With a €6 million contribution from the European Union (EU), UNRWA is providing targeted cash assistance to more than 64,000 vulnerable Palestine Refugees in Syria. The support will prioritise female-headed households with children, families that include a person with a disability, elderly persons and their spouses, and households supporting orphaned children under 18.
More than 16 million people in Syria are estimated to require humanitarian assistance, as economic deterioration, inflation, displacement, and funding shortfalls continue to affect vulnerable communities across the country. Palestine Refugees in Syria remain among the most vulnerable groups, with many living below the poverty line and struggling to meet their most basic needs.
The assistance is part of UNRWA’s continued support to Palestine Refugees, as the country transitions from emergency relief towards recovery, reconstruction and development following the change in government in December 2024.
Implemented across Damascus, Rural Damascus, Aleppo, Hama, Homs, Tartous, Qamishli, Dera’a, Quneitra and As-Sweida, the project will run through the end of 2026, supporting refugee families in meeting essential needs with dignity, including food, shelter and healthcare. It will help reduce families’ reliance on harmful coping strategies, such as borrowing money, drawing down savings, and selling essential household items.
“UNRWA is grateful to the European Union for its continued support to Palestine Refugees in Syria. This contribution will help many vulnerable families meet their basic needs at a time when they continue to face economic hardship and are trying to rebuild their livelihoods,” said Olaf Becker, Director of UNRWA Affairs in Syria.
This builds on the EU’s longstanding support for UNRWA’s cash assistance programming in Syria. In 2024, UNRWA reached more than 157,000 of the most vulnerable Palestine Refugees through multiple cash distribution rounds. Of these, the EU funded four months of cash support for almost 58,000 people and two months of support for a further 28,000 people.
For most of the 418,000 Palestine Refugees registered with UNRWA in Syria, the Agency’s humanitarian and development services remain a vital source of support. The latest contribution reflects the EU’s continued commitment to this work, helping UNRWA deliver emergency cash assistance to households facing the highest levels of vulnerability while strengthening verification, monitoring and accountability.
In 2025, UNRWA continued to deliver essential health, education and social services to Palestine Refugees across Syria, including more than one million primary healthcare consultations and education for over 50,700 children enrolled in its schools. The Agency also supports livelihoods through social work and microfinance, delivering more than 1,000 social work interventions in 2025 and disbursing almost 170,000 loans worth around US$ 73 million since 2003.
