The Syrian transitional government’s strict enforcement of registration and operational requirements is hindering aid organizations from expanding their efforts, according to Human Rights Watch. Despite showing a willingness to collaborate with international bodies, the authorities’ bureaucratic obstacles are obstructing responses to Syria’s worsening humanitarian crisis.
Previously, under the Assad regime, humanitarian operations were tightly controlled. International nongovernmental groups had to coordinate through state-affiliated organizations, which allowed for political manipulation of aid. Independent groups faced severe restrictions and government interference, limiting their effectiveness and partnerships with national organizations. Although the Assad government has collapsed, some of these restrictions persist or have been reinforced by the new authorities.
Adam Coogle, deputy Middle East director at Human Rights Watch, stated: “The transitional government has an opportunity to dismantle the restrictive framework that hindered independent humanitarian work for years.” He urged authorities to prioritize delivering assistance without reinstating practices that undermine neutrality and efficiency.
Between February and April 2025, Human Rights Watch interviewed six aid workers who reported the reintroduction of previous registration regulations. These rules require independent groups to operate under an “umbrella system,” granting significant authority to a designated “national partner” acting as a regulatory body. As of April 27, Human Rights Watch had contacted the Foreign Ministry for details on these measures but received no response.
Under Assad’s rule, international groups operated mainly through government-linked entities like the Syrian Arab Red Crescent (SARC) or Syria Trust for Development (STD), allowing aid distribution based on political priorities rather than need. The security services could access beneficiary lists and programming at any time, severely constraining independent organizations.
The caretaker government preceding the transitional one made some reforms by replacing Khaled Hboubati with Mohammad Hazem Baqlah as head of SARC and renaming STD as the Syrian Development Organization (SDO). However, according to a senior aid worker in Damascus, systemic issues continue compromising neutrality and efficiency.
“In the early days [after the fall of the previous government], we were optimistic that [humanitarian] operations will be more effective,” said one humanitarian worker. “But day after day, it turns out this is not the case.”
Humanitarian workers reported that transitional authorities have imposed reregistration requirements on all organizations operating in Syria. These demands are reportedly more complex than those under Assad’s regime and require detailed information about operations and funding sources.
Human Rights Watch emphasized that removing restrictive systems is crucial for impartial and effective humanitarian aid delivery. They also called on UN agencies and donor states to ensure transparency in humanitarian programming.
“The humanitarian crisis continues to worsen,” Coogle warned. “Without immediate action to remove arbitrary restrictions, the suffering will only grow for Syrians across the country.”
