Syria Humanitarian Fund

A worker assists individuals in a temporary shelter.
An OCHA staff member assists individuals in a temporary shelter. Photo: OCHA/Matteo Minasi

The Syria Humanitarian Fund (SHF) which was established in 2014, is a rapid and flexible funding mechanism supporting national and international NGOs and UN agencies, to respond to the most pressing or critical emergencies in a fast-changing environment. Under the leadership of the Humanitarian Coordinator (HC) for Syria, the SHF supports the timely allocation and disbursement of donor resources to the most critical humanitarian needs defined in the Syria Humanitarian Needs Response Plan (HNRP). 

In 2024, 16.7 million people were estimated to require humanitarian assistance in 2024, the largest number since the beginning of the crisis in 2011. This includes an estimated 2 million people internally displaced living in last-resort IDP sites. In 2023, humanitarian needs in Syria continued to rise inexorably, with already dire conditions worsening, the socioeconomic situation continued to deteriorate, exacerbated by the devastating earthquakes in northern Syria and Türkiye, negatively impacting social cohesion, and amplifying vulnerabilities. 2024 continues to be marked by high inflation, fuel shortages, currency depreciation and soaring commodity prices. 

The HC is supported by the Humanitarian Country Team and the Syria HF Advisory Board. The Board includes representatives of donors, and international NGOs and UN agencies to ensure decisions reflect views from across the humanitarian community. 

The Fund is operationally managed by OCHA’s Humanitarian Financing Unit based in Damascus, which ensures that the Syria HF is managed from the epicenter of the crisis with allocation processes and monitoring close to partners and projects on the ground.  

Like all Country-Based Pooled Funds, the Syria HF is designed to complement other humanitarian funding sources, such as bilateral funding and the Central Emergency Response Fund.

Funding status

Pledged amount (USD)
53M 2024
Paid amount (USD)
53.3M 2024

Resources

Syria

Manual and Guideline

Syria Humanitarian Fund: Operational Manual (July 2024)

1. Introduction 1.1. Purpose and scope of the SHF Operational Manual 1. The purpose of the Syria Humanitarian Fund (SHF) Operational Manual is to adapt the CBPF Global Guidelines, which ensure a...

Syria

Other

Syria Humanitarian Fund Annual Report 2023

LETTER FROM THE HC I am pleased to present the annual report for the Syria Humanitarian Fund (SHF), outlining the Fund’s achievements in 2023. The report also offers insights into allocation results,...