The “Integrated reproductive healthcare services” project, financed by the United Nations Population Fund (UNFPA), was designed to improve the physical, mental and social wellbeing of women in northeast Syria, with a special focus on victims of violence and exploitation. Project objectives included guaranteeing safe, natural births, better specialised healthcare services for women and newborn babies, information campaigns, and a reduction in gender-based and sexual violence.

The project was launched in the Governorates of Al Hassake, Arraqqa, and Aleppo and in just a few months helped around 10,000 people when in Raqqa, Ras El Ain and Tabqa.

This project, which was designed to increase women’s access to maternity services in public hospitals and raise the rates of natural births assisted by specialised staff, facilitated the creation of 6 natural birth services and ensured maternity care in three hospitals, in Tabqa, Ras El Ayn and Tal Temer.

3 intensive care units for newborns were also created in these hospitals, with specially equipped operating theatres for Caesarean births and 9 integrated consultation services for children’s health and 9 more for women’s health.

The project also provided the complementary services that ensure the smooth running of surgical wards, such as laboratories and blood banks.

Great importance was also given to prevention and the provision of information, with a special focus on issues relating to reproductive health, sexual and gender-based violence through a series of information sessions, campaigns and health education programmes. Women participants were further empowered by a series of recreational psychological initiatives, both individually and as a group.

As always, we are working in support of people who have survived war and gender-based violence, to encourage inclusion and help build a healthy and peaceful future for the next generation.