March 1, 2013: Syria

Center for Disaster Philanthropy March 1, 2013 CDP recently interviewed Joel R. Charny, Vice President for Humanitarian Policy and Practice at InterAction, an alliance of U.S.-based NGOS working internationally about the situation in Syria and the humanitarian efforts taking place there and in border countries to which refugees have fled. An estimated 4 million people are in need of humanitarian assistance since the outbreak of unrest and violence in Syria nearly two years ago. The escalation of violence in 2012 has led to an increased outflow of refugees to neighboring countries to one million. Women and girls are being forced into survival sex or even marriage in exchange for protection. Thousands of people are without shelter, water and electricity. Its similar to what people experience after a disaster such as Hurricane Sandy but only in this case people are being shot and killed, Charny explained. Dozens of InterAction members working in Syria and in border countries are having a difficult time safely reaching the people who need help. Plus they are strapped for resources. The main challenge is the civil war and that no place is really safe. Things change day-to-day and what was a safe zone may not be safe the next day. There are so many different armed actors, that traveling from point A to point B requires permission and respect. The negotiation to get access to help people is painstaking. This is not like providing aid in most situations, Charny explained. And while the needs are great, there are not enough private funders stepping up to the plate to help. The crisis in Syria is just not capturing the imagination of the donors. If donors knew what the situation was on the ground they would be more likely to get involved, he said. Part of the reason that donors are not giving as generously as they might, Charny said, is that NGOs are limited in what they can share with the media and in their own promotions due to safety issues, and because they need to protect their approved access to affected people. InterAction chose to speak out on behalf of its members in hopes that donors would better understand the needs and consider making a gift. He hopes that donorsindividuals and foundationswill look beyond the political strife and see that the lives of hundreds of thousands of people are at stake. Providing for basic needs In Syria, the infrastructure has declined with limited electricity and water. This affects the ability to feed people and to keep them warm. Ironically, many markets are open and supplies are available: You might have flour, but you also need water, fuel and electricity to bake bread, Charny said. People also need shelter, warm clothing and blankets, and medical supplies. As the weather warms up, water-borne diseases may become more of a threat and even more support will be required to help people access clean water, health care and medication.

Charny offered these tips for donors: 1. Educate yourself. Read about whats going on from the perspective of the human toll. Relief Web.int, InterAction.org and Center for Disaster Philanthropy are good places to learn more. 2. Find the credible organizations. If an NGO has 50 people on the ground, a staff that speaks Arabic, and also know the region, they are likely a good place to invest. 3. Keep it simple. Charny says that while foundations that fund innovation are critical, civil wars are not the times for out of the box thinking. 4. Give cash. A small donation can make a huge impact toward the larger goal of providing relief and resilience. (Link to their donor page). 5. Support the areas that interest you or your organization. Conflict affected Syrians have significant needs related to infrastructure, clean water, food, clothing, shelter, education and medical supplies. Supporting those needs will make a tremendous difference in restoring a sense of normalcy to affected people. It is difficult to respond in Syria, and while donors might shy away from the complexity, they can with huge impact, Charny added. Originally appeared in: http://disasterphilanthropy.org/news/march-1-2013syria/?utm_source=Copy+of+Copy+of+Copy+of+Copy+of+Email+Created+2012%2F12%2F11 %2C+12%3A15+PM&utm_campaign=March+7+newsletter&utm_medium=email