Iraq
Humanitarian Crisis
Millions of Iraqis rely on humanitarian aid for survival, with approximately four million of them are food insecure. Violence, power outages, water shortages and rising food prices have contributed to the challenges Iraqis are facing.
Lack of economic development has also hobbled the Iraqi people, with about 30 percent of the labor force unemployed according to the most current estimates of the US Central Intelligence Agency’s World Factbook.
Approximately 1.5 million Iraqis are internally displaced, while 44 thousand refugees from neighboring countries have sought asylum in Iraq, according to the United Nations’ 2007/2008 Human Development Report (HDR).
In addition to various development projects, Islamic Relief’s annual Udhiyah/Qurbani and Ramadan food distributions have helped thousands of families in Iraq.
Health Hazards
The lack of security combined with the scarcity of medical supplies and lack of clean drinking water are among the most acute threats to Iraqi public health.
Nearly one-fifth of the Iraqi population does not have access to an improved water source, according to the HDR. Hospitals are struggling to cope with the huge demand for basic health services and need rehabilitation, maintenance and improved hygiene.
The spread of waterborne diseases caused by contamination also pose grave dangers to the poorest and most vulnerable sections of the population.
Islamic Relief has provided hospitals with critical supplies and medicine and has also constructed state-of-the-art health facilities and water purification systems.
Islamic Relief in Iraq
Islamic Relief has been working in Iraq since 1997 and has maintained a steady presence in the country.
In January 2003, Islamic Relief opened a permanent office in Baghdad. Despite chronic insecurity, Islamic Relief has continued providing vital services to the Iraqi people for over a decade.
Islamic Relief initiatives in Iraq include but are not limited to:
- Emergency food distributions
- Distribution of emergency health kits to hospitals and health centers
- School rehabilitation
- Primary health center restoration
- Orphan sponsorship
In 2009, Islamic Relief Iraq served more than 420,000 Iraqis through 14 projects. Projects included income generation to help empower vulnerable women, and an initiative that equipped several hospitals with much-needed supplies and medicines.