THE CHURCH WORLD SERVICE: EMERGENCY RESPONSE PROGRAM
SITUATION REPORT: IRAQ - HUMANITARIAN AID
July 19, 2002


SITUATION: Iraq has suffered an enduring humanitarian crisis from economic
and trade sanctions that began in 1990 and were followed by the 7-month
Gulf War.  Although the war ended in March of 1991, the economic and trade
sanctions continue, contributing to severe economic hardship in Iraq.
Hundreds of thousands of children have died due to the sanctions according
to the United Nations and other sources. Today, political tensions are
again mounting between Iraq and the United States.  Possible US military
action against Iraq threatens further deterioration of Iraq's social
infrastructures that are already vulnerable and have caused serious damage
to, among others, the health and lives of young children and expecting
mothers.

A recent United Nations International Children's Emergency Fund (UNICEF)
survey estimates that mortality rates for children under five in Iraq has
increased 160 percent and almost one third of children in south and
central Iraq suffer from malnutrition.  The Government of Iraq reports
that 23 percent of all school-aged children are no longer attending
school, but are instead working to supplement family incomes.  Rapidly
disintegrating infrastructures such as poor water supplies and inadequate
sanitation are contributing to chronic outbreaks of dysentery amongst
children under the age of 5.


RESPONSE:  CWS, with help from member denominations, is supporting
UNICEF's program efforts to rehabilitate 50 health care centers, to reduce
preventable diseases in children by 15 percent, and to improve water and
sanitation in 20 locations.  CWS is also providing 28,000 school kits to
Mennonite Central Committee (MCC)-Iraq for distribution.  In 2001 CWS sent
$160,000 worth of sewing and health kits to MCC, as well as $10,000 to
help purchase bed sheets for needy hospitals.  Staff of Church World
Service Emergency Response are participating with a consortium that
includes Lutheran World Relief, American Friends Service Committee,
International Orthodox Christian Charities, MCC and Catholic Relief
Services to explore contingency plans for emergency response to serve
vulnerable civilians in Iraq should military action occur.

Call the CWS HOTLINE for updates: (800) 297-1516.

For further information about disasters to which Church World Service
is responding, contact CWS Emergency Response.

Telephone: (212) 870-3151
E-mail: donnajderr@aol.com
After-hours emergency pager: (800) 780-0853
Web site: www.cwserp.org


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