In mid-May, UNFPA was forced to suspend support to lifesaving reproductive health services in 140 health facilities; with UNFPA's appeal for $100.5 million towards its humanitarian response receiving only $41.7 million by May. An additional $24 million is needed for UNFPA's COVID-19 response to protect health workers and women and girls accessing reproductive health services.

Funding shortages are making it increasingly difficult for humanitarian actors to meet the staggering needs of the humanitarian crisis, with 31 out of UN’s 41 major humanitarian programmes expected to reduce or shut unless funding becomes available within the coming months. UNFPA's appeal for $100.5 million towards its humanitarian response in 2020 has thus far received only $41.7 million.

UNFPA and its partners are scaling up efforts to empower and improve the lives of Syrian women, youth and impacted communities inside Syria and in host countries, including by advocating for human rights and gender equality to better equip individuals and communities to cope with the far-reaching ramifications of this protracted crisis. These efforts continue in 2020 as communities withstand the impact of the COVID-19 pandemic, which has presented an array of unprecedented challenges, including consistently changing priorities and severe restrictions on movement.