Baghdad, 10 December 2017 – The

Special Representative of the Secre-

tary-General (SRSG) for Iraq, Mr.

Ján Kubiš, congratulated the Iraqi

people and the government on the

complete liberation of all of Iraq’s

territory from the yoke of the Daesh

terrorists, the so-called Caliphate.

With this victory attained, Iraqis are

called upon to work towards building

a better future and common destiny

for all in their united country with

the same patriotism and determina-

tion that marked their national war

against terrorism.

“This historic victory over Daesh,

came at a very high cost, the result of

years of sacrifices. It would not have

been possible without the people’s

unity that is equally essential in the

post-Daesh period. The world rallied

to assist Iraq against Daesh, provid-

ing military and humanitarian assis-

tance, but this victory belongs to the

heroic Iraqis – all components of the

security forces, including the PMF,

the Peshmerga and thousands of local

and tribal volunteers as well as the

civilians that selflessly supported

them and the internally displaced

people through many sacrifices. On

this day, we remember all those who

paid the ultimate price. Our thoughts

are with the families of the martyrs

and fighters from all around the

country that stepped forward to save

their country, and with the millions

who have been displaced and are

eagerly waiting to return to their

homes to rebuild their lives.”

The Special Representative com-

mended all liberation forces, and par-

ticularly Prime Minister Haider al-

Abadi, for the extraordinary efforts

they have made to save and protect

the lives of civilians, in sharp con-

trast to the terrorists who have delib-

erately targeted civilians in their

attacks, used them as human shields

and inhumanely massacred minori-

ties during the 3 ½ year fight, which

in many instances took place in ur-

ban areas and densely populated

residential neighborhoods.

Yet, the fight against global terror

UNAMI Herald Volume 4, Issue 6 November - December 2017

Congratulating on the victory over Daesh, SRSG Kubiš urges

Iraqis to partner in building a better future for all in their

united country

does not end with this milestone

victory. Terrosim remains a con-

stant threat, the battle against its

roots and promoters continues.

Only by defeating its loathsome

“takfiri” ideology, choking off its

external support, and addressing

the causes that prompted so many

Iraqis to join or tolerate Daesh can

this terrorist organization finally be

eliminated. While doing so, it is

imperative that the authorities

continue to take all necessary

measures to protect the civilians

from the terrorists.

The end of the fight against Daesh

brings to the fore the key priorities

of holding general elections on

schedule on 12 May 2018, and the

voluntary return of the displaced to

their homes in safety and dignity in

the coming months. To ensure that

the terrorists will never again find

fertile ground to operate and thrive,

Iraq also needs to engage in inclu-

sive national dialogue and settle-

ment accompanied by a process of

grassroots and community reconcil-

iation. Another priority is to find

urgently a just and sustainable

solution to pending issues between

Baghdad and Erbil through a part-

nership dialogue based on full re-

spect for the Constitution.

Ensuring stabilization, reconstruc-

tion and development of the many

areas that lay in ruins in the wake

of the battle to defeat Daesh and of

the country as a whole and provid-

ing dignified, prosperous future for

all the Iraqi people, including wom-

en and youth, are significant priori-

ties. Succeeding in these endeavors

requires building a democratic

State on solid ground of equality

and justice for all based on citizen-

ship, deep reforms to radically

change unproductive economy, im-

prove governance and public fi-

nance management, promoting

growth of private sector, cutting red

tape and eradicating corruption.

A democratic State cannot be stable

without justice, accountability and

respect for human rights. The rule

of law must be paramount over all

the citizens to protect them and to

enhance their rights, including the

rights of women and minorities.

Future Iraq cannot enjoy full stabil-

ity, integrity and sovereignty with-

out weapons being exclusively put

in its hands, under the Govern-

ment’s control.

“I am certain with the concerted

efforts of Iraq’s leaders, political

forces and its people of all ethnic

and religious groups and their pat-

riotism, assisted by the continued

support of the international com-

munity, the Iraqis will be able to

weather also these post-Daesh chal-

lenges and build a better future, a

common destiny for all in a united,

democratic and federal country,”

Mr. Kubiš said.

The victory over Daesh also coincid-

ed with another threshold that has

rid Iraq of its painful past. The UN

Security Council on 8 December

concluded that all the measures

imposed in its resolutions 1958

(2010) and 2335 (2016) pursuant to

Chapter VII of the Charter of the

United Nations in relation to the

Iraq oil-for-food programme had

been fully implemented.

Mr. Kubiš welcomed this develop-

ment. “Iraqis have regained their

country by freeing it from Daesh.

With this latest Security Council

decision, Iraq has fully reclaimed

its full place as a proud and equal

member of the community of na-

tions.”

UNAMI Herald Volume 4, Issue 6 November—December 2017

In this edition ...

Security Council deliberat-

ed on the situation concern-

ing Iraq at its 8112th meet-

ing

New York, 22 November

2017 – On its 8112th meeting

the United Nations Security

Council deliberated on the situ-

ation concerning Iraq. The

statement (AS PREPARED) by

the Special Representative of

the Secretary-General for Iraq,

Mr. Ján Kubiš at this meet-

ing… More on page 3

Secretary-General appoints Alice Walpole of the United Kingdom as

Deputy Special Representative for Political Affairs and Electoral

Assistance of the United Nations Assistance Mission for Iraq

New York, 1 November 2017 - United Na-

tions Secretary-General António Guterres

today announced the appointment of Alice

Walpole of the United Kingdom as his new

Deputy Special Representative for Political

Affairs and Electoral Assistance of the United

Nations Assistance Mission for Iraq (UNAMI).

Ms. Walpole succeeds György Busztin of Hun-

gary, to whom the Secretary-General is grate-

ful for his dedicated service since 2011 in sup-

port of the United Nations role in Iraq.

Ms. Walpole brings a wealth of diplomatic and

other relevant experience to the position, in-

cluding serving for a two-year period as Brit-

ish Consul-General in Basra, Iraq. She most recently served as British Am-

bassador to Mali, and prior to that as Ambassador to Luxembourg. She has

also served in various capacities in London, New York, Brussels and Dar es

Salaam with the British Foreign and Commonwealth Office.

Ms. Walpole earned first class degrees in English Literature at Cambridge

University.

Born in 1963, she has six children.

UN report on liberation of Mosul: ISIL members should face

“international crimes” charges

Geneva, 2 November 2017 – A UN report concludes that the so-called Is-

lamic State of Iraq and the Levant (ISIL/Daesh) perpetrated serious and

systematic violations that amount to “international crimes” during the nine-

month military campaign to liberate Mosul City in Iraq. . .

More on page 32

16 Days of Activism meet-

ing focuses on expanding

women’s political space in

Iraq

Baghdad, 6 December 2017 –

The United Nations pressed at a

meeting in the context of the 16

Days of Activism for expanding

the space for women in State

institutions, political parties,

economic and social life and for

enhanced and effective protec-

tion of their rights... More on

page 29

UNAMI Herald is published bi-

monthly by the Public Information

Office of the United Nations Assis-

tance Mission for Iraq.

PIO Director: Samir Ghattas

Editor-in-Chief: Ivan Djordjevic

Editorial Board: Samir Ghattas, Kha-

lid Dahab, Ivan Djordjevic, Laila

Shamji, Celia Thompson, Sarmad Al-

Safy.

Photos: UNAMI PIO, UNHCR, UN-

CHR, UNICEF, IOM, OCHA, UN-

FPA, WHO, UNESCO, UNOPS, UN

Habitat, UN Photo, Office of the

President of Iraq, UNWomen, KRG-

DFR, UNIDO, UNMAS, UNDP and

WFP.

In the UNAMI Herald articles are

sorted according to the topic and in a

chronological order.

Participants from Diyala

and Anbar tackle prospects

and challenges of the Na-

tional Settlement

Baghdad, 17 November 2017

– Tribal sheikhs, religious lead-

ers, academics, political party

representatives and civil society

representatives from Diyala

and Anbar Provinces met on

Wednesday 15th and Thursday

16th November in two separate

meetings in Baghdad as part of

a series of roundtable discus-

sions under the theme

”National Settlement: Prospects

and Challenges” aiming at cre-

ating an enabling environment

for Iraqi national reconciliation.

More on page 10

All measures imposed under

Iraq Oil-for-Food Pro-

gramme implemented in

full, Security Council con-

cludes, unanimously adopt-

ing Resolution 1958 (2017)

New York, 8 December 2017

- The Security Council conclud-

ed today that all the measures

imposed in its resolutions 1958

(2010) and 2335 (2016) pursu-

ant to Chapter VII of the Char-

ter of the United Nations in

relation to the Iraq oil-for-food

programme had been fully im-

plemented. .More on page 9

New York, 22 November 2017 – On

its 8112th meeting the United Nations

Security Council deliberated on the

situation concerning Iraq. Following is

the statement (AS PREPARED) by the

Special Representative of the Secretary

-General for Iraq, Mr. Ján Kubiš at this

meeting:

Mr. President,

Distinguished members of the Security

Council,

I have the honour to introduce the first

report of the Secretary-General pursu-

ant to resolution 2367 (2017) on devel-

opments in Iraq, as well as the six-

teenth report of the Secretary-General

pursuant to paragraph 4 of resolution

2017 (2013) on the issue of missing

Kuwaiti and third-country nationals

and property.

Mr. President,

Allow me first of all to express my con-

dolences to all those affected by the

devastating 7.3 magnitude earthquake

that struck the border areas between

the Kurdistan Region of Iraq and the

Islamic Republic of Iran on 12 Novem-

ber, leaving over 400 people dead and

2,600 injured, the majority in Iran. In

Iraq, the earthquake caused eight fatal-

ities, more than 500 injured and hun-

dreds of families displaced. The United

Nations’ response in assisting victims

of this tragedy in heavily damaged are-

as in the Kurdistan Region of Iraq was

immediate. And on 20 November anoth-

er 5.1 magnitude earthquake hit both

countries.

Mr. President,

I would like to congratulate the Iraqi

government and people on their truly

historic victory against the terrorist

Da’esh and its so-called Caliphate, a

victory on behalf of the world communi-

ty. On 4 November, Prime Minister

Abadi raised the Iraqi flag at the Hu-

saybah border crossing with Syria, days

after Iraqi forces retook the crossing

and the nearby town of Qa’im from

Da’esh. On 17 November, the Iraqi Se-

curity Forces (ISF) fully recaptured the

adjacent Rawa district, the last remain-

ing densely settled area under Da’esh

control in Iraq. Since summer 2014,

Da’esh has lost 95% of the territory it

once controlled in Iraq and Syria and

more than 7.5 million people have been

liberated from its grasp. Iraqis took

back their country through the heroism

and sacrifices of the ISF, including the

Popular Mobilization Forces (PMF) who

stepped forward in 2014 to defend Iraq

against the onslaught of Da’esh terror-

ists, guided by the patriotic fatwa of

Security Council deliberated on the situation concerning Iraq at its

8112th meeting

Volume 4, Issue 6 Security Council Page 3

His Eminence the Grand Ayatollah al

Sistani, working alongside the Pesh-

merga and tribal forces, supported by

regional neighbour states and the Glob-

al Coalition against Da’esh.

This victory has come at a very high

cost. Many thousands of fighters and

civilians were killed or wounded, leav-

ing behind thousands of widows and

orphans, hundreds of thousands of

brainwashed children deprived of prop-

er education; entire cities are in ruins;

and some six million people have been

displaced from their homes in several

waves. Many thousands of both Mus-

lims and minority communities were

inhumanly exterminated or enslaved by

Da’esh, particularly women and girls,

in acts of war crimes and crimes

against humanity, perhaps even geno-

cide. I must also underline the heroism

and sacrifices of those who have been

selflessly sheltering millions of IDPs,

including in Kurdistan; of often female-

headed households who have been tak-

ing care of the families of fighters; of

the most vulnerable – children and the

elderly - amidst the situation of war

and terror, displacement, insufficient

resources and almost non-existent eco-

nomic opportunities. Our condolences

and thoughts go today to all the victims

of this war against Da’esh – civilians

and members of the security forces -

and their families.

Mr. President,

On 7 November, Prime Minister Abadi

warned that despite the victory over

Da’esh, terrorism remains a threat to

Iraq, the region, Europe and beyond.

Da’esh remains able and determined to

continue devastating random attacks

against the Iraqi civilian population,

against civilians globally. The PM has

also instructed the Iraqi forces to re-

main vigilant against potential incur-

sions into Iraq from Syria, where the

battle against international terrorism

still rages on. I join these calls for vigi-

lance. Da’esh is down but not, yet, out,

even in Iraq. The military victory is

only one component of a complex battle.

Only by defeating its loathsome

“takfiri” ideology, choking off its exter-

nal support, and addressing the causes

that prompted so many Iraqis to join or

tolerate Da’esh can this terrorist organ-

isation finally be eliminated.

I encourage the Global Coalition

against Da’esh, including regional

countries and the wider international

community, vigorously to continue both

military, and increasingly non-military,

efforts aimed at helping Iraq to ensure

the lasting, sustainable defeat of

Da’esh and the restoration of stability

throughout Iraq and the region. In

Iraq, priority must be given to facilitat-

ing the expedious voluntary return of

IDPs under conditions of safety and

security; to de-mining, to stabilization,

reconstruction and rehabilitation that

will also take care of the minorities,

and will create the conditions for their

safe and sustainable future in post-

Da’esh Iraq while continuing with hu-

manitarian assistance. These efforts

should complement domestic and inter-

national support to security sector re-

form aimed at increasing the country’s

ability fully to enforce law and order

against the multitude of armed groups

which persist outside of state control,

including criminal gangs, militias and

tribal elements.

Mr. President,

Just as the country is beginning to

breathe a sigh of relief at the defeat of

the Da’esh terrorists, many long-

standing unresolved issues - overshad-

owed by the urgency of fighting Da’esh

- are coming once again to the fore,

adding tensions to the increasingly

complicated pre-election atmosphere.

Among them are issues of a political,

economic and social nature, such as the

urgent need for fundamental reforms to

the post-2003 political system, perme-

ated by patronage and sectarian quo-

tas, lack of equality and justice for all

based on citizenship. There is a lack of

protection for minorities, of measures

against the growing deprivation of

women. Of economic and social reform

that should radically limit corruption

and bring good governance, efficiency

and guarantees to private investors as

a prerequisite for a prosperous future -

and jobs for the increasingly youthful

population of Iraq who for months pro-

tested for better governance, services

and reforms in 2016 and are expected

to do again now, after the defeat of

Da’esh, urged on by the prominent

leader and cleric Mukhtada al Sadr.

Prominent among current concerns are

the tensions between the central gov-

ernment and the Kurdistan Regional

Government (KRG) prompted by com-

plaints of both sides about deficiencies

in implementing of the Constitution.

The response of the KR-I authorities

was to hold a unilaterally-declared in-

dependence referendum on 25 Septem-

ber in the Kurdistan region and the

disputed territories under its control

since 2014, against the will of Baghdad

and against the advice of regional coun-

tries and the international community,

including the UN. The ensuing confron-

tation between Baghdad and Erbil has

added another layer of insecurity and

fragmentation, in the KR-I and Iraq

more widely.

The central authorities have categori-

cally rejected the referendum as uncon-

stitutional and repeatedly called for its

annulment. Challenged by the referen-

dum, the Government of Iraq took de-

termined steps to re-assert the consti-

tutional order and re-establish federal

authority over Iraq’s external border

crossings, including the international

airports in the KR-I, over the disputed

territories and in the export of oil. On

Security Council deliberated on the situation concerning Iraq at its

8112th meeting (continued)

Volume 4, Issue 6 Security Council Page 4

16 October, federal security forces

launched operations in Kirkuk, pro-

ceeded rapidly through other disputed

territories, and reached almost to the

so-called Green Line of 2003. Although

in most cases the withdrawal of Pesh-

merga forces from these areas took

place in coordination with the ISF, sig-

nificant clashes did occur between the

Peshmerga and the ISF in Kirkuk, Tuz

Khurmatu and Altun Kubri. This has

triggered a new wave of displacements,

this time mostly of Kurds.

On 24 October, the KRG offered an

immediate ceasefire, the start of open

dialogue between Baghdad and Erbil on

the basis of the Constitution, and the

freezing of the results of the referen-

dum. This was rejected by the federal

government as insufficient. At the end

of October, a high-level intergovern-

mental mechanism, comprising senior

federal forces and Peshmerga military

commanders, started negotiations on

the reestablishment of federal forces in

the disputed territories and external

border crossings. Even now, however,

control of some disputed areas and bor-

der crossings, including Faish Khabour,

remains unresolved.

On 21 November the Provincial council

of Kirkuk convened its first session

there since the events of 16 October,

rejected the call in favour of its dissolu-

tion and decided to consider proposals

as regards its current chairmanship

and appointment of an interim chair-

manship.

