ReliefWeb

Highlights

• Between 17 October 2016 and 29 January 2017 UNICEF has supported delivery of a multi-sectoral emergency response packages, including water treatment tablets and hygiene items for adults and babies, for 514,900 individuals (84,900 families) in re-taken communities in northern Ninewa.

• Since the offensive on Mosul city began on 17 October, more than 187,986 people (103,392 children under 18) have been displaced from surrounding towns, villages, and from the city suburbs. While around 29,000 people re reported as returned, 159,006 individuals remain displaced.

• As of 19 January 2017, there were 3,028,854 internally displaced people (IDP) across Iraq, while 1,455,348 people were reported as returned to their places of origin (‘returnees’), 648,013 children (47%).

• According to the 2017 Humanitarian Response Plan (HRP) for Iraq, an estimated 11 million people are in dire need of humanitarian assistance, including over 5 million children.

• UNICEF’s 2017 Humanitarian Action for Children (HAC) appeal for Iraq launched in January calls for US$ 161.4 million to respond to children’s humanitarian needs across the country. Without additional funding, UNICEF will be unable to support the national response to the country’s continuing complex and protracted displacement crisis.

Situation Overview & Humanitarian Needs

Violent conflict in Iraq has created a protracted and complex humanitarian situation, with 11 million people estimated to be in need of assistance. The situation has been compounded by long-term economic downturn. Poverty rates in Kurdistan have doubled, unemployment has trebled in many communities and many government employees, including teachers, health staff, and others, have gone only partially paid for more than a year. With intensification of military operations along the Mosul Corridor, 31,331 families (187,986 people) including 103,392 children have been displaced from Mosul since October 2016. There have been significant numbers of returnees to newly-retaken areas where infrastructure has been damaged by conflict and basic services are not yet reactivated.

Conditions in western Mosul continue to concern humanitarian actors, as basic commodities such as food, water, and fuel remain scarce for the estimated 750,000 population. As of January, just seven of Iraq’s 18 governorates host 83 per cent of the total IDP population4 . A total of 245,000 Iraqis are registered as refugees in neighbouring countries, with 9,977 Iraqis received in Al Hol camp in Syria since 17 October. There remain over 230,000 Syrian refugees in Iraq, the majority of whom are hosted in the three northern governorates of the Kurdistan Region.

Humanitarian leadership and coordination

UNICEF leads the WASH Cluster, co-leads the Education cluster with Save the Children International, leads the Child Protection subcluster and Nutrition working group, and is an active member of the Health cluster. UNICEF and the World Food Programme (WFP) co-lead the Rapid Response Mechanism (RRM) Consortium, whose partners include the UN Population Fund (UNFPA) and seven NGOs. In addition, UNICEF in collaboration with WFP and UNFP is delivering rapid multi-sector humanitarian assistance in newlyretaken areas of Mosul.

Humanitarian Strategy

Strategic priorities under the 2017 Humanitarian Response Plan (HRP) are to: reach as many people in need as possible across Iraq by securing safe access to front-line and newly retaken areas; facilitate and advocate for voluntary, safe, and dignified returns; give options to families to live in Iraq in dignity by expanding resilience and social cohesion programmes; and help people brutalized by violence recover by providing specialized protection assistance.

Summary Analysis of Programme Response Rapid Response Mechanism (RRM)

UNICEF requires an additional US $ 1.7 million to meet immediate response needs for an anticipated 1.3 million IDPs on the move. In January, RRM consortium partners distributed 21,592 kits to 94,356 people including 44,347 children (estimated 47 per cent of total reached) across eight governorates – Anbar, Baghdad, Dahuk, Erbil, Kirkuk, Ninewa, Salah al Din, Sulaymaniyah. Due to the intensification of military operations around Mosul, the majority of displaced people reached with RRM were in Ninewa. Kits consist of a 12 kg immediate response food ration, hygiene items to last a family a week, 12 liters of bottled drinking water and a water container; where possible, they also include UNFPA’s dignity kit. The RRM Consortium of UN agencies (UNICEF, UNFPA, WFP) and 7 NGO partners (ACTED, Danish Refugee Council, Muslim Aid, Norwegian Refugee Council, Rebuild Iraq Recruitment Programme, Save the Children, and Women Empowerment Organization) cover all 18 governorates across Iraq with identified lead and back-up responders.

Seasonal Response

In the winter of 2016/2017, UNICEF is protecting children through distribution of winter clothes and thermal blankets. Limited funding received for seasonal response means that priority is being given to children under 14 years newly-displaced from Mosul and living in non-formal or non-camp environments including in makeshift tents, open shelters, or unfinished buildings. UNICEF reached 61,116 children in January 20177 . For the coming winter 2017-2018 seasonal response under the 2017 appeal, UNICEF requires US $ 11.6 million to reach at least 200,000 children.