Iraq Relief Fund

The U.S.-led invasion, occupation, and subsequent spread of violence on a mass scale, as well as sectarian armed conflict, have created a massive but largely ignored humanitarian emergency both inside and outside of Iraq. The daily violence of car bombs, armed attacks, fighting, and frequent kidnapping and killing of all segments of the population have made daily life impossible for most of the population. Over four million Iraqis have been displaced by the violence and are either inside Iraq or have fled to refuge in neighboring countries. For those inside Iraq, access to schools, hospitals, and services, is fraught with danger. A simple shopping expedition can result in death from a bomb blast. Civilians in Iraq frequently lack safe access to food, medicine, and water.

The United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees (UNHCR) estimates that over two million Iraqis refugees are now in Syria and Jordan, with 200,000 more in neighboring countries. Many fell from a decent standard of living in their own country to life on the margins of society in countries where they cannot work, get health care, and are crowded in poor to deplorable living situations.

The Unitarian Universalist Service Committee believes that as Americans, we must respond to what the Iraqis are suffering since this crisis was created by the U.S.-led invasion of that country. In 2005, UUSC created the Iraq Relief Fund to respond to the humanitarian emergency. Since that time, through the generosity of our supporters, we have received $65,000.

We began by supporting the work of All our Children, a campaign by a consortium of North American nongovernmental organizations to provide critical care to vulnerable children in Iraq. Funds went to assist street children, children separated from their parents by the war, and children living in institutions when the war broke out.

As the war has progressed, relief aid has had to change to protect the very population it is intended to help. In Iraq, people seen to have clear ties to U.S. institutions are vulnerable to militia violence – even people receiving assistance from U.S. NGOs. Since 2006, both the UUSC Civil Liberties Program and the Rights in Humanitarian Crises Program have supported Women for Women, which identifies and collaborates with local organizations. Through Women to Women, UUSC has supported income-generation training and loans for vulnerable women now supporting their families, as well as leadership and rights awareness training to 2,000 women in Iraq.

The terrible violence in Iraq continues to permeate all aspects of everyday life, with the most vulnerable enduring the greatest suffering. With help from our supporters, UUSC can continue to support Women for Women’s efforts to help the courageous women of Iraq who are trying to provide the basic needs with dignity for their families.

Iraq Relief Fund
Unitarian Universalist Service Committee
P.O. Box 845259
Boston, MA 02284-5259


Updated October 12, 2007