On 6 November the Federal Supreme

Court (FSC) released an opinion re-

garding interpretation of Article 1 of

the Iraqi Constitution which states:

“The Republic of Iraq is a federal, inde-

pendent and fully sovereign state in

which the system of government is par-

liamentary and democratic republic,

and this Constitution is a guarantor of

the unity of Iraq.” The Court concluded

that it did not find in the Constitution

any provision authorising the secession

of any component of the federal system

of the Republic of Iraq. On 20 Novem-

ber the FSC took another decision, this

time directly concerning the referen-

dum. In that decision the FSC i.a. con-

firmed that the referendum of 25 Sep-

tember 2017 and its stated purpose,

which is the independence of the KR-I

and other areas outside of it, has no

constitutional reference and violates its

provisions. The FSC therefore decided

that the referendum was unconstitu-

tional and all of its results and effects

shall be cancelled. The Government of

Iraq welcomed both decisions of the

FSC, called on everyone to respect the

Constitution and reaffirmed its com-

mitment to preserving the unity of

Iraq.

On 14 November, the Kurdistan Region

Government confirmed its respect for

the Federal Supreme Court’s interpre-

tation of Article 1 of the Iraqi Constitu-

tion as per its decision of 6 November

2017, and thus for the unity of Iraq. Its

statement emphasized the Kurdistan’s

Region commitment to finding solutions

to disputes between the two sides

through constitutional and legal means

and in a way that guarantees all rights.

As regards the second decision of the

FSC, on 20 November PM N.Barzani

again confirmed respect for the Consti-

tution stating that the implementation

of the Constitution will solve all the

issues, and noting that it is not possible

to challenge the FSC ruling even if it

was issued unilaterally and that the

FSC rulings are final. The Federal Su-

preme Court has thus played a wel-

come pivotal role in creating conditions

for a constitutional and peaceful way

forward to resolve the Baghdad-Erbil

crisis.

UNAMI has engaged extensively with

the main stakeholders in Baghdad,

Erbil, Sulaymaniyah and Kirkuk, and

has called repeatedly on all sides to

refrain from threat or use of force, from

inflammatory statements and confron-

tational steps. Our message has been

clear: all outstanding issues between

the federal Government and the KRG

need to be resolved through their con-

structive partnership dialogue, leading

to sustainable solutions on the basis of

the Constitution that will also guaran-

tee the full constitutional rights of the

KR-I and its people. Now that the issue

of the referendum has found its Consti-

tutional resolution, UNAMI urges the

continuation of the high-level intergov-

ernmental dialogue on military and

security issues, to avoid confrontation

during the deployment of federal forces

in the disputed areas and enable the

establishment of federal authority over

the external border crossings of Iraq,

including the international airports in

the KR-I with the aim to find arrange-

ments that will enable their reopening

for international flights as soon as pos-

sible. UNAMI also calls for an immedi-

ate start to negotiations with govern-

ment representatives on other key mat-

ters such as the budget, salaries and oil

exports. UNAMI has offered its support

to such negotiations, should it be re-

quested by both sides, while reaffirm-

ing the UN commitment to a united,

federal and democratic Iraq.

Only through such negotiations be-

tween the federal and KR governments

can both sides find a solution for endur-

ing points of contention such as the

allocation of a fair share of the pro-

posed 2018 federal State Budget for the

Kurdistan Region of Iraq, where the

federal government currently proposes

a share of 12.6 percent, compared with

the 17 percent share earmarked for KR

-I in previous budgets.

I hope that a solution can also be found

for the return of the Kurdish Members

of Parliament to the Council of Repre-

sentatives, including those Kurdish

deputies who took part in the referen-

dum. Addressing the country’s immedi-

ate needs, including passing many im-

portant pending laws, such as legisla-

tion for the forthcoming elections and

the Federal Budget Law, requires the

active participation of all members of

the Parliament. This is especially im-

portant as, according to the Secretary

of the Kurdistan Regional Parliament,

all Kurdish political parties are now

planning to participate in the national

elections.

On 28 October, KR-I President Masoud

Barzani addressed a letter to the Re-

gional Kurdish Parliament in which he

indicated that he refused to continue in

his position and did not encourage an

extension to his current presidential

term. Accordingly, on 29 October the

Security Council deliberated on the situation concerning Iraq at its

8112th meeting (continued)

Volume 4, Issue 6 Security Council Page 5

Kurdistan Regional Parliament passed

a law temporarily redistributing his

presidential powers among the execu-

tive, the legislative and the judiciary,

pending the forthcoming Kurdish elec-

tions. It has laid a heavy responsibility

on the shoulders of PM N. Barzani and

his deputy Q.Talabani to find the way

out of the political, economic and social

crises and needs of the region, to steer

the course of Baghdad-Erbil relations

out of confrontation. For that they will

need support from all segments of Kur-

distani society and political forces as

the KRG will work on solutions for the

Baghdad-Erbil confrontation on behalf

of the whole KR-I – an indispensable

but complicated task, as the region

prepares itself for the May 2018 elec-

tions.

Mr. President,

UNAMI continues to document the

heinous crimes perpetrated by Da’esh.

In November, the Mission, jointly with

the Office of the UN High Commission-

er for Human Rights (OHCHR), pub-

lished a report documenting evidence of

the mass atrocities committed by

Da’esh against civilians and the city of

Mosul itself. Their reign of terror has

spared no one, inflicting untold suffer-

ing on unarmed residents whose only

fault was that they lived in the areas

under Daesh’s control. Their evil acts

did not stop at killing and terrorising

residents. They deliberately destroyed

cultural and religious monuments, in

total disregard for history and Islam,

the religion that this terrorist organisa-

tion falsely claims to represent.

In this regard, I would like to reiterate

my calls on the Government of Iraq, the

KRG and the international community

to create conditions and ensure that

those responsible for international

crimes such as crimes against humani-

ty, war crimes and potential genocide

are held accountable. Iraqi and Kurdi-

stani authorities should investigate all

alleged violations and human rights

abuses committed during the military

liberation operations. I am glad to con-

firm that a clear intention to do so,

through due process and in a transpar-

ent way, was last week confirmed to me

by PM Abadi when meeting Ms.

Callamard, the UN Special Rapporteur

on Extrajudicial, Summary or Arbi-

trary Executions.

Mr. President,

Unfortunately, journalists and their

profession did not escape the tensions

and violence buffeting the country. A

local cameraman working for a Kurdish

TV station was stabbed to death by

unknown assailants at his house in

Kirkuk Governorate on 30 October, and

two journalists were assaulted in Erbil

while carrying out their work on 29

October. Offices of a TV network were

looted and vandalized in Erbil and Do-

huk. A Belgian journalist was wounded

in crossfire south of Erbil on 20 Octo-

ber. At the same time, some media out-

lets in Kurdistan Region were banned

by a decision of the Iraqi federal au-

thorities for failing to obtain the neces-

sary licences. Journalists are brave

professionals and should be allowed to

carry out their work without hindrance

or intimidation. It is the responsibility

of the authorities to ensure that all

citizens, including journalists perform-

ing their duties, are protected. At times

of crisis, a free and impartial media

becomes ever more essential to safe-

guard the public interest and protect

democracy, to ensure the necessary

degree of transparency and accounta-

bility. At the same time, hate speech

and incitement to violence based on

religion, race or political affiliation,

have no place in a democracy. I call on

the authorities to investigate the stab-

bing which resulted in the death of the

Kurdish cameraman and bring the per-

petrators to justice. I also call on the

Iraqi federal authorities to ensure that

the work of journalists is facilitated.

Mr. President,

UNAMI continues to engage with Iraqi

political parties to advance national

reconciliation and settlement, working

together with the Government of Iraq

to identify key priorities and delivera-

bles over the forthcoming months in the

run-up to next May’s national and pro-

vincial elections. Social reconciliation

centred around the return of IDPs has

now become a critical priority.

To support national reconciliation, UN-

AMI continues to engage in local-level

activities. In September, the mission

launched another series of roundtable

discussions across the country, to devel-

op a better understanding of grassroots

perspectives for national reconciliation.

Five roundtables were held from Sep-

tember to November, covering a num-

ber of different governorates. Partici-

pants were political, religious and trib-

al leaders as well as representatives of

civil society. Those who attended adopt-

ed a set of recommendations to advance

the national settlement process and

achieve national reconciliation. Further

roundtables are scheduled in Ninewa,

Erbil, Kirkuk and Najaf around the end

of the year. On 23 September, UNAMI

in collaboration with the Implementa-

tion and Follow-up Committee for Na-

tional Reconciliation, which works un-

der the Office of the Prime Minister,

organised a conference under the title

“Media promotes coexistence and recon-

ciliation.” The conference brought to-

gether more than 60 media executives,

including 11 women, from across the

country. They expressed views on - and

concerns about - the role of media dis-

course and policies in promoting coex-

istence. They adopted a national media

charter for peaceful coexistence to pro-

mote the values of tolerance and ac-

ceptance of the other. This was the

final event of UNAMI’s initiative to

incorporate senior media professionals

into national reconciliation efforts. The

mission had previously organised four

workshops targeting journalists in pro-

vincial capitals to enhance their aware-

ness of national reconciliation.

At the request of the General Secretary

of the Cabinet, UNDP is supporting

preparations for a conference, to be

held in the Christian town of Bartela in

mid-December, that will bring together

minority and religious leaders to dis-

cuss the return of displaced families in

the Nineveh Plains. In preparation for

the conference, UNDP has supported

six round tables with each of the ethno-

religious groups in the Plains including

Christians, Yezidi, Shabak, Ka'Kai,

Turkmen and Arabs.

I urge all political, religious and civil

society leaders to engage constructively

to discuss the way forward for the coun-

try in order to achieve a stable coexist-

ence for all Iraqis.

Mr. President,

On 23 October, after months of post-

ponement, a new Board of Commission-

ers for the Independent High Electoral

Commission (IHEC) was approved by

the Council of Representatives as a

result of a difficult and protracted pro-

cess of strenuous political negotiations

based again on a quota approach. Many

of the new Board members have been

drawn from the ranks of current and

former experienced staff of the institu-

tion itself. A major disappointment for

Iraqi civil society and UNAMI has been

that, for the first time, no women were

appointed to the Board - a steady re-

gress in women’s representation and

participation in top positions in state

and political institutions. I reiterate

UNAMI’s calls to ensure proportionate

female representation and meaningful

participation, including in national

reconciliation. On 9 October, the Parlia-

Security Council deliberated on the situation concerning Iraq at its

8112th meeting (continued)

Volume 4, Issue 6 Security Council Page 6

mentary Legal Committee introduced

the draft IHEC Law, adding two addi-

tional positions on its Board, one for a

Christian and one for a Turkmen repre-

sentative. I encourage the appointment

of at least one woman to these posts.

The new Board has a Herculean task

ahead. On 15 May 2018, both the Gov-

ernorate Councils and the Council of

Representatives elections are scheduled

to take place in accordance with the

Constitution – and the Constitution

ought to be fully respected here. They

will face a number of challenges, in-

cluding the first time use of new voting

technology, the holding of two simulta-

neous elections, a tight timeline, pend-

ing Provincial Council and Parliamen-

tary elections laws, and security con-

cerns, notably in the areas of returns of

IDPs. I urge that these challenges are

resolutely addressed in the months to

come. Otherwise, holding elections

when parts of Iraq remain insecure and

large numbers of people, particularly

from the Sunni communities, continue

to be displaced could cast doubts over

the inclusiveness and credibility of the

elections and thus the acceptability of

its results – both internally and abroad.

I also renew my call for the Council of

Representatives urgently to pass rele-

vant legislation to guide the conduct of

these elections so that, despite the chal-

lenges, the elections are held on time

on 15 May 2018. While I expect that

international observation of the elec-

toral process will be limited, I encour-

age domestic observer groups to pre-

pare to fulfil their role by closely follow-

ing, observing and reporting on the

elections. The international community

is ready to assist them in these efforts.

Based on the formal requests for elec-

tion technical support from the Inde-

pendent High Electoral Commission

and from the Council of Representa-

tives, a UN electoral needs assessment

mission has been deployed to assist in

identifying priority areas for support

and to calibrate ongoing UNAMI elec-

toral assistance efforts. UNAMI is com-

mitted to continue providing support

and assistance to the IHEC, the expert

committees in the Council of Repre-

sentatives, other Iraqi institutions and

civil society involved in the elections.

Mr. President,

Liberation of Iraqi territory from

Da’esh has exposed the horrors inflict-

ed on civilians by the terrorist group.

On 26 September, 21 decomposed bod-

ies with gunshots were found in Ibn

Sina hospital in western Mosul. The

victims were reportedly civilians and

were allegedly shot dead by Da’esh

while receiving treatment at the hospi-

tal. Prior to that, on 24 September,

Da’esh reportedly killed three civilians

accused of cooperating with Iraqi forces

in al-Qaim, Anbar Governorate. While

suffering significant losses on the bat-

tlefield, Da’esh continued to target ci-

vilians and on 11 October, a suicide

attack in Heet City centre, Anbar Gov-

ernorate, killed at least 12 civilians and

wounded 15 others. Explosives report-

edly planted by Da’esh caused further

civilian casualties in Anbar and

Ninewa Governorates. For example, on

3 October, the detonation of an IED

killed three civilians in a house in

southern Fallujah City. On 30 October,

the detonation of an explosive remnant

of war killed six members of one family

in western Mosul City.

Allegations against members of Iraqi

forces allegedly involved in criminal

acts have also been reported. On 29

October, members of the Rapid Re-

sponse Forces (RRF) of the Iraqi Army

allegedly robbed civilian houses in a

village. On the same day, Popular Mo-

bilisation Forces members reportedly

robbed a shop in a village. On 30 Octo-

ber, local police arrested three RRF

personnel in connection to this incident

and presented them before court.

Mr. President,

UNAMI also received reports of civilian

casualties, primarily from the Kurdish

community, that occurred during

armed clashes between federal forces

and Peshmerga in Kirkuk and other

disputed areas including Tuz Khurma-

tu and Salah al-Din on 15, 16, and 17

October. Most of the casualties were

caused by shelling.

In Kirkuk, between 26 October and 3

November, 12 bodies with gunshot

wounds were found in different parts of

the Governorate. No information was

available on the identities of the perpe-

trators and the reasons behind these

incidents. Kurdish-owned property was

reportedly targeted in attacks using

explosives in Daquq district of Kirkuk

Governorate. In the ethnically and reli-

giously mixed area of Tuz Khurmatu in

Salah al-Din Governorate, on 16 and 17

October, at least 150 houses belonging

to Turkman and Kurds were set ablaze;

one PUK office and one Shi’a Turko-

man Husseiniya were damaged in vio-

lent clashes between armed groups.

In Diyala, UNAMI received reports at

the end of October of destruction of a

large number of houses in several vil-

lages of Jalawla sub-district. UNAMI

has also received reports alleging that

Peshmerga may have destroyed proper-

ty, notably in disputed territories in

Ninewa, Zumar district. All these re-

ports are being investigated, in cooper-

ation with the respective federal and

Kurdistani authorities. I welcome the

measures taken by Prime Minister Ab-

adi to enforce law and order by federal

forces in areas that have witnessed an

increase in violence as a prerequisite

for the return of mostly Kurdish IDPs

back home. I urge the competent au-

thorities to carry out prompt and im-

partial investigations of these incidents

and to bring those responsible to jus-

tice.

Mr. President,

Of particular concern is the rising pop-

ular sentiment in favour of collective

punishment of families perceived to be

associated with Da’esh. Iraqis per-

ceived to have links with Da’esh are

increasingly subjected to revenge

measures. It was reported to UNAMI

that on 22 September, Tribal Mobilisa-

tion Unit members burnt around 20

houses in a village in eastern Shirqat,

Salah al-Din Governorate. These acts

were allegedly committed for past

Da’esh abuses. On 27 September, Trib-

al Mobilisation Unit members allegedly

burned and demolished at least 20

houses belonging to families allegedly

Da’esh-affiliated in al-Zab sub-district,

Kirkuk Governorate. In Heet City,

Anbar Governorate, Iraqi security to-

gether with local actors notified fami-

lies with members allegedly affiliated

to Da’esh to leave the city, marking

their houses with the words “you

should leave within 72 hours”.

Hundreds of houses have so far been

marked; dozens of families reportedly

left to unknown destinations after the

marking of the houses; and seven hous-

es were seriously damaged. Unlawful

acts like forced evictions, without evi-

dence that the individuals subjected to

eviction orders committed any crime or

wrongdoing, are in clear contravention

Security Council deliberated on the situation concerning Iraq at its

8112th meeting (continued)

Volume 4, Issue 6 Security Council Page 7

of the Constitution of Iraq and Iraq’s

obligations under international law. I

urge the Iraqi authorities to maintain

the rule of law, to halt evictions and

vindictive acts, and to bring to justice

those responsible for them.

UNAMI continues to prioritize the pro-

vision of justice to individuals affected

by human rights violations and abuses

committed in the ongoing armed con-

flict, in particular serious crimes that

may amount to war crimes, crimes

against humanity and possibly geno-

cide. UNAMI has completed a draft law

on the Establishing of a National Spe-

cialized Court on Most Serious Crimes

to be discussed with relevant authori-

ties and criminal law experts. This en-

deavour would allow domestic courts to

have jurisdiction over international

crimes. Separately, the discovery of at

least 80 mass graves in Iraq since June

2014 underscores the need to increase

the capacity of the Federal Government

and the Government of the Kurdistan

Region to protect and systematically

investigate crime sites. Systematic

preservation and excavation of these

sites remains critical, given that they

may contain evidence of the perpetra-

tors of these crimes and help identify

victims.

