DRC Humanitarian Intervention
 
DRC is implementing key services in the sectors of WASH, Shelter, Protection, distribution of Core Relief     Items (CRI/NFI), Camp Coordination and Camp Management, and Livelihoods.
 
In the Kurdistan Region of Iraq (KRI), DRC is supporting the Syrian Emergency Response; targeting refugees in camp and non-camp communities, as well as a selected case load of extremely vulnerable beneficiaries from the host communities.
 
In the other parts of Iraq, particularly in Baghdad, DRC is assisting Internally Displaced People (IDPs); targeting female headed households, the chronically ill and households with majority children less than ten years.
 
New developments:
 
In Kurdistan Region of Iraq
 
Livelihoods
 

• DRC conducted Business Development Training (BDT) for 85 beneficiaries (36 in Dohuk and 49 in Basirma Camp). Also, in Duhok, DRC provided refresher training in business development for 50 beneficiaries from the 2013 caseload that have established successful businesses and are presently seeking to expand.
• Sixty-six people (including 41 Syrian refugees and 25 host community members) were placed into jobs during the month of April, mainly in Construction Companies, Malls and Petrol Stations. Job placement for families that have no regular source of income is a key component of DRC’s Livelihoods intervention, covering locations that have high concentration of Syrian refugees such as Kasnazan, Bnaslawa, and Bahrka in governorate of Erbil.

Camp Coordination and Camp Management (Qushtapa and Basirma Camp s)

• Tools and formats for regulated camp access and registration are being rolled out. Sectorial meetings were held for the Protection and WASH sectors and are expected to continue on a monthly basis.
• In Basirma Camp, 45 people representing the refugee leadership committees and partner organizations participated in an induction meeting that promoted interaction and provided information about their respective mandates and activities. It also clarified the structure, roles and responsibilities of Camp Coordination, Camp Management and the refugee leadership.
• DRC has established a database of refugee workers in Basirma Camp, which currently has 330 names that are randomly selected to participate in Cash-for-Work programs. The database is helping DRC provide work opportunities for refugees in Basirma based on needs.

Water, Sanitation and Hygiene Promotion (WASH)

• With the advent of summer, DRC is strongly advocating for increment of the quantity of water supply to the refugees. Currently, the provision per individual is 50L daily which isn’t enough for cooking and cooling, especially during the harsh summer condition.
• Distribution of an assortment of WASH kits was carried out during the month of April in Qushtapa Camp covering 4,638 individuals. The kits included: 1,055 adult hygiene kits; 706 baby hygiene kits and 332 top-up cleaning kits. Alongside these distributions, DRC also carried out regular maintenance of all WASH facilities and conducted massive awareness campaign among the Camp’s residents to promote proper utilization of water.

Core Relief Items

• A total of 1,600 households in Qushtapa and Basirma Camps received 32,000L of kerosene for their April allotment. Also, on April 23, 155 packages of Core Relief Items (CRI) were distributed in Qushtapa Camp to clear the backlog of new arrivals who had not received CRIs.

In South/Central Iraq:
 
 Livelihoods (TVET)
 
DRC is implementing a training course on the development of Competency Standards for Technical and Vocational Education Training (TVET) in Iraq. The training, which is being held in Erbil, is part of DRC’s Capacity Building assistance to the Iraqi Ministry of Labor and Social Affairs, funded by the Australian Government (AusAID). A team of Consultants from the International Labor Organization (ILO) are facilitating the training and it includes seventeen (17) TVET trainers from the Governorates of Najaf, Kirkuk, Salahadin, Babylon, Ninewa and Baghdad. 
 
Protection Monitoring
 
DRC assisted two Iraqi returnees from Sweden by giving them financial assistance as part of their reintegration package. The total amount of the financial assistance is $1,100 USD per individual and it is aimed to help returnees meet their health needs and the educational needs of their children.
 
As part of DRC’s Protection Monitoring project in Baghdad, 253 families with protection needs were documented in the month of April – this brings the total number to 518 protection cases that have been documented in the communities of Adhamiya, Ameriya, Khadhraa, Ghazaliya, Heteen, Rasheed and Etefiya. Based on its vulnerability criteria, DRC provided an average amount of $300 USD as cash assistance to 59 families (covering approximately 354 individuals).
 
The development of referral pathways is ongoing with the mapping of relevant service providers. Three actors have accepted to receive DRC’s referral cases for psycho-social support, legal assistance and health services (including the International Rescue Committee –IRC; CAITAS; and Mercy Hands).