Overview
In early October, the Iranian Rial depreciated significantly against the US dollar during late September/early October. The plunging value of the currency has undoubtedly made food purchases and food access much more difficult for low income households. The refugee population within Iran are amongst the most vulnerable.
A recent Joint Assessment Mission (JAM) conducted by WFP and UNHCR in July concluded that around 20 to 25 per cent of refugee households living in settlements are extremely vulnerable to food insecurity. The country hosts one of the largest and most long staying refugee populations in the world. As of December 2011, the official number of remaining refugees in Iran stood at more than 886,000 people, most of them from Afghanistan and a small caseload from Iraq. Most refugees reside in urban areas and only 3 per cent are living in refugee settlements where they receive support from both UNHCR and WFP. According to the JAM, there are sharp disparities in sources of income and earnings within a settlement. Households with stable jobs and more than one breadwinner are better-off, while female headed households and households with elderly, disabled or chronically ill family members are among the most vulnerable. Most respondents reported a loss in their purchasing power due to increasing food prices.
A recent Joint Assessment Mission (JAM) conducted by WFP and UNHCR in July concluded that around 20 to 25 per cent of refugee households living in settlements are extremely vulnerable to food insecurity. The country hosts one of the largest and most long staying refugee populations in the world. As of December 2011, the official number of remaining refugees in Iran stood at more than 886,000 people, most of them from Afghanistan and a small caseload from Iraq. Most refugees reside in urban areas and only 3 per cent are living in refugee settlements where they receive support from both UNHCR and WFP. According to the JAM, there are sharp disparities in sources of income and earnings within a settlement. Households with stable jobs and more than one breadwinner are better-off, while female headed households and households with elderly, disabled or chronically ill family members are among the most vulnerable. Most respondents reported a loss in their purchasing power due to increasing food prices.
October 2012
Food Security