Universal Periodic Review Submission on the Right to Water in Syria

The Arab NGO Network for Development (ANND) and the Research Center for Alternative Development, also known as the Syrian Center for Policy Research (SCPR), submitted a joint report on the right to water in Syria ahead of the 54th session of the Universal Periodic Review Working Group, scheduled for January–February 2027.

The submission follows up on recommendations accepted by Syria during previous UPR cycles concerning access to safe drinking water, sanitation, and the rehabilitation of water infrastructure.

It examines how prolonged conflict, infrastructure destruction, climate change, water pollution, transboundary pressures, and weak governance have created a severe water crisis affecting millions of people across the country.

“The weaponization of water during the conflict has resulted in enormous human suffering.”

Limited Access to Safe Water and Sanitation

The submission assesses previous UPR recommendations on safe drinking water, sanitation, and water infrastructure as only partially implemented.

Up to 12 million people continue to experience limited access to water and sanitation services, with displaced communities facing particularly severe barriers. Damage to water infrastructure persists in more than 30 per cent of Syrian communities.

More than 10 million people face acute difficulty accessing safe water. In northeastern Syria, most water supply systems remain non-functional, while some communities in As-Sweida receive less than 15 litres of water per person each day.

Infrastructure Destruction and Service Disruption

Years of conflict have caused widespread damage to treatment facilities, distribution networks, pumping stations, electricity systems, and other essential water infrastructure.

Water losses through distribution networks average approximately 25 per cent of the total volume pumped and can reach around 50 per cent in Rural Damascus.

The water sector has also lost a substantial share of the engineers and skilled workers needed to operate and maintain treatment plants, further weakening institutional and technical capacity.

Climate Change, Drought, and Food Security

Climate change has intensified desertification, soil degradation, dust storms, forest fires, water scarcity, and pressure on agricultural livelihoods.

In 2025, Syria experienced its most severe drought-like conditions in nearly four decades. The resulting wheat production deficit affected millions of people and deepened the interconnected crises of water insecurity, food insecurity, poverty, and displacement.

Historically low water levels in the Euphrates River have reduced water access for millions, damaged agricultural production, increased income losses, and contributed to greater risks of waterborne disease.

Transboundary Water Pressures

The submission highlights the impact of regional control and management of shared water resources on Syria’s water security.

Policies affecting the flow of the Euphrates River continue to influence access to water in agricultural and populated areas. The report also raises concerns regarding control over water resources, dams, wells, and reservoirs in southern Syria.

In May 2026, increased water releases from upstream dams contributed to severe flooding in Deir ez-Zor and Raqqa, damaging agricultural land, irrigation systems, livestock, and household incomes.

Recent Financing and Rehabilitation Initiatives

The submission recognizes several positive developments, including the approval of Syria’s first nationally led Green Climate Fund project, which aims to strengthen resilience to water scarcity in Eastern Ghouta.

It also notes international financing for the rehabilitation of water and sanitation infrastructure in Idlib, Homs, Hama, Damascus, and Al-Malihah.

While these initiatives represent important progress, the submission stresses that they remain insufficient compared with the scale of infrastructure damage and humanitarian need.

Key Recommendations

• Rebuild water and irrigation institutions and establish transparent mechanisms for accountability and the evaluation of public plans.
• Develop a sustainable agricultural strategy linking irrigation, water rights, fair employment, green jobs, and environmental solutions.
• Adopt equitable water legislation grounded in the human right to water, transparent governance, and binding safeguards for water-related investments.
• Establish binding regional coordination mechanisms for the equitable and sustainable management of shared water resources.
• Prevent the use of water as a tool of political pressure or as a weapon during conflicts.
• Integrate environmental and climate impact assessments into all reconstruction projects involving water, housing, and agriculture.
• Develop effective early warning systems for floods, droughts, and other water-related climate risks.
• Guarantee civil society access to monitor water quality, environmental conditions, and reconstruction efforts, and publish monitoring findings transparently.

Through this joint submission, ANND and SCPR call for a rights-based approach to water governance that places equitable access, accountability, climate resilience, environmental sustainability, and regional cooperation at the centre of Syria’s reconstruction and recovery.