SDG11+ Sustainable Development Goals as a monitoring tool for area-based recovery interventions in Syria-Urban recovery Framework

The present paper examines some of the challenges – and opportunities - for recovery in Syrai and makes suggestions for potential avenues to strengthen urban recovery monitoring across scales, to support policy coherence and aid effectiveness. As such, SDG11+ is suggested as a “light” monitoring framework for urban recovery, designed to enhance urban baseline data and improved targeting, by capturing activity outcomes against several levels of engagement – from the neighbourhood to city to national levels.

This paper recommends the adoption of an SDG11+- based monitoring framework as an instrument for addressing major recovery gaps in Syria for four reasons: 

1. To highlight major gaps in the status quo and urban recovery ensuring sound prioritisation across sectors and equal distribution between most affected areas; 

2. To ensure successful vertical and horizontal coordination among administrative levels for area-based programming; 

3. To be used as a tool for enhanced communication, between different authorities and agencies locally, sub-nationally, nationally, and internationally on urban recovery; and 

4. To support accountability and transparency in local public service delivery, bringing voice and agency to communities and creating reassurances for an anticipated shift in the aid response that places a greater emphasis on absorptive, adaptive and transformative measures, framed within efforts aimed at supporting early recovery.