The concept of early recovery has been the subject of increasing debate within the Syrian Arab Republic and among international organizations working in the country.

This study examines the role of civil society organizations (CSOs) in an early recovery phase of the Syrian conflict. It offers lessons from other comparable contexts that might shed light on the potential and challenges of such CSO engagement in the Syrian Arab Republic. It ventures operational policy suggestions that might be of relevance to both Syrian civil society and international organizations and donors as they reflect on possible avenues for early recovery work.