The European Union (EU) has provided a new contribution of €5 million for the United Nations World Food Program (WFP) to give food assistance to vulnerable families, over six months. In its response to the effects of the COVID-19 pandemic on the most vulnerable in Iraq, WFP has scaled up its response to help meet the food needs of 76,000 Syrian refugees and 280,000 vulnerable displaced Iraqis, in camps throughout the country. Refugees and displaced households are among the worst affected by the ongoing crisis.
Many families depend on casual employment, and are struggling with little or no income. They rely almost entirely on humanitarian support. The EU contribution is supporting WFP in providing monthly cash transfers to families, delivered via mobile phone or “e-vouchers” on registered cards, which they can redeem in food shops in the camps. WFP continues to pioneer innovative “cashless payments” in camps in Diyala, Ninewa, and Salah al-Din, as another COVID-19 precautionary measure, whereby families can purchase food in camp shops with their mobile phones.
At the same time, WFP is on standby to provide ready-to-eat food packages or “immediate response rations” in case supplies to food markets are disrupted. The emergency packages cover the food needs of a family of five, for three days.
Source: World Food Program
