UN-Habitat Iraq housing rehabilitation project provides employment and protection for workers during COVID-19
Nineveh Governorate, Iraq May 2020 – Construction work has resumed work on a UN-Habitat project with UNDP to rehabilitate war damaged houses in two cities in northern Iraq with precautions to minimize COVID-19 risks.
Work in Mosul and Sinjar restarted in April resulting in 46 houses being handed over to owners and tenants, providing safer and improved housing for over 270 people.
UN-Habitat’s contractors use skilled and unskilled workers from the local communities providing employment for 80 labourers to support their families, which is particularly important during the ongoing COVID-19 pandemic.
UN-Habitat’s field engineers ensure that contractors use safety and hygiene procedures and follow the new guidelines developed by UN-Habitat Iraq on how to manage COVID-19 risks on UN-Habitat construction and field sites, based on WHO health instructions.
The work is part of the programme “Strengthening the Long-Term Resilience of Subnational Authorities in countries affected by the Syrian and Iraqi Crises” funded by the EU Regional Trust Fund in Response to the Syrian Crisis EU Madad Fund. It is implemented by UN-Habitat in partnership with UNDP.