Continued support and protection from refoulement are needed for Syrian refugees

Syrian refugees displaced across the Middle East are living in a constant state of precarity and their ability to meet their needs and live in safety is becoming increasingly challenging. According to UNHCR’s annual intention survey, released this week, Syrian refugees living in neighbouring countries face a worsening storm of reduced access to aid, fewer opportunities to earn an income, and increasing social tensions with host communities. 

Key findings in the latest UNHCR survey* show:

·       Fewer than 2% of Syrian refugees expressed an intention to return to Syria in the next 12 months, with a combination of safety and security concerns being a principal consideration for not wanting to return.

·       More than a third of Syrian refugees, however, expressed a hope to return within the next five years. With more than half still hoping to return one day.

·       A lack of livelihood/work opportunities and a lack of access to basic services inside Syria were also given as two of the top three reasons for not wanting to return in the next 12 months.

·       Likewise, a lack of employment/livelihood opportunities in host-countries remains the biggest challenge refugees face in their daily lives. With UNHCR noting rising levels of refugee poverty and almost 9 in 10 refugees stating that their income is no longer enough to meet their basic needs. 

·       For the first time, social tensions with the host community have been recorded as a top three challenge for refugees. Placing ahead of restrictions on freedom of movement in third.

·       There has been a significant reduction (61% to 37%) in refugees citing aid assistance as a main source of income, likely attributed to reductions in assistance resulting from funding shortfalls during the second half of 2023.

Despite the difficulties displaced Syrians encounter in their hosting countries, the vast majority remain clear that it is not currently safe for them to return to Syria. With the main safety and security concerns cited as ongoing conflict, a lack of law and order, the presence of armed actors, and fears concerning abuse by authorities upon return.

With political discussions, including from donor governments, shifting more and more to the prospect of increasing returns of refugees to Syria, five NGOs operating across the Middle East emphasise that conditions inside Syria are still a long way from being conducive for large-scale voluntary returns in safety and dignity. 

It is now more imperative than ever to ensure that decision makers listen to refugees, address their needs, and increase political support to bring a permanent political solution to the crisis. Only then will Syrian refugees feel truly safe to return. In the meantime continued support to key refugee-hosting countries remains critical to address humanitarian needs, maintain protection space and advance resilience, ensuring that the principle of non-refoulement is upheld.