the Agency’s interventions as part of the efforts to enhance (AAP).
2.2.2 People prioritised
The response which humanitarian partners will deliver under the 2026 HNRP has been prioritised based on the needs analysis premised on the outcomes of sectoral level assessments that were conducted in 2025 and the MSNA. Current needs as well as expected trends in needs and the overall context were cross-checked against existing response capacity (such as progress towards 2025 sector targets, current operational presence and reach, and resources) and intended response coverage.
The 2026 HNRP therefore targets 8.6 million of the 15.6 million people assessed to be in need of humanitarian assistance. Due to limited available resources and funding that is not commensurate with the needs, the humanitarian community has prioritised 100 per cent of people with extreme levels of need (severity 4) and some portion of those with severe needs (severity 3). This is also in line with the global guidelines for the 2026 HPC that have been tailored to the humanitarian reset.
Programmatic Prioritisation
The humanitarian community in Syria will focus on the key drivers of needs including impact of conflict on impacted populations, protection threats, displacement, unavailability of basic services and climatic shocks.
Humanitarian actors will continue to implement lifesaving responses, including those linked to the effects of conflict on impacted populations, displacement, protracted yet life-threatening conditions arising from prolonged displacement of populations-both in and outside informal settlements and camps; the sharp rise in food insecurity and malnutrition; trauma, long-term drought conditions, public health crises, water crisis, inadequate access to essential basic services including education, health and WASH for vulnerable populations and emergency shelter. Response to protection risks and needs posing direct threats to physical and mental wellbeing, violations of rights, child protection and GBV, extensive contamination by EOs. Additionally, the lack of civil documentation and housing, land and property issues will need to be addressed in coordination with the relevant government institutions to ensure immediate protection and access to assistance, and to provide the grounds for longer-term return and/or durable solutions.
In the context of the large numbers of people in need of humanitarian assistance, humanitarian partners will prioritise addressing people’s most urgent needs, including by providing livelihood support, as well as supporting the access of vulnerable populations to access essential basic services, through investments in critical civilian infrastructures required for service delivery, among other approaches. In so doing, humanitarian partners hope to prevent a deteriorated situation for millions of people currently living with moderate humanitarian needs, reduce structural vulnerabilities of communities and strengthen their resilience.
The programmatic prioritisation also builds on priority needs expressed by the Syrian population itself, as identified by the MSNA. People in Syria, across all population, gender, and age groups, prioritised improved access to livelihood support and employment (57.9 per cent), food (56.10 per cent), healthcare (39.2 per cent) and shelter (17.5 per cent) as their main unmet needs.
Community priorities, preferences & capacities
Geographic Prioritisation
Programming under this HNRP is focused on sub-districts which indicate the highest severity levels of need. In 2026 out of 272 sub-districts in Syria, need severity is considered severe (177), and extreme (85). While there is no sub-district with the severity of needs classified as catastrophic, the Education sector has two sub-districts in As-Sweida governorate under this category- As-Sweida and Milh. Nearly 70 per cent of school age children are out of school, many schools lack teachers, and there is a significant risk that the education system remains fragmented. Due to the limited funding resources that is not commensurate to the needs, this HNRP response will focus on providing the required support to meet the needs of all people in need in sub-districts with extreme needs (severity 4) and some portion of those with severe needs (severity 3) prioritised based on urgency and criticality of needs.
2.2.3: Operational capacity
In 2026, 338 partners will be implementing humanitarian activities under the Syria 2026 HNRP coordinated under the Syria HCT, including UN Agencies, INGOs and national NGOs that operate across the country.
Operational presence
In 2025
Operational partners by type
2.2.4 Access constraints and challenges
Humanitarian operations throughout 2025 faced persistent impediments, including insecurity, risks and threats associated with EO contamination, administrative restrictions, movement limitations, and the proliferation of checkpoints controlled by multiple actors. In several governorates, populations reported restricted access to food, fuel, medicine, and water, with humanitarian delivery delayed or rendered unsafe by EO and shifting frontlines.
Hostilities and safety and security concerns in southern Syria and Rural Damascus created additional constraints for humanitarians and civilians including, restriction of freedom of movement for civilians. These dynamics increased delivery costs, delayed assistance, and contributed to displacement, particularly in border communities reliant on agricultural livelihoods and seasonal movement.
2.2.5 Response trends Response Reach
The humanitarian community has continued to expand its operational reach in 2025 to assist Syrian people in need. Between January and December 2025, humanitarian actors reached an average of 3.82 million people each month with direct assistance-32 per cent of the targeted 10.6 million, with multi-sectoral assistance; representing a 25 per cent increase compared to 2024. Most assistance prioritised those with the highest severity level of needs (level 4 and 5, 67 per cent).
Inter-sector reach per community
