Tehran — In January 2023, a magnitude 5.9 earthquake hit Khoy in Iran’s province of West Azerbaijan, killing three people and injuring hundreds. 

The earthquake had a devastating impact in the province. In the village of Firouragh,  the epicentre of the quake that encompasses around 2,500 households, for instance, the large majority of houses were fully destroyed and required complete reconstruction. 

When the earthquake struck, Fatemeh* was in the house where she used to live with her husband and young children, who are 13 and 9 years old. “The tremor shock was so strong that the walls cracked,” she said, recalling how they were rushed to quickly evacuate the building that moments later turned into an uninhabitable place. In the following months, they rented a new apartment, but their economic situation quickly worsened, as Fatemeh was also trying to support her mother, whose house was severely damaged as well. 

In response to the deadly earthquake, The United Nations in Iran implemented a multi-agency humanitarian package aid to address the immediate needs of survivors including shelter, medicine, mental health support, and other essential supplies. The Iranian Red Cresent Society and various governmental organizations like the State Welfare Organization (SWO) were also actively involved in supporting the affected populations. 

As part of the UN response and after assessing the different needs and conditions of the residents, IOM Iran conducted a Multi-Purpose Cash Assistance programme, a modality of aid where cash or vouchers are provided to beneficiaries to directly purchase and access goods or services. Thanks to the funding provided by the One UN Impact Fund and the UN Central Emergency Response Fund (CERF), IOM supported 4,900 individuals residing in Khoy, assisting them to prioritize their needs and voluntarily decide how to use their resources. 

Fatemeh, for example, was very anxious to find shoes and school supplies for her children before the start of school: “My kids were crying every day, as the school year was approaching, and I couldn't afford to buy anything for them,” she said. 

IOM staff, who had identified beneficiaries in collaboration with government officials, stayed in close contact with Fatemeh’s family during the various bureaucratic steps required to finalize the bank transfer. “We wanted to make sure that the family could receive the transfer before the start of the school year,” remarked Nima Karimi, IOM Iran project officer who followed the case. “This is a very important moment for children and a difficult time for many families, who have to allocate extra resources for the costs of clothing and school equipment among their other emergency needs.” 

Finally, just a few days before the classes began, the family received the cash transferred into their account. “The money arrived just in time to buy them pants, shoes and bags to send them to school. It was a relief,” said Fatemeh.

In addition to immediate relief efforts, IOM Iran is adopting a multifaceted approach to disaster risk reduction and management, in order to support the country's disaster management capacities. 

“The impoverished and vulnerable often bear a disproportionate burden of risk and loss,” indicated IOM Iran Chief of Mission, Lalini Veerassamy. “As such, we must ensure that disaster risk reduction measures are inclusive, equitable and effective, both for migrants and for host communities.” 

The mission has been actively engaged in collaborative efforts with Iran's National Disaster Management Organization (NDMO), offering technical and capacity-building assistance. Moreover, IOM Iran is designing initiatives addressing the climate change-migration nexus in Iran, where meteorological hazards are expected to increase in frequency and intensity, deepening the vulnerability of communities. 

*The name of the beneficiary has been changed to protect her identity