IRAQ
HUMANITARIAN CRISES ANALYSIS 2016
Each year, Sida conducts a humanitarian allocation exercise in which a large part of its humanitarian budget is
allocated to emergencies worldwide. This allocation takes place in the beginning of the year as to ensure predictability
for humanitarian organisations and to allow for best possible operational planning. In an effort to truly adhere to the
humanitarian principles Sida bases its allocation decisions on a number of objective indicators of which the most
important are related to the number of affected people, vulnerability of affected people and level of funding in previous
years. One of the indicators is also related to forgotten crises in order to ensure sufficient funding also to low profile
crises. Besides this initial allocation, another part of the humanitarian budget is set aside as an emergency reserve for
sudden onset emergencies and deteriorating humanitarian situations. This reserve allows Sida to quickly allocate
funding to any humanitarian situation throughout the year, including additional funding to Iraq.
For 2016, Iraq is allocated an initial 100 MSEK in January 2016. Close monitoring of the situation in Iraq will continue
throughout the year for potentially additional funds.
1. CRISIS OVERVIEW
The advancing of the Islamic State (IS) in Iraq started to escalate in January 2014 leading to the takeover of Mosul in
June 2015, Iraq’s second largest city in less than a day followed by the seizure of several other areas in the country.
Iraq is currently facing an escalating, complex and rapidly growing humanitarian crisis with millions of Iraqis displaced
by conflict and violence since the beginning of the crisis. During the period of January 2014 to October 2015,
approximately 3.2 million people have been forced to leave their homes due to three massive waves of displacement
(Anbar, Mosul and Sinjar) and several smaller ones (e.g. Heet). In August 2014, the IASC activated a system-wide
level three emergency status (L3) for Iraq.
The humanitarian crisis in Iraq has coincided with a governance crisis where the nation has lost a large portion of its
public revenue as a result of persistently low oil prices limiting the capacity of the national authorities to respond. The
public institutions have been facing difficulties in providing assistance to continuously growing number of displaced
people. With more than a decade of conflict and instability, Iraq continues to struggle in achieving political stability.
Previous conflicts and displacement during the last decade (including the protracted displacement situation which was
caused by the sectarian conflict from 2006 to 2008) have developed into an escalating and complex humanitarian
crisis. The situation in the country is characterized by several challenges (political, insecurity and economic) with
serious implications on national and global levels. As per the global INFORM index, Iraq is within the top ten and
ranked as number six out of 191 countries.
As the crisis in Syria is entering its fifth year conflict, Syrian refugees continue to flee to neighbouring countries to seek
refuge. As of December 2015, United Nations Refugee Agency (UNHCR) has registered some 250,000 Syrian
refugees currently residing in Iraq. The majority of the Syrian refugees (98 per cent) are in the Kurdistan Region of
Iraq (KRI) while a smaller proportion is in Al Obayidi camp in IS controlled Al Qaim in Anbar governorate. The majority
of the Syrian refugees, 62 per cent live in urban, peri-urban and rural areas with host communities wither in rental
accommodation or some sub-standard housing alternative. The remaining 38 per cent reside in ten camps across KRI
and Anbar.
Iraqi communities and authorities have shown great hospitality and tolerance despite the major ongoing national crisis
and have provided much needed shelter and protection to displaced populations that have fled their homes during the
conflict. With the Iraqi IDP crisis entering its third year alongside with the Syrian crisis in Iraq ongoing in the country
since 2012, with the fluidity of the security situation as a direct result of the continuous armed conflict the region, the
likelihood of further population displacement is high.
1.1 Geographical areas and affected population
According to the 2016 Iraq Humanitarian Response Plan (HRP), some 10 million people require humanitarian
assistance as a direct consequence of violence and conflict linked to the military campaign against IS. This figure
includes 3,2 million internally displaced Iraqis. Furthermore, approximately 3.0 million Iraqis in areas which are hard to
reach areas are in need of humanitarian assistance. Some 3.2 million Iraqis who reside in host communities have also
become vulnerable due to the increased demand of IDPs for essential public services. The target population for the
appeal will be 7.3 million people.
