IOM will support inter-agency data collection efforts through the roll out of its Displacement Tracking Matrix for Syria. Data will be gathered through a network of field-based enumerators and shared with other donors and humanitarian agencies to help inform the response. IOM will:

• Establish broad coverage of mobility tracking data collection exercises through baseline area and location assessments to determine presence of IDPs, returnees and affected populations and identify critical gaps in services, displacement triggers and priority humanitarian needs;
• Strengthen early-warning systems through triggering Onset Displacement Tracking upon sudden large-scale movements of IDPs or returnees observed in any area of Syria to provide actionable locational level information on an evolving displacement/return situation; and
• Undertake Area of Return Monitoring to gather information on the situation in areas of return, focusing on key pillars, namely security, livelihood and infrastructure, access to services and priority needs, and social cohesion, and enable IOM and partners to assess the severity of living conditions in areas of return and provide key data on the conditions faced by returnees. 

Where appropriate and where markets are functioning and cash-based interventions are feasible, IOM will:

• Provide multi-purpose cash assistance, to ensure displaced populations, returnees and local affected communities have the flexibility to prioritize their most immediate needs; 
• Distribute cash through engagement of financial service provider (s) or implementing partner(s) depending on the availability and contextual requirements; and
• As permitted by the context, transition from cluster guidelines of one-off or up to three rounds to longer-term repeat assistance for populations not at risk of re-displacement.

IOM will continue to implement area-based mobile CCCM activities in areas of newly established sites, in collaboration with the Cluster, while also expanding in locations receiving new arrivals or returns. IOM will work closely with local authorities and community members to support the transition towards the informed and safe closure of camps by ensuring displaced families have access to adequate housing and services in areas of return. IOM will:  

• Coordinate multi-sectoral assistance through inter-agency -community coordination meetings, mapping services and routine assessments;  
• Establish Community Resource Centers (CRCs) or support existing ones, in return areas to serve as hubs for social cohesion, access to services, and information sharing;
• Improve the living conditions in the camps/IDP sites through the implementation of regular care and maintenance activities, with a focus on infrastructure improvements, such as rehabilitating communal spaces and addressing shared needs like lighting and waste management;
• Facilitate participatory community planning to empower local committees, promote inclusivity, and ensure the voices of women and marginalized groups are heard in decision-making, and provide ongoing assistance to site/camp management committees through regular guidance and mentoring for committee members, alongside delivering targeted training programmes focused on community participation and representation methods; and
• Strengthen local governance through capacity-building on CCCM principles and disaster risk reduction.

To meet the shelter needs of affected populations, IOM, in collaboration with its local partners, and based on the results of the multisectoral and spatial needs assessments (inclusive of gender analysis), will contribute to efforts to meet the urgent shelter, non-food items and winterization needs of people, adopting a ‘quick release’ mechanism which would allow prepositioned items to be rapidly dispatched from partners' warehouses inside Syria. IOM will:

• Scale up assistance to meet emerging needs as they arise through rapid and dignified shelter and NFI assistance to meet seasonal challenges, particularly winterization, and ensuring that households have the resources for heating and adequate clothing;
• Deliver comprehensive winter kits to ensure ability to withstand the challenges of the harsh conditions; 
• Provide both emergency shelter items for reception centers and areas hosting newly arrived IDPs or returnees, while expanding its provision of dignified shelters and the rehabilitation of shelters;
• Provide light and medium housing and shelter repair to address the urgent shelter need; and
• Implement a Settlement Approach through IOM's LOCALISE toolkit to support area-based recovery, integrating shelter, basic services, and community infrastructure to address priority needs and enhance resilience.

To address the WASH needs of affected populations in Syria, IOM will provide a package of emergency WASH interventions and support enhanced WASH capacity for sites and communities hosting new arrivals. IOM will: 

• Enhance sanitation facilities, conduct vector control, utilize unconventional water sources, support rehabilitation of sanitation, water networks and solid waste systems while supporting water supply and storage;
• Undertake emergency WASH interventions targeting sites with sudden increases in populations, ensuring access to safe water through water trucking, distribution of hygiene kits, installation of prefabricated latrines and solid waste management (collecting garbage, desludging and repairs of sewage networks);
• Mainstream a disaster risk reduction lens, introducing more sustainable approaches, including through use of solarization where possible; and
• Support solid waste management interventions, including through scale-up of composting and recycling facilities at community and site level.

IOM Syria’s health programming will focus on strengthening national and local health systems through targeted support in three key areas: health system strengthening, border health, and technical assistance through the temporary return of qualified Syrian health professionals. IOM will:

• In coordination with the Ministry of Health and other relevant authorities, support procurements, training and institutional development to enhance disease surveillance, emergency preparedness, and health service delivery in underserved and high-risk areas; 
• Improve border health capacities by supporting health screening, referral mechanisms, and coordination at key points of entry to help prevent cross-border disease transmission. This will be complemented by community event surveillance at borders; and
• Facilitate the temporary return of skilled Syrian health professionals from the diaspora, enabling them to contribute to the recovery of essential health services through technical placements, knowledge transfer, and mentoring of local staff.

