Transitional shelters for extremely vulnerable families in Zummar area In line with the Iraq Humanitarian Pool Fund (IHPF) 2018 first standard allocation paper and the Shelter-NFI Cluster Specific Guidance, UN-Habitat will intervene on transitional shelter solutions for extremely vulnerable returnees in underserved and recently retaken areas. The UN-Habitat proposed project is composed of one key activity:  

Provision of technical support, material and construction of 150 transitional shelters (in dried mud bricks) for category 3 and 4 war-damaged houses in Zummar Area, Ninewa Governorate

The project will directly benefit 900 extremely vulnerable people needing assistance for a durable return in their area of origin, including 200 women, 200 men, 250 girls, 250 boys. 

Under  this activity, UN-Habitat will provide technical skills, training, material and cash for work to 150 extremely vulnerable families to build transitional shelters in dried mud-bricks in Zummar sub-district of Ninewa. In addition to support to bricks, beneficiaries will receive all the required materials to complete the units, including windows and doors. 

This activity will be conducted through cash for work modality, directly supporting the beneficiaries and communities where the intervention takes place. Training will be provided to cash for work beneficiaries in brick making and building technics. UN-Habitat engineers will constantly supervise activities and trainees will support the most vulnerable families unable to conduct the construction activities by themselves. 

In regard to cash for work for the bricks and construction, 30%  of the beneficiaries will be female-headed  households and 70% male-headed households. If women don’t work themselves on making the bricks they will be at least the decision makers to designate the relative or other available labors who will make the bricks for their households. While there are less female-headed households than male-headed households in the targeted area, they will be prioritized taking into consideration their vulnerability. The cash transfer will be conducted in a minimum of two installments. The disbursement of the second tranche will be pending upon successful completion of the activities conducted using the first tranche. 
The intervention will ensure a standard of 5.5 sqm/ person or 33 sqm/household corresponding to 6 people per transitional shelter, as per the Iraq Shelter cluster standard. 

The average cost per unit will be 2,000 USD as per the Shelter cluster guidance including a cost of 1,500 USD for the bricks and construction material and 500 USD for cash for work cost. Correspondingly, the average cost per beneficiary for transitional shelter will be 438 USD. The amount of cash to be paid to the beneficiaries (500 USD) is comprised within the minimum standard for unskilled labour in Iraq and in line with the guidelines of the cash for work SOP.

Support to Housing, Land and Property (HLP) rights will be integrated during the planning and implementation phases of the project. UN-Habitat will ensure the HLP status of beneficiaries in order to prevent any land and property disputes. This approach will also guarantee that the project respects the principle of ‘do no harm’. 

UN-Habitat considers the critical gaps in the targeted areas of Ninewa and will work in consultation with the S-NFI Cluster to direct its response, ensure adequate coverage and avoid duplication of activities with other partners. UN-Habitat strategy is to keep as much flexibility as possible in order to implement activities in areas with the largest needs. In that regard, coordination with the S-NFI cluster as well as the HLP sub cluster will be central in the determination of target locations and activities, while ensuring the necessary flexibility to adapt the response according to the needs. Protection and gender mainstreaming will be central i