EU pledges €3 million in aid of vulnerable children in Iraq
Iraqi children
Baghdad (IraqiNews.com) – The European Union (EU) has pledged EUR 3 million to provide Iraq’s vulnerable children with lifesaving assistance, including safe drinking water and health services.
According to the UN Assistance Mission for Iraq (UNAMI), the funds will be also channeled into improving the quality of education and providing psychosocial support to alleviate toxic stress from prolonged exposure to violence.
An estimated 4 million children need urgent and sustained humanitarian assistance across Iraq.
“The humanitarian crisis in Iraq presents a major challenge where children are among the most vulnerable,” said Christos Stylianides, the European Commissioner for Humanitarian Aid and Crisis Management.
“Providing access to life-saving emergency supplies for displaced people, and assisting Iraqi children with healthcare, safe access to quality education, psychosocial assistance and legal protection, remain top EU priorities in Iraq,” he added
The conflict in Iraq has left critical infrastructure in parts of the country, including schools and hospitals, partially or completely destroyed. More than half a million people are still living in displacement camps and rely on humanitarian support to survive.
The latest funds from the EU will build on previous achievements, including maintaining services in the camps, rehabilitating damaged schools, providing teachers with training courses and learning materials so that children can learn in a safe and protective environment and aspire towards a better future.
In the first seven months of 2018, UNICEF delivered education supplies for nearly 200,000 children (including 80,000 girls) across Iraq and trained 256 teachers on education in emergencies and providing psychosocial support to students. Over 100,000 children have received psychosocial support to aid their psychological recovery.
The EU contributions to UNICEF in Iraq totaled €10.7 million between 2017 and 2018. The funds have supported lifesaving activities such as nutrition, water and sanitation as well as improving access to education for children displaced by conflict.