Mr. President,

Advancing the Women, Peace and Se-

curity agenda remains one of our main

priorities. The Mission, together with

UN Women, held consultative meetings

with senior leaders from political par-

ties, women’s leaders and civil society

groups throughout Iraq to identify solu-

tions on removing barriers which are

impeding women’s participation in po-

litical and national reconciliation pro-

cesses. Consultative meetings were

held in Karbala, Baghdad, Erbil and

Basra between 9 October and 1 Novem-

ber in the context of the Global Open

Day and marking the 17th Anniversary

of the UN Council Resolution 1325.

During the events, I emphasized that

equality, empowerment and meaning-

ful participation of women must be

central to all peace, justice, reconcilia-

tion and reform efforts in the post-

Da’esh period and urged the Iraqi polit-

ical leadership to ensure that women

are able to play a critical role in shap-

ing the future of Iraq. Iraqi society,

supported by the international commu-

nity, has also reacted with anxiety to

the announced intentions to alter the

personal status law that might nega-

tively affect the current legal status

and rights of women.

Mr. President,

The UN continues to engage with the

relevant Iraqi authorities on the estab-

lishment of an Inter-Ministerial Com-

mittee on Grave Child Right Violations.

The Committee aims to provide a forum

for dialogue, to promote preventative

action and to provide response to issues

related to children and armed conflict.

This includes actions to be taken

against the recruitment and use of chil-

dren by government and pro-

government forces. Furthermore, there

continues to be a need to address the

recruitment and use of children in

armed units and their release and re-

habilitation. I encourage the Govern-

ment of Iraq to work with the UN to

ensure that children arrested by securi-

ty forces, including those arrested for

terrorism-related charges, are treated

in accordance with relevant national

laws. I also urge prioritisation of the

establishment of an Inter-Ministerial

Committee on Grave Child Rights Vio-

lations, which will contribute to rein-

forcing the national protection mecha-

nisms in place. In parallel, the UN is

now also focusing its attention on ad-

dressing sexual violations and abduc-

tions, whilst continuing to provide ser-

vices and support to children who have

been affected by the conflict.

Mr. President,

The UN continues working with the

Federal Government to develop an Ac-

tion Plan on the implementation of the

Joint Communiqué on Prevention and

Response to Conflict-Related Sexual

Violence. The Action Plan aims to sup-

port the Government and civil society

in addressing conflict-related sexual

violence and respond to the needs of

survivors. Civil society organizations

made recommendations on the Terms

of Reference of the special investigative

team, which should be established fol-

lowing the adoption of the UN Security

Council resolution 2379 on accountabil-

ity for Da’esh crimes that have been

shared with the UN headquarters.

These recommendations include provi-

sion of protection to victims and wit-

ness as well as appointment of female

investigators and judges, which would

encourage victims of such violence to

come forward.

UNFPA continues to support provision

of life-saving services for survivors of

gender-based violence (GBV), including

conflict-related sexual violence (CRSV),

through its 132 women community

centres across Iraq. Awareness-raising

and advocacy activities were conducted

in both camp and out-of-camp locations,

with special focus on Ninewa Gover-

norate, to address sexual harassment,

often perpetrated by armed actors. UN-

FPA, in close collaboration with the

Federal Government, has succeeded in

identification of premises for the estab-

lishment of the first Government-run

shelter for survivors of GBV, including

CRSV, in Baghdad.

Mr. President,

The humanitarian crisis in Iraq re-

mains one of the largest and most vola-

tile in the world. Since the rise of ISIL,

5.8 million civilians have been forced

from their homes; 3.2 million are still

displaced. Although combat operations

are concluding, displacement continues.

During the transfer of security authori-

ty in disputed areas in October, nearly

190,000 civilians fled their homes. Most

of those displaced are from Tuz district

in Salah Al-Din governorate and from

Kirkuk and Daquq districts in Kirkuk

governorate. The majority are staying

with friends and family in Sulaymani-

yah, Garmiyan and Erbil Governorates.

The situation is extremely fluid, with

many people leaving their homes for a

few days and then returning when the

situation has stabilised. The majority of

people who have returned have gone

back to Kirkuk. Very few, perhaps only

about 2 percent, have gone back to Tuz.

A further 15,000 people have been dis-

placed during the military operation in

western Anbar province. The over-

whelming bulk of assistance continues

to be provided by the Government of

Iraq and Kurdistan Regional Govern-

ment. The UN and humanitarian part-

Security Council deliberated on the situation concerning Iraq at its

8112th meeting (continued)

Volume 4, Issue 6 Security Council Page 8

ners are there to help, continuing to

provide life-saving assistance including

shelter, water, health care, food and

household kits.

Mr. President,

Under the leadership of Humanitarian

Coordinator Lise Grande, humanitari-

an partners have reached more than six

million Iraqis during this year includ-

ing two million impacted by military

operations in Mosul. Nearly five million

civilians who even a year ago we could

not reach, have received assistance.

Each month, we are reaching at least

one million civilians with the assis-

tance they need to survive. The Iraq

Humanitarian Response Plan has re-

ceived 71 percent of the USD 985 re-

quired for 2017. We are grateful for this

support, and ask partners to continue

their generous contributions to ensure

that the people who have suffered the

most receive the assistance they need,

and are entitled to under international

humanitarian law.

Mr. President,

Impressive and increasing amount of

work is being done to stabilise newly

liberated areas through UNDP’s Fund-

ing Facility for Stabilization. More than

1,460 projects have either been com-

pleted, are under development or are

being implemented in 23 liberated cit-

ies and districts in Anbar, Salah al Din,

Diyala and Nineveh Governorates. The

impact of this work is significant; 2.6

million Iraqis have returned to their

homes and a further 1.7 million are

expected to return in the months

ahead. The Facility is a key instrument

helping to jump-start local markets,

repair public infrastructure and re-

establish basic services. More than 95

percent of all stabilization projects im-

plemented under the Funding Facility

are done by the local private sector.

Tens of thousands of Iraqis, many of

them young men, are employed on sta-

bilization initiatives.

The Funding Facility is focusing inten-

sively on a number of key areas includ-

ing areas in the Nineveh Plains where

persecuted minorities, including Chris-

tians and Yezidi, have been forced to

flee.

Mr. President,

The main impediments to persecuted

families returning to many parts of the

Nineveh Plains are insecurity and the

political status of the disputed areas.

Until these issues are resolved, families

who have suffered, will be reluctant to

return to their homes, fearful of what

may happen to them if they do. As au-

thorities work through these issues, the

Funding Facility can help to improve

conditions in these areas and we are

committed to ensuring that the more

than 200 projects underway in priority

Christian and Yezidi towns are imple-

mented as quickly as possible.

In the year ahead, the Funding Facility

will be helping to ensure that the mili-

tary gains made against Daesh are not

undermined in newly liberated areas,

particularly in areas where extremism

may re-emerge. These include Baiji,

Baaj, Tel Afar, Hawija, Shirgat and

western Anbar. UNDP estimates that

USD 289 million is needed to stabilize

these hot-spots and we are appealing to

donor countries to step forward to pro-

vide these urgently needed resources.

De-mining is a critical priority and

UNMAS needs continuous support as

well.

Mr. President,

ISIL has produced, on an industrial

scale, victim-initiated improvised explo-

sive devices that are powerful enough

to destroy a vehicle. Whereas an anti-

personnel mine contains usually less

than 250 grams of explosive content,

these victim-initiated IEDs can have 20

kilograms of explosives or more, a tan-

gible example of the type of evidence

that the recently established Investiga-

tive Team under S/RES 2379 will ex-

amine in collaboration with the Gov-

ernment of Iraq.

UNMAS is working closely with the

Government of Iraq and the interna-

tional community to increase the num-

ber of mine action operators. I call upon

Iraqi authorities to accelerate the regis-

tration and accreditation process for

these operators so that urgently needed

efforts to survey and clear newly liber-

ated areas can move forward much

more quickly than is currently the case.

Mr. President,

Allow me to turn now to the sixteenth

report of the Secretary-General on the

issue of missing Kuwaiti and third-

country nationals and missing Kuwaiti

property, including the National Ar-

chives.

In a region fraught with instability,

Iraq and Kuwait serve as a model of

good neighbourly relations: two coun-

tries forging close ties to overcome his-

toric conflict, tragedy and human catas-

trophe. Their collaboration on this file

is an impressive example of their ex-

panding bilateral co-operation.

The Government of Iraq is fully cogni-

sant of its international and humani-

tarian obligations relating to the file on

missing Kuwaiti nationals. Since as-

suming a proactive role last year, the

Iraqi Ministry of Defence has made

impressive efforts, including through

exploration and excavation, to identify

further grave sites. Information recent-

ly obtained on a new potential site

demonstrates the value of continuing

collective efforts to identify new wit-

nesses and technical data. The inclu-

sion of a member from the Kurdistan

Regional Government within the Iraqi

delegation to the Tripartite Commis-

sion sub-committee meeting held in

August marked a positive step in

strengthening the reach of activities.

The fact that, unfortunately, there have

been no successful recent discoveries of

burial sites should not discourage fu-

ture efforts. I hope that central and

regional governments in Iraq will con-

tinue to co-operate on this humanitari-

an objective.

The long-awaited ICRC Review Report

was submitted to last week’s 45th Tri-

partite Committee meeting in Cyprus.

It offers an exhaustive historical over-

view and technical assessment of all

aspects of previous search efforts for

burial sites, and makes concrete recom-

mendations on prioritisation and fur-

ther exploration of specific locations. I

commend the International Committee

of the Red Cross for undertaking a pro-

ject of such magnitude, involving com-

pilation of extensive data by research-

ing some 6,500 documents and multiple

field assessments. Members of the Tri-

partite Commission will comment on

the draft report and work together in

coming months to translate the recom-

mendations into a plan of action.

Security Council deliberated on the situation concerning Iraq at its

8112th meeting (continued)

Volume 4, Issue 6 Security Council Page 9

The meeting also provided an oppor-

tunity for members of the Tripartite

mechanism to re-assess ongoing activi-

ties, such as proactively searching for

witnesses; re-examining documents and

archives; approaching security and

military personnel who served in loca-

tions of interest; approaching tribal

heads and religious leaders to encour-

age people to come forward with infor-

mation; surveying sites by conducting

door-to-door interviews; using contem-

poraneous satellite images of suspected

burial grounds; using image analysis to

direct field missions towards promising

sites; using advanced models of ground-

penetrating radar and metal detectors;

re-analysing old testimonies; and ex-

changing best practice with countries/

organisations undertaking similar pro-

jects. Committee members underlined

the need for innovative field equipment

and forensic, DNA and anthropological

training and capacity-building to the

Iraqi technical teams. UNAMI will con-

sider carefully how best we might con-

tribute to this project from our existing

resources and expertise.

Mr. President,

We must continue building upon what

has been achieved so far. The families

of those missing have been waiting

more than twenty-five years to discover

the fate of their loved ones. I urge the

Government of Iraq to continue exercis-

ing commitment and effort in order

successfully to locate the remains of the

missing persons. I call upon the inter-

national community to support the

requests of the Government of Iraq for

financial, equipment or capacity build-

ing support in their endeavours.

Results in identifying missing Kuwaiti

property have met with limited success.

Although there has unfortunately been

no advance in locating the important

Kuwaiti National Archives, the Govern-

ment of Iraq has identified over 6,000

Kuwaiti books. I encourage the govern-

ments of Kuwait and Iraq to co-

ordinate arrangements on their repatri-

ation - under UN auspices, if this were

judged helpful. I further urge the Gov-

ernment of Iraq to redouble its efforts

to locate missing Kuwaiti property, in

particular, the National Archives.

There is an Arabic expression ال يضيع حق

La yadi’a haq wara’ahu)وراءه ُمطالب

mootahleb): “A right is never lost, as

long as it is pursued.” Kuwait has the

right to know what happened to its

citizens and national possessions. The

families of the missing have the right to

know what happened to their loved

ones. And as long as there is no answer,

they will continue to seek the truth.

The United Nations and the interna-

tional community, too, will keep pursu-

ing this matter; we will continue sup-

porting Iraq in this quest until we are

able to close this chapter. Alice Wal-

pole, my newly appointed Deputy Spe-

cial Representative for Political Affairs,

has taken on this file in accordance

with Resolution 2107. I would like to

thank former Deputy Special Repre-

sentative György Busztin for his excel-

lent work, efforts and commitment to

this file since the adoption of the reso-

lution in 2013.

New York, 8 December 2017 - The

Security Council concluded today that

all the measures imposed in its resolu-

tions 1958 (2010) and 2335 (2016) pur-

suant to Chapter VII of the Charter of

the United Nations in relation to the

Iraq oil-for-food programme had been

fully implemented.

Unanimously adopting resolution 2390

(2017), the Council welcomed the fact

that the remaining funds in the escrow

accounts established pursuant to reso-

lution 1958 (2010) had been transferred

to the Government of Iraq pursuant to

resolution 2335 (2016).

The Council acknowledged the Secre-

tary-General’s final report on the mat-

ter (document S/2017/820), which stat-

ed, among other things, that the re-

maining $14,283,565 in the administra-

tive escrow account had been trans-

ferred to Iraq.

Following the adoption, Amy Noel

Tachco (United States) applauded

Iraq’s complete implementation of

measures under the oil-for-food pro-

gramme, although the country still

faced many challenges. She looked for-

ward to close cooperation international-

ly and bilaterally in support of Iraq as a

federal, democratic and prosperous

country.

The meeting started at 9:45 a.m. and

ended at 9:48 a.m.

Resolution

The full text of resolution 2390 (2017)

reads as follows:

“The Security Council,

“Recalling its resolutions 1958 (2010)

and 2335 (2016),

“Acknowledging receipt of the final

report of the Secretary-General pursu-

ant to paragraph 4 of Security Council

resolution 2335 (2016), S/2017/820,

“1. Welcomes the implementing ar-

rangements entered into by the Secre-

tary-General and the Government of

Iraq as requested in paragraph 7 of

Security Council resolution 1958

(2010);

“2. Also welcomes that the remaining

funds in the escrow accounts estab-

lished pursuant to paragraphs 3–5 of

Security Council resolution 1958 (2010)

have been transferred to the Govern-

ment of Iraq pursuant to Security

Council resolution 2335 (2016);

“3. Concludes that all the measures

imposed by the Security Council in

resolutions 1958 (2010) and 2335 (2016)

pursuant to Chapter VII of the Charter

of the United Nations have been fully

implemented by the parties.”

All measures imposed under Iraq Oil-for-Food Programme implemented in

full, Security Council concludes, unanimously adopting Resolution 1958 (2017)

Baghdad, 17 November 2017 – Trib-

al sheikhs, religious leaders, academics,

political party representatives and civil

society representatives from Diyala and

Anbar Provinces met on Wednesday

15th and Thursday 16th November in

two separate meetings in Baghdad as

part of a series of roundtable discus-

sions under the theme ”National Settle-

ment: Prospects and Challenges” aim-

ing at creating an enabling environ-

ment for Iraqi national reconciliation.

The roundtables were organized jointly

by the United Nations Assistance Mis-

sion for Iraq (UNAMI) and the Imple-

mentation and Follow-up Committee

for National Reconciliation (IFCNR) at

the Office of the Prime Minister, with

funding from the Governments of Ger-

many and the Netherlands.

In his opening remarks at the Diyala

representatives’ roundtable, Mr. Mo-

hammed Al-Najjar, Senior Political

Affairs Officer at UNAMI stressed the

importance of national reconciliation

and UNAMI’s commitment to assist in

pushing this process forward for a bet-

Participants from Diyala and Anbar tackle prospects and

challenges of the National Settlement

Volume 4, Issue 6 Reconciliation Page 10

ter future for all Iraqis.

Advisor to the IFCNR, Mr. Hussein Al-

Adli affirmed that “national reconcilia-

tion was moving forward in spite of the

obstacles”. He added that coexistence

was the cornerstone of good govern-

ance.

On the Anbar representatives meeting,

Mr. Mohamed Al-Najjar said that UN-

AMI had been working with all political

parties as well as the IFCNR. He said

that “a number of meetings, similar to

this, were held in different Provinces

with the aim of listening to varied voic-

es on the future of the country. UNAMI

is committed to assisting the Iraqi peo-

ple at all levels.”

On his part, Mr. Mohammed Al-

Salman, Advisor to the Prime Minister

on National Reconciliation Affairs,

stressed that government deals with all

Iraqi citizens equally regardless of their

background. “We have to respect the

opinions of our opponents, and in order

for Iraqis to live in peace and harmony,

they need to be highly tolerant,” he

added.

Participants highlighted post-ISIL

challenges with regard to the settle-

ment and they put forward useful rec-

ommendations to ensure success of the

ongoing reconciliation efforts at the

political and societal levels.

Baghdad, 29 November 2017 - During a

ceremony hosted by the Iraqi Commu-

nications and Media Committee (CMC),

H. Exc. Mr. Bruno Aubert, Ambassador

of France to Iraq and Mrs. Louise Hax-

thausen, UNESCO Director and Repre-

sentative to Iraq, signed the project

“Voices of Peace: Promoting Peaceful

Coexistence in the Liberated Areas of

Iraq through Community media”, in the

presence of Dr. Ali Naser, Executive

Director of the Communication and

Media Commission of Iraq.

