APPEAL CODE: 700-T
APPEAL AMOUNT: $74,300
SITUATION
Following years of armed conflict, millions in Iraq remain displaced from their homes and beyond reach of conventional humanitarian aid sources. UNHCR and other humanitarian organizations have not been able to protect all those in need of assistance due to repeated wars and insecurity in the country. This has caused great concern for the lack of appropriate aid to the affected people; especially women, children and the elderly.
The Internal Displacement Monitoring Centre estimates more than 3 million people – including many ethnic minorities – remain displaced in Iraq as of November, 2014. One third of the IDPs were uprooted in the sectarian conflict in 2006-2008 while two thirds of the IDPs have been identified since December 2013 as a result of violent clashes between armed groups (among them the Islamic State group), security forces and Kurdish forces in Iraq.
The prolonged conflict and increased violence in Iraq has forced some Iraqi families to flee across the border into Iran. As of January 2015, UNHCR estimates there are approximately 32,000 Iraqi refugees living in Iran . The regions in Iran where the majority of refugees settle are the western parts of the country and the religious cities of Mashhad and Qom. Most of the refugees have a previous connection to Iran but remain in need of support, despite connections to friends or relatives.
Instability in the region has kept large-scale humanitarian operations from providing assistance to those affected, who have fled with little or no personal items that can sustain a prolonged time away from home.
CWS RESPONSE
CWS will meet the needs of those affected through its partner, Community World Service – Asia (formerly CWS Pakistan/Afghanistan). Community World Service will support local actor, Association for Protection of Refugee Women and Children (known as HAMI) in reaching the most vulnerable among the displaced in and around the Iranian city of Qom.
The response will provide 300 Iraqi refugee families with an unconditional cash grant of US $200 to afford them choice in purchasing needed items such as shelter, nonfood items and other essentials. Any monies secured above the goal for this appeal will be used to expand assistance to more families in the area of response.
BUDGET
- Cash assistance
(300 families, $200 each) - $60,000
- Staff (two staff @ 3 months)
- $4,800
- Travel
- $2,500
- Monitoring/ evaluation
- $2,000
- Operational costs
- $4,500
- Bank Fees
- $500
- TOTAL
- $74,300
Contributions to support CWS emergency response efforts may be sent to your denomination or to Church World Service, Attn. Iraq-Iran Humanitarian Crisis (#700-T), P.O. Box 968, Elkhart, IN 46515.
For further information about disasters to which Church World Service is responding please visit www.cwsglobal.org or call CWS: 800-297-1516.
Program Director: Donna Derr dderr@cwsglobal.org