Iraq - On Sunday (10/1) IOM Iraq Chief of Mission Thomas Lothar Weiss visited Baghdad’s Zayouna Camp with Iraqi Member of Parliament Yunadim Kanna, Al-Russafa Branch Director of the Iraqi Ministry of Migration and Displacement (MoMD) Saffa Hamzeh, Deputy Governor of Baghdad governorate Jassim Al-Blkhati, Bishop Martin Hurmuz, Head of the Iraqi Christian Endowment Raad Jaleel and other members of the local community.

Zayouna Camp hosts some 135 Christian families (525 people), most of whom were displaced from Ninewa governorate after ISIL attacked the area in late 2014. IOM distributed 250 winterized non-food relief item (NFI) kits, including blankets, heaters, stoves and other essential items in and nearby the camp in 2015. 

With more than 3.2 million Iraqis internally displaced, according to the latest IOM Iraq Displacement Tracking Matrix, IOM is committed to assisting the most vulnerable, including minority groups, through distribution of NFIs, livelihoods assistance, and primary health services.

The Office of U.S. Foreign Disaster Assistance (OFDA) also supports IOM Iraq’s psychosocial programming, which focuses mainly on assisting vulnerable and minority populations struggling with the challenges of displacement.

Camp resident Nourvienna Mikhael was displaced along with her husband and three children in August of 2014. “My children used to do very well in school. Now, they are struggling because our caravan is so small that they have nowhere to study. We learned that our home in Ninewa had been demolished by ISIL. We have nowhere to return to and we have no source of income. To see my children in this situation breaks my heart,” she said.

MoMD’s Saffa Hamzeh said: “We are thankful for our close relationship with IOM. IOM has responded to some of our needs within hours and we plan to continue working together in the future.”

“The most important criterion to IOM in responding to crises is vulnerability. We are here to listen and to work hand-in-hand with the government and community leaders to alleviate the conditions of the most vulnerable displaced, including minorities. We hope that 2016 will bring positive changes to the situation in Iraq,” said Weiss.

For further information please contact Sandra Black at IOM Iraq, Tel: +964 751 234 2550, Email: sblack@iom.int