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Responding to disasters and building for the future.

By United Nations Development Programme

April 15^th, 2019

For the millions of families across the world living in crises there are no easy or quick ways out.

The average conflict lasts nine years and most displaced families are away from their homes for 17 years. This places a strain on refugees and their host communities, creating even bigger chasms of inequality.

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The Syria crisis has entered its ninth year, displacing 6.2 million within the country and forcing 5.6 million into neighbouring countries. It has created a cascading wave of need in the region, which includes significant increases in the basic services and resources to maintain social cohesion and stability, particularly at the municipality level As a result, Turkey, Jordan, Lebanon need urgent and on-going help.

When ISIL overran Iraq in 2014, 5.8 million Iraqis became homeless in their own country. Children’s educations were disrupted, livelihoods were lost and essential infrastructure destroyed and an already fragile country plunged even further into chaos and desperation.

When ISIL overran Iraq in 2014, children’s educations were disrupted. © UNDP Iraq / Lindsay Mackenzie

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Conflict, drought, and the fastest-spreading cholera outbreak in modern history have contributed to the world’s worst humanitarian disaster in Yemen where 80 percent of the country needs help. Yemen was poor before – it’s abjectly poor now.

The 30 million people who live on the shores of Lake Chad are becoming even more vulnerable as the once great lake dries up. Doubling down on this is a political crisis created by the Boko Haram insurgency in northeastern Nigeria which displaced 2.4 million people and put more than 10 million in need life-saving protection.

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Two approaches to working in crises

As crises become more protracted and complex, UNDP is adapting its response to meet changing demands.

It involves meeting short term needs, while at the same time laying the foundations for a better future. UNDP is uniquely qualified to link these two approaches, having already done so in previous crises responses.

Each response is tailored to the needs of the country. The goal is to give the people we work with essential, immediate help, hope and confidence for the future, and to support the kind of institutions needed to create equitable, sustainable, and peaceful communities.

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SYRIA AND ITS NEIGHBOURS

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When the conflict broke out in Syria, its neighbouring countries stepped up to help, generously taking in families escaping violence.

Eight years on, and with no end in sight, there are now 21.2 million people in the region who have felt the effects of the crisis.

UNDP and UNHCR has been leading the Regional Refugee and Resilience Plan since 2015. It not only addresses humanitarian needs but also the developmental needs for host governments.

Following the Brussels III conference in March 2019, donors pledged US$7 billion to provide protection, food, shelter, livelihoods, build infrastructure and to enable those inside and outside Syria to meet their immediate needs as well as to build their resilience to live peacefully and prosperously together. UN agencies and their partners aim to assist 11.7 million people inside Syria, as well as 5.6 million refugees and 3.9 million people in host communities in neighbouring countries in 2019.

“We have found our entrepreneurial spirit.”

In Turkey, Jordan, and Lebanon, UNDP’s response is comprehensive, encompassing everything from supporting national response plans and municipal service delivery, to helping expand infrastructure to deal with growing demands, to working directly with communities through jobs training, language coaching and programmes to social cohesion as well as assisting municipalities. We’re developing range of creative programmes, which will help refugees and host countries to build their resilience and live in peace and dignity.

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IRAQ

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The war is over in Iraq, but the battle to restore livelihoods, infrastructure and hope, is not.

Although 1.8 million people remain displaced, four million people have been able to go home, and now have better education, healthcare and infrastructure.

The Funding Facility for Stabilization was established in June 2015 and has received one billion dollars. It laid the groundwork for reconstruction and recovery by reconnecting electricity grids, rebuilding water and sewage systems along with roads and bridges. The work gave local short-term employment to local people and paved the way for longer-term reconstruction and development under the Crisis Response and Resilience programme, bolstering local economies and supporting small businesses.

The work of the FFS has helped four million of the country’s nearly six million displaced people to return home. As a result, 490,000 young people have better education, 1.4 million people have healthcare, 1.9 million have safe water, and 2.8 million have electricity

“I will continue to work here until I retire. I’ll never leave this hospital, I love it here and I love my job,” – Jindar.

“We’re working closely with the Government of Iraq to ensure local hospitals and healthcare centres are up and running as soon as possible, encouraging those who have fled to return to their homes, and helping them feel confident in the services offered,” Marta Ruedas, UNDP Resident Representative for Iraq.

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Yemen

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The numbers are hard to comprehend; 20 million Yemenis have insufficient food. Nearly 10 million are on the edge of famine.

Nearly 80 percent of Yemenis need help and because of a fluctuating currency and rocketing prices, millions are unable to earn an income, or afford food and fuel.

Displacement is one of the key factors in the famine facing Yemen—about 3.3 million have been forced from their homes—more than 600,000 in 2018 alone. And the worst hunger is concentrated in areas with the fiercest conflict.

“After being forced to flee my home, my children and I went to bed hungry many nights. We didn’t find enough food to eat and there were times I told my children I wasn’t hungry so that whatever food I put on the table would be enough for them.” – Samiha

In 2019 and beyond, with our implementing partners, UNDP continues to work with Yemen through one of their darkest hours.

We’re building the foundations of a better future—nearly 320,000 people have food, jobs and sustainable electricity. We are working with the World Bank on programmes focused on supporting key national institutions to continue delivering services that people need – creating jobs and building resilience at a time of tremendous strain.

We respond to food insecurity by helping fishermen and farmers continue to work. We provide cash-for-work and employment for people who have no other income. We promote the dignity of Yemenis as they rebuild.

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Lake Chad

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The once giant and robust Lake Chad is now fragile due to climate change and unsustainable water management. It’s having a profound impact on the region, which includes north-east Nigeria, Niger, Chad and Cameroon.

“The lake has been declining for the past 50 years,” says Ibrahim Alimi, a retired teacher. “It used to spread as far as the eye could see, now these areas are covered with sand.”

Food security has deteriorated, with more than seven million people facing the threat of famine and half a million children suffering from severe acute malnutrition, according to the UN Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs. It is estimated that in 2020, the number of people depending on the lake and its resources will reach 35 million.

There’s also a political aspect to this crisis; the Boko Haram insurgency in northeastern Nigeria has displaced 2.4 million people and more than 10 million need life-saving assistance and protection.

We’ve began a US$1.7 million partnership to restore vegetation, support women’s businesses and help farmers adapt to climate change. We’ve given cash grants to 82,000 of the most vulnerable people. And our cash for work programmes have benefitted more than 4,000 people. More than 5,000 farmers have received cash and equipment to revive their businesses.

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All these crises require a bold vision and thoughtful, effective long-term planning and firmly connects short term emergency response and long-term development.

This will require a boost in development which focuses on resilience for the most vulnerable, while at the same time addressing the structural deficits and root causes of the crises.

New ways of thinking to help people and communities get back on their feet and stay there.

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Footnotes

Cover photo: ©UNDP Iraq/Claire Thomas

FootNotes

Cover photo: ©UNDP Iraq/Claire Thomas

© 2026 United Nations Development Programme

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