Since its establishment in December 2014, an increasing share of the EU’s non-humanitarian aid for Syrian refugees, and their host countries is provided through the EU Regional Trust Fund in Response to the Syrian Crisis, the EU ‘Madad’ Fund. It offers a reinforced approach in Europe’s response to the Syrian crisis, improving coordination and coherence, while addressing the longer-term needs of both refugees, Internally Displacement People, and local communities in Turkey, Lebanon, Jordan, Iraq, the Western Balkans and Armenia.
Providing access to education, livelihoods and socio-economic opportunities, health care, protection, social cohesion activities and water and hygiene, as well as opportunities for sustainable income generation and strengthening national systems are at the heart of the Trust Fund mandate. The EU Trust Fund, moreover, has a particular focus on women, girls and youth.
In Iraq, the EU continues to channel its support for stabilisation and early recovery needs in areas liberated from Da’esh through the Madad Fund, including addressing reconstruction and rehabilitation needs, supporting access to basic services and economic opportunity for local communities, returnees and internally displaced persons.