“Investing in balanced, conflict-

sensitive media reporting, is investing

in sustainable peace. When and where

media work on this basis, they become

one of the most powerful tools to

strengthen social ties, celebrate diversi-

ty, and promote ideals of solidarity,

tolerance and inclusiveness. Let me

thank France, as well as the CMC, for

sharing this vision and for their com-

France and UNESCO partnering to promote community

reconciliation and peaceful coexistence in Iraq through community

radios

Volume 4, Issue 6 Reconciliation Page 11

mitment to champion it together with

UNESCO”, said UNESCO Iraq Director

Louise Haxthausen.

Funded by France, and implemented by

UNESCO, the project “Voices of Peace:

Promoting Peaceful Coexistence in the

Liberated Areas of Iraq through Com-

munity media” will support community

radios in developing innovative and

creative reporting on communities’ en-

gagement in favour of coexistence, so-

cial cohesion and inclusion. The project

will focus on culturally diverse regions

of Iraq, which host different ethnic and

religious segments of its society. These

include Nineveh, Kirkuk and the 3 gov-

ernorates of the Kurdistan region of

Iraq, namely Erbil, Dohuk and Sulay-

maniyah.

“Media and social networks have an

important role to play in bringing Ira-

qis together, beyond their differences

with a view to dialogue and sharing”

stressed Ambassador Bruno Aubert,

adding that therefore “we support this

project with no hesitation, since it fully

reflects Iraq’s priorities for stabiliza-

tion, especially in relation to communi-

ty-based rapprochement and reconcilia-

tion”.

Highlighting the CMC’s commitment to

facilitate the implementation of the

project, Dr. Ali Naser Executive Direc-

tor of the Communication and Media

Commission indicated that it would

contribute to further reinforce joint

efforts by UNESCO and the CMC to

promote freedom of expression and the

press in Iraq.

Baghdad, 7 December 2017 - UNDP

Iraq organized today in Baghdad a con-

ference on Women Voices in Communi-

ty Reconciliation in Iraq. Representing

the Prime Minister of Iraq, President of

the Implementation and Follow Up on

National Reconciliation Committee,

Mohammed Salman Al-Saadi, ad-

dressed the Conference. The Mayor of

Baghdad, Zhekra Jaber Alwach and

UNDP Country Director for Iraq,

Mounir Tabet, also greeted the partici-

pants. During the conference women

and men from different backgrounds

were drafting recommendations on

women’s participation in community

reconciliation.

UNDP Iraq’s conference on “Women voices in community

reconciliation in Iraq” held in Baghdad

He said the National Settlement dis-

cussion should involve all components

and groups and is open to ideas and

proposals, but all should be in line with

the Constitution.

Addressing the participants - 68 men

and 28 women from Najaf and Diwani-

yah Governorates - the Deputy Special

Representative of the United Nations

Secretary-General for Political and

Electoral Affairs, Ms. Alice Walpole,

alluded to Najaf’s significance in recon-

ciliation, a city she described as re-

nowned for its spirit of tolerance and

acceptance.

Ms. Walpole said the defeat of Daesh

provides the opportunity to press for-

ward on the course towards permanent

peace, so that the country can focus all

its energies and resources on recon-

struction.

“Reconciliation is a long process. We

need to work together to develop a clear

vision for Iraq’s better future,” the Dep-

uty Special Representative emphasised.

“We believe that all Iraqis need to capi-

talise on this momentum and build a

basis for peaceful coexistence.”

Participants highlighted post-Daesh

challenges with regard to national rec-

onciliation. Opinions were diverse, from

diagnosing the ills of the country and

ways to move forward, to calls to com-

bat corruption, ensure justice, hold

perpetrators of crimes accountable,

enact political reforms and work to-

wards economic development.

They called for robust engagement of

the United Nations in the political and

development fields, including on elec-

tions and education, as well as in ca-

pacity building, pointing to UN experi-

ence in other countries and how this

can be applied to Iraq.

Ms. Walpole underlined that the Unit-

ed Nations is committed to assisting

the Iraqi government and the Iraqi

people in overcoming the many chal-

lenges.

“There is a real need for constructive

dialogue at every level,” the Deputy

Special Representative said. “I am cer-

tain that, with the concerted efforts of

Iraq’s leaders, political forces and its

people of all ethnic and religious groups

and their patriotism, assisted by the

continued support of the international

community, Iraq will be able to sur-

mount post-Daesh challenges and build

a better future.”

Volume 4, Issue 6 Reconciliation Page 12

Najaf, 13 December 2017 - Iraq’s

victory over the Daesh terrorists pro-

vides an opportunity for the country to

shed its painful past and confidently

embark on the road to peace and devel-

opment, the United Nations empha-

sised at a conference on national recon-

ciliation in Najaf today, urging Iraqis of

all affiliations to seize the momentum

and build on it to ensure a prosperous

future for the younger generation.

The call came at a roundtable discus-

sion that brought together tribal, reli-

gious, academic, political party and

civil society actors from the Najaf and

Diwaniyah Governorates to gauge the

opinion of Iraqis from all corners of the

country and tackle challenges to the

Iraqi national reconciliation in the post-

Daesh phase.

This is the sixth and last of such re-

gional roundtables to convene under

the theme “National Settlement: Pro-

spects and Challenges” since Septem-

ber. Their recommendations will en-

hance the process that will lead to an

inclusive National Settlement to take

Iraq into the future after years of con-

flict and divisions. The meetings were

organised jointly by the United Nations

Assistance Mission for Iraq (UNAMI)

and the Implementation and Follow-up

Committee for National Reconciliation

at the Office of the Prime Minister,

with funding from the Governments of

Germany and the Netherlands.

The representative of the Implementa-

tion and Follow-up Committee for Na-

tional Reconciliation at the Office of the

Prime Minister, Mr. Ali Abbas, opened

the meeting in Najaf with an overview

of the National Settlement document,

which he explained forms the basis for

national reconciliation.

“There is no alternative to the settle-

ment, or to reconciliation. It is a neces-

sity. The other choices are: No stability,

No security, No development.”

UN at reconciliation meeting urges Iraqis to seize the momentum

of victory over Daesh to build a better future

that the Electoral Commission works

with all stakeholders in order to hold

them as well as the Governorate Coun-

cil Elections in a timely, inclusive, cred-

ible and transparent manner,” Mr. Ku-

biš emphasized.

The SRSG reiterated his call for the

Council of Representatives to take im-

mediate steps to ensure that the appro-

priate legal framework is in place,

without further delay. “The Commis-

sion should be enabled to undertake all

the required preparations all over the

country. It is also important that the

close cooperation and coordination be-

tween electoral institutions in Baghdad

and in Kurdistan Region be sustained,”

Mr. Kubiš further added.

Also at the meeting, which took place

at IHEC offices in Baghdad, the SRSG

reiterated the continuing commitment

of the United Nations to provide an

even more intensified support to Iraq’s

forthcoming electoral processes. He

mentioned the recent deployment of an

Electoral Needs Assessment Mission by

UN Headquarters to assess and define

areas for further UN electoral support.

Baghdad, 20 December 2017 - Today,

UNAMI attended as an observer the

f irst consultat ive meeting on

“Minorities in Media” organized by the

Minority and Information Departments

of the National Reconciliation Commit-

tee (NRC). The aim of the meeting was

to discuss how to objectively portray

minority communities in the media.

The participants agreed on forming a

committee that will work on a strategy

on integrating minorities in the media

in a close coordination with NRC. The

meeting was part of the NRC’s national

reconciliation endeavors.

First consultative meeting on “Minorities in Media” organized by

the Minority and Information Departments of the National

Reconciliation Committee (NRC) took place in Baghdad

Volume 4, Issue 6 Reconciliation Page 13

Baghdad, 12 December 2017 – The

Special Representative of the United

Nations Secretary-General (SRSG) for

Iraq, Mr. Ján Kubiš, met today with

the Board of Commissioners of the In-

dependent High Electoral Commission.

The Commissioners provided updates

on the status of electoral preparations,

including plans for the enfranchise-

ment of displaced voters and the adop-

tion of several technologies for the next

elections. The Commission also identi-

fied technical and other areas where

they most require international sup-

port.

For his part, the SRSG welcomed the

progress being made so far for the elec-

tions envisioned for 12 May 2018 in

accordance with the timelines set in the

Constitution of Iraq. “The 2018 Council

of Representatives elections must take

place in full conformity with the consti-

tutional time-frame and it is imperative

SRSG Kubiš meets new IHEC Board of Commissioners, calls for

concerted efforts to deliver a timely and successful election

Political Affairs

its components listed in Article 116 of

the Constitution under its current rul-

ings.

UNAMI also notes that the Iraqi Gov-

ernment has confirmed its full commit-

ment to the Constitution and the deci-

sions of the Federal Court, including its

full commitment to preserving the uni-

ty of Iraq.

UNAMI urges the Government of the

Kurdistan Region of Iraq to

acknowledge, endorse and respect this

ruling of the Federal Court and reiter-

ate its full commitment to the Constitu-

tion.

UNAMI re-emphasizes the urgent need

for political dialogue and negotiations

between Baghdad and Erbil, in a spirit

of partnership and respect for the Con-

stitution that itself respects the consti-

tutional rights of the Kurdistan Region

of Iraq.

UNAMI reconfirms its readiness to

play a facilitating role in this dialogue

and these negotiations, if requested by

both the Federal Government and Kur-

distan Regional Government, or indeed

any other role agreed upon by both

parties based on and in full conformity

of its mandate.

New York, 26 October 2017 - Infor-

mal comments to the media by H.E Mr.

François Delattre, Permanent Repre-

sentative of France to the United Na-

tions and President of the Security

Council, made at the Security Council

Media Stakeout, on the situation in the

Middle East:

“The members of the Security Council

expressed concern over increased ten-

sions and reports of violence between

Iraqi Federal Forces and Kurdish Pesh-

merga.

Council members called on all sides to

refrain from the threat and use of force

and to engage in constructive dialogue,

facilitated by the United Nations upon

request, as a path way to de-escalation

and a means to preserve Iraqi unity.

Council members recalled the needs for

the rights and aspirations of all Iraqi

citizens to be met through full imple-

mentation of the Iraqi constitution.

Council members noted that the Feder-

United Nations Security Council President François Delattre

(France) on the situation in the Middle East and other matters

Volume 4, Issue 6 Kurdistan Referendum Page 14

al and Regional Governments have

both expressed willingness to engage in

dialogue. We encourage them to expedi-

tiously set a time table to hold these

discussions.

Council members reaffirm their respect

of the sovereignty, territorial integrity

and unity of Iraq. They also reaffirm

the importance of remaining focused on

efforts to defeat the Islamic State in

Iraq and the Levant (ISIL/Daesh).

Council members likewise voiced their

full support for United Nations efforts

in this regard.”

Baghdad, 07 November 2017 – The

United Nations Assistance Mission for

Iraq (UNAMI) takes note of the state-

ment released by the Federal Court

Spokesperson announcing that the

High Federal Court in its session on 06

November 2017 issued a ruling clarify-

ing Article 1 of the Constitution and

noting that the court concluded that

this article and other pertinent Consti-

tutional articles have underlined the

unity of Iraq. The Spokesperson also

noted that the High Federal Court rul-

ing established that no text in the Con-

stitution allows the secession of any of

UNAMI urges Kurdistan Region to confirm respect for the Federal

Court ruling, stresses Baghdad-Erbil negotiations

Baghdad, 15 November 2017 - On

Wednesday 15 November, 2017 in Erbil

SRSG Ján Kubiš delivered a letter of

the Secretary-General A. Guterres dat-

ed 10 November 2017 to H.E Prime

Minister N. Barzani who was accompa-

nied by H.E Deputy Prime Minister Q.

Talabani. The same day he delivered a

copy of this letter to H.E Prime Minis-

ter H. Abadi, for information. In the

letter that the Secretary-General sent

in response to a communication from

Prime Minister Barzani of 7 November

2017, the Secretary-General among

others stated:

“I fully share your view that the out-

standing issues between Baghdad and

Erbil should be resolved by peaceful

means through political negotiations

based on the Constitution of the Repub-

lic of Iraq. I am encouraged by the fact

that the Government of Iraq and the

Kurdistan Regional Government have

publicly expressed openness to such

negotiations on several occasions. A

further destabilization of the current

situation must be prevented, in the

interests of promoting national recon-

ciliation, fostering greater stability in a

volatile region and confronting the

threat that the Islamic State of Iraq

and the Levant continues to pose.

I encourage both sides to take the nec-

essary steps to create a conducive envi-

ronment in which genuine negotiations

can take place.

The United Nations stands ready to

assist in this effort as the request of the

parties concerned and based on the

United Nations mandate for Iraq, nota-

bly through my Special Representative

for Iraq, Mr. Ján Kubiš.”

SRSG Kubiš also reiterated the posi-

UNAMI acknowledges Kurdistan Region’s Government statement

announcing respect for the Federal Court ruling on unity of Iraq

Volume 4, Issue 6 Kurdistan Referendum Page 15

tion expressed on 26 October 2017 in

comments to the media by the then

French Presidency of the UN Security

Council that among others stated:

“Council members called on all sides to

refrain from the threat and use of force

and to engage in constructive dialogue,

facilitated by the United Nations upon

request, as a path way to de-escalation

and a means to preserve Iraqi unity.

Council members recalled the needs for

the rights and aspirations of all Iraqi

citizens to be met through full imple-

mentation of the Iraqi constitution.

Council members noted that the Feder-

al and Regional Governments have

both expressed willingness to engage in

dialogue. We encourage them to expedi-

tiously set a time table to hold these

discussions.

Council members reaffirm their respect

of the sovereignty, territorial integrity

and unity of Iraq. They also reaffirm

the importance of remaining focused on

efforts to defeat the Islamic State in

Iraq and the Levant (ISIL/Daesh).”

SRSG Kubiš also acknowledged a reac-

tion of the Kurdistan Regional Govern-

ment (KRG) to the Decision No.: 122 of

the Federal Supreme Court of 6 No-

vember 2017 that, established that the

Federal Supreme Court did not find in

the Constitution any provision author-

izing the secession of any component of

the federal system of the Republic of

Iraq, thus underlining the unity of Iraq.

In its statement of 14 November 2017

the KRG i.a. reiterated:

“As we, in the Kurdistan Region, have

always emphasized on finding solutions

to disputes between the federal Author-

ities and the Kurdistan Region through

constitutional and legal means, and

based on our known position which

welcomes all relevant initiatives, espe-

cially the initiatives by the Grand Aya-

tollah Ali Al- Sistani, Iraqi dignitaries

and friendly countries to the Iraqi peo-

ple regarding addressing disputes on

the basis of the Constitution, we re-

spect the interpretation of the Federal

Supreme Court of the First Article of

the Iraqi Constitution.

We believe that this Decision must

become a basis for starting an inclusive

national dialogue between Erbil and

Baghdad to resolve all disputes through

implementation of all constitutional

articles and in a way that guarantees

all rights, authorities and status men-

tioned in the Constitution, since this is

the only way to secure the unity of Iraq,

as Article 1 stated.”

In line with the letter of the UN Secre-

tary-General and of the said position

expressed by the then Presidency of the

UN Security Council SRSG Kubiš reit-

erates a compelling need to address and

resolve all the outstanding issues be-

tween the two governments through

dialogue based on and in full accord-

ance with the Constitution that will

also guarantee the full constitutional

rights of the KR-I and its people, with-

out threat or use of force, as a constitu-

tional way towards stability, integrity

and prosperity, towards further

strengthening of unity, sovereignty,

territorial integrity of united, federal

and democratic Iraq. He urges the con-

tinuation of high-level dialogue be-

tween the federal and Kurdish Region-

al Governments on military and securi-

ty issues to avoid confrontation during

the deployment of federal forces in the

disputed areas and the establishment

of the federal authority over the exter-

nal border crossings of Iraq including

the international airports in the Kurdi-

stan Region of Iraq. He also welcomes

the intent expressed by Prime Minister

Abadi on 14 November 2017 to open a

dialogue of government representatives

and experts regarding i.a. the budget

and oil export. Such lines of dialogue

are essential to both maintaining calm

and avoiding escalation in the process

of establishing the federal authority

over the disputed territories and exter-

nal border crossing and to finding ur-

gently solutions on pressing issues of

the budget, salaries or oil exports. Such

dialogue also opens a way towards con-

structive political negotiations in the

spirit of partnership on broader set of

critical issues and arrangements con-

cerning the future Baghdad – Erbil

relations in united Iraq.

Baghdad, 21 November 2017 – The

United Nations Assistance Mission for

Iraq (UNAMI) acknowledges the Iraq

Federal Supreme Court’s Decision of 20

November 2017 concerning the Kurdish

independence referendum.

In its decision, the Federal Supreme

Court confirmed that the referendum

conducted in Kurdistan on 25 Septem-

ber 2017, and the purpose for which it

was conducted, the independence of the

Kurdistan Region of Iraq (KR-I) and

other areas outside of it, has no consti-

tutional reference and violates its pro-

visions. Accordingly, the FSC decided

that the referendum was unconstitu-

tional and all of its results and effects

shall be cancelled.

UNAMI urges the authorities of the

KR-I to acknowledge and respect this

ruling of the Federal Supreme Court

and the Constitution.

Statement on the Federal Supreme Court decision concerning

Kurdistan Referendum

Volume 4, Issue 6 Kurdistan Referendum Page 16

UNAMI also takes note of the state-

ment of Prime Minister Abadi, welcom-

ing the ruling and calling on all to re-

spect the Constitution.

