In the face of a growing pandemic, host governments have adopted necessary public health measures to limit the spread of the virus among the population, including refugees and vulnerable host communities alike. Preliminary assessments and evidences on COVID-19 impacts point to several worrisome trends emerging across 3RP countries.

The COVID-19 crisis is exacerbating vulnerabilities among both refugee and host communities. While poverty and unemployment rates for Syrian refugees were already high prior to the onset of COVID-19, Syrian refugees face even greater challenges in earning a livelihood, covering basic needs such as shelter or food and accessing key services such as healthcare. As the vast majority of refugees live in urban or peri- urban environments, often in densely populated areas or shelters, social distancing and/or limiting outdoor activities are extremely difficult to implement. Against such a backdrop, protection risks, such as sexual and gender-based violence, child labour, and exploitation, are heightened, while the use of negative coping mechanisms may rise.