Iraq

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Some annual results (2017-2019)

76,209received primary health care in Dohuk and Ninewa governorates
166,493people, mainly IDPs, were given life-saving humanitarian aid
78,300people regained access to safe drinking water

Global Peace Index

160/ 163

GPI Rank

Political Instability

Safety & Security

Ongoing Conflict

Source: Global Peace Index (2018)

Country Office

Erbil, Iraq

Ainkawa sub-district
Sumer street
House No. 240/9/654
Erbil, Iraq

Country Director Iraq and Syria

José Xavier Salema

[email protected]

Cordaid in Iraq

Cordaid Iraq office has been established in Erbil since October 2015. In the aftermath of conflict within the region, we aim to deliver services in the field of health care, security and justice, agriculture, WASH and shelter. We also focus on the rehabilitation of basic infrastructure, as well as vocational training, livelihoods, protection mainstreaming and youth projects.

Where does Cordaid work?

In Iraq, Cordaid acts as an implementing agency and works with partners organizations in 4 provinces: Ninawa, Kirkuk, Duhok and Salah Ad Din.

In Ninawa, Cordaid implements different projects in Mosul and Hamdaniya. In 2016, Cordaid was one of the first organizations to respond to the Mosul crisis, answering to dire needs in remote and hard to reach areas with humanitarian aid and health services.

In Kirkuk, we work with other Caritas members to respond to WASH needs of the most vulnerable people living in outside camp settings.

In Salah Ad Din, Cordaid combines first and second line responses, rehabilitating water treatment plants and providing drinking water for about 37,500 people in the newly liberated area around Hatra.

In Duhok, Cordaid provides primary health care services to displaced families living in outside camp settings.

39,3 Million

Population

Rural population

Urban population

11.0% annual

GDP growth

18.2 per 1,000

Mortality rate, neonatal

Source: worldbank.org

Current situation

Since August 2014, Iraq witnessed a massive displacement and humanitarian crisis due to the entrance of Islamic State in Iraq and the Levant (ISIL), and occupation of several governorates of Iraq including Ninawa. The armed conflict resulted cumulatively in more than 6 million internally displaced persons (IDPs) across Iraq since the start of the crisis, and left more than 6.7 million currently in need of humanitarian assistance.

The end of 2017 was marked by the Iraqi government’s announcement of defeating ISIL and retaking control of the occupied governorates. IDPs started returning to their devastated villages. However, the returning process has been rather slow. As per April 30th, 2019, the number of returnees is 4,226,882 people and the number of IDPs is 1,665,108; 33% of whom are nowadays accommodated in Ninawa and 24% in the Kurdistan Region of Iraq (KRI).

According to the Humanitarian Response Plan, the number of internally displaced persons returning to their areas of origin has reached 4 million, while approximately 2 million remained displaced. Although major efforts are underway to rebuild the country and jumpstart local economies, significant barriers to return end, including security concerns; fear and trauma; lack of social cohesion; issues related to documentation; lack of livelihoods and destroyed or damaged housing. As return rates level out, protracted displacement and the sustainability of returnees are concerns which need to be addressed, as a growing number of Iraqis are forced to make increasingly negative or high-risk choices in order to cope. With protracted displacement expected to end in 2019, humanitarian assistance must continue targeting IDPs both in-camp and in out-of-camp settings.

Overall, an estimated 6.7 million people in Iraq, including 3.3 million children (under age 18) and 3.3 million women and girls, continue to need some form of humanitarian assistance and protection.

Cordaid in Iraq

Health care

Cordaid provides primary health care, psychosocial support, gender based violence and disability services in three health centers for internally displaced, returnee’s people and host communities in Ninawa and Duhok governorates. Additionally, we train social workers and mobile teams, especially in recognizing and addressing gender-based violence.

Patients if front of the pharmacy of he Primary Health Centre in Seje. The centre was set up two years ago and is still fully supported by Cordaid. Image: Mickael Franci.

Humanitarian aid

We support internally displaced people by providing food, emergency kits to cover first needs, non-food items, protection, hygiene kits and clean drinking water. We also rehabilitate broken or destroyed water units.

Security & justice program

At the first of July 2019, Cordaid started implementing a new project focusing on increasing a culture of peace, safety and security in a group of young people in the Mosul/Kirkuk (Erbil-KRI) communities.

Private sector development

We support internally displaced people by organizing vocational training and providing business startup kits. In Iraq, Cordaid targets high priority areas, implementing activities in the sectors that were assessed as top priority needs under the Humanitarian Response Plan (HRP) 2017: Health, Livelihood, Protection, WASH and Rehabilitation of basic infrastructure. Thus, Cordaid’s strategy involves providing, when possible and applicable, a comprehensive package of services.

Women participating in a psychosocial support session. All participants are returnees who lived as IDPs for months, some for years, after ISIS captured their village. Some of the sessions focus on vocational training, others on awareness raising, gender based violence and other topics. Image: Mickael Franci.

Partners and donors

In Iraq, UNOCHA is one of our main strategic partners. UNOCHA and Cordaid’s own private donor funds are the main donors of primary health services to displaced families residing outside camps, in addition to our new funder (WHO) for our new project MHPSS in Sinjar and Tel-far in Mosul.

Cordaid also works closely with a group of national partners, including Caritas Iraq, RNVDO, Access Aid Foundation, Al-Afaq, Kurdistan Relief Association (KRA), Al Ethar Humanitarian Foundation, JNB, Public Aid Organization (PAO), Iraqi Al-Amal, ASFL and Reform Institute for Development (RID).