UNAMI urges the Federal Government

and the Kurdistan Regional Govern-

ment to start negotiations without de-

lay, based on the Constitution, on all

current issues between the two Govern-

ments. This should include measures

that will allow the establishment of

federal authority over the external bor-

der crossings of Iraq located in the KR-

I; and the early re-opening of the inter-

national airports in Erbil and Sulei-

maniya to international flights. Agree-

ment is also needed with regard to the

appropriate share for the KR-I in the

federal budget, the payment of salaries

and management of oil exports.

UNAMI also urges that all Members of

Parliament from the KR-I be allowed

immediately to return to the Council of

Representatives, to take part in its

proceedings and enable their full par-

ticipation in its deliberations, including

on such important matters as the budg-

et law.

At the same time, UNAMI encourages

continuation of the high-level intergov-

ernmental co-ordination mechanisms

on military and security issues, to avoid

the possibility of further violence and

confrontation. UNAMI reaffirms its

opposition to the threat of use of force,

inflammatory statements or confronta-

tional actions, especially at this time

when the issue of the referendum has

found its resolution, based on full re-

spect for the Constitution.

UNAMI commends the pivotal role

played in this respect by the Federal

Supreme Court.

Political Consultations

Baghdad, 30 October 2017 – The Special Representative of the

Secretary-General for Iraq (SRSG), Ján Kubiš, met today with Sheikh

Abdul Rahim al-Shammari, Chairperson of the House of

Representatives Human Rights Committee with whom he discussed the

human rights situation in Ninewa as well as the work of the Human

Rights Committee.

Baghdad, 31 October 2017 - The Special Representative of the

Secretary-General for Iraq (SRSG), Ján Kubiš, met today with Medhat

al-Mahmoud, the Head of the Iraqi Supreme Judicial Council and Chief

Justice of Iraq. They discussed the current situation following the

Kurdistan Referendum. SRSG Kubiš, inter alia, received an update on

the proceedings of the Federal Supreme Court on the referendum issue.

Baghdad, 7 November 2017 – The Deputy Special Representative of

the UN Secretary-General (DSRSG) for Iraq for Political Affairs and

Electoral Assistance, Ms. Alice Walpole, met with Ibtissam Aziz,

Director-General of the Directorate for Empowering Iraqi Women

(General Secretariat of the Council of Ministers). Ms. Aziz outlined the

work of the Directorate, particularly relating to bolstering the role of

women in political, decision-making and reconciliation processes.

DSRSG Walpole and Ms. Aziz agreed on the importance of

strengthening the implementation of UN Security Council Resolution

1325. DSRSG Walpole gave assurances of UNAMI’s continuing support.

Erbil, 7 November 2017 - The Special Representative of the Secretary-

General for Iraq (SRSG), Ján Kubiš, met with Kurdistan Region Prime

Minister Nechirvan Barzani to discuss the current political situation in

the Kurdistan Region of Iraq and Baghdad-Erbil relations. SRSG Kubiš

stressed on the need for dialogue to resolve all the differences on the

basis of the Iraqi Constitution.

Photos: Courtesy of KRG

The leadership of the United Nations Assistance Mission for Iraq and UN Country Team continue with political consultations

with the leading stakeholders in Iraq and the region.

Volume 4, Issue 6 Political consultations Page 17

Baghdad, 7 November 2017 – The Deputy Special Representative of

the UN Secretary-General for Iraq for Political Affairs and Electoral

Assistance, Ms. Alice Walpole, met with Dr. Mahdi Al-Alaq, Secretary-

General of the Iraqi Council of Ministers. Among a range of topics, they

discussed the importance of ensuring the necessary conditions to enable

Internally Displaced Persons (IDPs) to return to their areas of origin

and to facilitate their participation in the upcoming elections.

Baghdad, 7 November 2017 – The Deputy Special Representative of

the Secretary-General for Iraq for political and electoral affairs, Alice

Walpole met today with the new Board of Commissioners of IHEC. They

discussed the forthcoming 2018 Iraqi and Governorates elections.

Amman, Jordan, 13 November 2017 – The Special Representative of

the Secretary-General for Iraq, Mr. Ján Kubiš, met with H.E. Mr.

Ayman Safadi, Minister of Foreign Affairs of the Hashemite Kingdom of

Jordan. They discussed the current political situation in the region and

efforts to preserve stability and security.

Photo: Courtesy of MoFA, Jordan.

Baghdad, 13 November 2017 – The Special Representative of the

Secretary-General for Iraq, Mr. Ján Kubiš, met with H.E. Mr. Haider Al

-Abadi, Prime Minister of Iraq. The political and security developments

in Iraq, with focus on the need for an inclusive political dialogue were

discussed.

Photo courtesy of the Office of the Prime Minister.

Baghdad, 14 November 2017 - The Special Representative of the

Secretary-General for Iraq, Mr. Ján Kubiš, met with the Head of the

Badr Organisation, Mr. Hadi al-Ameri. They discussed the security

situation in the country, the post-referendum developments and the

upcoming 2018 elections. The SRSG also informed his host of his

forthcoming UN Security Council briefing on Iraq.

Photo: Courtesy of Badr Organization

Baghdad, 10 November 2017 – The Special Representative of the

United Nations Secretary-General for Iraq and Head of the United

Nations Assistance Mission for Iraq (UNAMI), Ján Kubiš met today

with the Ambassador of France in Iraq, Jean-Yves Le Drian. They

discussed the current political situation in Iraq. Ambassador Le Drian

confirmed his full support for SRSG’s mediation and the availability of

France to help him in his efforts to reach a political solution in Iraq.

Volume 4, Issue 6 Political consultations Page 18

Erbil, 15 November 2017 – The Special Representative of the

Secretary-General for Iraq, Ján Kubiš, met with the Prime Minister of

the Kurdistan Region of Iraq (KR-I), Nechirvan Barzani, and with the

Deputy Prime Minister of KR-I, Qubad Talabani, in a joint meeting in

Erbil. They discussed the current political developments in Iraq with

special emphasis on Baghdad-Erbil relations.

Photo: Courtesy of KRG

Baghdad, 15 November 2017 – The United Nations Special

Rapporteur on Extra-Judicial executions, Dr. Agnes Callamard,

accompanied by the Special Representative of the Secretary-General for

Iraq, Mr. Ján Kubiš, met with the Prime Minister of Iraq, H.E. Dr.

Haider Al-Abadi. They discussed the state of human rights in Iraq.

Photo: Courtesy of the Office of the Prime Minister

Bashiqa, 20 November 2017 – Ms. Lise Grande, Deputy Special

Representative of the United Nations Assistance Mission for Iraq and

Resident Coordinator for Iraq, met with religious leaders near Bashiqa,

an area in the Ninewa Plains, at the Mar Mattai Monastery. USAID is

the largest contributor to the UNDP Iraq stabilization program, which

seeks to restore basic services to communities following liberation from

ISIS.

Baghdad, 23 November 2017 – The Deputy Special Representative of

the Secretary-General for Iraq (DSRSG), Ms. Alice Walpole met with the

Minister of Defence of Iraq, Mr. Irfan Al-Hayali. DSRSG Walpole

congratulated the Government of Iraq on the heroic victory against ISIL

and commended the security forces for their courage and sacrifices.

They also discussed the current security situation in the country,

continuing activities of the Iraqi Security Forces on clearing IEDs and

unexploded ordnance from the liberated areas, in an effort to support

the return of displaced people as well as the Kuwait file

Photo courtesy of the Iraq Ministry of Defence.

Baghdad, 28 November 2017 - The Special Representative of the

United Nations Secretary-General for Iraq (SRSG), Mr. Ján Kubiš, met

at his office in Baghdad today with the former IHEC Chairman, Sarbast

Mustafa Amedi. During the meeting, Mr. Amedi expressed his gratitude

to the SRSG for the UN’s longstanding support to the IHEC and for

being with the institution during its most difficult and challenging

times.

For his part, the SRSG thanked the former Chairman for his services to

Iraq in his capacity as the head of the Electoral Commission. The SRSG

commended Mr. Amedi’s diplomatic and technical abilities that were

instrumental during challenging circumstances and for his efforts in

reaching out to the UN electoral team, the SRSG and even including UN

headquarters. The meeting concluded with the SRSG encouraging Mr.

Amedi to maintain contact and remain available to share his insights

and expertise on Iraqi elections.

Baghdad, 16 November 2017 – The Special Representative of the

Secretary-General for Iraq, Ján Kubiš, met today with the Deputy

Speaker of the Council of Representatives, Sheikh Humam Hamoudi.

They discussed the Baghdad – Erbil relations, upcoming elections and

the Personal Status Law. Sheikh Hamoudi and SRSG Kubiš have both

expressed their support for dialogue between Baghdad and Erbil based

on and with full respect of the Iraqi Constitution.

Photo: Archive

Najaf, 29 November 2017 - The Spe-

cial Representative of the Secretary-

General (SRSG) for Iraq, Mr. Ján Ku-

biš, was received today by His Emi-

nence Grand Ayatollah Ali Al-Sistani in

Najaf.

“I am extremely honoured that I was

once again received by His Eminence

Grand Ayatollah Ali Al-Sistani. It is a

great honour for us - the United Na-

tions - and for me personally. We had

an in-depth discussion about what is on

the agenda of the country, of Iraq, and I

was listening to the points His Emi-

nence was making as a guidance for

future activities and future steps.”

SRSG Kubiš congratulated His Emi-

nence, the people and the Government

of Iraq on the victory against the ter-

rorist Daesh structures, emphasizing

that this victory was for the whole of

Iraq and the world, and that the Mar-

jaiya’s fatwa that mobilized patriotic

popular forces was instrumental in

defeating the terrorist Daesh.

SRSG Kubiš appreciated in particular

Grand Ayatollah Al-Sistani receives UN Special Representative for

Iraq Ján Kubiš in Najaf

Volume 4, Issue 6 Political Consultations Page 19

the human aspect of His Eminence’s

calls and sermons on human and social

issues, including care for the families of

the martyrs and survivors of the fight

against Daesh, a better future for the

youth, the voluntary return of the in-

ternally displaced people to the condi-

tions of safety and security, protection

of civilians and resolute action against

perpetrators of criminal acts and viola-

tors of human rights.

Following the appeal of His Eminence

to take all steps to ensure a rapid, vol-

untary return of IDPs to their homes

with dignity, to enable at least a mini-

mum level of reconstruction and deliv-

ery of services, and to ensure the appro-

priate level of security that would pro-

tect civilians against terror, and create

a barrier against the return of terror-

ism, SRSG Kubiš confirmed that the

United Nations will accelerate its sup-

port to this end. He also shared the

view of His Eminence that it is im-

portant to ensure the full implementa-

tion of the PMF law that would i.a.

Remarks by SRSG for Iraq, Mr. Ján Kubiš, to the press following his

meeting with His Eminence Grand Ayatollah Ali Al-Sistani in Najaf,

Iraq (edited for brevity)

Najaf, 29 November 2017 -

SRSG Kubiš: “First of all, I am ex-

tremely honoured that I was once again

received by His Eminence Grand Aya-

tollah Ali Al-Sistani. It is a great hon-

our for us - the United Nations - and for

me personally. And I value, not only

the fact that I was received, but also

that we had an in-depth discussion

about what is on the agenda of the

country, of Iraq, and I was listening to

the points His Eminence was making

on as a guidance for future activities,

future steps.

And I was able to confirm that we

share the same concerns, and we share

also the approach of the way forward in

most, if not all, the cases and situa-

tions.

And I confirmed to His Eminence that

for us, and that was also confirmed

through the meeting, the full respect of

the constitution and laws of the country

in all situations being it as regards

Baghdad-Erbil relations or as regards

the elections in the country and in all

other cases is something that guides us

and will guide us in our activities. And

we cannot support any violations of the

constitution, laws of the country.

The second point: I, once again, highly

acknowledged, the human aspect of the

guidance; of His Eminence, that

showed itself in so many ways when he

has been speaking either himself or

through the regular Friday sermons on

issues like the necessity to take care of

the families of the martyrs and survi-

vors of the fight against Daesh; to take

care about the future of the young pop-

ulation in Iraq, urging the government

to create conditions for that; to take

care about the internally displaced per-

sons (IDPs), and to create conditions for

their return; or to protect civilians

while fighting Daesh and destroying

this takfiri criminal, terrorist organisa-

tion.

And I confirmed that, for us, these pri-

orities are also our priorities. For exam-

ple, the importance of the return of

IDPs to their homes with dignity, vol-

untary return to the basic conditions. I

also confirmed that we, as the United

Nations, will accelerate support for this

return to the people and to the govern-

ment to enable at least a minimum

level of reconstruction but also the ap-

propriate level of security that would at

the same time create a barrier against

repeating attacks of the terrorist Daesh

that otherwise are still happening.

The third point: I again confirmed to

guarantee that weapons are exclusively

in the hands of the state and under its

control or that the PMF should not be

involved in the elections.

In reference to the unwavering support

by His Eminence of the full respect and

implementation of the Constitution and

the laws of united Iraq, Mr. Kubiš con-

firmed to His Eminence that the UN

fully shares this approach, also as re-

gards the Baghdad–Erbil relations,

including guarantees of the full consti-

tutional rights of the Kurdistan Region

of Iraq and its people, or the timely

holding of the general elections.

The government’s reform programme,

including fighting corruption, has the

full support of the United Nations, the

SRSG said. He pledged continuous UN

assistance and joined His Eminence in

urging the government to resolutely

move to prosecute individuals accused

of corruption and retrieve the embez-

zled funds which should be used to ful-

fill the people’s needs.

His Eminence our support for the re-

form programme of the government, for

implementation of the proclaimed ob-

jectives, for example, when fighting

corruption. We will provide assistance

and we hope that the government will

resolutely move against those corrupt

individuals, not only to take action

against them, but also to retrieve the

funds that they embezzled and to bring

these funds back to serve the needs of

the people.

Finally, and I started with this in our

meeting, I would like to use this oppor-

tunity once again to congratulate the

government and the people of Iraq with

this victory against the terrorist Daesh.

The structures of the Daesh were

crushed, still the work against terror-

ism must continue because there are

still individuals that would try to con-

tinuously use this opportunity; but the

victory is there and it is through the

sacrifices of the people of Iraq. And I

applaud this; and I express my sympa-

thies to all the martyrs and their fami-

lies.”

Q&A

Q: Does His Eminence agree with your

approach on fighting corruption and

the corrupt people?

A: This is an area and approach which

we share and I was very happy to hear

a very strong line from His Eminence

speaking about the need to fight cor-

ruption, in acts not only in words. This

is something that we would like to sup-

port.

Q: The position of the United Nations

vis-a-vis the fight against terrorism

and the Iraqis fighting terrorism on

behalf of the world. The role of the

United Nations was marginal. There

has been no serious position; Daesh

was not set as a terrorist organisation;

individuals of Daesh, property and as-

sets have not been frozen. What is the

position of the United Nations in this

regard?

A: I beg to disagree. The position of the

United Nations was very clear. It la-

belled Daesh as a terrorist organisa-

tion, as a global threat to security.

Through different bodies of the United

Nations in New York, measures were

taken against the flow of terrorism

from abroad to join the ranks as foreign

fighters in favour of Daesh. Increasing-

ly, we see that also financing of this

terrorist organisation is curtailed and

more and more individuals that provid-

ed assistance will be punished for this.

Approximately two months ago, the

Remarks by SRSG for Iraq, Mr. Ján Kubiš, to the press following

his meeting with His Eminence Grand Ayatollah Ali Al-Sistani in

Najaf, Iraq (continued)

Volume 4, Issue 6 Political Consultations Page 20

Security Council adopted a resolution

that creates a special investigative

mechanism that will deal with the

crimes of Daesh, crimes that are war

crimes, and crimes against humanity

and that would then create openings to

punishment of individual members of

Daesh for their criminal activities. And

all this is happening in support and in

coordination with the Government of

Iraq.

Q: You mentioned that the United Na-

tions is supporting Iraq and constitu-

tion and it will not allow the referen-

dum. But you have supported the sepa-

ration of Kurdistan from Iraq. Why the

al-Nujaba'e and Asaib al-Haq, the re-

sistance groups, who have uprooted

Daesh especially in the liberated areas

and put them on the terrorist list?

A: On the first question, I do not know

from where you took that we supported

the separation. On the contrary, the

position of the Security Council, the

position of the United Nations and the

position of the United Nations Assis-

tance Mission for Iraq (UNAMI), and

my position, has been in favour of uni-

ty, territorial integrity and sovereignty

of the country. And we are publicly on

the record on this. So, whoever is say-

ing something else is fabricating and as

in some other parts of the world are

saying these are fake news.

Secondly, as regards the popular mobi-

lisation forces and different compo-

nents of the popular mobilisation forc-

es, when I speak about respect for the

laws of the country I speak also about

respecting also the popular mobilisa-

tion law and I would like to see the full

implementation of this law by, among

others, concentrating the weapons in

the hands of the State only but also in

providing support for restructuring and

reorganisation of the Iraqi Security

Forces.

Q: What's the position of the United

Nations vis-a-vis the elections. There

are calls from outside Iraq to interfere

in the postponement of the elections.

