Electronic Iraq : Aid & Development

Curfews and clashes cripple Baghdad, Basra

Sun, 30 Mar 2008 09:30:14 CST

Non-governmental organizations appealed to the Iraqi authorities today to facilitate their distribution of relief materials in Baghdad and Basra. Both cities are under an indefinite curfew due to ongoing clashes between government forces and the Mahdi Army, the Shia militia led by Moqtada al-Sadr.

Humanitarian situation set to worsen as violence hits south

Sat, 29 Mar 2008 08:04:09 CST

The International Organization on Migration's humanitarian activities in Iraq's southern city of Basra and as well as in other southern governorates have been put on hold as violence and curfew prevent staff and partners from providing humanitarian assistance to internally displaced people and vulnerable populations.

Humanitarian situation deteriorates in Basra

Thu, 27 Mar 2008 08:36:21 CST

"The humanitarian situation is getting worse by the minute--not the hour or the day," says Salih Hmoud, head of the Iraqi Red Crescent Society's office in Basra. "Shootings, explosions and roadside bombs are preventing our teams from getting out and reaching people in need of our humanitarian aid, and we can no longer reach government hospitals to supply them."

"Pressing need" for drinking water in Basra as curfew bites

Wed, 26 Mar 2008 08:51:26 CST

Life in Basra, Iraq's second-largest city, has been paralyzed by a large-scale government military operation against militiamen of the Mahdi Army led by radical Shia leader Moqtada al-Sadr, Mahdi al-Tamimi, head of the city's Human Rights Office said.

Psychological distress common among Iraqi refugees

Tue, 04 Mar 2008 15:47:46 CST

A study by IOM aimed at assessing the mental health and psychosocial needs of Iraqi refugees in Jordan and Lebanon has found high levels of emotional and psychological distress. The assessment, carried out between November 2007 and January 2008 among 200 families (800 people) in the two countries, revealed that more than half of those interviewed disclosed distress factors including panic attacks, anger, tiredness, sleep problems and fears.

Iraq's children 2007: a year in their life

Thu, 14 Feb 2008 08:03:18 CST

A new UNICEF report details the state of Iraq's children. According to the report, more than 2 million lack adequate nutrition, only 28% of Iraq's 17 year olds made it to final exams this year, and one-third of children in remote areas were cut off from health outreach services.

Iraq Braced for More Cholera Outbreaks

Mon, 04 Feb 2008 09:10:14 CST

Cholera outbreaks in Iraq in the last year have been the worst in forty years, resulting in widespread death and adding to the suffering of the overwhelming majority of Iraqis without basic sanitation and sewage. While the extremely low temperatures this winter in many parts of Iraq have largely contained the spread of new cases, Iraqi doctors are anticipating renewed outbreaks as the temperature warms in the next few months. And the situation likely won't be improving any time soon.

Iraqis hit by acute power outage, shortage of petroleum products

Mon, 21 Jan 2008 06:59:16 CST

Iraqis are once again facing days of power outages and queues hundreds of meters in length at petrol stations in parts of the capital, Baghdad, as well as in some of the country's provinces. Suffering civilians find themselves caught in a vicious circle of political finger-pointing and sabotage attacks.

Egypt: Iraqi refugee return driven by lack of money

Mon, 14 Jan 2008 12:00:49 CST

Estimates by UNHCR and non-governmental organizations place the number of Iraqis in Egypt at between 70,000 and 150,000. While resettlement by UNHCR is hoped for but not necessarily forthcoming, some Iraqis in Egypt say they are returning home due to dried up funds, as opposed to security improvements.

Government to give financial aid to displaced in north

Tue, 01 Jan 2008 06:41:09 CST

Iraqi Prime Minister Nouri al-Maliki has ordered financial support for all Kurdish families driven from their homes in Iraq's northern semi-autonomous region of Kurdistan in the wake of Turkish bombardments on rebel hideouts. The statement did not say how many families have been displaced, but said the aid would be distributed in coordination with the local Kurdish authorities.

Displaced in north considering alternative livelihoods

Mon, 31 Dec 2007 06:06:45 CST

Nearly 4,000 people have fled their homes in Iraq's northern semi-autonomous region of Kurdistan over past weeks in the wake of Turkish bombardments of rebel hideouts, a local official said.

