The report draws on the successes of the Ahlan Simsim initiative—the largest Early Childhood Development (ECD) intervention in the history of humanitarian response—reaching millions of children and caregivers across the Middle East with the support they need to learn, grow and thrive.

The IRC conducted a multi-sector needs assessment in 2024, covering the sectors of Protection, Health, Education and Economic Wellbeing, to identify key needs to support humanitarian program design in the coming period. Findings show that humanitarian needs are at an all time high, particularly impacted by shifts in the context in 2023, including the earthquake in Turkiye and the highest levels of violence seen across northern Syria since 2020. Millions of individuals continue to be unable to meet their basic needs.

Powerful earthquake worsens humanitarian crisis in the country