Iraq Crisis - Reproductive Health and Support for Survivors of Violence - UNFPA 2016-2018

September 2016 – The humanitarian situation in Iraq continues to deteriorate as armed clashes between Daesh and government forces drive displacement. Since January 2014 over 3.3 million people have been displaced and an additional 887 000 previously displaced people have returned to their homes that have often been destroyed making it one of the largest cases of internal displacement in the world. Persecution of minority groups is an ongoing concern as well as the protection of women and children who are at an increased risk of (and in some cases targeted for) sexual violence such as rape as well as child early and forced marriage. Canada is helping reduce the vulnerability of hundreds of thousands of crisis-affected people especially women and children through a broad spectrum of humanitarian assistance activities across Iraq. GAC’s multi-year humanitarian support to United Nations Population Fund (UNFPA) in Iraq is contributing to addressing sexual and gender-based violence (SGBV) and meeting the reproductive health (RH) needs of vulnerable women and girls. Project activities include: (1) distributing Rapid Response Mechanism (RRM) Dignity Kits; (2) conducting SGBV case management for survivors; (3) providing mobile SGBV services along internally displaced corridors; (4) establishing women-only community centres and spaces; (5) disseminating information on SGBV risk mitigation and available services; (6) strengthening coordination mechanisms of multi-sectoral SGBV responses; (7) building the capacity of national SGBV service providers; (8) providing emergency life-saving RH services to new pregnant women internally displaced persons (IDP) and returnees through mobile delivery rooms and clinics; (9) procuring medical equipment and RH kits; and (10) establishing RH clinics in new IDP camps.

The expected outcomes for this project include: (1) improved access to emergency obstetric and reproductive healthcare for survivors of SGBV and pregnant women including IDPs and returnees through mobile and static clinics; (2) improved case management for survivors of SGBV; (3) improved access to safe women-only spaces for vulnerable women and girls; (4) improved knowledge on SGBV risk mitigation strategies and available services; and (5) improved capacity of national SGBV service providers. The expected ultimate outcome is lives saved suffering alleviated and human dignity maintained in countries experiencing humanitarian crisis or that are food insecure.