What's the position of the United Na-

tions that you support the full govern-

ment of Abadi to fight corruption and

continue the democratic process in

Iraq?

A: Once again, for us there is no bigger

guidance than full respect of the consti-

tution of the country, I can confirm that

for us, holding of the elections within

the constitutional time frame - it means

by the middle of May next year, as re-

quested by the constitution, is our posi-

tion as well. So, we support and will

provide technical assistance to the elec-

toral management bodies to enable

them to hold the elections on time ac-

cording to the constitution.

Volume 4, Issue 6 Political consultations Page 21

Kirkuk, 4-5 December 2017 – The Director of the UNAMI Office of the

Political Affairs, Mr. Manoj Mathew, visited Kirkuk where he met with

the Acting Governor Rakan al-Jubouri, representatives of Arab and

Turkmen Blocs in the Provincial Council, PMF commander, Irfan Abdul

al-Hussein and PUK leader Rizgar Ali. Discussions focused on the

current political developments and the security situation in the

governorate.

Erbil, 5 December 2017 – The Special Representative of the Secretary

-General for Iraq (SRSG) Ján Kubiš met with the Prime Minister of the

Kurdistan Region of Iraq (KR-I), Nechirvan Barzani and the Deputy

Prime Minister of KR-I, Qubad Talbani. Current Baghdad-Erbil

relations were discussed. SRSG Kubiš expressed his hope that direct

negotiations between Erbil and Baghdad would begin immediately on

the basis of the Iraqi Constitution.

Photos: Courtesy of KRG

Baghdad, 5 December 2017 – His Excellency President of Iraq, Fuad

Masum, received the Special Representative of the Secretary-General

for Iraq, Ján Kubiš, US Ambassador Douglas Silliman and British

Ambassador Jon Wilks. Current political situation in Iraq, including

Baghdad-Erbil relations and forthcoming elections were discussed as

well as the ways to increase international assistance to facilitate

internally displaced persons returns and the reconstruction of Iraq.

Photo: Courtesy of the Office of the President

Erbil, 4 December 2017 – The Special Representative of the Secretary

-General for Iraq (SRSG) Ján Kubiš met with the Chancellor of the

Kurdistan Region of Iraq Security Council (KRSC) Masrour Barzani.

Current Baghdad-Erbil relations were discussed. SRSG Kubiš expressed

his hope that direct negotiations between Erbil and Baghdad would

begin immediately on the basis of the Iraqi Constitution.

Photo: Courtesy of the KRSC KRG

Volume 4, Issue 6 Political consultations Page 22

Baghdad, 10 December 2017 - The Special Representative of the

Secretary-General for Iraq, Ján Kubiš, met today with Osama Al-Najafi,

Vice President of Republic of Iraq, Head of Al Mutahadun block. They

discussed the current political and security situation in Iraq including

Baghdad-Erbil relations and preparations for the forthcoming elections.

Baghdad, 12 December 2017 - The Special Representative of the

Secretary-General for Iraq, Ján Kubiš, met today with Ammar Al-

Hakim, Chairman of the Wisdom Party. They discussed the current

political and security situation in Iraq including preparations for the

forthcoming elections.

Paris, 12 December 2017 – According to Media Office of the Prime

Minister, His Excellency Prime Minister, Dr. Haider Al-Abadi, has met

with Secretary-General of the United Nations, Antonio Guterres, in

Paris during the One Planet Summit on climate change.

Mr. Guterres congratulated Dr. Haider Al-Abadi on the great victory

achieved by the Iraqis against Daesh, confirming that the United

Nations stands with Iraq in the rebuilding and stability efforts, adding

that he looked forward to Iraq to be a successful example among the

nations.

Baghdad, 7 December 2017 - The Special Representative of the

Secretary-General for Iraq, Mr. Ján Kubiš met today with Mr. Ershad al

Salihi, Chairman of the Turkmen Front, and member of the Human

Rights Committee of the House of Representatives. Current political

situation in the country was discussed as well as Turkmen concerns.

New York, 5 December 2017 – The Humanitarian Coordinator for

Iraq, Lise Grande, attended today a meeting with the representatives of

the Non-Governmental Organizations and UN Officials at the

Permanent Mission of the United States to the United Nations on how

the United States support continues for those effected by conflict, and

how to better assist Christians, Yazidis, and other minority groups,

specifically in Iraq. According to Ms. Nikki Haley, US Permanent

Representative to the UN, “these religious minorities are invaluable and

need our backing”.

Baghdad, 6 December 2017 – The Special Representative of the

Secretary-General for Iraq, Ján Kubiš met today with the Iraqi National

Security Advisor, Faleh al-Fayyad. They discussed Baghdad-Erbil

relations, the facilitation of displaced person returns, the upcoming

elections and the victory against ISIL.

Volume 4, Issue 6 Political consultations Page 23

Kirkuk, 27 December 2017 - The Deputy Special Representative of the Secretary-General for Iraq (DSRSG), Ms. Alice Walpole, visited today Kirkuk and held

meetings with Mr. Rakan Al-Jubouri, the acting Governor, Provincial Council members, the Brotherhood list, and representatives from Daquq and Tuz

Kharmato. Current political issues were discussed during the meetings.

Baghdad, 14 December 2017 – The Special Representative of the

Secretary-General for Iraq, Ján Kubiš, met with the Head of the

Alliance of Iraqi National Forces, Ahmed Msari. They discuss the

current political situation and the forthcoming elections.

Baghdad, 15 December 2017 – The Special Representative of the

Secretary-General for Iraq, Ján Kubiš, met today with the Patriarch of

Babylon and Archbishop of the Chaldean Catholic Church - Mar Louis

Raphael Sako - to congratulate him and the Chaldean Christian

community on the upcoming Christmas festivities. They also discussed

the current political and humanitarian situation in Iraq.

Photos courtesy of Chaldean Patriarchate of Babylon.

Baghdad, 03 December 2017 – A

total of 117 Iraqi civilians were killed

and another 264 injured in acts of ter-

rorism, violence and armed conflict in

Iraq in November 2017*, according to

casualty figures recorded by the United

Nations Assistance Mission for Iraq

(UNAMI).

The number of civilians killed in No-

vember (not including police) was 114,

while the number of injured (not in-

cluding police) was 264.

Of those figures, Baghdad was the

worst affected Governorate, with 201

civilian casualties (51 killed, 150 in-

jured). Salahaddin Governorate fol-

lowed, with 24 killed and 60 injured,

and Kirkuk had 12 killed and 28 in-

jured. UNAMI has not been able to

obtain the civilian casualty figures from

UN casualty figures for Iraq for the month of November 2017

Volume 4, Issue 6 Security Page 24

the Anbar Health Department for the

month of November.

“The two bombings in Tuz Khurmatu,

Salahaddin Governorate, and in Bagh-

dad Governorate in November which

caused numerous casualties among

civilians are a horrible reminder that

the terrorists can still inflict blows at

peaceful citizens, and that all measures

need to be taken by the authorities to

protect civilians against the barbarism

of the terrorists,” said the Special Rep-

resentative of the United Nations Sec-

retary-General (SRSG) for Iraq, Mr.

Ján Kubiš.

*CAVEATS: In general, UNAMI has

been hindered in effectively verifying

casualties in conflict areas. In some

cases, UNAMI could only partially veri-

fy certain incidents. UNAMI has also

received, without being able to verify,

reports of large numbers of casualties

along with unknown numbers of per-

sons who have died from secondary

effects of violence after having fled

their homes due to exposure to the ele-

ments, lack of water, food, medicines

and health care. For these reasons, the

figures reported have to be considered

as the absolute minimum.

Baghdad, 22 November 2017 – Spe-

cial Representative of the United Na-

tions Secretary-General for Iraq

(SRSG), Ján Kubiš, strongly con-

demned the deadly car bomb attack in

the town of Tuz Khurmatu, Salah El

Din Province, on Tuesday, 21 Novem-

ber, in which scores of civilians were

killed or wounded.

“Terrorists have struck again in Iraq,

causing death and injury to innocent

civilians, this time in Tuz Khurmatu,”

SRSG Kubiš said. “They know that

they have been defeated on the battle-

front and that is why they resort to

these cowardly tactics against innocent

civilians. My condolences go the fami-

lies of the deceased in their time of

grief, and my heartfelt wishes for a

speedy recovery go to those injured”.

SRSG Kubiš condemns Tuz Khurmatu bombing

Baghdad, 28 November 2017 – The

Special Representative of the United

Nations Secretary-General (SRSG) for

Iraq, Mr. Ján Kubiš, strongly condemns

the “cowardly” terrorist gun attack and

suicide bombing which left dozens of

civilian casualties in the southeastern

Nahrawan district of Baghdad on the

night of Monday 27 November 2017.

Mr. Kubiš expresses his deepest condo-

lences to the bereaved families and to

the Government and people of Iraq. He

wishes a speedy recovery for those in-

jured.

“Despite defeats at the hands of the

Iraqi security forces, the Daesh terror-

ist group remains a potent force, and

Iraqis need to remain vigilant in the

coming period,” Mr. Kubiš said.

“The terrorists’ cowardly acts to stoke

fear among Iraqis who are about to

relish the imminent total victory over

terrorism will not succeed. With their

unity, strength and determination,

Iraqis will deliver the knockout blow to

the terrorists soon."

UN Envoy Kubiš condemns terrorist gun attack and suicide

bombing targeting civilians in Baghdad

Sulaimaniya, 23 December 2017 –

Senior representatives from the United

Nations Assistance Mission for Iraq

(UNAMI) emphasised in meetings held

in Sulaimaniya on 21-22 December

with government officials, political par-

ty leaders and civil society representa-

tives, the urgency of de-escalating ongo-

ing local tensions in the aftermath of

demonstrations that had turned violent

and led to arrests, injury and, regretta-

bly, loss of life.

The delegation called on a variety of

leaders across the political and social

spectrum. They included the deputy

Prime Minister of the Kurdistan Region

of Iraq, H.E. Mr. Qubad Talabani; Gov-

ernor of Sulaimaniya, Dr. Haval Abu-

bakir; Provincial Council Chairman Mr.

Azad Hama Ameen; leaders of the Pat-

riotic Union of Kurdistan (PUK), the

Gorran Change Movement, Kurdistan

Islamic Union (KIU), Kurdistan Islamic

Group (KIG), Coalition for Democracy

and Justice and the leader of the Kur-

distan Democratic Party (KDP) in Su-

leimaniya; as well as activists, civil

society organisations and citizens di-

rectly affected by the crisis.

The purpose of the meetings was to

underline the deep concern of the Unit-

ed Nations over the violence that ac-

companied demonstrations in the past

few days, including the shooting of de-

UNAMI underlines an urgent need for de-escalation following

violent demonstrations in Sulaimaniya

Volume 4, Issue 6 Security Page 25

monstrators and the torching of politi-

cal party offices and public buildings in

areas of the Sulaimanyia Governorate.

The delegation reaffirmed the funda-

mental right of people to engage in

peaceful demonstrations, in keeping

with the law. They underlined the im-

portance of the Kurdistan Regional

Government (KRG) handling protests

in a restrained manner, in keeping

with established modern police tech-

niques, so as to avoid further escala-

tion. The mission’s representatives

highlighted the authorities’ responsibil-

ity to protect their citizens, including

peaceful protestors, and safeguard their

human rights; they urged the security

forces to ensure the safety and dignity

of demonstrators.

The UNAMI team also made it clear

that protestors themselves were re-

sponsible for ensuring that their voices

were heard in accordance with the con-

fines of the law, and did not resort to

violence against the security forces nor

engage in the destruction of public and

private properties.

UNAMI recognises that amongst the

grievances raised by the protestors, the

issue of security of citizens’ livelihoods

in the face of the ongoing budgetary

crisis is paramount. The UNAMI repre-

sentatives reiterated the readiness of

the Mission, in the event of a request

UN casualty figures for Iraq for the month of December 2017

Baghdad, 02 January 2018 – A total

of 69 Iraqi civilians (not including po-

lice) were killed and another 142 in-

jured in acts of terrorism, violence and

armed conflict in Iraq in December

2017*, according to casualty figures

recorded by the United Nations Assis-

tance Mission for Iraq (UNAMI). (This

compares with 63 civilians killed and

140 injured in November.)

Baghdad was the worst affected Gover-

norate, with 122 civilian casualties (24

killed, 98 injured). Salahaddin Gover-

norate followed, with 7 killed and 25

injured; and Kirkuk saw 15 killed and 6

injured. UNAMI has not been able to

obtain the civilian casualty figures from

the Anbar Health Department for the

month of December.

“Casualty figures for the month of De-

cember 2017 have remained at a simi-

lar level to November, which is disap-

pointing,” said the Special Representa-

tive of the United Nations Secretary-

General (SRSG) for Iraq, Mr. Ján Ku-

biš. “I very much hope that, as we move

in the new year, these figures will fall

rapidly as much-needed peace and sta-

bility return to Iraq.”

Overall, in 2017 UNAMI recorded 3298

civilians killed and 4781 civilians

wounded - excluding Anbar civilian

casualty figures for November and De-

cember, which are not available.

*CAVEATS: UNAMI has been limited

in effectively verifying casualties in

certain areas; in some cases, UNAMI

could only partially verify certain inci-

dents. For these reasons, the figures

reported have to be considered as the

absolute minimum.

from both parties, to use its good offices

to support negotiations between the

federal government in Baghdad and the

KRG, working within the framework of

the Iraqi constitution and focusing on

all pending issues, including but not

limited to the allocations in the federal

budget, the payment of salaries and

border controls, in response to the

needs of all Iraq’s citizens in the after-

math of the hard-won victory over ISIL.

The delegation inquired about the de-

tention of demonstrators by the author-

ities, and specifically about the treat-

ment of Shaswar Abdulwahid, leader of

the New Generation Movement, and

Rabun Maaruf, member of the Kurdi-

stan Regional Parliament. UNAMI

calls upon the authorities to conduct a

transparent and fair process to address

the activities of all those involved in the

use of violence or the incitement there-

of, within the confines of the law.

Basra, 01 November 2017 – The

United Nations Assistance Mission for

Iraq (UNAMI), jointly with UNWOM-

EN and in coordination with the Imple-

mentation and Follow Up National

Reconciliation Committee (IFNRC) of

the Office of Iraq’s Prime Minister, held

a consultative forum with women lead-

ers and members of the Basra, Muthan-

na, Thi Qar and Missan Provincial

Councils in Basra on 01 November

2017 with the focus on strengthening

women’s political participation. This is

the fourth such meeting within the

context of observing the Global Open

Day and the 17th Anniversary of UN

Security Council resolution 1325.

As in the previous consultative meet-

ings that were held in Karbala, Bagh-

dad and Erbil in October, the partici-

pants in Basra echoed the similar con-

cerns by women leaders across the

country. They noted the retrogression

of women’s participation in Iraq’s poli-

tics. They urged UNAMI and UNWOM-

EN to engage male champions to sup-

port women’s participation and to also

press the heads of political blocs and

political leaders to act in support of

women issues.

In her intervention, Ms. Yusra Naji,

Member of Missan Provincial Council,

decried male political leaders for mar-

ginalizing women. “The Iraqi society is

male dominated, women are not invited

to negotiations, they have no political

rights, they are not represented in the

Presidency, the Council of Representa-

tives presidency, there are only two

women Ministers, yet there is no legis-

lation preventing women from occupy-

ing these high level positions,” Ms. Naji

said.

Ms. Zahra al-Bachari, Member of Basra

Provincial Council, noted that “men can

help lead the charge with women in

enacting legislation that promotes

women’s rights, repealing laws and

policies that discriminate against wom-

On Open Day on UNSCR 1325, calls for men to champion and

support women’s participation in politics and in decision-making

Volume 4, Issue 6 Gender Page 26

en and limit opportunities. She further

added: “Women should be promoted to

leadership positions as we are observ-

ing the upcoming elections of both Pro-

vincial and Council of representatives,

elections we aim to have more women

represented in decision-making posi-

tions.”

Special Representative of the Secre-

tary-General (SRSG) for Iraq, Ján Ku-

biš, in remarks delivered by UNAMI

Director of Political Affairs, Manoj

Mathew, reiterated that Gender bal-

ance in Iraqi politics can only be

achieved if political leaders could work

side by side with women to share re-

sponsibility of breaking cultural norms

and practices as well as institutional,

structural and legal barriers that hin-

der women’s equal and meaningful

political participation.

“We need male champions, proactive

work by male champions, in partner-

ship with women is necessary to estab-

lish an environment that empowers

women’s political participation at all

levels of governance and decision-

making.”

“For the historic settlement and recon-

ciliation to succeed it must be inclusive.

This is critically important for the uni-

ty and stability of the country and

peaceful coexistence amongst all citi-

zens, components and minorities. Wom-

en – and youth - must be critical agents

of such positive change, in building a

new post-Daesh Iraq, in shaping the

future of the country for the genera-

tions to come,” the SRSG’s statement

said.

Mr. Kubiš acknowledged the efforts of

the Cross-Sector Task Force on the

implementation of the Iraq National

Action Plan on 1325, while stressing

that “it is time to strengthen the imple-

mentation of the participation pillar of

the Iraqi National Action Plan on the

Security Council Resolution 1325 which

reaffirms the important role of women

in the prevention and resolution of con-

flicts.”

