\u201cWe fled under bombardment, with nothing but our fear,\u201d Farida, 39, told UNFPA, the United Nations Population Fund, which is the UN\u2019s sexual and reproductive health agency.\u00a0<\/p>\n
\u201cEvery step we took felt like it could be our last.\u201d<\/p>\n
\nA UNFPA-supported health worker delivers essential healthcare at a clinic in Al-Hassakeh, for women and girls forced to flee Aleppo in Northern Syria @ UNFPA Syria\/Haneen Albadran<\/p>\n
An evolving crisis<\/p>\n
UNFPA and its partners have deployed mobile health teams to reach displaced people with sexual and reproductive health services, dignity kits containing essential hygiene items, and psychosocial counselling. The teams are also referring displaced people to a broader network of humanitarian assistance, as people struggle to find a safe haven for themselves and their families.<\/p>\n
In Aleppo, some 58,000 people are still displaced<\/a> following recent clashes between the Security Forces of the transition Government and the Kurdish Syrian Democratic Forces. Insecurity has also now spread to surrounding areas, including Ar-Raqqa and Deir-ez-Zor Governorates. With transport and public services disrupted, it is even harder for those trying to escape the violence to access critical health support.<\/p>\n Winter conditions have only deepened the suffering: Thousands are now enduring freezing temperatures, sheltering in makeshift camps, former schools and unfinished buildings across northern and northeastern Syria.<\/p>\n Ruhan, a mother of three from Aleppo, fled with only what she could carry. \u201cThe cold is unbearable. My biggest fear is keeping my children warm and safe,\u201d she told UNFPA, which provided her with reproductive health services, counselling and a dignity kit.<\/p>\n Supporting displaced women and girls<\/p>\n As of December 2025, more than 890,000 people<\/a> had been newly displaced in Syria due to intermittent violence, adding to almost 7 million<\/a> already displaced inside the country. While over 2 million internally displaced people and 1.3 million refugees<\/a> have returned to their areas of origin, many are going back to communities where basic services are damaged, overstretched or barely functioning.<\/p>\n After 14 years of conflict, climate shocks and economic decline, Syria\u2019s recovery remains fragile and uneven, and humanitarian needs are immense. The healthcare system is severely damaged, with just over half of hospitals and one third of primary healthcare centres<\/a> functional. This has left around 400,000 pregnant women struggling to access maternity services.\u00a0<\/p>\n Yet funding cuts are further restricting access to care, placing over 100 UNFPA-supported service delivery points at risk of closure in 2026. Sustained international investment is essential to restore healthcare, strengthen local systems and support recovery for Syria\u2019s women and girls.<\/p>\n
\nIn a neighbourhood of Aleppo, women and girls displaced by violence receive reproductive health support and dignity kits, which include essential hygiene item<\/p>\n