CAFOD: Preparing for winter is a major priority as Iraqis flee Mosul

photo: Chris de Bode/Cordaid

There are warnings that there could be more than a million Iraqi refugees as the battle for Mosul, Iraq's second-largest city, intensifies.

Winter in northern Iraq means sub-zero temperatures. Last year several babies living in tents in refugee camps died of hypothermia. In the next few weeks as more refugees arrive aid agencies are extremely concerned that more will die of cold unless they are better equipped.

CAFOD's partner Hani El Mahdi, Catholic Relief Services (CRS), Iraq Country Representative said: "We are very worried. These large numbers of displaced people are expected just before the cold weather sets in. The arrival of winter could pose an unmanageable challenge."

"Lower oil prices have led the Kurdish and central government to provide less humanitarian aid than in previous winters. With temperatures dropping to dangerous levels, our preparation work is vital as there will not be time to build camps for everyone forced from their home, so we must scale up our work to deal with the emergency needs of people."

CRS and local partner Caritas Iraq, supported by UK aid agency CAFOD, and other members of the Caritas confederation, are prepared to respond to the needs of those fleeing the fighting in Mosul. They have staff and volunteers ready to deploy across Northern Iraq and Kirkuk putting in place an emergency response programme that will focus on providing shelter, water and sanitation, and cash assistance, giving priority to the care and protection of women, children, the elderly and the disabled.

"We've been getting ready for Mosul for months by training additional staff and volunteers," says Hani El-Mahdi. "We're confident that we'll be able to respond quickly as the situation evolves."

CRS and Caritas Iraq have helped more than 150,000 displaced Iraqis by providing shelter, water and sanitation, as well as daily living supplies - such as soap, blankets and hygiene kits. They have also been able to provide and support education, psychosocial support, and child friendly spaces for children.

According to the UN, almost 34,000, men, women and children have fled their homes since the start of the offensive for Mosul on 17 October. People leaving Mosul join the approximately 3.3 million Iraqis who have been internally displaced since ISIS began taking over parts of Iraq in 2014.

Since 2014, the violence in northern and central Iraq has caused devastation and mass displacement. More than 80 per cent of the displaced people are living outside of the organised camps, with host families, or in makeshift or unfinished buildings. In all, nearly 10 million people in Iraq are in need of vital humanitarian assistance.

CRS and Caritas Iraq have a presence across Iraq, with offices in Dohuk, Erbil, Kirkuk and Baghdad. Most recently, CRS and Caritas Iraq have responded to the needs of those who fled the Iraqi cities of Fallujah and Hawija. CRS and CAFOD are members of Caritas Internationalis, a confederation of over 160 Catholic aid agencies - reaching out to the poor, vulnerable and excluded, regardless of race or religion

To make a donation to CAFOD's Emergency Fund see: http://cafod.org.uk/Give/Donate-to-Emergencies