Provision of integrated water, sanitation and hygiene services and hygiene promotion for out of camp IDPs and returnees in seven priority districts in Ninewa and Salah Al Din Governorates, Iraq. According to Humanitarian Response Plan (HRP) 2021, approximately 1.3 million people remain internally displaced within Iraq and 4.1 million people need some form of humanitarian assistance. The 2021 Iraq HNO found that 4.1 million people, including 257,000 IDPs living in formal camps, 806,000 IDPs outside camps and 3.1 million returnees continue to have humanitarian needs. Similarly, according to WASH Cluster strategic operational framework, three years after the conclusion of large-scale military operations against ISIL, 1.3 million people remain internally displaced, with 4.7 million people having returned to their areas of origin. Measures imposed to curb the spread of COVID-19 further disrupted provision of and access to services which was already inadequate in displacement and return locations prior to the pandemic. Moreover, during the second round of informal sites mapping conducted in September 2021 by the CCCM Cluster, 477 informal settlements were found hosting over 103,000 IDPS – in 17,416 households (HHs) – across Iraq.

In order to address these needs, SI will lead Out of Camp IDPs and Returnees WASH (IRW) consortium comprising of 3 NGOs of which 2 INGOs: SI, and COOPI, and 1 NNGO: SEDO to implement 7 months WASH response to support the most vulnerable conflict-affected IDPs and returnees with the provision of well-coordinated, inclusive, innovative and sustainable WASH services, reaching 41,831 people in six of the eight prioritized districts in Ninewa and Salah Al Din Governorates.

The Consortium will maintain consortium management unit (CMU) throughout the project to provide comprehensive support, coordination and capacity building and to participate in WASH sector coordination platforms on behalf of the consortium.

SI will build on previous experience in Sinjar and Ba’aj districts, and impente further interventions in Ba’aj centre (Ba’aj District) and Tel Qasab (Sinjar District) as well as start activities in two hard-to-reach locations in Southern Ba’aj district, Sagar and Resala villages. Those locations were selected based on gaps and needs reported by IOM, the CCCM lead agency for Ba’aj district. SI will thus rehabilitate 1 kilometer of water network in Ba’aj City, maintain four boreholes, distribute 975 water tanks and cleaning kits as well as 2,850 water kits. SI will also rehabilitate and/or build 80 latrines in locations with lack of sanitation facilities adapting to the need of people with disabilities. In addition, SI will distribute basic hygiene items to 2,850 households, as well as 2,565 women kits and 1,425 baby kits. Moreover, SI will conduct hygiene promotion. Overall, SI will reach a total of 19,644 individuals (3,274 households) in Ba’aj and Sinjar districts.

COOPI identified major WASH needs in Balad and Hatra districts, and will rehabilitate 2 WTPs to increase access to safe water to IDPs and returnees. In addition, COOPI will conduct water trucking and waste water desludging in Hatra. Moreover, COOPI will rehabilitate 40 latrines and showers and 8 new latrines for PwSN. COOPI will conduct hygiene promotion and distribution of hygiene kits tailored to specific needs of the IDPs and returnees. Overall, COOPI will reach 13,287 People in Balad and Hatra districts. 

SEDO identified gaps such as lack of sanitation facilities, poor functionality of water networks and lack of access to hygiene items. SEDO will rehabilitate water networks, install water tanks and rehabilitate latrines and showers in hard-to-reach areas of Samarra, and Tooz Khurmato districts through coordinating with local authorities. In addition, SEDO will conduct regular maintenance to ensure continuous functionality WTPs. Overall, SEDO will reach 8,900 People in Samarra, and Tooz Khurmato