• Cyclone Gombe affected over 730,000 people increasing significantly the humanitarian needs in Mozambique
• Below average harvests are expected in the southern region of the country due to a rainfall deficit
• Nearly 6,500 children affected by conflict received mental health and psychosocial support including 983 children who received case management services
• UNICEF provided access to safe water to 19,800 people affected by conflict and Cyclone Gombe
• UNICEF supported the establishment of 31 temporary learning spaces and education supplies benefitting 15,500 children
Situation Overview & Humanitarian Needs
The humanitarian crisis in Iraq stems primarily from the 2014–2017 conflict, which led to the displacement of 6 million people.2 At the time of drafting the appeal, there had been a steady stream of returnees, with 4.9 million people returning to their places of origin, and 1.2 million people still displaced.
In late 2020, the Government of Iraq (GOI) resumed the closure of camps and large informal sites for Internally Displaced People (IDPs).4 Consequently, the total number of in-camp individuals dropped from 256,8615 in August 20206 to 185,000 in the first quarter of 2021 . The number of out-of-camp IDPs increased from 104,000 in October 2020 to over 275,000 in February 20218 . At that time, overall, 4.1 million people, including 1.8 million children, continued to need humanitarian assistance. This included 2.4 million people (1,056,000 children and 15 per cent people with disabilities) facing acute humanitarian needs.9 However, by the end of 2021, the situation – and the numbers – changed. According to the 2022 Humanitarian Needs Overview (HNO), an estimated 2.5 million people, including 1.1 million children, need humanitarian assistance in Iraq.
These figures show a drastic decrease in the number of people needing humanitarian assistance compared to the 2021 HNO. Although immediate impacts of COVID-19 were included in the 2021 Humanitarian Response Plan (HRP), these are no longer under the purview of the humanitarian response since they are not specifically related to primary displacement. Based on the 2021 Multi-Cluster Needs Assessment (MCNA), around 182,000 individuals remain displaced in camps in the Kurdistan Region, while around 450,000 are displaced in out-of-camp settings. Over 1.2 million returnees are still considered in need of humanitarian assistance.
Key humanitarian concerns particularly affecting children included the need for improved shelters, child protection issues, including lack of civil documentation, limited access to adequate WASH services, and barriers to accessing education. The political, economic, and social instability in Iraq challenged the humanitarian response, along with COVID-19 related restrictions, especially in the first quarter of 2021. According to WHO, as of December 2021, over 2 million cases were confirmed, with over 24,000 deaths.
Security remained a major concern throughout the year, with continued attacks and violence. In 2021, ISIS operations increased, mainly within the disputed areas and Baghdad. The protests against the results of Iraq’s parliamentary election that took place in October 2021 turned violent in Baghdad, with demonstrators clashing with security forces outside the high-security Green Zone.
Water scarcity is an emerging threat in Iraq, affecting agriculture and domestic water supplies and leading to health risks, poverty, and migration. The situation is likely to worsen in 2022. UNICEF, along with the Government, UN agencies and NGO partners has started to investigate measures to be taken to monitor and address the situation as it unfolds in the coming months.
Source: UN Children’s Fund