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The affected groups include women, children, minorities, returnees to deliberated areas and people who remain in
conflict areas in addition to people living in unfinished/abandoned building and informal settlements. Insufficient
sanitation and psychosocial trauma associated with substandard living conditions will increase the risks of deteriorated
health conditions amongst the vulnerable groups, including women, girls and children. There are major concerns
regarding sexual and other forms of sexual gender-based violence (SGBV) and child protection. Furthermore, the
protection of the IDPs and Syrian refugees in isolated living alternate (out of camps) needs special attention.
The vulnerable populations in Iraq continue to suffer from the effects of the conflict, breaches of International
Humanitarian Law (IHL), sectarian and social tension, displacement and insufficient basic social services. As the
trends of trajectory of the conflict in Iraq in addition to the duration, scale urgency has only been increasing since the
beginning of the conflict and protecting the all vulnerable populations within Iraq is crucial. Assistance needs to reach
all parts of the country.
1.2 Risks and threats
As the military interventions against IS continues to intensify in Iraq, the probability of a deterioration of the security is
high. Since the city of Mosul was seized by IS forces on 10 June 2014, the Iraqi Government with some international
support has been planning to retake the city. The initial plan was to launch an assault on Mosul in July or August
2015, however for various reasons, the retake was never initiated. The plans of a retake still remain however the
timeline is still unknown. The developments of the security situation in Iraq all point to a worsening humanitarian
situation in the country especially if the fight against IS intensifies. Many cities and towns will be affected including
Mosul. The retake of Mosul will without any doubt result into a large scale displacement similarly to the case of
Ramadi in April/May 2015.
During 2015, the security and humanitarian situation in Iraq has continued to deteriorate resulting into some 3.2 million
displaced people, out of which nearly one million is being hosted in KRI in addition to the 250,000 Syrian refugees.
The influx of IDPs to KRI has had an impact on both the Syrian refugees and displaced Iraqis in terms of the ability to
acquire and maintain self-reliance, specifically in the areas of employment and accommodation. One out of four
people residing in KRI is either an IDP or a refugee. The burden on the basic infrastructure and services (health,
education) for the IDPs, refugees and host communities is at great risk.
Access remains a main challenge encountered by organizations in Iraq. Besides hindering humanitarian actors from
reaching some of the most vulnerable populations, the constraints on access due to lack of security make it difficult to
gain a good understanding of the humanitarian needs in Iraq. Obtaining reliable information regarding the displaced
Iraqi population is a major issue. As the security situation outside KRI remains one of the key obstacles to reaching
populations in areas controlled by armed groups and IDPs remain highly mobile with some being displaced several
times. Moreover, the complex nature of the crisis and the protections concerns will continue to negatively affect the
humanitarian response.
In November 2015, the International Organization for Migration’s (IOM) Displacement Tracking Matrix reported that a
total of 415,632 individuals displaced since January 2014 had returned to their areas of origin with most people
returning to the central provinces of Salah al-Din, Diyala, and Ninewa. Returning to the place of origin has resulted
into a new set of vulnerabilities including destroyed homes, limited basic resources such as water and gas and in
some cases limited access to humanitarian assistance. Explosive Remnants of War (EWDs), improvised explosive
devices (IEDs) and landmines continue to impose a serious threat in contaminated areas. The host communities, IDPs
and returning populations are exposed to risks of injury and death. The humanitarian organizations estimated an
average of 324 IED incidents occurring on a monthly basis however the true scope of contamination is unknown due
to access limitation and lack of data.
UNHCR has already reported the departure of Syrian refugees leaving Iraq to migrate to other countries including
Europe. Tens of thousands of people Iraqis have already fled to the country and there is the risk of more following the
same route unless the displaced people in Iraq are provided safety, security and other options for remaining in the
country.
