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COVID-19’s impact on Social Cohesion in Iraq

COVID-19’s impact on Social Cohesion in Iraq cannot be ignored in recovery efforts: New report

The impact of COVID-19 on social cohesion in Iraq represents yet another challenge faced by communities across the country and must be addressed to ensure Iraq’s full recovery from the pandemic, according to a new report released today by the United Nations Development Programme (UNDP) in Iraq, in collaboration with the International Organization for Migration (IOM).

The policy paper is the third in a series released by UNDP Iraq on the impact of COVID-19 in Iraq. Building on the first two reports, the Impact of COVID-19 and the Oil Crisis on Iraq’s Fragility, and the Impact of COVID-19 on the Iraqi Economy

The Impact of COVID-19 on Social Cohesion in Iraq notes COVID-19’s exacerbation of existing and sometimes deeply rooted political, economic, social and security challenges, highlighting its resulting impact on the country’s diverse social fabric.

Resident Representative of UNDP Iraq, Zena Ali Ahmad, said:

“Social cohesion is critical to achieving our central objective of leaving no one behind.

“While the Iraqi Government is wholly committed to improving social cohesion in Iraq, the challenges remain significant, with COVID-19 adding to already complex social dynamics in and between communities.

“Scaling-up confidence-building measures, while tackling the pandemic, remains an enormous challenge, and this report makes policy recommendations to help the Government and other stakeholders effectively plan for Iraq’s recovery. Strengthening the social contract between citizens and the State should be the baseline for Iraq’s recovery, and UNDP Iraq stands ready to support this effort.“

Additional thematic policy papers will be released in the coming months focusing on the implications of the pandemic on social protection, environmental sustainability and the socioeconomic fallout on vulnerable households.

UNDP Iraq is grateful to the International Organization for Migration (IOM) in Iraq for its collaboration on The Impact of COVID-19 on Social Cohesion in Iraq.

Read the paper here.

(Source: UNDP)

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Al-Kadhemi opens new Medical Center in Najaf

By John Lee.

Iraqi Prime Minister Mustafa Al-Kadhemi has opened the new Al-Shifa Medical Center 13 at Al-Kindi Hospital in Najaf.

The new facility is built on an area of two thousand square meters, with capacity of 120 beds, including 48 beds for intensive care.

It has beds for dialysis and an integrated oxygen system, in addition to x-ray and sonar rooms, laboratory and other services.

(Source: Govt of Iraq)

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Calls for Expression of Interest: Training on GBV Reporting

Calls for expression of interest: training on GBV reporting during health crises

The United Nations Population Fund (UNFPA) in Iraq will conduct in collaboration with UNFPA Syria Hub a training session for Arab-speaking journalists in Iraq on GBV reporting during health crises: COVID-19.

This training aims to provide participants with advanced skills in covering gender-based violence in light of the Covid-19 pandemic in Iraq and emphasise the role of the media in highlighting cases by producing good quality reports based on ethical standards.

The programme targets 25 journalists from all Iraqi provinces through the implementation of four online training workshops. Each session lasts one hour twice a week every Monday and Wednesday from 26 November until 10 December through the Zoom.

After the training, each participant will be required to prepare a report/story on gender-based violence in light of the COVID-19 pandemic.

Who can apply?

  1. The journalist should have experience in covering cases of violence
  2. The journalist should be able to speak and write in Arabic
  3. The journalist should present samples of previous journalistic work (links to press materials in the same field are preferred)
  4. The journalist should be committed to cover stories of GBV cases according to the standards delivered during the training
  5. The journalist should have a stable internet connection
  6. The journalist should be able to work full time during training days

How to apply?

FILL OUT THE FORM

Deadline:

Sunday 15 November 2020

(Source: UN)

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Iraqi Camp Closures leave 100,000 in Limbo

The ongoing rapid closure of displacement camps in Iraq is rendering homeless more than 100,000 people in the middle of the Covid-19 pandemic and at the onset of winter.

The Norwegian Refugee Council (NRC) is extremely concerned about the fate of thousands of displaced families living in camps across the country that are being closed down rapidly, including NRC-managed Hammam Al Alil Camp.

People in camps in Baghdad, Kerbala, Divala, Suleimaniya, Anbar, Kirkuk and Ninewa are being forced out with little notice, and are expected to return to their areas of origin. Many come from neighbourhoods that are still totally destroyed and they also risk being blocked at checkpoints, or even arrested, because of lack of security clearance and perceived affiliation with armed groups.

