Egypt continues to host large numbers of refugees and asylum seekers from more than 50 countries; More than half come from Syria, while most others hail from various Sub-Saharan African countries as well as Iraq and Yemen. Although refugees and asylum seekers have the same access to public health services and education as Egyptian citizens, many refugees and asylum seekers are struggling to make ends meet and depend on humanitarian support to meet their basic needs. UNFPA's work in Egypt focuses on the Syrian refugee response and is aimed at improving access to sexual and reproductive health and gender-based violence services for both refugees and their host communities. UNFPA also supports several safe spaces, in partnership with the Ministry of Youth and Sports, Etijah and Care International, where women and girls can access protection services.

Political instability and internal displacement continue to drive humanitarian needs in Iraq; years of conflict have disrupted livelihoods and left millions of people struggling to meet their basic needs. Women, children from female-headed households and displaced persons, in particular, face challenges in accessing basic services. Gender-based violence and harmful practices such as child marriage are widespread. UNFPA is working with partners to respond to women’s sexual and reproductive health needs and prevent and responds to GBV.

Jordan hosts one of the largest numbers of registered refugees per capita in the world: 1 out of every 15 people is a refugee in Jordan. Since the beginning of the crisis in Syria, Jordan, together with Türkiye, Lebanon, Iraq and Egypt, has shouldered the primary responsibility for hosting Syrian refugees. The presence of refugees has put pressure on basic infrastructure and services, affecting both Syrians and vulnerable Jordanians. COVID-19 has further stretched people’s coping capacities. Together with partners, UNFPA has been responding to the sexual and reproductive health needs of vulnerable women and young people in Jordan and is focused on strengthening local capacities to prevent and respond to gender-based violence.

Lebanon is facing a compounded crisis, including economic collapse, a large refugee population, political instability and the COVID-19 outbreak. This has seriously affected the health and protection of all communities. UNFPA is supporting women and girls caught in the midst of this crisis by providing increased sexual and reproductive health services and preventing and addressing gender-based violence.

The humanitarian situation in Palestine has rapidly deteriorated in 2020, in part due to the continuing spread of COVID-19. Recurrent shocks, both natural and manmade, have eroded the resilience of vulnerable households, while mobility restrictions and strict import policies create challenges for humanitarian actors to provide the necessary assistance. The protracted nature of the crisis in Palestine has exacerbated the risk of gender-based violence and negative coping strategies, including intimate partner violence, sexual violence and forced marriage. Insecurity and resource constraints have limited the availability and accessibility of critical health services, including maternal health and gender-based violence services. Across Gaza, the West Bank and Jerusalem, UNFPA is focused on improving access to sexual and reproductive health services, strengthening support mechanisms for GBV prevention and response, rehabilitation of damaged health facilities as well as emergency preparedness.

The humanitarian situation in Somalia remains fragile, as a result of continued armed conflict, flooding, desert locust infestation and COVID-19. Access to health care, including skilled birth attendance, is limited, and women and girls face serious protection concerns, including gender-based violence. GBV survivors face fear of reprisals, stigmatization and difficulty accessing safe and appropriate services. UNFPA coordinates the GBV sub-cluster as well as the reproductive health working group in Somalia.

After more than a decade, the Syrian crisis continues. In addition to conflict, humanitarian needs have increased due to economic crises, disruption of social services, and the COVID-19 pandemic. UNFPA and partners work to make women’s health, safety and dignity a humanitarian priority and mobilize action and funding to support women’s reproductive health and the prevention of gender-based violence.

Protracted armed conflict and political instability has impacted millions of people across Libya country and displaced thousands. The conflict has had a devastating impact on healthcare, with regular attacks against health facilities, medical personnel and ambulances. In many areas in the south of Libya, access to and quality of basic services, including life-saving healthcare, is severely constrained. Women and girls in particular face unmet health needs and there has been an alarming increase in maternal mortality. Migrants and refugees continue to face a multitude of protection risks, including arbitrary detention and sexual and gender-based violence. UNFPA has a strong presence in the gender-based violence sub-cluster and the sexual and reproductive health working group in Libya and is working jointly with partners to operationalize its humanitarian, development and peacebuilding priorities.