Syrians heavily rely on donations to meet their basic needs in the middle of the crisis. Child labor, domestic violence, exploitation, forced or early marriage, and sexual violence are urgent issues that require attention. Protective elements that address the needs of vulnerable people’s bodies and minds must be included in aid programming.

The most at-risk groups that require protection are women, who are more likely to experience sexual and gender-based violence (SGBV), and children, who are more likely to be abducted, subjected to physical or sexual abuse, or have their social and psychosocial needs disregarded as their developing brains try to process the traumas of war.

SRD’s Protection Programs – 

Our team trains families on protective awareness while renovating family shelters in Northern Syria.

In Idlib, SRD established extensive protection services, such as outreach, case management, psychological help, and referral networks. The community as a whole benefits from these programs since they are created with community input. Vulnerable people such as survivors of abuse have access to psychological first aid. 

As part of our health network, mobile and reproductive health clinics offer protective services. The facilities offer vulnerable displaced people in Northern Syria protective aid and psychosocial support.

• Balsam Center

The Balsam Center supports and empowers women. Its programs support women professionally and socially, and it is based in Idlib. The center strives to give displaced Syrian women and girls a safe environment. Every month, over 1,572 people benefit from these services.

Services include:

• Computer courses
• English and Turkish language courses
• Vocational training
• Social support including psychologist-led activities
• Strengthening courses for secondary and preparatory degree students (Math, Arabic, and English)
• Special education (hearing impaired, visually impaired, etc.)