Executive Summary
As politicians and observers of Iraq - local and international - debate whether or not there is civil war in Iraq it is vital to focus all efforts on ensuring that the current situation does not worsen still further, and that all is done to prepare to meet current and anticipated emergency humanitarian needs. While attacks by insurgents and counter-insurgency operations continue and sectarian violence deepens and spreads, it is civilians that are paying the price. Violence is presently heavily concentrated in the Centre and less so in the South of Iraq, but the whole country needs to be prepared to respond to current and future emergency situations, whether in terms of conflict or natural disasters. A more in-depth study of the challenges, shortfalls and constraints that NGOs face in responding to emergencies in Iraq vis-à-vis possible trends of violence is urgently required.
Therefore, the objectives of this study are to:
- Examine the possible humanitarian impact of trends of violence in Iraq;
- Compare current emergency response capacity and that ideally needed; and
- Set out recommendations for potential pathways to reaching durable solutions.
This will enable NGOs - as well as Donors, the UN, Iraqi Authorities, and other third parties - to better understand and elucidate the measures that can be taken to anticipate the humanitarian needs resulting from emergency situations, current and foreseen, in order to enhance response. Recommendations will be used to encourage active advocacy and to bring the NGO community and the UN to a synergistic approach leading to a shared strategy, which, if implemented, could significantly improve emergency preparedness and humanitarian response in Iraq.
The main findings of this Final Report are the following:
- Humanitarian needs in Iraq arise from three primary causes: violence, natural disasters and disease, and weak infrastructure. However, violence is a critical, all-pervasive characteristic in the lives of people in many parts of Iraq.
- The combination of military operations, sectarian and political violence, as well as criminality and lawlessness, has devastating humanitarian consequences for Iraq's civilians in terms of death, injury, illness, displacement, denial of fundamental human rights, destruction of homes, vital facilities and infrastructure, as well as for humanitarian actors seeking to meet their needs - in terms of a decrease in resources and ability to respond.
- Human and material resources are already struggling to meet current humanitarian needs. Needs will become acute and massive if the security situation worsens still further.
- The worst case scenario - in terms of possible violence escalation - has not yet been reached. However, many of the criteria underlining a trend towards that scenario are already present.
- In an ideal preparedness and response situation, operationalisation involves three stages - prevention; preparation; implementation - and key actors and stakeholders each have critical roles, rights and responsibilities during each of these stages. Currently, these roles and responsibilities are not being adequately addressed and rights are not respected.
- Obstacles to preparing for and responding to emergencies in an effective and timely manner include lack of means, lack of preparedness, high level of violence, as well as other characteristics of the local context. These issues impact upon each other, forming a vicious circle of obstacles which, as the level of needs rise and the violence lasts for longer and longer, becomes increasingly challenging to break.
Recognising the tension that exists between the decreasing operational humanitarian space and the massive needs in Iraq the recommendations in this report set out a pragmatic approach in the context of a wider framework and longer term vision:
Summary of Recommendations:
I. Stop the violence, recognise the state of humanitarian emergency present in some parts of Iraq and support the most vulnerable accordingly
- IA, All Belligerents (MNF-I, ISF, Militias, other Armed Groups), Local Communities, Regional Actors and wider International Community to refuse the normalisation of violence and stop hostilities
- Donors, IA, and wider International Community to recognise humanitarian emergencies where and when they occur in Iraq
- IA to improve availability and quality of natural resources as a first response to emergencies
II. Attain active and efficient coordination amongst all actors to plan, update and improve operational response for ongoing and developing emergency situations, and include local communities and Iraqi aid workers as central actors in this process
- All actors to improve coordination
- UN Agencies, Donors, IA, IOs, INGOs to recognise local communities and Iraqi aid workers as central actors in emergency response
- IA, Donors, UN Agencies, NGOs to update and improve operational responses
III. Create emergency funds that are accessible and flexible in order to prepare operational responses for emergency situations
- Donors, UN Agencies, IOs and NGOs to enhance trust between field actors and funding bodies
- Donors, UN Agencies and IA to provide adequate and appropriate funding for emergencies
IV. Recognise humanitarian organisations as appropriate, essential and neutral actors in meeting the needs of the most vulnerable and establishing humanitarian corridors accordingly
- All actors to recognise humanitarian organisations as appropriate, essential and neutral actors
- IA and All Belligerents to establish humanitarian corridors to facilitate access to vulnerable populations.
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