WUNRN
Iraq - High Vulnerability of Displaced Female-Headed Households - IOM Assistance Program |
|
|
|
The
International Organization for Migration says female-headed households
displaced in
|
Girls and women who are orphaned or
widowed by violence line up for clothing in the Shiite enclave of Sadr city
in |
The International
Organization for Migration says most of
While the situation is grim for all the displaced, IOM says it is worse for
those families that are headed by females. It says families that lack the
protection of a man are extremely vulnerable.
Throughout
IOM spokeswoman Jemini Pandya says these families have limited or no access to
basic health and social welfare services. And in some cases, they are totally
dependent on charity to survive.
"Almost all of the female-headed displaced families are without any form
of employment. And, they live in a constant threat of eviction from whatever
roofs they had, even if it is a squatter camp," said Pandya. "And,
they have no alternatives before them. This makes them especially vulnerable to
exploitation and violence as they search for food and shelter. Anecdotal
reports from IOM monitors suggest that IDP women are particularly vulnerable to
becoming involved in prostitution and trafficking as a result."
Research carried out by IOM last year has identified victims of trafficking in
northern and central
IOM has been providing humanitarian assistance to the most vulnerable
internally displaced people, returnees and other women and their families since
2003. This new program, which is funded by a $2 million grant from the
Pandya says the program will provide psychological, legal, and health care as a
way to prevent and protect the women and their families from further social
exclusion and violence. She says legal assistance is critical in giving women
the voice they usually are denied.
"The legal issues that we expect to be mainly dealing with are expected to
cover divorce, alimony, social welfare, child custody, inheritance and
compensation, or property recovery so they either have the means to put a roof
over their head or go back to their former homes," added Pandya.
Pandya says psycho-social help will be tailored to individual needs. Women will
be assisted either on an individual or collective basis with the aim of
strengthening their coping skills and providing emotional first aid.
She says the program also will provide basic medical counseling by a doctor and
particular consideration will be given to disease prevention and mother and child
care.
================================================================
To contact the list administrator, or to leave the list, send an email to: wunrn_listserve-request@lists.wunrn.com.
Thank you.