Falling Short: The Unmet Needs of Iraq's Internally Displaced

December 3, 2007

One of the world's worst humanitarian crises is reaching a boiling point. Religious, ethnic and political discrimination, coupled with deteriorating security conditions, continues to drive up to 60,000 Iraqis from their homes each month — according to the United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees (UNHCR).

This paper, "Falling Short," reflects the real needs of some of those Iraqis, compiled from a door-to-door needs assessment survey of 10,337 displaced families, representing nearly 46,000 individuals, from April to August 2007.

The fear, insecurity and uncertainty that force people to leave their homes has now affected an estimated four million Iraqis, creating the second worse displacement crisis in the world. Whether displaced inside Iraq or in neighboring countries such as Jordan or Syria, displaced Iraqi families are among the most vulnerable populations in the Middle East.

In general, this population lacks access to jobs, schools, documentation for government assistance or legal residency, adequate healthcare, and basic services such as water and electricity.

Without an income, most families have had to drain their savings or depend upon support from family and friends to keep a roof over their heads and food on the table. Given how long many of these families have been displaced without suitable assistance, many have already spent the last of their savings and their situations are becoming increasingly dire.

American support — including leadership from the U.S. Congress — is critical to address and alleviate this deepening humanitarian crisis.

Thus far, Mercy Corps has provided emergency humanitarian assistance such as drinking water, blankets, cooking stoves and kerosene to over 140,000 internally-displaced persons (IDPs) across three Iraqi provinces, including some of the most violence-racked cities.

Soup kitchens feeding 150 Iraqis a day and monthly rations to another 500 needy families are ways in which Mercy Corps helps ease the plight of some of the more than half a million Iraqis taking refuge in Jordan. In Syria, we're distributing food parcels and personal-hygiene kits to hundreds of families through our partnership with the Middle East Council of Churches.

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