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France donation to help UNHCR assist Iraqis as displacement continues [EN/AR]

Countries
Iraq
+ 1 more
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UNHCR
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UNHCR, the UN Refugee Agency, has welcomed the latest contribution of Euro 4.4m from France to provide assistance to internally displaced Iraqis. This generous support will enable UNHCR to continue its interventions to promote protection and provide shelter for displaced Iraqis, including those displaced from Mosul and surrounding areas.

This latest contribution comes as UNHCR continues to respond to the latest outflows of people from western Mosul and other areas of conflict. UNHCR protection activities for displaced Iraqis include prevention and response to gender-based violence and child protection, capacity building, community awareness, protection monitoring and psychosocial support. These services are provided through community based approaches and individual interventions.

UNHCR shelter responses include the provision of tents in camps for Mosul displaced, as well as emergency shelter kits and sealing-off kits in areas of return to allow people to live in partially damaged or unfinished buildings.

“France is deeply concerned with the issue of displaced people in Iraq and is convinced that providing support to these populations is one of the main ways to ensure the future stability of the country”, said Mr Marc Barety, Ambassador of France to Iraq. “We hope this new contribution can help improve the living conditions of people suffering as a result of the conflict and to help them to recover their original lives as soon as possible”, he added.

UNHCR’s Representative in Iraq Bruno Geddo said: “The generous funding from France comes at a critical time for UNHCR and our partners, when we are facing funding shortages. We are working flat out to provide emergency and protection assistance to those fleeing Mosul. With this latest support, we can continue to help displaced Iraqis rebuild their lives.”

According to the latest government figures, more than 896,000 people in total have been displaced from Mosul and surrounding areas since October, when the military offensive began, including more than 720,000 individuals displaced from western Mosul since midFebruary.

UNHCR and partners have provided assistance to over 535,400 people displaced from Mosul in and outside camps since last October. More than 195,000 people are estimated to have since returned to their areas of origin.

FOR MORE INFORMATION Caroline Gluck gluck@unhcr.org
Andy Needham needham@unhcr.org +964 780 920 7282 (Baghdad)
Amira Abd El-Khalek abdelkha@unhcr.org +964 772 616 3729 (Erbil)
Saif al-Tatooz altatooz@unhcr.org +964 780 195 8468 (Baghdad)
Rasheed Rasheed rasheedr@unhcr.org +964 750 713 0014 (Duhok)
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