In order to bring emergency relief goods to 50,000 socially vulnerable families (some 300,000 people), the International Federation of Red Cross and Red Crescent Societies has launched an appeal for 10.3 million Swiss francs (USD 8,3 million / euro 6.4 million). These funds are also meant to cover the health needs of 150,000 people for 12 months.
“This appeal is also meant to help the Iraqi Red Crescent continue to provide vital assistance in emergency relief and health care to the most vulnerable groups of the population throughout the country,” underlines Ahmed Gizo, Head of the Middle East/North Africa Department at the Federation Secretariat in Geneva. “They are the only ones who can still do this and it is essential they pursue their mission.”
Electricity shortages, insufficient clean water, a deteriorating health service and soaring inflation (more than 76% in August 2006) have worsened already difficult living conditions. According to the UN, more than 630,000 people have been displaced since February 2006. In this context of violence and insecurity, the need for non-food items has become almost as important as food.
This appeal will finance the delivery of items including clothing and cloth, blankets, kitchen utensils, stoves, jerricans, mattresses and tents to families considered socially vulnerable, because they do not have an income provider, or shelter or have very little income. Appeal funds will also be used to train more than 2,000 IRCS staff and volunteers as well as 46,000 school children in first aid, and will support four rounds of national polio immunization campaigns for 100,000 children under five years old.
The Iraqi Red Crescent Society (IRCS) has continued to deliver humanitarian assistance in extraordinarily difficult circumstances. In 2006, with support from the International Federation and the International Committee of the Red Cross (ICRC), it delivered relief to 225,000 socially vulnerable people and monitored national immunization campaigns for between 70,000 to 90,000 children, in cooperation with the Ministry of Health, the World Health Organization (WHO) and UNICEF. It also rehabilitated and equipped two IRCS hospitals and a warehouse in Salah al-Din city, and actively continued training its staff and volunteers in emergency first aid, HIV prevention and disaster management.
The International Federation and the ICRC are both committed to ensure coordinated support to the IRCS, with the ICRC supporting activities to help populations affected by armed conflict and violence, and the International Federation supporting programmes to help socially vulnerable people and victims of natural disasters – for example, more than 17,000 families affected by flash floods in February and November 2006.
According to a report published by the World Food Program (WFP) and the Ministry of Planning and Development Cooperation in May 2006, 50% of Iraqis are living below the poverty line, with 12.4 million people – almost half the country’s population – dependent on food aid and in dire need of external assistance. Food is being provided by the WFP, several Red Crescent Societies, the ICRC and other organizations.