An IOM programme that begins this week will give new hope to some
of the most vulnerable groups in Iraq by providing female- headed
displaced families greater protection from social exclusion and
violence.

With a national average of 1 in 10 displaced families in Iraq
headed by women - although in some areas of the country, numbers
are significantly higher - these families are often in the most
dire straits. Between 20-25% of these families assessed by IOM are
living in squatter camps, public buildings or vacated homes with
limited to no access to basic health and social welfare
services.

Largely widowed and almost entirely all without any employment,
the female-headed households live in constant threat of eviction
with few if any alternatives, making them especially vulnerable to
exploitation and violence as they search for other means to find
food and shelter. IOM research in 2008 identified victims of
trafficking in northern and central Iraq with profiles of the
victims revealing that more than half of female victims were
orphans or from single parent families.

Although IOM has been providing the most vulnerable internally
displaced (IDP), returnee and other women and their families with
emergency humanitarian assistance since 2003, this new programme is
fundamentally aimed at ensuring greater protection of the families.
IOM will provide psychological, legal, and health support as a way
to prevent and protect the women and their families from further
social exclusion and violence.

Psycho-social help will be tailored to individual needs who will
be assisted either on an individual or collective basis with the
aim of strengthening the women's coping skills and providing
emotional first aid. Collective counselling sessions will be just
as critical to break the sense of isolation that many women suffer
from.

Legal assistance is largely expected to relate to issues around
divorce and alimony, social welfare, child custody, inheritance and
compensation for loss resulting from the conflict as well as
property recovery - all critical issues on which displaced women or
widows are largely unable to advocate for themselves.

Health support will focus on providing basic medical counselling
by a doctor with referrals to health centres or specialized doctors
for treatment with particular consideration given to disease
prevention and mother and child care.

Families will also be referred to services providing assistance
for direct shelter and income-generating opportunities.

In a bid to ensure that a stronger network of support is
available to help displaced and returnee female-headed households,
IOM will also provide technical assistance to local
non-governmental organizations (NGOs) and their staff. Support to
the NGOs will include essential refurbishment of facilities and the
provision of equipment that will allow them to deliver assistance
in timely manner.

The US$2 million programme funded by the US State Department's
Bureau of Population, Refugees and Migration (PRM) will allow IOM
to help at least 2,500 displaced female-headed households and other
vulnerable women.

For further information, please contact:

Rex Alamban

IOM Iraq

Tel: 962-79-906-1779

E-mail: "mailto:ralamban@iom.int">ralamban@iom.int