“Closing camps before residents are willing or able to return to their homes does little to end the displacement crisis. On the contrary, it keeps scores of displaced Iraqis trapped in this vicious cycle of displacement, leaving them more vulnerable than ever, especially in the middle of a raging pandemic,” said NRC Secretary General Jan Egeland.

So far, based on instructions by the Iraqi authorities, some 600 households have left Hammam Al Alil Camp — which is one of the largest displacement camps slated to close by next week.

Ahlam, a 49-year-old woman from Mosul living in Hammam Al Alil, burst into tears upon hearing about her forced eviction from the camp. “This is my home. Why would you force me out of my home? We will become homeless. It feels like a funeral to me.” She said her last resort would be to set up her tent somewhere in Mosul. Some camp residents have had to sell their tents simply to cover transport costs to go back to their areas of origin.

Tracking of people who have been forced to leave camps in Baghdad and Kerbala in the past weeks shows that nearly half of them have not been able to return to their areas of origin so far, according to the International Organisation of Migration. Many end up in precarious settings on the edge of towns, in damaged, unsafe apartments or unfinished buildings, lacking basic necessities and health care, and forced into further displacement.

A 47-year-old woman pushed out of a camp last year recounted how she had to move four times before ending up in another camp — a scenario faced also last week by evicted families who made plans to move to another camp only to be told the second camp is closing down too.

“The most difficult thing when they transport you in cars and you don’t know where you are heading, is to know that most of these areas do not want you,” the woman said.

NRC calls on the Iraqi government to provide a clear plan for camp closures and share that information with families at least a month ahead so that they can make necessary arrangements. Authorities need to ensure coordination with receiving districts so that returnees are not turned away at checkpoints, as well as involve humanitarian organisations in the planning so that returnees can be helped en route and upon arrival at their destination. Those who are unable to return safely to their homes also need to be provided with resettlement and local integration options.

“Anything short of such measures will expose tens of thousands of displaced Iraqis to continued deprivation, rejection and violence,” Jan Egeland added. “We urge the international community to keep supporting the Iraqis forced out of camps, many of whom have no chance of returning home. With the pandemic and onset of winter, it is urgent to scale up emergency support.”

(Source: NRC, ReliefWeb)

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Drug Smuggling and Abuse on the Rise in Iraq

By Adnan Abu Zeed for Al Monitor. Any opinions expressed here are those of the author(s) and do not necessarily reflect the views of Iraq Business News.

Drug smuggling, abuse on the rise in Iraq

Iraq suffers from the flow of drugs from neighboring countries, especially Iran, through the marshes and other border crossings, and the spread among the youth has become a threat to society.

Click here to read the full story.

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Achieving SDGs to Recover from COVID in Iraq

Conference highlights importance of achieving SDGs to recover from COVID-19 pandemic

The challenges and opportunities of achieving the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) in the context of COVID-19 was the focus of a two-day conference organized by the Ministry of Planning in cooperation with the United Nations Development Programme (UNDP) in Iraq.

Held on the fifth anniversary of the adoption of the SDGs, the conference provided an opportunity for  dialogue among development partners from ministries, civil society organizations, universities, the private sector, and youth groups to work together, exchange ideas, and identify opportunities for Iraq to progress on the ambitious SDG agenda.

Globally, COVID-19 has caused a crisis with far reaching impact on economic and human development. Iraq Is not an exception, and the country has been impacted by the ‘dual crisis’ of COVID-19 and the decline in oil prices.

These shocks are more likely to have a more severe effect on marginalized groups, including women, the elderly, people with disabilities, minorities, displaced people, and people living in informal settlements. This makes it imperative to remember what the 2030 Agenda called for, to leave no one behind.

With only ten years remaining to achieve the ambitious agenda, the SDGs are more important today than ever before as they aim to transform systems that undermine well-being and perpetuate vulnerabilities.

Resident Representative of UNDP Iraq, Zena Ali Ahmad, said:

“The past few months have given us an opportunity, in partnership with the esteemed Ministry of Planning and our partners in other sectors, to rethink what a ‘new normal’ would look like post the COVID-19 pandemic.

“We should collectively work hard to support the achievement of the SDGs in Iraq and prevent any regression in the development gains that have been achieved over the past years.”

(Source: UN)

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Video: Pollution blamed for Killing Fish in Iraq

From Al Jazeera. Any opinions expressed are those of the author(s), and do not necessarily reflect the views of Iraq Business News.

Pollution in southern Iraq is being blamed for killing thousands of fish.

Locals say the government has allowed sewage to poison the livelihoods of fishermen.

