UNAMI Newsletter United Nations Assistance Mission for Iraq Newsletter - Issue 12 May 2011 IN THIS ISSUE SRSG Ad Melkert witnesses harsh realities of displaced families in Baghdad SRSG Ad Melkert witnesses harsh reali- ties of displaced families in Baghdad ..... 1 UNHCR hands over 300 houses to inter- nally displaced Iraqis in Diwaniyah ........ 2 Ad Melkert calls on Government to fully protect freedom of expression in Iraq ....... 3 Iraq celebrates World Press Freedom Day: First Iraqi Bloggers Union launched ......... 4 Ad Melkert: Social and economic future of Iraq will be determined by Iraqis ............... 5 UN-HABITAT Executive Director visits Iraq ........................................................ 6 UN report calls on Government to improve the life all Baghdad residents .................... 7 UN-HABITAT conference provides new roadmap for Iraq’s local government ...... 8 Road safety a health priority in Iraq ..... 10 Iraqi Government committed to increasing resources for survivors of gender-based violence ................................................ 10 Health Ministry implements Basic Health Service Package .................................. 11 Kurdistan Bar Association legal aid work- Ad Melkert talks to a displaced family during his visit to Al-Awasa settlement, in Bagdhda’s Al-Karkh district on 21 May 2011. shop: Lawyers explore legal aid arrange- Photo: Bikem Ekberzade/ UNAMI PIO ments ................................................... 12 IOM, Mines Advisory Group rehabilitate water system ........................................ 13 amilies in the Al-Awasa settlement most often of which is collected by ille- News Briefs .......................................... 14 still recall with pain the day when, gally hooking up to the main network fearing for their lives, they had to via jerry-rigged, plastic pipes. The same List of UN Acronyms ............................. 15 F flee their homes in Abu Ghraib, Al Yu- holds true for obtaining electricity, as sufiya and Al Latifiya and other areas many unlawfully tap into the national of Bagdhad. Most headed toward the power grid. As for health care, while west-bank of the Tigris River to the Al- there is a clinic near the settlement re- The more governments Karkh district, in Baghdad, to endure the puted for its good equipment, displaced have tried to suppress plight of the 1.3 million Iraqi internally families can not benefit from it. displaced persons (IDPs). the flow of information and the The residents of the Al-Awasa settlement peoples’ access to it, the more Some 280 displaced families, who ended live in two areas: in one part, the land be- determined and ingenious have up in the Al-Karkh area, built small make- longs to the Baghdad municipality and shift homes of mud, roofed with whatev- in the other, to the Ministry of Defence. become the ways and means of er came handy: oil drums, reed, blankets Most of these families are not registered thwarting such restrictions and or even scraps of old damaged tanks. A with the Ministry of Displacement and repression few lucky ones managed to build their Migration, because they either do not houses from bricks. possess the necessary documents or they did not meet the Ministry’s eligibil- Mr. Ad Melkert, Most of the families, who made the ity criteria. Considered by the authorities the Special Representative of the settlement home, are cramped into one to be illegal, most of the 280 families live UN Secretary-General for Iraq to two rooms with little access to water, in constant fear of being evicted with no- ing conditions inside the settlement, Kälin, the Government should develop where to go. by partnering with the Iraqi Salvation a national action plan to deal with the Humanitarian Organization, a national immediate humanitarian needs and hu- This is the harsh reality that the Spe- NGO. The UN refugee agency and its na- man rights of all communities affected cial Representative of the UN-Secretary tional partner have been repairing 273 by displacement, including access to ba- General (SRSG) for Iraq, Mr. Ad Melkert, shelters and fumigating 284 units, while sic services, registration as IDPs, delivery witnessed first-hand in his visit to the Al- building some 120 toilets with septic of assistance, and mechanisms to iden- Awasa settlement on 21 May, accompa- tanks and providing a total of 117 water tify those most vulnerable. nied by the UN Refugee agency (UNHCR) tanks and 274 water filters. Acting Representative, Mr. Tarik Kurdi. Measures to bring vital services, such Unfortunately, the situation of those in as water, medical care, sanitation and As he walked into the settlement, the Al-Awasa settlement is far from unique. garbage collection, to those in informal SRSG saw how the camp had no basic In Baghdad alone, there are 121 settle- settlements should also be addressed, utilities including a sewage system, forc- ments where thousands of displaced he stressed, while calling on a long-term ing the families to make crude canals. families are in dire straits. UNHCR esti- strategy that provides a comprehensive He was