According to Human Rights Watch, the Syrian transitional government‘s strict registration and operational criteria for relief organizations are impeding their capacity to expand their activities. Even while the government has indicated that it is open to working with foreign NGOs, administrative and bureaucratic obstacles still stand in the way of efforts to solve Syria’s worsening humanitarian situation.
International nongovernmental organizations were forced to coordinate and secure approvals for their activities through state-affiliated organizations under the Assad government’s strict control over humanitarian operations. This arrangement allowed aid to be used for political ends.
Effective operations and collaborations with Syrian national organizations were hindered by the significant bureaucratic obstacles, access limitations, and government meddling experienced by independent groups attempting to preserve a principled operating space. Some of the same limitations are still in effect or have been strengthened by the new authorities even after the fall of the Assad regime.
The return of earlier registration requirements was emphasized by aid workers. According to these regulations, autonomous organizations must operate under a “umbrella system,” which grants a selected “national partner” extensive jurisdiction and essentially acts as a third-party regulating agency.
A similar system was previously employed by the Assad regime. It mandated that almost all foreign organizations function under the Syria Trust for Development (STD) or the Syrian Arab Red Crescent (SARC), two government-affiliated organizations that were instrumental in organizing relief activities. This occasionally made it possible to provide supplies based on political priorities rather than just humanitarian requirements.
Syrian security forces often interacted with these organizations under the Assad regime, and they had constant access to their programming and recipient lists. This arrangement drastically limited the operational autonomy of independent groups, made assistance allocation less transparent, and allowed the government to meddle in relief activities that were supported by donors.
The Syrian caretaker administration, which presided over the nation until the transitional government took office on March 29, reorganized these important organizations as part of larger governance changes.
Additionally, humanitarian workers point out that all groups functioning in Syria, including those that have continued humanitarian activities there for years or even decades, are required to re-register with transitional authorities. The onerous restrictions, which force relief groups to reveal minute data about their activities and financing sources, are even more complicated than those imposed by the Assad administration, according to humanitarian workers.
The Syrian transitional administration should remove the restrictive structures that restrict operational flexibility and jeopardize humanitarian standards in order to give priority to providing fair and efficient humanitarian relief. Accountability and openness in humanitarian programs should also be guaranteed by donor nations and UN organizations.