What is Social Safety Net (SSN) Programme?

The Ministry of Labor and Social Affairs has reopened its cash assistance as part of its Social Safety Programme. The programme targets individuals with specific vulnerabilities including single mothers, widows, elderly persons, people with disabilities, orphans, and low-income families.

Who is included?

Internally Displaced Persons (IDPs), local community and IDP returnees living in Iraq are included to be assessed for their vulnerabilities. In addition, refugees who are currently living in Federal Iraq and have a valid PCMoI-ID card issued by the Permanent Committee for Refugee Affairs in Ministry of Interior can be considered for the inclusion in the cash assistance programme.

IDPs in KRI – CAMP

IDPs in Kurdistan Region – both in urban and camp set up – have been included in the SSN programme. However, the Ministry will dispatch a team of surveyors who will visit IDP camps in the Kurdistan Region of Iraq to conduct assessments for the inclusion of Internally Displaced Persons in its cash assistance programme.

IDPs in Federal Iraq – URBAN 

The Ministry has displaced a team of surveyors who will visit IDP households in Center and South Governorates to conduct assessments for the inclusion of Internally Displaced Persons in its cash assistance programme.  

The ministry surveyors will target displaced persons with specific vulnerabilities including single mothers, widows, elderly persons, people with disabilities, orphans, and low-income families are registered.  

Please note that the surveyors will require that IDPs present valid national identity documents, proof of habitual residency and evidence to support their vulnerabilities. 

IDPs, Returnees and refugees with a valid PCMoI-ID card (permanent residency) living in Federal Iraq can register at https://spa.gov.iq/umbrella/  if they are among the vulnerable groups as below:

• People with disabilities or with special needs
• Widows, divorcees, wives of missing spouses, and unmarried adult women
• Orphans
• Families of detainees whose sentences after completing a year from their sentences
• Residents of state shelters
• Sentenced juveniles whose sentences exceeding one year from their court sentences
• Married students until they finish secondary school
• Low-income families whose income is not sufficient to raise them above the poverty line

Supporting Documents

To apply for the cash assistance programme, applicants must attach identity and locality documents as below:

IDPs and Returnees:

• Require providing valid identity document or civil status of the head of the family and its members, with a recent photo of the head of the family only.
• Proof of residency.

Refugees:

• Must hold a valid PCMoI-ID card and provide a proof of residency.

Proof of Vulnerabilities:

To be considered for the cash assistance programme you are required to provide supporting documents for your vulnerabilities, as follow:

• Persons with disabilities and other special needs are required to provide proof of their conditions.
• Widows are required to provide death certificate with a copy of registration from the Civil Status Directorate.
• Divorced women require to provide a final divorce decision with a copy of the registration from the Civil Status Directorate and a custody decision for the children if they are in her custody.
• Wives of missing spouses are required to submit a missing person certificate from a competent court or equivalent documents indicating pending decision from a competent court.
• Unmarried adult women under 35 years of age who have lost both parents must submit evidence from the administrative unit with the testimony of two witnesses stating that there is no legal breadwinner.
• Single, unmarried women aged between 35 and 54 years of age require submitting a copy of civil status confirming their marital status.
• Individuals who are incapacitated to work due to illness are required to present a medical report indicating their inability to work.
• The family of an inmate requires to submit a decision that indicates the final degree and sentence period which should exceed one year.
• Orphans are required to submit death certificate for both parents and/or the death certificate of the father.

For more information about the requirements, please carefully review it on https://spa.gov.iq/umbrella/

Protect yourself from Fraudsters:

IMPORTANT! Access to the survey is free of charge. DO NOT PAY. If you feel that you are excluded from the survey, or you have been asked to pay in exchange for your inclusion in the programme, you are encouraged to launch a complaint through the following link https://spa.gov.iq/umbrella/contacts.aspx. Alternatively, IDPs with such grievances can call 1018 to notify the ministry teams of their situation.

If you feel excluded, please call the dedicated hotline 1018 to notify the ministry teams of your situation.

Since 2016, UNHCR has been providing cash assistance to the most vulnerable families across Iraq to meet the basic needs of IDPs and IDP returnees. As most of the families have returned to their areas of origin and some have begun to adapt to life in the local Governorates areas, we are hopeful that the provided support over the last several years has enabled families to begin to stabilize their lives after displacement.

Why we can no longer provide cash assistance

UNHCR recognizes that cash assistance is a critical modality to provide most vulnerable families with help, providing a means to allow to pay for basic daily needs, including rent. After receiving assistance for number of years, the communities are encouraged to maintain self-reliance by relying on the skills they have and seek to acquire needed skills/professions to utilize in supporting themselves and families and rely less on the assistance provided by UN agencies which is decreasing year after year.

Unfortunately, UNHCR has experienced unpreceded difficulty in securing funds for Iraq due to multiple ongoing emergencies in many parts of the world. Therefore, UNHCR will discontinue provision of all types of cash assistance for IDPs and returnees in Iraq due to limited resources.

UNHCR and partners will instead provide long term assistance and strengthen access to services, including through support for civil documentation needs.

We regret the inconvenience and hardship you may experience since you will not receive cash assistance as you do previously. At all times, our beneficiaries remain our greatest priority. We deeply value our relationship with communities we serve and are committed to provide you with assistance within our limited resources. We understand and respect your needs but unfortunately, we cannot continue provision of cash assistance due to limited resources.

Discontinuation of IDPs enrollment in ASSIST

Since UNHCR will no longer provide cash assistance, therefore, it has stopped IDPs enrollment in ASSIST for provision of cash assistance.

Be-ware of fraudulent messages

Be vigilant and do not fall victim of any scam or fraud. If you receive any phone call or message for enrollment of cash assistance and asks you for money in return; do not pay money or share your personal details. Protect yourself and your family from fraud.