Highlights
As of 16 March there were 3.4 million displaced individuals in Iraq, at least 47 percent of which are children under 18 years old.
A spike in verified reports of killing and maiming of children occurred in March affecting 144 children (14 girls, 112 boys and 18 sex unknown). As military operations continue in Anbar Governorate and near Mosul city in Ninewa, reports of males including boys being detained for screening were widespread. Boys were reportedly separated from families, held with adult males, and not transferred to juvenile police as required by law.
UNICEF took part in an inter-agency mission to Makhmour, Erbil Governorate on 27 March to assess the conditions of some 2,000 individuals displaced after escalation of violent conflict in the area. Health, WASH and Child Protection services are reaching this population.
In March, UNICEF supported teacher training for 135 teachers in Ninewa and Baghdad governorates as part of a wider programme of trainings that will continue throughout the year. Distribution of learning materials took place in, Anbar, Baghdad, Babylon Dahuk and Erbil reaching more than 33,000 children.
As of 31 March, UNICEF’s Rapid Response Mechanism (RRM) and Cash Assistance response under the 2016 HRP remain 100 percent un-funded. UNICEF is relying on remaining 2015 carryover funding to ensure continuation of basic services for children and families.
Situation Overview & Humanitarian Needs
Ten million people are estimated to be in need of humanitarian assistance in Iraq, of which approximately 4.7 million are children. As of 16 March 2016, there were 3,401,670 internally displaced persons (IDPs) and 547,602 returnees across Iraq. 2 At the request of the Erbil Refugee Council, Governorate of Erbil, an interagency mission including UNICEF took place to Makhmour on 27 March 2016 to assess the conditions of some 2,000 IDPs who started arriving in Makhmour after the escalation of violent conflict in nearby areas. Concerns were raised about the suitability of the transit site – a two-storey building - being used as a location to house new arrivals. Overcrowding was identified as an issue, with women and children occupying most of the space and men assigned to two separate rooms. Basic service provision has commenced while discussions are ongoing with local authorities and, as of 27 March, additional tented space was being established to relieve the pressure. The governorates hosting the largest IDP populations are Baghdad, Anbar and Dahuk, with 48 percent of the total IDP population. Of more than 3.4 million individuals displaced in Iraq, only 10 percent currently reside in formal camps or settlements, with the majority living either with relatives or in rented accommodation.