UNAMI Gender Advisor, Ms. Mma-

batlharo Dihemo, emphasized that po-

litical leaders can support the advance-

ment of women in decision-making

bodies by advocating for temporary

special measures, promoting women to

leadership roles and ensuring woman

have equal career development oppor-

tunities.

UN WOMEN Representative in Iraq,

Ms. Dina Zorba, commended the gov-

ernment, civil society, and national and

international partners for continued

commitment to UNSCR 1325. Ms.

Zorba urged the government to work to

ensure gender issues are incorporated

in all democratization and nation-

building agendas, and called on the

UN, the government, and the Interna-

tional Community to continue to advo-

cate for and protect the rights of women

and girls. Ms. Zorba emphasized UN

commitment to refocusing its work

around women’s political participation

at all levels.

In the context of marking the 17th An-

niversary of UN SCR 1325 and the

Global Open Day, UNAMI and UN

WOMEN also organized in Karbala

capacity-building training on Basic

Mediation and Negotiation skills for

women leaders, Provincial Council

members and civil society representa-

tive from Karbala, Wassit, Najaf and

Diwaniya, (9-12 October). A similar

training was organised for women lead-

ers and activists, members of Provincial

On Open Day on UNSCR 1325, calls for men to champion and

support women’s participation in politics and in decision-making (continued)

Volume 4, Issue 6 Gender Page 27

Councils, district and sub-district coun-

cils from Basra, Missan, Thi Qar and

Muthana (29 October-1 November).

Both training programmes were jointly

organised and funded by UNAMI and

In the words of Pari Ibrahim: “Escaping ISIS is only the beginning,

we cannot leave them alone in that journey.”

Erbil, 15 November 2017 - Pari Ibra-

him, 27, is the founder and Executive

Director of the Free Yezidi Foundation

(FYF), an independent, non-profit or-

ganization that provides services for

women survivors of the violent ISIS

attacks on the Yezidi community, in the

Kurdistan Region of Iraq. The protract-

ed violence has impacted many, as Au-

gust 2017 marked the three-year anni-

versary of the genocidal ISIS attacks.

There are still thousands of Yezidi

women that are held captive by ISIS.

With support from the UN Trust Fund

to End Violence against Women (UN

Trust Fund), the Free Yezidi Founda-

tion is scaling up the trauma-response

component of the organization’s ser-

vices at their Centre in Dohuk. The

Centre is providing post-trauma care

and preparing women for employment

through livelihood training.

My people have suffered a lot at the

hands of ISIS. If you were a man, you

were shot. If you were a woman, you

were taken away as a sex slave to Mo-

sul in Iraq or Raqqa in Syria. These

women have suffered enormous trau-

ma. They have been raped many times

a day by different men. That’s why I

started the Free Yezidi Foundation—to

get trauma care for women and girls so

that they can start living their lives

again.

Where I come from, people don’t go to

the doctor for mental health issues.

Deep inside, they [survivors] are suffer-

ing immensely, also because of the as-

sociated social stigma that implies it is

[somehow] their fault that they aren’t

virgins, that they can’t marry. In the

beginning, a lot of these women and

girls committed suicide.

Our women’s centre is a safe space and

a refuge for women and girls who have

survived the horrors of ISIS. We pro-

vide post-trauma experts from outside

Iraq so that the women and girls can

talk to them without shame and fur-

ther stigmatization.

We bring the women and girls to the

centre for counselling sessions and visit

them in their homes. We also talk to

their family members. And slowly, I see

that they are becoming stronger and

healthier. All of our staff at the centre

are IDP’s (Internally Displaced Per-

sons) themselves who have been

trained to provide psychological sup-

port. Many of the women survivors look

up to us, working in the centre, because

we are women.

In the three years since we started the

centre, we’ve already seen a lot of

change in the women and girls who

have received support. They now ex-

press what they feel. You see them be-

ing more active, you see them in

groups, and you see them making

friends—and that makes a big differ-

ence, because the social integration is

so important for healing. You also see

their posture has changed—women and

girls are holding their heads up rather

than down.

We have more than 100 women under-

going psychological treatment for a

minimum of three months. Those who

need further treatment, can come back

for weekly conversations with their

therapist.

At Free Yezidi Foundation, we are led

by Yezidi women and we are here to

show survivors the possibilities of a

new life, out of the shadows of shame

and trauma. Escaping ISIS is only the

beginning of a painful journey for many

Yezidi women. We cannot leave them

alone in that journey.”

UN WOMEN under the UN Depart-

ment of Political Affairs (DPA) and UN

WOMEN gender and mediation strate-

gy.

Baghdad, 1 November 2017 – The

United Nations Population Fund

(UNFPA) published today the “Gender

Based Violence Assessment in Conflict

Affected Governorates in Iraq” report.

The Report starts with the Executive

Summary that presents information

about organization of the Assessment

and brief account of the findings. First

section of the Report, titled Background

to the Assessment features the descrip-

tion of goals, objectives, scope of the

study, limitation of the study and its

methodology. The Report’s second sec-

tion, Background to humanitarian cri-

sis in Iraq, offers the overview of the

armed conflict and humanitarian crisis

in Iraq. The section contains infor-

mation on the main characteristics of

GBV in Iraq and the way it was affect-

ed by armed conflict and forced dis-

placement. The third section of the

Report, titled Main Findings, presents

the account of the key findings revealed

by the Assessment. The section consists

of four sub-sections. Each sub-section

presents a response to the four (4) re-

search questions. Each sub-section

starts with specific research question,

then presents the Assessment findings

relevant to that particular question.

The report’s final section, titled Recom-

mendations, features recommendations

to address the gaps and challenges

identified in the course of the Assess-

ment.

The Report includes one Addendum,

which presents the connections be-

tween the risk of GBV and residence

t y p e u s e d b y I D P s / r e f ug e e s

(information derived from the focus

group discussions and key informant

interviews).

The Report can be downloaded at:

http://iraq.unfpa.org/en/publications/gb

v - as s e s s me nt - c o n f l i c t - a f f e c te d -

governorates-iraq

The Gender Based Violence assessment in conflict affected

governorates in Iraq

Erbil, 20 November 2017 - In view of

the upcoming 2018 Iraqi and Kurdistan

elections, the UNAMI Electoral Assis-

tance Office in Erbil organized a work-

shop as an initial step to liaise and

engage with Women NGOs based in

Workshop on women’s participation in the electoral process held in

Erbil

Volume 4, Issue 6 Gender Page 28

Erbil.

Representatives from six NGOs attend-

ed the meeting. The main objectives of

the workshop were to review and dis-

cuss the major obstacles to women’s

participation in Electoral and political

Standing tall like a Baobab

Baghdad, 28 November 2017 - ‘There

are lots of setbacks in life, but what

matters is standing up again’, said 33-

year-old Gender-Based Violence survi-

vor Cojine*. ‘I want to tell women that

they have a choice and that they can

turn their lives around’.

Violence against women and girls re-

mains one of the most prevalent human

and women rights violations in the

world where many continue to be sub-

jected to verbal, psychological, physical

and economic forms of violence and

abuse. In Iraq, at least 36 percent of

married women are reportedly experi-

encing psychological abuse from their

husbands, 23 percent experiencing ver-

bal abuse, 6 percent facing physical

violence, and 9 percent are subjected to

sexual violence, according to a 2012

study conducted by the Iraqi Ministry

of Planning.

Cojine has been married for four years

now. When her parents passed away,

she relied on her brothers for financial

support. However, her brothers wanted

to build families of their own, therefore,

she accepted a marriage proposal from

a classmate she had met through a

third party. ‘I thought this could be my

new beginning and I could start a new

life with someone who is educated and

can provide a safe home’, she explained.

‘The problems started a couple of

months into our marriage… Every time

we would have an argument, my hus-

band would go to his family and com-

plain about me. They would interfere

only to make the situation worse. I kept

telling him that this was not the right

way to work on our marital problems,

but he wouldn’t listen. He wouldn’t

even spend any money on vital house-

hold appliances, our home, the safe

haven I imagined for him and me. I

repeatedly asked him to spend some

time together as husband and wife, to

go out and do activities like any other

couple, but he would refuse and would

instead ask me to stay with my family

for a week. When I used to protest, I

would get physically abused; he would

sometimes hit me and punch me. He

once hit me so hard on my face that I

now have a hearing impairment’, she

added. ‘I felt like a prisoner in my own

home, I was hopeless and didn’t know

what to do so I cried myself to sleep for

long nights’.

Cojine was also subjected to psychologi-

cal abuse through continuous threats

from her husband to divorce her – a

taboo subject in Cojine’s community.

“As you know, divorce is negatively

perceived in our community; people will

spread rumors, blame me, and consider

me a woman with no honor’, she said.

“He used to tell me that he didn’t want

me and preferred to spend his time

with his friends. I left the house many

times but then he would come back

with his family and convince me to re-

turn”.

When things got worse, Cojine consid-

ered committing suicide. She left the

house again. Nine months later, she

heard about the UNFPA-supported

Women Centre in Bnaslawa, in Erbil.

She visited the centre a couple of times

and when she felt she could trust social

workers there, she shared her painful

story and informed them that she

wished to get a divorce: ‘I was deter-

mined to get a divorce. I was emotional-

ly damaged, I was broken, I was disre-

spected and I needed to get out of the

toxic marriage. I was depressed that I

started losing hair, got skin irritation

and started taking anti-depressants’.

‘A few days later, I sat with a lawyer to

discuss my case but he told me that it

had no ground since I did not have any

physical evidence or medical reports of

the abuse. My brother wanted to re-

solve the issue through the traditional

way. My family-in-law kept asking me

to go back to my husband. I eventually

did but on the condition that I keep

going to the Women Centre”, she said.

‘The centre provided me with a space to

breath; they listened to me, gave ma

advice and provided me with infor-

mation about my rights. They helped

me see things from a different perspec-

tive. The awareness sessions I attended

showed me that I do not have to be the

victim and that I can make a change.

They taught me how to handle my

problems in a healthy way and avoid

depression. I now work at the centre

and I help other women deal with their

problems. I listen to them and share

my experience with them’, she happily

shared.

‘I have now returned home. My hus-

band no longer sees me as the weak

kind, he now respects me as he sees

how confident I have become. Nowa-

days, I feel empowered. This job is a

dream come true, I can have time for

myself and I have a new income. It

changed my life; now I can socialize

with women and learn from them and

their experience’, she concludes.

* Name change for privacy and protec-

tion

processes, and to brainstorm on how to

increase women’s participation in these

areas. Similar workshops are being

planned for the first half of December

to be held in Dohuk and Suleymania.

Erbil, 30 November 2017 - On Mon-

day 27th of November, the KRG High

Council of Women Affairs in collabora-

tion with the United Nations Popula-

tion Fund (UNFPA) as a main partner,

and under the auspices of his H.E Mr.

Nechirvan Barzani the Prime Minister

of Kurdistan Regional Government,

launched the national Campaign of 16

Days of Activism Combating Violence

against Women in Erbil, Kurdistan

region in Iraq.

Under the overarching theme, ‘Leave

No One Behind: End Violence against

Women and Girls”, representatives

from Kurdistan Parliament, Council of

Ministers, the Board of Human Rights,

diplomatic missions, United Nations

agencies and civil society all attended

the event honoring women who were

subjected to violence and calling for a

non-violent Kurdistan.

Speakers emphasized the importance of

protecting women and young girls from

different forms of violence. Prime Min-

ister Barzani said: ‘Over the past 25

years, we worked incessantly on women

rights and social policies in the Kurdi-

stan Region, because we do believe that

establishing and maintaining security,

equality and justice will form the prin-

cipal groundwork and the best gateway

towards a peaceful and prosperous life’.

Representing the United Nations agen-

cies in Iraq, Mr. Ramanathan Bala-

Kurdistan Region and the UN launch the 16 Days of Activism

campaign

Volume 4, Issue 6 Gender Page 29

krishnan, the UNFPA Representative

in Iraq, highlighted the importance of

prioritizing the end of violent practices

in Kurdistan: ‘Along with harmful prac-

tices, such as child marriage and fe-

male genital mutilation, gender-based

violence robs women and girls of their

futures and undermine their health

and well-being. We call on the regional

government, civil society and communi-

ties to continue prioritizing the end of

violence and harmful practices against

women in Kurdistan’. The UNFPA Rep-

resentative also reminded the duty

bearers on the unfinished task of locat-

ing the Yazidi girls and women who are

yet unaccounted and securing their

release.

In her speech, Ms. Pakhshan Zangana

the Secretary-General of the Kurdistan

High Council of Women Affairs enu-

merated achievements of women on the

16 Days of Activism meeting focuses on expanding women’s political

space in Iraq

Baghdad, 6 December 2017 –The

United Nations pressed at a meeting in

the context of the 16 Days of Activism

for expanding the space for women in

State institutions, political parties,

economic and social life and for en-

hanced and effective protection of their

rights.

The meeting in Erbil on 4 December

was organized jointly by the United

Nations Assistance Mission for Iraq

(UNAMI) and the High Council for

Women Affairs of the Kurdistan Re-

gional Government, with the focus on

the participation and representation of

women in decision-making positions. It

was held as a follow-up to the recom-

mendations of the Global Open Day on

UNSCR 1325 on the role of political

parties in advancing women represen-

tation and participation in the political,

electoral and peace processes.

The meeting was co-chaired by Special

Representative of the Secretary-

General (SRSG) for Iraq, Mr. Ján Ku-

biš, and Ms. Pakshan Zangana, Secre-

tary-General of the High Council for

Women Affairs. Participation included

Minister Falah Al-Mustafa, Head of the

Foreign Relations Department of the

KRG, Adnan Mufti, former Speaker of

the KRG Parliament, as well as women

leaders and heads of political blocs in

the KR-I Parliament.

In her opening remarks, Ms. Zangana

said “The role of women in politics is

receding. Political leaders must show

commitment and create conducive envi-

ronment for the effective and meaning-

ful participation of women in peace

negotiations to unite the country.”

Mr. Kubiš urged political leaders to

defend and protect the political, eco-

nomic, social and legal space for wom-

en, to prevent obstacles hindering wom-

en’s participation in political life, nota-

bly now in the pre-election period. He

underlined that “Representation of

women in different leading positions

political, diplomatic and judicial

spheres in the region noting that the

challenges to protect women and girls

persist requiring stronger cooperation

between the government and its part-

ners. Acknowledging the support of

UNFPA, she mentioned ‘More needs to

be done to ensure a protective environ-

ment for women in Kurdistan where all

their rights are achieved and enjoy

equal opportunities to enhance their

skills and participate effectively in dif-

ferent aspects of life’.

The Consuls of the United States,

France, and Germany and the Head of

the European Delegation in Kurdistan

also called for protecting women and

girls from violence, including child mar-

riage.

The conference concluded with an exhi-

bition of handicraft work by gender-

based violence survivors.

will give women a stronger voice in

guiding the work of political parties, of

the parliament, and the government.

This should start with women occupy-

ing leadership positions within political

party structures.”

UNAMI continues to argue against

progressing regress of women’s rights

in Iraq to urge political leaders not to

erode or dismantle the rights guaran-

teed by the Constitution and current

legislation notably as regards the pro-

posed amendments to the Personal

Status Law in Baghdad.

Participants recognized that depriva-

tion of families, lack of economic em-

powerment and economic future, breeds

Gender-Based Violence. They called for

broad legal and political reforms and

recommended amending the political

party’s law to ensure representation of

women in decision-making positions

within political party structures. They

called for meaningful representation of

women in Baghdad – Erbil negotia-

tions. They also recommended develop-

ing an inclusive country policy to pro-

mote women at all levels, including

minorities, and reiterated calls for ac-

countability and justice for the crimes

committed against women and girls by

ISIL (Daesh) to accelerate the reconcili-

ation process.

Mr. Kubiš reiterated that the UN will

continue supporting the Government of

Iraq and Kurdistan Regional Govern-

ment to advance women, peace and

16 Days of Activism meeting focuses on expanding women’s

political space in Iraq (continued)

Volume 4, Issue 6 Gender Page 30

security agenda in Iraq and support the

implementation of the national action

plan on UNSCR 1325.

In a related event, in Baghdad on 9

December 2017 UNFPA and its part-

ners organized a bicycle rally, where

music and theater acts were performed.

Participants called for the end of vio-

lence against women in Iraq.

And in Mosul on 10 December 2017 on

Human Rights Day, which coincides

with the end of the 16 Days of Activism

campaign, UNFPA partners organized

an awareness event advocating for hu-

mans’ rights, especially women and

girls.

UN Women conference "Inclusion modalities: strengthening women’s

influence in peace processes" held in Amman

Amman, 13 December 2017 - The

representatives of UNAMI and of the

UN Department of Political Affairs Iraq

desk participated at a UN Women or-

ganised conference entitled "Inclusion

Modalities: Strengthening Women’s

Influence in Peace Processes". The con-

ference was held in Amman, Jordan

from 12 to 13 December 2017 with

funding/support of the German Federal

Ministry for Economic Cooperation and

Development.

The meeting aimed to contribute to-

ward peace-building in the Middle East

and North Africa (MENA) region by

enhancing modalities of women’s inclu-

sion for their greater participation and

influence in high-level peace and tran-

sition processes.

