Baghdad, Iraq, 9 April 2017 – As fighting in Iraq reaches its peak, urgent humanitarian needs of women and girls impacted by the conflict continue to escalate. At this critical juncture, thanks to the €5 Million additional contribution of the European Commission Civil Protection and Humanitarian Aid Operations (ECHO), the United Nations Population Fund (UNFPA) up-scales its frontline humanitarian response. This includes the provision of lifesaving reproductive health services, in recently re-taken areas of East and West Mosul, and the delivery of first assistance kits to displaced women and girls, from Mosul and other active conflict areas in Iraq.

“Through this EU partnership, UNFPA will provide much needed Reproductive Health services to more than 700,000 conflict affected women and girls in Iraq. Furthermore, over 120,000 newly displaced women and girls from Mosul will receive first line relief items, as part of the Rapid Response Mechanism Consortium which also includes UNICEF and World Food Programme (WFP)”, said Mr. Ramanathan Balakrishnam, UNFPA representative in Iraq.

This generous support from the European Union will contribute to UNFPA’s establishment and running of three field maternity hospitals. These facilities will offer safe delivery options and lifesaving obstetric emergency services to conflict affected women from West Mosul.

“Bringing back essential health services in conflict affected areas, in Mosul, is a priority for the EU. Pregnant women and displaced women and girls who have survived the hardship of conflict will receive much needed emergency medical services” said Mr. Javier Rio-Navarro, EU Humanitarian Aid (ECHO) head of office in Iraq. This EU contribution also supports the procurement and running of two mobile delivery units and two mobile Reproductive Health clinics in retaken districts and neighbourhoods in East and West Mosul, as well as similar services in Anbar, Kirkuk and Salah al-Din governorates.