A generic risk in all countries with humanitarian needs is the risk of corruption. With general challenges in all societal
pillars including law, order, stability and justice - the area of checks and balances also becomes fragile. Iraq ranks on
number 161 out of 168 on Transparency Internationals Index for 2015.
1.3 Strategic objectives identified in the Humanitarian Response Plan and the 3RP for Iraq
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The previous Strategic Response Plan for Iraq was intended to cover the period of 2014 and 2015. This appeal was
however revised and in June 2015, an updated version of the Humanitarian Response Plan was launched. The 3RP
for Iraq is a two-year plan covering the period of 2015 to 2016.
The five Strategic Objectives identified in the 2015 HRP for Iraq include the following:
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Reach as many people in need as possible across Iraq;
Give options to families to live in Iraq with dignity;
Support voluntary, safe and dignified returns;
Bridge critical gaps in the social protection; and
Help people brutalized by violence cope and recover from trauma.
The prioritised interventions (humanitarian assistance component) identified in the 2016 3RP for Iraq
includes:
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Enhancing protection and assistance for refugees, in particular for out of camp refugees, through a community
based approach to ensure safety and dignity across sectors;
Strengthening education infrastructure and systems to provide opportunities for all children to access
education (refugees and non-refugees in the communities that host them);
Supporting children and their families, including through psychosocial services and structured parenting
programs to address the effects of violence and displacement;
Strengthening livelihood opportunities to increase self-reliance;
Strengthening infrastructure: in camps, to directly support refugees; and outside camps, to support impacted
communities;
Supporting local institutions and fostering private sector partnerships for extending service delivery to refugee
communities; and
Prioritization of cash based interventions over in-kind assistance whenever appropriate.
2. IN COUNTRY HUMANITARIAN CAPACITIES
2.1 National and local capacities and constraints
The ultimate responsibility of responding to the crisis in the country lies with the Government of Iraq. In July 2014, the
Supreme Committee for IDPs and Shelter was formed and is the main body for Government coordination of the crisis.
It was established to facilitate the bureaucratic procedures in order to provide assistance at a quicker rate. The
Government has responding the crisis by the provision of food rations and cash assistance. The Joint Coordination
and Monitoring Centre (JCMC) was created in Baghdad to strengthen a coordinated response to the humanitarian
crisis within the Government, and between the Government and the United Nations and its partners. Furthermore, the
Kurdistan Regional Government established its Joint Crisis Coordination Centre (JCC) in order to have an institutional
response and coordination institution capacity in the northern part of the country.
There are currently more than 60 national NGOs working directly with the humanitarian response in Iraq in addition to
several religious organizations. Since many areas in Iraq are currently under IS control, humanitarian access is very
limited. The national organizations therefore play an important role in reaching people in areas where international
organizations cannot reach. The NGO Coordination Committee of Iraq (NCCI) coordinates the national and
international organizations and also focuses on building the capacity of the local partners.
The Iraqi Red Crescent Society (IRCS) is operating in the country and due to the nature of the society, works with the
nationwide network of offices and staff/volunteers. This IRCS is supported by International Federation of the Red
Cross/Crescent (IFRC) and the International Committee of the Red Cross (ICRC).
2.2 International operational capacities and constraints
In August 2014, the Inter-Agency Standing Committee (IASC) activated a system-wide emergency response when it
declared Iraq to be so called Level 3 (L3) emergency. This is the highest possible grading within the international
humanitarian system and the decision to activate the L3 mechanism is taken based on the scale, complexity, urgency,
capacity, and reputational risk of the emergency. Prior to the declaration of the L3, the humanitarian response
activities of the Syrian refugees in Iraq was ongoing as part of the regional L3 Syrian crisis including the neighbouring
countries. There are currently two parallel systems coordinated simultaneously with OCHA leading the IDP
humanitarian response and UNHCR coordinating the Syrian refugee response in Iraq.
