Highlights
More than 6.7 million people in Iraq, including 3.3 million children under 18 years, will need humanitarian assistance in 2019. Although armed violence has declined, and over 4.2 million people are returning to their homes, 1.7 million people, including 800,000 children, remain displaced. Over 30 percent of displaced children live in camps, where the delivery of basic services is essential to reducing the risk of disease and ensuring access to water and sanitation facilities, vaccination, education, and protective spaces. Vulnerable families returning to affected communities are in danger due to explosive hazards. Children are increasingly out of school in both in camps for displaced populations and in non-camp settings. Girls, boys, and women who have survived gender-based violence require specialized services to recover and re-engage with their families and communities. After decades of violence and neglect, Iraq’s public services remain overstretched, with damaged water and sanitation networks and overburdened health systems putting children at risk of disease outbreaks. Since the start of 2018, 232 children have suffered grave violations of their rights, including killing, maiming, and recruitment into armed groups. The humanitarian crisis is compounded by natural disasters, such as earthquakes, floods, and drought, which are threatening children’s safety across the country.
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