Emergency Livelihoods

The humanitarian crisis in Iraq is one of the largest and has seen the fastest rate of displacement since it began in 2014. Vulnerable populations in Iraq include both the newly and long-term displaced, those who remained in conflict areas, those who returned to newly liberated areas (NLAs), as well as communities hosting displaced. For those affected by the conflict, all aspects of life have been disrupted including access to health care, education, income opportunities and safety and security. 

The Emergency Livelihoods Cluster strategy is to help conflict-affected people cope with the impact of crisis, whilst providing asset replacement with business incubation activities to deliver long-term support to newly established businesses or businesses having lost assets. Following this strategy, livelihoods partners’ most immediate objective in responding to the needs is to help replace lost assets, especially income-generating assets. Governorates of focus will be Ninewa (Sinjar, Telafar), Kirkuk (Hawija) Salah al-Din (Tooz Kharmartu), Diyala (Khalis/Al Adhim), and Anbar (Ana, Fallujah, Ramadi). The cluster partners will target  people in need, with a special focus on returnees depending on their specific situation and the local context.

One of the key programmes livelihoods partners are implementing is Assets replacement, or also known as Assets Recovery, which is helping conflict-affected people in Iraq, either IDPs, host community, returnees, or non-displaced, who lost their livelihoods productive assets due to the conflict, to replace their lost assets, or recover them partially, as a boost to restart their economic activity and re-establish their livelihoods. This will include to support recipients of assets, business skills development, private sector engagement, and recapitalisation. Whilst this draws on business incubation, it supports assets and SME grants received by beneficiaries to focus on supporting business, and with that income generating activities that are sustainable, rather than standalone asset replacement recipients.

The Cluster strategy now available for more information please contact (EL.SC@UNDP.ORG) 

• Join Emergency Livelihood Cluster Mailing List
• Join Skype Group

• Emergency Livelihoods Dashboard
• Emergency Livelihoods Dashboard- Syrian Refugee