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In total, there are some 188 humanitarian partners present nationally and support the Government of Iraq in
responding to the humanitarian emergency. The organizations are divided into 15 United Nations agencies and more
than 170 international and national NGOs. Assistance is also provided by other states and private sector entities.
2.3 International and Regional assistance
The top donors who have provided funding for the Iraq HRP 2015 include United States, European Commission,
Germany, Japan, Canada and the United Kingdom. Other donors who have been providing financial support to the
crisis in Iraq are Kuwait and the United Arab Emirates.
In January 2015, the Emergency Relief Coordinator approved eight MUSD from CERF underfunded emergencies
window allocations for the humanitarian operations in Iraq including the immediate needs related to the Syrian
refugees in Iraq with particular focus on immediate needs related to Syrian refugees. As of 07 December 2015, 237
MUSD had been provided against the 704 MUSD appeal (66 per cent funded). Sweden has contributed to the HRP
appeal with approximately 15 MUSD.
3. SIDAs HUMANITARIAN RESPONSE PLAN
3.1. Sidas role
Prior to the current crisis in Iraq, Sida worked with mainly development activities however after the current started in
January 2014, Sida has increased its support to humanitarian actors in order to respond to the crisis. The initial
humanitarian assistance allocated for Iraq was 67 MSEK in 2014. The contributions that were allocated to the various
agencies are the following: International Committee of the Red Cross (ICRC), UNHCR, UNICEF, OCHA, NRC,
SCI/RB, ACF and SRK. Furthermore, in June 2015, the Iraq Humanitarian Pooled Fund was established against
which Sida contributed to 8 MSEK.
As the humanitarian crisis started around January 2014, the funding provided to partners in Iraq increased to more
than 104 MSEK (December 2015). This figure includes Rapid Response Mechanism (RRM) contributions which
consist of both secondments of professional staff in addition to financial support.
3.2. Response Priorities 2016
During 2015, Sida focused on providing support to essential services including WASH, health and shelter and NFI
programmes. Furthermore, a strong emphasis was put on protection including child protection. In 2016, Sida’s
priorities for Iraq will be within the following sectors:
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International Humanitarian Law (IHL) and Protection
Delivering appropriate protection interventions to all civilians in Iraq affected by the crisis in Iraq is a priority
since violations of human rights and IHL by the IS and other armed groups is widespread. By advocating for
the respect of international protections standards in order to best serve the most vulnerable populations, such
as women, girls, men, boys, elderly, disabled some ethnics and religious groups.
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Shelter and Non-Food Items (NFI)
During 2015, displaced people have continued experiencing challenges with having adequate shelter. Some
70 per cent of the IDPs live with host families or in rented accommodation. There are still some 2 million
people in need shelter support and NFIs. In insecure shelter conditions, women, girls, boys and men are
exposed to unnecessary risk of being exposed to sexual and gender-based violence. Safe and dignified
shelters contribute to improved health, protection and the overall wellbeing of the target populations.
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Essential Services (WASH and Health)
The population in affected areas encounter challenges in accessing essential public services. Due to the
ongoing crisis, services within the host community are overstretched catering to the IDPs. The additional
burden on the existing national systems will inevitably contribute to increased vulnerability and tension
between the host community and the IDPs. Access and provision of basic social services for all people living
in the affected areas is a priority.
The Iraq HRP will be focusing on a Whole of Iraq approach by expanding assistance to all parts of the country. A
contingency plan is being prepared by the humanitarian community together with the Government of including the
JCC and JCMC for the potential event of a military operation for the retake of Mosul. The operation is anticipanted
result into a major displacement. Plans are made for the most appropriate locations to set up camps to accommodate
the IDPs in addition to the pre-positioning of necessary items that will be needed.
