The year 2020 constituted one of the most challenging periods within the span of the Syria crisis, which will pass the decade mark in March 2021. In addition to suffering the effects of years of instability, people inside Syria and in refugee communities region-wide also faced the impacts of the COVID-19 pandemic, which further complicated the many challenges besetting them. 

UNFPA continues to deliver an array of life-saving services that span sexual reproductive health and gender-based violence services, delivered through health facilities, Women and Girls Safe Spaces (WGSS), and youth outreach points through its regional response to the Syria crisis. 

Impact assessments continue to be a core practice for ensuring that these services and the facilities that provide them are not only up to standard but also accessible and impactful. In recent years, UNFPA has published a total of three impact assessments on the response, all of which showed overwhelming and consistent satisfaction rates among those accessing these services. This assessment report is the 4th regional external assessment of UNFPA programming in the Syria regional response.  

UNFPA is grateful to the courageous women, girls, and other respondents whose transparent inputs continue to allow service providers to tailor their services according to the needs on the ground. We are also immensely grateful to all donors and implementing partners whose support has enabled the delivery of a wide range of programmes geared toward women and girls region-wide. The achievements registered in 2020 were made in spite of the unprecedented challenges imposed by COVID-19 and have established yet another solid foundation on which to build as we continue to respond to this multifaceted crisis.

The key indicators of the assessment have been summarised in a fact sheet that can be accessed here.