Human Rights Watch (HRW) on Monday warned that the Syrian transitional government’s strict control over humanitarian aid restricts aid groups from providing effective assistance amid Syria’s ongoing humanitarian crisis.

According to the organization, the transitional government has maintained strict requirements of registration and operational requirements on non-governmental groups (NGOs) providing aid. Aid groups must operate within an “umbrella system,” granting power to a “national partner,” which is essentially a third-party regulatory body. All aid groups must re-register, including those that have carried out humanitarian operations in Syria for decades. Additionally, aid groups have to share specifics about their operations and financing. These administrative hurdles have hindered efforts to address the growing humanitarian crisis in Syria.

HRW argued that the transitional government’s new system resembles the old system. Under the Assad government, the Syrian Arab Red Crescent (SARC) and Syria Trust for Development (STD) were the systems under which the aid groups had to function. Syrian security services had access to aid groups’ strategies and lists of recipients receiving relief. The rights group stated: “This system severely constrained independent organizations, limiting their operational autonomy, reducing transparency in aid allocation, and enabling government interference in donor-funded relief efforts.” Ultimately, this allowed political objectives to be favored over humanitarian necessities.

Deputy Middle East Director at HRW Adam Coogle urged a reform of Syria’s system of humanitarian aid. Coogle said: “The humanitarian crisis continues to worsen, and without immediate action to remove arbitrary restrictions, the suffering will only grow for Syrians across the country.”

Since the overthrow of the Assad government in December 2024, Syria has been in a fragile transitional phase. The United Nations Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs (OCHA) has specified that 16.5 million people are in need of humanitarian assistance. In March 2025, UN Humanitarian Coordinator for Syria Adam Abdelmoula stated that assistance by the international community to rejuvenate Syria is crucial.