Syria

Thematic areas: Humanitarian Norms – Child Protection – Humanitarian Access

The collapse of the Assad regime in December 2024 marked a transformative new chapter in Syria’s protracted crisis, a long-awaited moment of joy and optimism for Syrians after thirteen years of devastating conflict. Nevertheless, the country faces numerous challenges during its transitional period. The country’s economy lies in ruin. Critical civilian infrastructure has been widely destroyed, and basic services are lacking. Half the population remains displaced, inside and outside the country and almost 17 million Syrians are estimated to be in need of humanitarian assistance.

Geneva Call’s activities in the country

Geneva Call has worked in Syria since 2013 with a variety of different armed groups and local authorities. Between 2013 and 2024, Geneva Call signed 29 Deeds of Commitment with 12 different armed groups and Unilateral Declarations with more than 30 groups to encourage compliance with International Humanitarian Law and to promote the protection of civilians. Geneva Call is currently seeking to:

• Increase the awareness and capacity of security and law-enforcement personnel across Syria on humanitarian norms.
• Provide technical support to the Ministry of Defence of the transitional government to ensure all military personnel have a minimum essential knowledge of International Humanitarian Law.
• Build the capacity of civil society organisations across Syria to advocate for the promotion of humanitarian norms.

Read our Annual Report to learn more about our work in Syria in 2024.