An IOM programme is currently providing much needed psychosocial support to thousands of Iraqi children and teenagers who have fled to Jordan to escape violence in Iraq.
The Australian funded programme, which is carried out in partnership with the Jordanian Ministry of Education, UNICEF, national and international NGOs, aims to improve the mental wellbeing of traumatized children through a range of interactive events, including drawing, story telling and plays performed in selected schools and host communities throughout Jordan.
As part of the programme, IOM has also trained 100 social workers, school teachers and staff from NGOs who work alongside displaced Iraqis.
"By encouraging young people to share their trauma with trained partners, we help them break away from their social isolation and help them build bridges with the communities in which they live", says IOM Amman Chief of Mission Davide Terzi.
The number of Iraqis displaced in Jordan is estimated at between 500,000 and 750,000, with three out of four Iraqi families having children and youth under the age of 18.
An assessment on the psychosocial needs of Iraqis displaced in Jordan and Lebanon carried out by IOM and partners in 2008 revealed high levels of emotional and psychological distress among Iraqis in both countries, with more than half of the 800 Iraqis interviewed disclosing distress factors including panic attacks, anger, tiredness, sleep problems and fear - especially among children and youth.
For those who had experienced direct violent attacks- 21 per cent of the refugee sample in Jordan and 34 per cent in Lebanon- including witnessing assassinations of relatives and friends, torture, rape or kidnappings, psychological distress was overwhelming.
The insecurity of their refugee life, a lack of employment and the de-professionalization of parents whose qualifications are not recognized, poor living conditions and access to health and social services, including education, has further aggravated the situation, particularly among Iraqis who have been displaced for two years or longer.
The report further noted that domestic violence is on the increase among the refugee families as men lose their traditional role of breadwinner with the breakdown of social structures, a sense of disorientation within the Iraqi communities in the two countries, and few opportunities to engage in social activities leading to physical expressions of anger and frustration.
According to the report, many children showed behavioural and learning difficulties attributed not to just distress and stress in the family but also due to differences in the school curricula between Iraq and their host country and prolonged absences from school during the displacement process.
The study stressed that despite their obvious problems and need for psychosocial assistance; Iraqis in Jordan are unlikely to refer to such assistance due to a traditional stigmatization of mental health problems, the lack or difficulty in accessing appropriate services in the two countries and the lack of outreach on this issue among the refugee communities.
For further information, please contact Hala Abutayeh at IOM Amman, Tel: +962 6562 5080, Email habutayeh@iom.int