Al Jazeera’s Simona Foltyn reports from Karbala province:

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New COVID-19 Isolation Ward opens in Dohuk

Newly-constructed COVID-19 Isolation Ward opens in Dohuk

A 20-bed Isolation Ward designed to handle the most severe COVID-19 patients has been officially opened by the Governor of Dohuk in partnership with the United States Agency for International Development (USAID) and the United Nations Development Programme (UNDP) in Iraq.

Constructed by UNDP and funded by USAID, the Isolation Ward sits adjacent to Dohuk’s Burns and Plastic Surgery Hospital and will serve a catchment area of 325,000 residents from Duhok, Akre, Semel, Zakho, Shekhan, Amedi and Bardarash districts. It includes life-saving medical equipment, most of which was also funded by USAID.

The facility is one of 13 isolation wards currently being established across the country by UNDP to support the Government of Iraq and Kurdistan Regional Government’s efforts to manage the COVID-19 pandemic. Other measures under UNDP’s response package include increasing the testing capacity of laboratories, providing personal protective equipment to healthcare workers and undertaking assessments to establish post-COVID-19 recovery strategies.

“The new isolation Ward is critical for Dohuk, which continues to host a high number of people displaced from the ISIL conflict, as well as Syrian refugees. This facility will help alleviate pressure on nearby health centers, providing quality care for infected patients and a purpose-built environment for frontline workers,” says Resident Representative of UNDP Iraq, Zena Ali Ahmad.

“This facility could not have been established without the generous funding from one of our key partners, USAID, so we are extremely grateful for their continuous support,” adds Ms Ali Ahmad.

“The United States is proud to continue helping communities through building facilities like this one. We will continue to work with the KRG as we face this pandemic, and we will all come through this together,” says U.S. Consul General Rob Waller.

In future, the Isolation Ward can be repurposed to treat patients with airborne infections and respiratory illnesses. The equipment can also be used to enhance the capacity of ICUs to provide intensive respiratory care.

(Source: UNDP)

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Time to focus on Girls in Iraq

Their voice, our equal future, time to focus on girls in Iraq

11th October marked the International Day of the Girl Child, a day dedicated to girls’ empowerment, fulfilment of girls’ rights and solving challenges that they face.

This year, the global theme is “My Voice, Our Equal Future,” a reminder to listen to girls , understand the changes they want to see and to ensure that all of them have an equal opportunity for a bright, safe and healthy future.

In Iraq, the challenges experienced by girls and boys are many and complex. Violence against children, including young people is unacceptably high in Iraq, with 80 per cent facing violence at home and in schools. Many girls in Iraq, like millions of girls around the world, suffer from female genital mutilation, child marriage, sexual harassment and abuse, and other harmful practices.

Girls across Iraq continue to be particularly affected by increased insecurity, which in turn has imposed restrictions on movement that affects their access to education, protection and jobs. Young girls are keen to make the most of opportunities, have specific interests, identities and experiences and are keen to share accountability in their development, exercise of human rights and ensure their gender-differentiated needs.

The COVID-19 pandemic and restrictions on movement have elevated risks for girls to be violated and abused. The number of gender-based violence cases has increased since the onset of COVID19 pandemic in Iraq according to the Protection Cluster Monitoring in Response to COVID-19 (August 2020)

According to the GBV Information Management System’s data of the first two quarters of 2020, 23 per cent of the incidents of violence reported to the service providers were among children and adolescents, of which 6 per cent were aged between 0 and 11 years, and 17 per cent were aged between 12 and 17 years old.

Interviews conducted by the United Nations with families living in displacement camps across Nineveh governorate, affirm that child marriage remains a frequent practice and a coping mechanism for families living in poverty to reduce the financial strain.

Education and learning are some of the best ways to empower girls and protect them against violence, exploitation and social exclusion by providing them with the opportunity to build a better life for themselves, their families and their communities. To make education and learning accessible and empowering for girls, it needs to be safe and gender sensitive.

Having zero tolerance to bullying, cyberstalking, sexting and harassment should be a priority for all as part of the national COVID-19 efforts to reimagine school systems and learning, we must address violence against girls of all ages in and around classrooms and on digital learning platforms. Because girls have higher risk than boys to experience violence, verbal and sexual abuse, a multi-sectoral approach is needed to address all risk factors and cases. Youth-friendly, accessible and quality education and learning, health and social services are essential for girls’ empowerment and their development.

Ending gender-based violence is not a far-fetched dream; this is a real possibility. All that is needed is for girls to have access to formal education, , skilled, civically engaged, healthy, supported, and protected at home, in institutions and at the community. The alternative is devastating with a lasting negative and damaging impact to the health, education and well-being of Iraqi girls.

