Iraq

Some annual results

18,000received primary health care in Dohuk and Ninewa governorates
166,493people, mainly IDPs, were given life-saving humanitarian aid
78,300people regained access to safe drinking water

Global Peace Index

160/ 163

GPI Rank

Political Instability

Safety & Security

Ongoing Conflict

Source: Global Peace Index (2018)

Country Office

Erbil, Iraq

Italian Village 1
Villa Number 113
100 meter street
Erbil, Iraq

Country Director Iraq & Syria

José Xavier Salema

[email protected]

Cordaid in Iraq

The Cordaid Iraq office was established in Erbil in October 2015, and is legally registered in the Kurdistan Region of Iraq. The registration process with the federal government of Baghdad is in an advanced stage.

Cordaid programs focus on humanitarian aid (WASH, shelter and rehabilitation of basic infrastructure), health care, as well as vocational training, livelihoods and protection mainstreaming.

Where does Cordaid work?

In Iraq Cordaid acts as an implementing agency and works with partners organizations in 4 governorates: Ninewa, Kirkuk, Dohuk and Salah Ad Din.

In Ninewa, Cordaid implements projects in Mosul and Hamdaniya. In 2016 Cordaid was one of the first organizations to respond to the Mosul crisis, answering to dire needs in remote and hard to reach areas with humanitarian aid and health services.

In Kirkuk, we work with other Caritas members to respond to WASH needs of the most vulnerable people outside camp settings.

In Salah Ad Din, Cordaid combines first and second line responses, rehabilitating water treatment plants and providing drinking water for about 37,500 people in the newly liberated area around Hatra.

In Dohuk, Cordaid provides primary health care services to displaced families living in outside camp settings.

38,4 Million

Population

Rural population

Urban population

11.0% annual

GDP growth

18.2 per 1,000

Mortality rate, neonatal

Source: worldbank.org

Current situation

Over 5 million Iraqis are currently displaced, living in 3,700 locations across the country. More than one million internally displaced persons (IDPs) and Syrian refugees have been resettled in the Kurdistan Region. The vast majority of those in need are displaced across the Ninewa governorate, which has seen a huge rise in the number of IDPs due to major military operations to liberate the area after almost 3 years of ISIS occupation. Host communities are overburdened in conflict-affected areas.

The range of people in need include people living in camps and emergency sites, people living out of camps, those who have returned to their areas of origin and residents of the host communities. Generally, people living in conflict areas and in areas that are still not under government control, as well as the approximately 230,000 refugees, mainly from Syria, currently living in northern Iraq, are also in need of assistance

An estimated 920,000 people were displaced from East and West Mosul, after the start of the military offensive to retake Mosul city in October 2016. They are mostly housed in camps and emergency settlements to the east of the city, with urgent need of basic assistance – food, water, clothing and household items. At the same time, displaced families start returning to eastern Mosul as areas are liberated.

The economic situation has dramatically deteriorated. In the last few years agricultural production has declined by 40 percent. Hundreds of thousands of people have been forced to migrate to urban areas to search jobs and support. In Kurdistan, government employees, including teachers, have not received their salary for months. Most of the schools and other basic infrastructures are not functioning.

Cordaid in Iraq

Health care

Cordaid provides primary health care services in two health centers for internally displaced people and host communities in Ninawa and Dohuk governorates.

Humanitarian aid

We support internally displaced people by providing food, emergency kits to cover first needs, non-food items, protection, hygiene kits and clean drinking water. We also rehabilitate broken or destroyed water units.

Private sector development

We support internally displaced people by organizing vocational training and providing business start up kits.

In Iraq, Cordaid targets high priority areas, implementing activities in the sectors that were assessed as top priority needs under the Humanitarian Response Plan (HRP) 2017: Health, Livelihood, Protection, WASH and Rehabilitation of basic infrastructure.

Thus Cordaid’s strategy involves providing, when possible and applicable, a comprehensive package of services.

Classroom in Wardek, one of the first villages that was recaptured on ISIS in Kurdistan. This school was rehabilitated by Cordaid and these boys and girls were among the first returnees, after 3 years of ISIS occupation (© Frank van Lierde / Cordaid)

Partners and donors

In Iraq UNOCHA is one of our main strategic partners. UNOCHA and Cordaid’s own private donor funds are the main donors of primary health services to displaced families residing outside camps.

Cordaid also works closely with a group of national partners, including Caritas Iraq and RNVDO.