The 10th year anniversary of the Syria crisis has again highlighted the protracted nature of the displacement it has resulted in and the importance of a continued discussion around durable solutions. While refugee returns to Syria remain limited in scale, most Syrian refugees in neighboring countries according to the UNHCR’s 6th Regional Perception and Intention Survey continue to hope to return one day.

Access to livelihood factors heavily into refugees’ return decision-making as well as affects their overall wellbeing. Against this backdrop, UNDP’s Sub-Regional Response Facility (SRF) and UNHCR have commissioned this study to better understand the dynamics around livelihoods and durable solutions, including the recent challenges and opportunities that Syrian refugees face in host countries from a livelihood’s perspective, as well as identifying the extent to which on-going livelihoods support to refugees in host countries are helping to meet the existing or potential future needs. The report aims at improving the knowledge on the essentials of livelihoods preparedness for durable solutions, including refugee return, and offering recommendations on how the currently offered livelihood interventions can be strengthened to support Durable Solutions.

This report is particularly intended to inform the efforts of the Regional Durable Solutions Working Group’s (RDSWG) Livelihoods Return Preparedness Workstream.