Japan and UN Women support crisis-affected and displaced women and girls in Syria, Iraq and Lebanon

[Press release]

Cairo, Egypt – The Government of Japan has provided USD 646,666 to UN Women to support crisis-affected and displaced women and girls across Syria, Iraq, and Lebanon through a one-year humanitarian programme running from March 2026 to March 2027.

The programme, “Emergency interventions to support vulnerable women and girls affected by the multilayered displacement crisis in Syria, Iraq and Lebanon,” responds to the evolving cross-border displacement, refugee return, and reintegration dynamics following years of conflict and instability. It aims to directly benefit nearly 11,000 women and girls, while indirectly reaching over 60,000 people, and contributing to improved humanitarian outcomes for 4.6 million women and girls.

The initiative addresses the specific impacts of displacement, forced returns, and protracted crises affecting Syrian, Iraqi, and Lebanese women and girls, including refugees, internally displaced persons (IDPs), returnees, and women in host communities. Women and girls continue to face heightened protection risks, including violence against women and girls, economic insecurity, limited access to services, and barriers to safe and dignified return and reintegration.

Through Japan’s support, UN Women will strengthen access to life-saving multisectoral protection services, including case management for survivors of violence against women and girls, psychosocial support, legal assistance, and referrals, while also expanding emergency livelihood and skills-development opportunities for vulnerable women. The programme will further enhance women’s access to accurate and timely information that takes into consideration women’s needs and realities, to enable informed decision-making related to displacement, return, and available services.

A core component of the initiative focuses on strengthening the leadership and capacities of local women leaders and women-led organizations, enabling them to play a meaningful role in humanitarian response, early recovery, social cohesion, and peacebuilding efforts. The programme will also support the generation and use of data that takes into consideration women’s needs to inform more inclusive and effective humanitarian action across the three countries.

“Humanitarian response is most effective when women are fully engaged in planning and implementing it and are fully benefitting from it. Through this programme, we are investing not only in life-saving services, but in the leadership of women and women-led organizations that are essential partners in crisis response, reconciliation, and peacebuilding,” said Dr. Moez Doraid, UN Women Regional Director for the Arab States. “We are deeply grateful to the Government of Japan for its continued partnership and commitment to women’s rights, protection, and leadership.”

The programme prioritizes women and girls facing compounded vulnerabilities, including survivors of violence, women heads of households, widows, adolescent girls, elderly women, women with disabilities, refugees, IDPs, and returnees. Implementation will take place in close coordination with national authorities, UN partners such as UNHCR and IOM, and women-led civil society organizations across the three countries.

“Japan remains committed to protecting the dignity, rights, and security of women and girls affected by humanitarian crises”, commented the Permanent Mission of Japan to the United Nations in New York. “As a longstanding partner of UN Women, Japan is pleased to support initiatives that strengthen protection, resilience, and women’s leadership in crisis and displacement contexts. We look forward to the steady implementation of the programme and its impactful results.”

The Government of Japan has been a steadfast partner of UN Women since its establishment, supporting gender equality and women’s empowerment across humanitarian, development, and peacebuilding settings. In the Arab States region, Japan’s contributions continue to support tangible improvements in the lives of women and girls affected by conflict and displacement.