To mitigate and address the significant protection risks facing affected populations in Syria, IOM will:

• Provide needs-based assistance that includes individual protection assistance, case management and specialized gender-based violence (GBV) services, as well as child protection (CP), counter-trafficking identification and referral services,  and legal services to the most at-risk groups, including persons with disabilities, older persons, single female-headed households and persons with chronic illnesses, including those newly arrived in communities/sites;
• Provide information and referrals to specialized services where referral pathways are active or establish new pathways as relevant, while promoting integrated approaches with all assistance, to ensure cross-team referrals as needed, in coordination with the cluster;
• Provide capacity strengthening activities, including on GBV risk mitigation and handling disclosures in safe and ethical way, counter-trafficking risk identification, safe referral and victim-centred protection responses, protection mainstreaming and housing, land and property (HLP) due diligence support across sectors; and
• Provide MHPSS services to affected populations based on the needs. 

IOM plays a global role in supporting post-conflict societies and governments in designing and implementing comprehensive Transitional Justice (TJ) frameworks, focusing on safeguarding Housing Land and Property (HLP) rights and ensuring victims' access to reparations. Based on IOM’s work to safeguard the HLP rights of Syrian households since 2021, the proposed interventions will integrate multidisciplinary solutions to address HLP restitution, compensation, psychosocial rehabilitation, and other reparative mechanisms tailored to local needs. IOM will:

• Conduct baseline assessments, engaging communities, developing tailored frameworks, documenting and safeguarding HLP claims securely;
• Design efficient claim processing systems; and
• Build the capacity of local actors, including the provision of policy guidance, expert advice, and technical assistance for civil, mental health and psychosocial support assistance, legal assistance, and HLP rights, and to implement reparations and manage grievances effectively guided by psychosocial considerations.

IOM Syria’s community stabilization and community-driven development efforts will focus on fostering social cohesion, restoring essential services, and strengthening local governance in areas affected by ongoing insecurity, displacement, and fragility. IOM will:
Support community reconciliation and peacebuilding initiatives led by civil society organizations (CSOs), community-based organizations (CBOs), and volunteer networks.

• Provide small grants to address localized drivers of tension and promote inclusive interaction across diverse groups;
• Strengthen the capacity of CSOs and CBOs through training in conflict sensitivity, project management, community engagement, and peacebuilding skills, enabling them to lead inclusive recovery efforts;
• Invest in the rehabilitation of essential infrastructure and strengthening of local service delivery, using participatory, community-driven approaches to ensure local ownership and sustainability;
• Facilitate access to legal assistance, particularly related to housing, land, and property (HLP) rights, civil documentation, and dispute resolution in return areas;
• Launch a programme to enable the temporary return of qualified Syrian professionals from abroad, placing them in sectors like health, education, legal identity systems, and governance to support skills development and institutional recovery. Particular areas of initial focus will include Health, Education and Services required for immediate response and recovery for IDPs and returnees;
• Integrate MHPSS services into community dialogue, conflict mediation, and livelihood and social cohesion activities to strengthen individual and community resilience;
• Promote community policing initiatives to build trust between communities and local security actors, improving local safety and reducing tensions;
• Support conflict transformation activities aimed at mitigating community-level tensions and fostering social stability;
• Implementation of PVE-focused community engagement activities to reduce vulnerabilities to violent extremism , especially among youth, and strengthen social cohesion in fragile areas; and
• Promote livelihood opportunities for displaced and vulnerable populations, linking income generation with social cohesion and community stabilization efforts.

IOM Syria will support the country’s transition by facilitating safe and regular migration through coordination with government authorities to enhance border management and governance at the different border crossing point of Syria, with a focus on humanitarian border management, as well as improved access and infrastructure. IOM will:  

• Provide capacity-building support to border authorities to effectively manage cross-border movements while ensuring a humane and rights-based approach;
• Develop SOPs to standardize humanitarian border management practices and improve coordination;
• Provide necessary humanitarian border management equipment, rehabilitate infrastructure, and enhance human resource capacity at Border Crossing Points (BCPs);
• Improve infrastructure and provide equipment at points of entry in Syria; 
• Revise workflows, SOPs, and protocols related to the cross-border movement of people and goods between Syria and neighbouring countries, including on public health measures;
• Provide capacity building for border officials on humanitarian border management, document verification, counter trafficking and other related topics; and
• Support the deployment of additional frontline female officers to ensure gender-sensitive border governance.