Our team (pre-LUGARIT) was commissioned by the European Union to carry out a comprehensive research and analysis of urban conditions in Syria during the conflict. 

The project included a survey of 41 cities of different typologies, a comparative analysis, and a benchmarking metric for guiding area-based planning in the future. 

The project’s outputs encompass: 1) a comparative framework based on the City Prosperity Index (CPI) methodology, and 2) four thematic papers delving into specific urban conditions.

City Prosperity Index

The CPI methodology, adapted to Syrian conditions, used 27 indicators across six dimensions: Productivity, Infrastructure, Quality of Life, Environmental Sustainability, Equity and Social Inclusion, and Governance. This study included 41 Syrian cities, selected to represent the varied urbanization conditions in the country. The data, mainly from mid-2016, highlighted significant challenges, such as data limitations and the need to rely on various sources due to different areas of control.

Four performance-based segments were identified among the cities: Stable cities, Secondary islands of stability, Cities resisting the impact of the conflict, and Cities devastated by the conflict. The analysis revealed several trends, including the positive effect of population size on CPI scores, better performance of homogenous cities, and the negative impact of urban fragmentation.

Thematic Papers

The four thematic papers addressed critical issues like the Economy, Governance, Housing Land and Property Rights, and Gender, providing a deeper insight into the urban conditions in Syria.

1. The Economy paper revisited pre-conflict trends and war-induced challenges, highlighting key conflict drivers and potential recovery paths. It emphasized the importance of local productive economies, trade and service networks, urban service delivery, and government accountability. The study also pointed out the transformation of trade dynamics due to the conflict, creating new economic centers and emphasizing the need for further research in these areas.

2. The Governance paper argued for the potential unifying role of urban governance in post-conflict Syria. It highlighted the importance of service delivery as a legitimization process and called for post-conflict planning to incorporate resilience structures developed during the war. The paper suggested potential modifications to local administration laws to facilitate territorial unification and management post-conflict.

3. The Housing Land and Property Rights paper highlighted the expansion of informal settlements due to state subsidy shortcomings and rapid urban migration. It emphasized the need to address pre-conflict grievances and complexities in housing rights, advocating for mechanisms that consider the continuum of tenure patterns and focus on securing rights for the most vulnerable.

4. The Gender paper focused on the changing role of women in urban contexts, particularly in governance and productive labor. Despite significant regional differences, it highlighted the need for a comprehensive approach to promote women's participation and address gender discrimination in all Syrian areas.

Overall, the report offers a detailed baseline for monitoring progress and assessing policy impacts in Syria. It underscores the necessity for further research and dialogue to understand and address the complex urban conditions in a post-conflict scenario.