We call on the government, civil society organisations, the private sector, faith-based groups and the international community to accelerate their efforts to:

  • Improve equal access to quality primary and secondary education including life-skills
  • Promote access to alternative learning opportunities for out of school adolescents and youth, in the form on life skills and citizenship education, including social and business entrepreneurship for improved learning to work transition;
  • Increase capacity of the health sector to provide adolescents and youth-friendly health services across the country, with focus on girls; Ensure that girls – survivors of GBV access free and quality specialised services anchored in survivor-centred and age-appropriate approaches
  • Mobilise girls, boys, parents and leaders through civic and social engagement to challenge discriminatory gender norms and create real social, economic and civic opportunities for all girls;
  • Draft and enforce legislation, such as the anti-domestic violence law and child law, to protect girls and prosecute those who harm them;
  • Implement the recommendations by the Committee on the Elimination of Discrimination against Women, including to criminalise, forced, temporary and child marriage;
  • Increase availability of child protection services for girls and young women.

Girls can be powerful agents of change, and nothing should keep them from participating fully in all areas of life. We must come together and show our commitment by dedicating resources for girls to realise their rights and fulfil their full potential.

(Source: UN)

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Confronting the Traumatic Fallout of War in Iraq

By Hussein Al-Alak, Editor of Iraq Solidarity News (Al-Thawra). Re-published with permission by Iraq Business News.

In May 2005, the UN announced that Iraq was “about to become a transit station for heroin“, where after being “manufactured in Afghanistan is heading towards Europe through neighbouring Iran“.

In 2013, it was reported that “violence, unemployment and poverty” had led to a dramatic “increase” in drug abuse across Iraq and that drugs were becoming wide spread, in places where child labour is commonly used – such as in car repair shops and on road junctions, where cheap goods are often sold.

The Baghdad Post reported how the Islamic State were cultivating opium in Sharqat to finance their terror based operations. According to the publication, opium was being used to extract heroin in the laboratories of the University of Mosul, after falling under IS control in June 2014.

In Kurdistan, security forces raided a drugs farm in October 2016 and found narcotics with an estimated value of around $1 million. The mountainous nature and rough terrain of Northern Iraq, had made it difficult for security services to detect this and other drug farms in the area.

In 2017, it was highlighted by the Associated Press, how Iraq’s national security agency confirmed the presence of facilities producing drugs – such as crystal meth – in the Basra and Maysan provinces in the south of Iraq.

According to anti-narcotics officers in Basra, since 2014 the drugs trade has flourished because of the vacuum left, when security forces were moved from the borders to join the fight against the Islamic State, which swept through nearly a third of Iraq that year.

Mental Health, Drug Abuse and Seeking Solutions

Those vulnerable to drug abuse and those experiencing drug addictions, are people living with conditions such as Post Traumatic Stress Disorder – where extreme acts of violence and isolation due to instability – has left people turning to illegal drugs to “numb” the pain of conflict.

While treatments for such conditions often vary, the Narconon rehabilitation service, holds a different perspective to other treatments offered for drug and substance abuse. Narconon don’t have “patients“, “victims” or even “addicts“. They have “students who are learning to live a successful drug-free life.“

As people are often proscribed legal drugs, to suppress cravings or to dumb down the psychological element of addiction, Narconon offers more therapeutic remedies, with “no substitute drugs” and they also seek long lasting solutions by addressing the question; “what drove a person to drugs in the first place?“

In an approach similar to rehabilitation techniques like Mindfulness or Cognitive Behavioural Therapy, Narconon recognises the connection between mental health and addiction, where “a person’s attention can be stuck in thousands of different moments“, which then impacts a persons overall behaviour in the present.

Quite often, people living with PTSD can also experience sleeplessness, feelings of detachment, alienation, a lack of motivation and suicidal thoughts. The traumatic experience gives so much mental attention to the past – that even years after the traumatic incident – the person is often left with “little or no attention for the here and now.“

Repairing the mind, body and spirit

As Iraq emerges from the battle with Islamic State and as the country seeks to rehabilitate its infrastructure, people need their own rehabilitation services to overcome the hidden wounds of war. People also need to be mindful, that Iraq’s approaches to Mental Health may also be under-developed due to neglect, a lack of investment and displacement.

While the professional brain drain Iraq experienced due to conflict, may mean conditions like PTSD and addictions have been left untreated, it’s worth giving consideration to the fact; bricks and mortar can replace the material scars of war but drug abuse and the absence of mental health services, can lead to other long term conflicts.

 

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