Outreach Services for Iraqi Refugees

The goal of IRD US’s, Outreach Services for Iraqi Refugees (OSIR) Program, funded by UNHCR, is to strengthen outreach as a holistic activity encompassing protection assistance, early identification, and rapid intervention measures for vulnerable Iraqi families in Amman, Irbid and Zarqa.  IRD is managing over 120 highly qualified outreach volunteers that will: a) provide at least 43,000 home visits to vulnerable families; b) track refugee service coverage through UNHCR’s Beneficiary Information System (BIS) as well as through surveys and focus group discussions; and c) build awareness of refugee rights and services and encourage participation in service delivery.

This outreach model provides a critical focal point for UNHCR information dissemination and Implementing Partner (IP) service referral, UNHCR protection and registration services, as well as a platform from which to reach and assess the needs of a changing and somewhat inaccessible refugee population. The volunteer outreach teams are fielded from three central outreach offices in Amman, Irbid, and Zarqa, providing services aimed at reducing isolation, exploitation, and discrimination and improving the quality of life. Underlying all outreach activities is the adherence to a rights-based approach, whereby beneficiaries are considered rights-holders and are empowered to claim their rights, including the right to services, the right to information, the right to protection, the right to livelihood, and the right to participation in service delivery.