UNHCR - the UN Refugee Agency and Qatar Charity (QC) yesterday signed an agreement to secure emergency shelter for more than 31,000 internally displaced Iraqis over the course of the year.
The agreement was signed at the QC headquarters in Doha by the UNHCR regional representative to the Gulf Co-operation Council countries, Khaled Khalifa, and the executive director for International Development at QC, Mohamed bin Ali al-Ghamdi, on behalf of the CEO of Qatar Charity, Yousuf bin Ahmad al-Kuwari.
The grant agreement dedicates some QR3.4mn ($955,167) of QC funding for the provision of basic emergency shelter kits and sealing off kits for over 5,000 Iraqi families (more than 31,000 people) throughout 2017, according to a press statement.
Recognising the importance of securing shelter for displaced families, Khalifa said: “I would like to express my sincere appreciation to Qatar Charity for their relentless commitment to assisting displaced families.” He also stressed that he was confident the “generous donation” would provide protection to and maintain dignity of those families.
Around 255,000 people have been displaced from Mosul and surrounding areas since military operations began in October, with over 100,000 Iraqi displaced since February 19, and more people expected to flee as the instability persists.
“It is tragic to learn that some families will spend days or weeks without shelter. Qatar Charity believes in the importance of maintaining the dignity of vulnerable people by responding to their most pressing humanitarian needs,” said al-Kuwari.
By providing basic emergency shelter kits, internally displaced Iraqis will have temporary shelter solutions in order to build rudimentary shelters using the materials provided, until a more suitable and durable shelter solution can be achieved. In addition, unfinished buildings and damaged houses will be rehabilitated through the use of the sealing off kits, the statement adds.
