Environmental Mitigation and Monitoring Plan (EMMP) for Access to Healthcare Improvements for the People Centered Service Delivery in NW Syria (PCSD) Project

The project aims to strengthen local partnerships and improve the capacity of local organizations, particularly the White Helmets, to provide critical improvements to basic and women's specific healthcare in Northwest Syria. The project's goal is to save lives and support the recovery of communities in the region. The project's theory of change is that by strengthening partnerships with local organizations and improving their capacity to support critical improvements to basic and women's specific healthcare, lives will be saved, and community stability and resilience will increase. The project requires the applicant to engage diverse stakeholders, including established and new local organizations, to ensure that community needs are met. The project has two main objectives: to improve and expand basic healthcare services, especially for women in women's healthcare centers, and to improve and expand health and psycho-social services for survivors of gender-based violence (GBV) in Northwest Syria. To achieve these objectives, the project will maintain and strengthen White Helmets women's centers, expand and strengthen White Helmets emergency medical services, and conduct PSS/GBV trainings for female volunteers. The project will be implemented in Northwest Syria, which is a region affected by conflict and climate change. The region has an arid subtropical climate with moderately cold winters and scorching, sunny summers. The region's water resources are limited, with the Khabour and Euphrates basins being the most significant sources of water. The Khabour River is the largest river in the Hasakah governorate and is considered the most important water source for agriculture in the region. The project will have a significant impact on the environment and social context of the region. The project's activities will aim to reduce the environmental impact of the White Helmets' work, including the proper disposal of medical waste and the use of personal protective equipment (PPE). The project will also aim to improve the social context of the region by providing critical improvements to basic and women's specific healthcare, and by supporting the recovery of communities affected by conflict and climate change. The project's environmental mitigation and monitoring plan (EMMP) will be developed in conjunction with the Annual Work Plan and will be reviewed and updated annually. The EMMP will outline the mitigation measures to be taken to reduce the environmental impact of the project, including the proper disposal of medical waste and the use of PPE. The EMMP will also outline the monitoring indicators to be used to measure the effectiveness of the mitigation measures. The project's EMMP will be developed by the implementing partner, Chemonics, in consultation with the White Helmets and other stakeholders. The EMMP will be reviewed and updated annually to ensure that it remains relevant and effective in reducing the environmental impact of the project. The EMMP will also be used to monitor the effectiveness of the project's activities and to identify areas for improvement. The project's EMMP will be an important tool for translating the applicable Initial Environmental Examination (IEE) conditions and mitigation measures into specific, implementable, and verifiable actions. The EMMP will be a living document that will be reviewed and updated annually to ensure that it remains relevant and effective in reducing the environmental impact of the project.