The Syria crisis is a prime example of how women and girls almost invariably bear the brunt of the impact of humanitarian crises, with assessments showing that the lives of Syrian women and girls are marked by mutually reinforcing forms of violence and gender inequality, often exacerbated by discriminatory attitudes based on age, displacement status, disability, and/or marital status. This has been conducive to the normalisation of gender-based violence and the creation of an environment in which women and girls are consistently devalued, controlled, exploited, and then blamed for the violence they face. 

This advocacy brief summarises the key findings, challenges, and recommendations of a gender analysis, commissioned by the Syria Senior Steering Group (SSG) and conducted by UNFPA, of existing HNO and HRP data and sectoral assessments to advance gender equality and GBV risk mitigation in the Whole of Syria humanitarian response and inform the 2024 Whole of Syria  Humanitarian Needs Overview (HNO) and Humanitarian Response Plan (HRP).