UNHCR welcomes additional contribution from Germany to help protect and assist displaced Iraqis

The German contribution will enable UNHCR to provide life-saving support to address winter needs for displaced families in a timely manner. UNHCR’s winter assistance programme for 2017 aims to reach 673,000 internally displaced people in Iraq in the governorates of Anbar, Kirkuk, Ninewa, Erbil, Dohuk, and Sulaymaniyah over four months.

UNHCR’s winter assistance package includes winter kits consisting of high thermal blankets, a stove, a heater, plastic sheeting, jerry cans for water and kerosene. Vulnerable families receive cash assistance allowing them to decide for themselves how to meet their most urgent winter needs.

Bruno Geddo, UNHCR Representative in Iraq said, “Many displaced Iraqis fled their villages in the summer with little more than the clothes they had on. The winter assistance that is made possible through the generous contribution of Germany will enable UNHCR to provide people with in-kind and cash assistance necessary to brave the winter months.”

The generous funding from Germany will also enable UNHCR to carry out its protection activities for internally displaced Iraqis including prevention and response to gender-based violence and child protection, support to the government to issue/renew civil status and identity documents to displaced Iraqis, protection monitoring and psychosocial support. These services are provided through both community based approaches and individual interventions.

Acknowledging this urgently needed and timely support, Germany’s Ambassador in Iraq, Dr. Cyrill Nunn, notes: “The first cold waves of this year’s winter season have already reached Iraq. Hundreds of thousands of displaced people are facing another winter away from home. With this additional contribution, the German Government would like to ease the suffering of those most in need, especially children, women and female-headed households, older persons and persons with disabilities.”