Programmes and Operations

Present Programmes

Jordan, Syria, Lebanon

ICMC's work with Iraqi Refugees in Syria, Lebanon and Jordan:

Contact details:
Margarita Tileva
Regional Director

Introduction

In conjunction with its partners, ICMC has been operational in the Middle East since 2002, implementing humanitarian assistance programs in support of Iraqi refugees in Lebanon, Jordan and Syria, with particular emphasis on the most vulnerable segment of this population (EVI - Extremely vulnerable individuals), such as single women headed households, children, and the elderly, disabled and traumatized people. All programs are implemented jointly with local partners to whom ICMC provides technical and organizational support.

Currently, ICMC and its partners are also implementing programs in Jordan and Syria providing access to health services, education and humanitarian assistance to Iraqi refugees. These programs are supported by the US BPRM (Bureau for Population, Refugees and Migration), ECHO (European Commission's Humanitarian Office) and UNHCR (- In Jordan only).

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Similar programs were conducted in Lebanon until mid 2007. ICMC was not able to ensure continuity of funding for Lebanon due to the small pool of funding available. However, the needs of the Iraqi refugees in Lebanon are also great and ICMC will continue to seek additional funding to respond to these needs.

ICMC collaborates with the Caritas Lebanon Migrants' Centre in support of domestic workers victims of trafficking and abuse. ICMC's work is funded by the US G/TIP (US State Department's Global Affairs Office).

ICMC is processing Iraqi refugees referred for resettlement by UNHCR through its Refugee Processing Offices in Beirut and Istanbul.

Programme for Extremely Vulnerable Individuals (EVIs)

Since October 2002, ICMC and its partners have implemented a program addressing the needs of the Extremely Vulnerable Individuals (EVI) within the Iraqi refugee population in Lebanon and Jordan. The program was extended to Syria in 2006. The program is implemented in conjunction with the ICMC's local partner-organizations Caritas and Terre des Hommes. Due to lack of funding, the program in Lebanon was interrupted in August 2007.

The EVI program serves people from the displaced Iraqi community who are living under very difficult circumstances (extremely low or lack of income) or are living in a less favourable family condition (single women headed households, the elderly, disabled, severely traumatized). From its offices in Amman and Damascus, the ICMC - EVI Program offers a wide variety of services to an ever-increasing number of people. Small teams of 7-10 caseworkers seek out the most vulnerable amongst the refugee population and provide them with access to: health, education and humanitarian assistance.

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Every day of the week, Iraqis approach Caritas/Terre des Hommes where they are interviewed by a caseworker. Often, these people come to the EVI project having virtually nothing in the way of possessions or means of financial support. For many, this is their first and last chance to receive assistance as there are few other supportive services available.

When ICMC envisaged the EVI Program, the plan was to support 5,000 people and their families in the first year; as it happened, an intervention was made in nearly 6,000 cases. The following years have shown ever increasing demands for services. In 2007 - 2008, ICMC has continued to provide primary health and humanitarian assistance services to over 9,200 vulnerable Iraqi refugees in Syria and close to 4,650 Iraqi refugees in Jordan.

Although there are more services available to Iraqis refugees as more organizations become operational in the countries of first asylum, ICMC continues to serve an increasing number of Iraqis. This is due to the fact that the ICMC program was, for a long period of time, the only large scale program offering health and education support to Iraqis. Thus, the program is well known and has gained the trust of the beneficiaries by providing timely and quality services. The increase in the numbers is also due to the rapidly deteriorating economic situation of the Iraqi refugees as the few savings they brought with them have run dry and the lack of employment opportunities continues to contribute to the dire economic situation of the family.

Although Iraqis have little opportunity to work, male heads of households who had been labourers in Iraq have, in some cases, managed to find similar work in the countries to which they have fled. Unfortunately, it is often illegal; "cash-in-hand" work, where workers injured on the job are simply laid off. "White collar" workers, on the other hand, cannot find employment as easily because their professions are usually more regulated. Such conditions force an increasing number of people who were previously self-sufficient, into the Extremely Vulnerable Individual (EVI) category.

Medical Assistance:

ICMC has been able to provide a high level of medical support to individuals. In a number of cases, this has been life-saving.

