What Oxfam is Doing
Oxfam was operational in Iraq until April of 2004. Although we have ended our program for security reasons, we continue to advocate on behalf of the Iraqi people.
June 2007
Oxfam reiterates our call to safeguard and protect the lives and well-being of civilians in accordance with the Geneva Conventions and International Humanitarian Law.
Suspending Our Program
In the current state of extreme insecurity in Iraq, Oxfam and virtually all other non-governmental organizations have concluded that it is not feasible to continue our work inside the country. The fact that humanitarian assistance personnel have been specifically targeted for violence makes it impossible for us to carry out the programs that we feel are so urgently needed.
Oxfam's Work in Iraq
Before ending our direct operations in Iraq in April of 2004, Oxfam's program in Iraq included:
- Making rapid repairs to pumps, pipes, water treatment plants, and sewage systems in order to provide clean water and sanitation to Iraqis in major urban areas
- Working with the All Our Children consortium to ship critical supplies to pediatric hospitals and to help serve the needs of street children and other young people living apart from their parents in Baghdad
- Providing water and sanitation to refugee camps near the Iraqi border in Jordan
- Training health workers and government staff to promote public health measures
Oxfam's water and sanitation improvements benefited an estimated 291,000 people in the area of Basra, Al Shatra, Suq Al Shuyukh, and Al Gharraf, where we contributed to the containment and prevention of deadly diarrheal diseases and other risks to public health.
Work with Partners Continued Until 2007
When security risks in Iraq became too great for direct Oxfam operations, we were still able to carry out several programs through partner organizations. Two involved strengthening some of the newly formed Iraqi civil-society organizations that are committed to upholding human rights, empowering community members, and building peace in the war-torn nation. Trainings and workshops provided local staff with essential skills and support to carry out their missions.
A third program we supported involved funding a health center that offered medical care and psychological support to particularly vulnerable families, but by the fall of 2006 the security risks were too great for the clinic to continue its work.
Oxfam also partnered with the Education for Peace in Iraq Center (EPIC) to produce The Faces of Iraq, a traveling collection of powerful images depicting the humanity and diversity of the Iraqi people.