More Iraqi refugees leaving Syria than entering

Mon, 03 Dec 2007 07:53:08 CST

According to UNHCR estimates, 1,500 Iraqis are now returning to Iraq each day from Syria, while only 500 new refugees are arriving in Syria from Iraq each day. The Iraqi government says 45,000 refugees returned to Iraq during October alone. On 27 November, the first Iraqi government-sponsored convoy of 17 coaches left Damascus for Baghdad, transporting up to 800 refugees back to Iraq.

Children with serious illnesses abandoned

Sat, 24 Nov 2007 07:18:43 CST

An Iraqi non-governmental organization Keeping Children Alive, which estimates that in Baghdad alone over 700 children have been abandoned by their families since January 2006. However, the KCA lacks the resources to help him to get proper treatment. "The problem is even more serious among new-born babies and there are many cases of children aged 1-12 abandoned," said Mayada Marouf, a spokesperson for KCA. "Most of them have a life-threatening disease and their families cannot afford treatment."

Child mortality rate worse than under sanctions

Sat, 17 Nov 2007 06:15:32 CST

Child mortality in Iraq has spiraled because of the tense security situation, deteriorating health services and lack of medical supplies, say experts. According to a report released in May 2007 by aid agency Save the Children, "Iraq's child mortality rate has increased by a staggering 150 per cent since 1990, more than any other country." The report, entitled State of the World's Mothers 2007, said that some 122,000 Iraqi children - the equivalent of one in eight - died in 2005, before reaching their fifth birthday. More than half of the deaths were among newborn babies in their first month of life.

Basra closes doors to displaced

Wed, 14 Nov 2007 07:33:02 CST

Basra province, south of Baghdad, can no longer accommodate Iraqi families fleeing insecurity, according to local officials. "We cannot cope with any more families seeking refuge in our province, whatever their reasons. The governorate is seriously affected by the high number of displaced families," a senior official in Basra Governing Council, Hassan Abdul-Kareem, told IRIN.

Aid agencies struggle to support over two million displaced Iraqis

Mon, 12 Nov 2007 07:20:35 CST

As violence continues to force an average of 60,000 Iraqis from their homes every month, according to the UN refugee agency, aid agencies are warning that limited access to the displaced is causing a deterioration of their living conditions, and with cold winter months upon them, the situation is likely to get even worse.

As winter approaches, warnings of deepening crisis for hundreds of thousands who have fled their homes

Sun, 11 Nov 2007 07:00:16 CST

The humanitarian crisis in Iraq is worsening. Security in recent months has considerably deteriorated: thousands of families face the daily threat of bombings, shootings and military operations. Hundreds of thousands of people have fled their homes after seeing relatives and neighbors being killed, or because they were under threat themselves.

Lebanon: Iraqi refugees face prison and deportation

Sun, 11 Nov 2007 06:56:46 CST

The UN Refugee Agency puts the number of Iraqi refugees in Lebanon at 50,000 people, of whom only 8,476 are registered. Another 500 are being held in prison, it says, merely for violating immigration rules. "This is a question of human rights," said UNHCR regional representative Stephane Jaquemet.

Jordan: Lack of expertise leaves refugees without proper mental care, say NGOs

Sun, 11 Nov 2007 06:53:23 CST

Jordan's public mental health institutions lack expertise, according to aid agencies, prompting Iraqi refugees or Jordanians suffering from mental disorders to rely on NGOs under the umbrella of the UN Refugee Agency. Marwa el-Ansary, refugee team leader for CARE, an aid agency, said Jordan lacked the capacity to treat the increasing number of Iraqi refugees with mental health symptoms.

The Iraqi electricity crisis

Sun, 11 Nov 2007 06:49:45 CST

Despite vast investment, Iraq's sclerotic electricity network shows little sign of improvement, to the despair of residents and businesses alike. raq's electricity system has been in shambles for nearly two decades, and power continues to be the country's largest reconstruction challenge. It is also the common complaint that links all of Iraq. Despite the widespread violence, bombs and shootings do not affect every province - but the lack of electricity is a burden every Iraqi must bear.