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The Swedish country strategy for Iraq has expired and remaining development cooperation is guided by a phase out
plan. Existing agreements are honoured and gradually expiring 2015-2016 with limited extensions for two prioritized
projects (support to Prime Minister´s Office (organization, results monitoring, leadership of Government of Iraq Crisis
Committee) and pilot project for decentralised social services in Duhok and Al Qadissiyah. Sweden supports, via
Ministry of Foreign Affairs, the UNDP Trust Fund for stabilization.
3.3. Partners
A total of six strategic framework partners of Sida humanitarian unit have submitted initial submission proposals
indicating an interest in receiving funds for programmes in Iraq during 2016. Two out of the six partners (International
Rescue Committee/IRC and Norwegian Rescue Council/NRC) have suggesting to work with both the IDPs and Syrian
refugees in Iraq while the remaining four are proposing to implement projects addressing the Iraqi population in need.
IRC will be covered under the budget for the HCA Syria crisis while NRC is covered under the Iraq HCA budget.
IRW is a new partner for 2016 who has worked in areas like Anbar since the beginning of the Syrian crisis and will be
focusing efforts in Baghdad and Anbar. NRC will continue its work in KRI but will also expand activities in Bagdad and
Anbar. ACF through Sida support has during 2015 been working within the WASH sector in KRI but will now expand
activities to Diyala. SC is currently expanding activities in the country and will be with Sida support focusing on the
education and child protection sectors. The SRK is a key partner who will continue its work with the Iraqi Red
Crescent Society who have a board presence throughout the country providing emergency assistance where needed.
In addition, to the Strategic Framework partners, the following organizations are recommended for allocations in 2015:
UNHCR is a key partner in the Iraq crisis and the lead the Shelter/NFI cluster which is a sector that will need attention
during 2016. Due to the recent health crisis in Iraq, UNICEF is proposed as a partner in the country. The organizations
added value is that it leads several sectors including health/nutrition, WASH and education. Their multi-sectoral
approach will be of added value in this context. OCHA is one of Sida’s partners and plays an important role in the
coordination of the humanitarian response in Iraq, therefore, is essential to support. Furthermore, the Iraq
Humanitarian Pooled Fund (IHPF) which was launched in June 2015 is managed by OCHA which will be yet another
channel for support. The IHPF added value is that funding can be provided to other organizations local and
international NGOs in addition to other agencies who do not receive direct support from Sida humanitarian unit. Some
of the access constraints can be addressed by supporting local NGOs. IOM is also proposed for their wide presence
in the country and for the various sectors that they cover. ICRC has been present in Iraq since 1980 and will be focus
on protection, assistance activities involving assisting people in need in order to meet their basic needs and restore
their livelihoods. In addition, ICRC will promote IHL and support the Iraqi Red Crescent Society.
SIDA’s HUMANITARIAN ASSISTANCE TO IRAQ in 2016
Recommended
support
partner
for
Swedish Red Cross (SRK)
Save the Children (SC)
Action Contre la Faim (ACF)
Norwegian Refugee Council (NRC)
Islamic Relief Worldwide (IRW)
ICRC
UNICEF
UNHCR
OCHA
OCHA IHPF
IOM
Sida Sector/focus of work (incl. integrated Proposed amount
or multi sectorial programming )
by Sida
Emergency assistance, Capacity building
CP and education
WASH
WASH and shelter
Food, health and hygiene
Protection, assistance, prevention, health,
water and habitat
Health/nutrition and WASH
Multi-sector
Coordination
Multi-sector
Multi-sector
3 MSEK
4 MSEK
7 MSEK
8 MSEK
4 MSEK
20 MSEK
13 MSEK
13 MSEK
3 MSEK
17 MSEK
8 MSEK
Total: 100 MSEK
SOURCES
OCHA: Iraq Humanitarian Needs Overview (HNO), 2015
OCHA: Iraq Humanitarian Response Plan (HRP), 2016
UNHCR/UNDP: Iraq Regional Refugee and Resilience Plan 2015-2016 (3RP), 2016-2017
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