Over the years, assistance has been provided to Iraqi refugees for complex medical procedures. One such case involved open-heart surgery on a child. Without this intervention, the child would not have lived for more than another six months. A number of other serious operations have also been funded. This support for the displaced Iraqi population is vital. Most of the people seen by the staff in ICMC partner's offices are abjectly poor. Most of those assisted have one or more dependant children.

Another of the major problems at this time is the increasing number of female-headed households amongst the refugee population. These families, often with small children, are particularly vulnerable and lack the means to access even basic resources. Isolated mothers cannot consider going out to work or leaving the house for even a short time. For many, humanitarian assistance and medical support has made a major difference in their lives.

Humanitarian Assistance:

One of the least expensive and most needed services that can be provided is humanitarian assistance. This includes supplying basic items such as food, blankets, heaters, stoves, cleaning materials and toiletries. Assessments made by caseworkers give a clear picture of the real needs of families, where often a small contribution goes a long way. A team composed of one male and one female caseworker visits each home and assesses the situation of every family. Support is made available for individual families based on a clear understanding of their needs.

Educational Assistance:

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Through the EVI Program, ICMC also provides support allowing refugee children to gain access to formal and informal education. For parents within the extremely vulnerable community of Iraqis, the future of their children is very important, yet few are in a position to provide the funds necessary to keep their children in school. ICMC's EVI program provides financial support to offset the cost of school fees as well as the cost of uniforms and books. For children not able to attend formal schooling, informal educational opportunities are provided. In this program, Iraqi or host country volunteer teachers are teaching English, Arabic, mathematics, science and, in some instances, computers, thus allowing these children to continue their education.

Expansion of outreach, identification and referral of Iraqi refugee families in Jordan:

In October 2007, ICMC, funded by UNHCR, began the implementation of a three month pilot project aimed at the identification of non-registered Iraqi refugees, particularly those with specific vulnerabilities, in Jordan. These refugees were in turn referred to other NGOs and to UNHCR for provision of protection, assistance and possible resettlement. The partnership between UNHCR and ICMC proved to be a successful one, and the pilot project was soon extended.

Since January 1st 2008, 2,526 beneficiaries have been referred to NGOs and to UNHCR for service provision and/or protection. ICMC efforts also resulted in an increase of service provision and heightened refugee awareness with regard to individual rights. In addition, the project has allowed for a more realistic account of actual conditions and needs of the population, which will assist in the development of a more targeted approach in terms of the provision of necessary services and access to those services. An evaluation of this project was conducted in May-June 2008 by UNHCR and ICMC, and can be found below. 

*Evaluation of Extended Outreach, Identification, and Referral of Non-Registered Iraqi Refugee Fragile Families in Jordan. (PDF 316 KB)  

Capacity building:

All ICMC programs are implemented in partnership with local organizations - partners of ICMC. ICMC representatives in Jordan and Syria provide extensive technical support to the local partners' teams by providing on the job training in project implementation techniques and methodologies, acquainting the partners' teams with the various donor requirements and project implementation standards, as well as with best practices and international standards in project implementation. ICMC also assists the local organizations in strengthening their accountability by introducing accounting software, purchasing and procurement policy and procedures, human resource management techniques and best practices. By assisting the partner with their strategic planning processes, ICMC helps their local partner with the management of their fundraising efforts. Following from this process, the partner's proposal and report writing skills are also enhanced.

Future plans:

ICMC's development plan for 2008 includes the continuation of project activities in support of Iraqi asylum seekers in the Middle East, while refining its programme approach to match the changing realities of this vulnerable population.  ICMC will also look at diversifying its program activities in the Middle East, mainstreaming its approach to address various migration issues. To achieve this and to be constantly aware of the changing situation of Iraqi refugees, ICMC, in partnership with the Migration and Refugee Services (MRS) of the Conference of Catholic Bishops, and funded by the US government, has conducted two field missions to examine the protection needs of Iraqi refugees in Jordan and Syria. The objective of these missions was to identify the needs of vulnerable Iraqis, assess the current support framework and offer suggestions on how best to address the needs of these refugees.  Findings of the missions reports have been published and can be found below. *A Report of the ICMC-USCCB Mission to Assess the Protection Needs of Iraqis Refugees in Syria. (PDF 351 KB) *A Report of the ICMC-USCCB Mission to Assess the Protection Needs of Iraqis Refugees in Jordan. (PDF 390 KB)  ICMC will continue to work extensively through local implementing partners in a continuous effort to build the local capacity of addressing various social issues and deliver quality social services.

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