greeted in makeshift homes and mates there are around 1.3 million in- solution, namely return and local inte- spoke to families who struggle to make ternally displaced Iraqis, with 500,000 of gration, access to education and em- ends meet, often by occasionally work- them living in extremely precarious con- ployment opportunities. ing as daily labourers, constructors or ditions, in desperate need of emergency porters. The residents told Mr. Melkert The UN envoy also cautioned federal and assistance and protection. the story of their plight since they fled regional authorities to ensure that the to the camp due to violence, living day In February 2011, the UN Secretary- rights of IDPs are not adversely affected by day, season by season in Baghdad’s General on the rights of IDPs, Mr. Walter by political or economic factors, while grueling heat, bitter cold and uncertain Kälin, published a report on the rights of noting that the Government and the in- future. this vulnerable population following an ternational community must provide the official visit to Iraq he conducted from 26 sufficient resources and support needed The SRSG also witnessed the work UN- September to 3 October 2010. Among to assist this vulnerable population. HCR is undertaking to improve the liv- the chief recommendations made by Mr. Humanitarian Support UNHCR hands over 300 houses to internally displaced Iraqis in Diwaniyah By Gwen Le Coste and Nadjia Hafsa, UNHCR Iraq raq has experienced many waves of internal displacement due to conflict, Isectarian violence and forced popula- tion movements. To date, more than 1.3 million Iraqis remain displaced from their homes inside Iraq and some 470,000 dis- placed Iraqis strive to survive as squat- ters in dilapidated public buildings or makeshift settlements. In Diwaniyah, a city in central Iraq, some 12,000 displaced Iraqis and squatters live in 13 settlements that lack potable water, sewage and garbage collection. Access to schools and health centers is also generally a challenge considering that most displaced families don’t have an income. Since early 2010, the United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees (UN- UNHCR Representative, Mr. Tarik Kurdi, hands over 300 houses to IDP squatters in Diwaniyah on 30 May 2011. Photo: UNHCR HCR) Iraq and its implementing partners, in cooperation with the Ministry of Mi- www.uniraq.org UNAMI Newsletter 2 gration and Displacement (MoDM), have not only to construct 192 houses, but yah who are willing to locally integrate been providing humanitarian assistance to increase the number of units to 300 in their location of displacement. to the most vulnerable people in this homes. While touring the site, UNHCR Repre- governorate. The assistance included the The refugee agency and its implement- sentative Kurdi visited the newly-built provision of non-food items, legal aid ing partner, the Danish Refugee Council houses and spoke to many beneficiaries services, water and sanitation interven- (DRC), immediately swung into action. whose dream of owning a safe and stur- tions. The organization also works closely By 30 May, UNHCR Acting Representa- dy home had come true. Many families with the central and local government to tive Tarik Kurdi was able to travel to Di- informed him that now that they feel identify durable solutions for displaced waniyah to officially hand over all 300 safe in their new homes and that all they families including the prospect of their residences to these most vulnerable need is a regular income which will en- integration in local communities. families in Al Ansaf village who are now able them to live a decent life. Following a visit by Mr. António Guterres, proud homeowners. UNHCR stands ready to support initia- the High Commissioner for Refugees, to A high-level delegation of the MoDM, tives of local integration of displaced Iraq in January 2011, and discussions the Governor of Diwaniyah, officials from persons and urges the central govern- held with the Iraqi Government, the lo- the Governorate, as well as representa- ment to achieve their strategy to end the cal government in Diwaniyah approved tives of UNHCR’s implementing partners plight of the displaced and vulnerable the allocation of 4,200 land plots in Al- in Diwaniyah, attended the ceremony. families also residing in public complex- Ansaf village to internally displaced and es and buildings in Iraq. The UN refugee vulnerable families who live in public The Governor of Diwaniyah and the Dep- agency also calls on the Government of buildings and land in the governorate. uty Minister of MoDM, Dr Salam Al-Khaf- Iraq to ensure resources are committed This land allocation constituted a unique aji, thanked the international communi- for larger scale projects similar to that of opportunity for the displaced families ty, particularly UNHCR and DRC, for their Diwaniyah. and squatters in Diwaniyah who have contribution. They also expressed their been living under threats of eviction. wishes to see such initiatives replicated For more information, please contact: in other districts of the locailty.