The conference brought together ap-

proximately 65 participants, including

women who are engaged in peace pro-

cesses for Iraq, Libya, Syria and Yem-

en, representatives from the UN and

other international organisations, gov-

ernment officials, as well as non-

governmental actors from the focus

countries. Women and other key actors

involved in recent peace processes

around the world, namely the Philip-

pines and South Sudan, as well as in

Guatemala, Nepal, and South Africa

were also present.

The participants hailed progress in

Iraq within the MENA region on ad-

vancing inclusion of women in political

and reconciliation processes as they

identified Iraq as a good practice exam-

ple within the MENA region. The Iraqi

delegation praised the UN role in ad-

vancing inclusion in Iraq.

UNICEF started the marking of the 16

Days of Activism to end violence

against women and girls on 26 Novem-

ber in Sulimaniya.

In Dohuk on 6 December 2017 UNICEF

and partners celebrated 16 Days of

Activism by highlighting work done by

survivors of gender based violence.

These women are in programs run by

our partners at Norwegian People's Aid

and Sewan Women’s Empowerment

Organization and they participated

along with International Rescue Com-

mittee, Harikar NGO, Zakho Small

Villages Project, and Women Survivors

Center supported by UNFPA Iraq.

Baghdad, 18 December 2017 - On

Sunday 17th of December, the United

Nations Population Fund (UNFPA) in

Iraq under the auspices of Dr. Salim

Al-Juburi, Speaker of the Iraqi Parlia-

ment and in collaboration with the

General Secretariat of the Iraqi Council

of Ministers, the local Directorate of

NGOs, organized an advocacy ceremo-

ny to address gender-based violence at

the Iraqi Parliament hall.

The ceremony was attended by repre-

sentatives of the Council of Ministers,

the Parliament, the United Nations

Agencies, the American and Dutch em-

bassies, the Civil Society, and members

of the public.

Addressing the audience, Mr. Al-

Jubouri emphasized on the price Iraqi

women had to pay during the war

against terrorism and the sacrifices

they gave. “Iraqi women, especially

Yazidi women, faced many injustices

because of terrorism and paid a colossal

price in that way. (…) It is our duty to

find the proper environment that will

do them and their sacrifices justice and

protect their dignity.

Mr. Al-Jabouri also paid his respect to

the critical role Yazidis’ supreme lead-

er, Khurto Hajji Ismail, known as Baba

Sheikh, played in facilitating the long-

term recovery and reintegration of

women survivors in their own commu-

nity.

On his part, the UNFPA Deputy Repre-

sentative, Mr. Nestor Owomuhangi,

spoke about UNFPA’s role during the

crises and the services the Fund provid-

ed to women affected by the violence.

“Through the Women Centres, UNFPA

has successfully reached out, in the

past 2 years, to more than 286,000

women and girls with gender-based

violence services. The Fund has also

supported the Department of Health in

Dohuk in establishing and operate a

center which provides comprehensive

UNFPA advocates for women’s rights from the Iraqi Parliament

Volume 4, Issue 6 Gender Page 31

medical, mental health and psychoso-

cial care, and the same model of this

centre has been replicated in Amriyet

al-Fallujah in Anbar governorate.”

Mr. Owomuhangi reiterated UNFPA

support for the post-Daesh period and

called for the endorsement and imple-

mentation of the law to protect families

from domestic violence. “Our pursuit of

gender equality and justice continues

even after the retake of all the Iraqi

territory from Daesh. In the process of

peace-building, stabilization, and recon-

struction, having a legal framework to

protect dignity and safety of women

and girls is of great importance.”

The Prime minister’s office, the Parlia-

ment and UNFPA also honored Baba

Sheikh for his critical role in support-

ing Yazidi survivors of sexual violence

exerted by the Da’esh. Baba Sheikh’s

declaration and fatwa in 2014 on wel-

coming Yazidi women who had been

enslaved by Da’esh back to the commu-

nity was a revolutionary step forward

towards supporting gender-based vio-

lence survivors and challenging the

victim shaming and blaming.

After receiving his award, Baba Sheikh

thanked the Iraqi Parliament, UNFPA,

and the Government of Kurdistan Re-

gion of Iraq for all the support they

provided to Yazidi women, especially

the survivors of Daesh’ reign of terror.

He also insisted on the importance of

ending all kinds of gender-based vio-

lence and enabling a law that protects

women’s rights. The prominent figured

praised the strength of the Yazidi wom-

en and called for action to rescue wom-

en and girls who are still missing.

At the end of the ceremony, Mr.

Owomuhangi on behalf of the NGO

Directorate, the General-Secretariat of

the Council of Ministers, the United

Nations Population Fund, and the Civil

Society representatives presented to

the Speaker of Parliament a statement

in support of swift endorsement of the

law to protect families from domestic

violence.

arena. Ms Dihemo said that “despite

the explicit goal to promote women’s

participation, as envisaged in the Iraq

National Action Plan (INAP), women’s

direct political participation in national

reconciliation has continued to remain

low and this needs to be recognized and

addressed”.

She mentioned that she met with politi-

cal leaders in Baghdad, Erbil and Sul-

eymania and discussed ways to

strengthen the participation of women

in decision making and political pro-

cesses. Ms Dihemo assured that UN-

AMI and UNWOMEN will work with

all stakeholders to ensure the estab-

lishment of measures and legal frame-

works that guarantee the participation

of women in all three arms of the gov-

ernment, particularly the judiciary

where women are underrepresented;

and in national and community recon-

ciliation processes; cabinet and govern-

ment institutions.

Baghdad, 22 December 2017 – An

advanced training to enhance the nego-

tiation and mediation skills of local

civil society groups and women leaders,

organized by the United Nations Assis-

tance Mission for Iraq (UNAMI) and

UN Women, concluded in Baghdad on

20 December with calls for increased

participation of women and civil society

groups in community reconciliation,

national reconciliation and historic

settlement.

The training was a follow-up to the

basic training and workshop delivered

to the same participants in October

2016. The workshop aimed at training

women leaders to be effective mediators

and facilitators. It also focused on the

important role women can play in peace

building, negotiations and political

processes. Similar training and work-

shops have been delivered to 60 women

leaders, human rights defenders, mem-

bers of provincial, district and sub dis-

UNAMI training ends with a call to strengthen the capacities of

women to participate meaningfully in national reconciliation and

historic settlement process

Volume 4, Issue 6 Gender Page 32

tricts councils in the Southern Gover-

norates of Missan, Karbala, Najaf, Bas-

ra, Wasit and Babil.

Women leaders at the workshop em-

phasized their readiness to UNAMI/

UNWOMEN to advocate for their full

participation and to offer them opportu-

nities to participate in negotiations and

reconciliation alongside their male

counterparts. They agreed to form net-

works within their communities to ad-

dress post Daesh issues like trust

building among affected communities,

de-radicalization of violent extremism

as well as reconciling communities.

They urged the UN to support their

efforts towards rebuilding broken com-

munities in the aftermath of the con-

flict with Daesh. They also urged the

UN to strengthen women’s participa-

tion in the negotiations and political

arena which was limited for women.

Speaking at the closing session of the

four-day training, Ms. Mmabatlharo

Nono Dihemo, Gender Advisor for UN-

AMI stressed the importance of

strengthening the capacities of women

to participate meaningfully in national

reconciliation and historic settlement.

Ms. Dihemo said: “Limited progress has

been made towards increasing women

representation in negotiation and medi-

ation processes in Iraq. One of the rea-

sons attributed to this is the belief by

some that women lack the confidence

and capacity to participate in such pro-

cesses aimed at shaping the future of

the country”.

However, Iraqi women are resilient,

and have shown that they are capable

of leading and influencing the political

Training of human rights activists, journalists and representatives

of Iraqi civil society organizations on human rights held in Baghdad

Baghdad, 31 October 2017 - The Hu-

man Rights Office of the United Na-

tions Assistance Mission for Iraq

(UNAMI) organized a training on 26

October 2017, for thirty-three human

rights activists, journalists and repre-

sentatives of Iraqi civil society organi-

zations.

Training sessions covered transitional

justice, the protection of civilians, and

Iraq’s Human Rights National Action

Plan to implement the Universal Peri-

odic Review recommendations of the

UN Human Rights Council. The train-

ing broadened the participants’

knowledge of methods of interaction

with national and international human

rights mechanisms.

It also strengthened their skills in mon-

itoring and reporting on human rights

violations and abuses. Many partici-

pants remarked that the training was

informative, interesting, and useful for

their work.

Geneva, 2 November 2017 – A UN

report concludes that the so-called Is-

lamic State of Iraq and the Levant

(ISIL/Daesh) perpetrated serious and

systematic violations that amount to

“international crimes” during the nine-

month military campaign to liberate

Mosul City in Iraq.

The report, published on Thursday by

the UN Assistance Mission for Iraq

(UNAMI) and the Office of the UN

High Commissioner for Human Rights

(OHCHR), is based on direct witness

testimony, and documents mass abduc-

tions of civilians, the use of thousands

as human shields, the intentional

shelling of civilian residences, and in-

discriminate targeting of civilians try-

ing to flee the city.

In July 2017 Iraqi Security Forces (ISF)

and affiliated armed groups retook the

city which had fallen under the control

of ISIL in June 2014.

“During the course of the operation to

retake Mosul City thousands of civil-

ians were subjected to shocking human

rights abuses and clear violations of

international humanitarian law,” said

the UN High Commissioner for Human

Rights Zeid Ra'ad Al Hussein. “The

execution-style killing of civilians, the

suffering inflicted on families, and the

wanton destruction of property can

never be tolerated in any armed con-

flict, and those responsible must an-

swer for their heinous crimes.”

The report recounts that early in No-

vember 2016, in areas of Mosul under

ISIL control, members of the group

used loud speakers to announce that

residents of areas retaken by the ISF

were considered as “legitimate targets”

because of their ‘failure’ to fight against

Government forces.

“This so-called ‘fatwa’ was accompanied

by a sustained campaign of ISIL at-

tacks on eastern Mosul that directly

targeted civilians,” the report states.

“Tactics included shelling, use of impro-

vised explosive devices (IEDs) and

shooting fleeing civilians.”

The Special Representative of the UN

Secretary-General (SRSG) for Iraq, Ján

Kubiš, said the report documents evi-

dence of the mass atrocities committed

by ISIL against civilians and Mosul

itself, a city they claimed as their capi-

tal but for which, in reality, they

sought its ultimate and deliberate de-

struction.

“Daesh’s reign of terror has spared no

one, inflicting untold suffering on un-

armed residents whose only guilt is

that they lived in the areas under

ISIL’s control. Their evil acts did not

UN report on liberation of Mosul: ISIL members should face

“international crimes” charges

Volume 4, Issue 6 Human Rights Page 33

stop at killing and terrorising resi-

dents, as they wantonly destroyed cul-

tural and religious monuments, includ-

ing the city’s iconic leaning minaret Al-

Hadba, in total disregard of history and

Islam, the religion this terrorist organi-

sation falsely claimed to represent.”

The report called on the international

community, including the UN Security

Council and the Human Rights Coun-

cil, to take action to ensure that those

responsible for international crimes

such as genocide, crimes against hu-

manity and war crimes are held ac-

countable.

At least 2,521 civilians were killed dur-

ing the military operation, mostly as a

result of ISIL attacks, the report found,

including 741 people who were execut-

ed. Another 1,673 were wounded. Addi-

tionally, as of 26 October 2017, the Civ-

il Defence Corps reported that they had

recovered the remains of 1,642 civilians

from underneath rubble in Mosul.

Large numbers of the city’s civilian

population were forced to flee as a re-

sult of the military operations. As of 11

July, 137,339 families (824,034 individ-

uals) were displaced.

The report noted that since 2014, at

least 74 mass graves had been discov-

ered in areas previously held by ISIL in

Iraq. The number of bodies contained in

these locations varied greatly, from a

few bodies to possibly thousands. The

report called on the Government of Iraq

to ensure the protection of mass graves,

and for due care to be taken to preserve

evidence of crimes committed to assist

in identifying the perpetrators.

The report also urged Iraqi authorities

to investigate alleged violations and

human rights abuses by ISF and associ-

ated forces during the military opera-

tion. It recorded 461 civilian deaths as

a result of airstrikes during the most

intensive phase of the ISF-led offensive

from 19 February. In almost all cases,

UNAMI/OHCHR could not determine

the responsibility for the airstrikes, but

the report urged that all civilian casu-

alties in which the international com-

munity was involved be thoroughly

investigated and the results made pub-

lic.

It also called on the Government of Iraq

and the Kurdistan Regional Govern-

ment to ensure that crimes committed

in connection to the armed conflict are

subject to the jurisdiction of national

courts and tribunals. It urged Iraq to

introduce amendments to national leg-

islation to grant domestic jurisdiction

over international crimes and to accept

the International Criminal Court’s ju-

risdiction with respect to the specific

situation Iraq is facing, as an immedi-

ate step.

The report stated that by prosecuting

those responsible for “international

crimes” in Mosul the Iraqi authorities

would be sending a message to the peo-

ple of Iraq who have suffered, no mat-

ter when or where, that justice is even-

tually delivered.

It added that ensuring justice would be

vital to the process of rebuilding trust

between communities in Iraq, and the

key to lasting reconciliation in the

country.

Access full report at

http://www.uniraq.org/images/factsheet

s_reports/Mosul_report%2017Oct2016-

10Jul201731%20October_2017.pdf

sues statements on the killing of media

workers in line with Resolution 29

adopted by UNESCO Member States at

the Organization’s General Conference

of 1997, entitled “Condemnation of Vio-

lence against Journalists.” These state-

ments are posted on a dedicated

webpage, UNESCO condemns the kill-

ing of journalists.

those commitments. It could also in-

crease divisions at a time when Iraq is

recovering from the impact of the con-

flict with Da’esh as well as conflict-

related sexual violence,” Patten and

Gamba added. They further noted that

these proposed legal amendments

could lead to possible breaches of

Iraq’s legally binding commitments

under the Convention on the Elimina-

tion of All Forms of Discrimination

Against Women (CEDAW) as well as

the Convention on the Rights of the

Child.

SRSG Patten and Gamba concluded by

strongly “urging the Government of

Iraq to reconsider these proposed

amendments to the Personal Status

Law” and reaffirming their commit-

ment “to stand with both the Govern-

ment and people of Iraq to ensure that

the scourge of sexual violence is elimi-

nated and that children affected by

armed conflict are protected.”

protection from and service response

to sexual violence crimes.’

My Office was repeatedly assured by

H.E. Prime Minister Haider al-Abadi

and the Speaker of the Council of Rep-

resentatives Salim al-Jabouri that the

fulfilment of each of the pillars of the

Joint Communiqué are essential to

Iraq’s post-Da’esh reconstruction,”

SRSG Patten stated.

“The boys and girls of Iraq, already

victims of grave violations resulting

from years of conflict, are now at risk

of being deprived of their childhood.

The Government of Iraq must take all

necessary actions to protect every

child by preventing the adoption of

policies that can harm children al-

ready exposed to armed conflict,”

SRSG Gamba added.

“The Iraqi Council of Representative’s

approval in principle of a draft law

that does not explicitly set the mini-

mum age of marriage to eighteen-

years- for both women and men would

represent a significant step back from

United Nations values.

Women and girls in Iraq have suffered

violations of their basic human rights

and violence in armed conflict, in par-

ticular under the terrorist group Daesh.

They aspire that the realization of their

rights should be prioritized with a view

to achieving equality with men. This

requires a comprehensive understand-

ing of legal and judicial remedies that

sometimes hinder the realization of this

equality. There is also a dire need for

legal and institutional strategies to

eliminate discrimination against wom-

en and girls.

“I call upon the Council of Representa-

tives to seize this opportunity of the

process to amend the Personal Status

Law, repeatedly criticized by the Unit-

ed Nations treaty bodies, and conduct a

wider consultation on the draft amend-

ments in a participatory manner to

recommit to and ensure the full respect,

protection and fulfillment of women

and girls’ rights in Iraq in relation to

matrimonial and other matters,” Spe-

cial Representative of the Secretary-

General for Iraq Ján Kubiš said.

Paris, 03 November 2017 - The Direc-

tor-General of UNESCO, Irina Bokova,

today called for an investigation into

the killing of television cameraman

Arkan Sharifi in the Iraqi city of

Daquq, in the Governorate of Kirkuk,

on 30 October.

“I condemn the murder of Arkan Shari-

fi,” said the Director-General. “In the

interest of defending both freedom of

UNESCO Director-General condemns assassination of journalist

Arkan Sharifi in Iraq

Volume 4, Issue 6 Human Rights Page 34

expression and freedom of information,

I urge the authorities to investigate

this crime and take all legal steps

available to end violence against the

media.”

In the early hours of 30 October, armed

men broke into the home of Kurdistan

Television camera operator Arkan

Sharifi and killed him.

The Director-General of UNESCO is-

Baghdad, 09 November 2017 – In

response to the public reaction to the

draft law amending the Personal Sta-

tus Law Number 188 of 1959, the Unit-

ed Nations Assistance Mission for Iraq

(UNAMI) believes that inclusive and

wide consultations over these amend-

ments are necessary to ensure women’s

rights are fully respected and protect-

ed.

Attaining equality between women and

men and eliminating all forms of dis-

crimination against women and girls

are fundamental human rights and

UNAMI urges wider consultation on Draft law amending Personal

Status Law to ensure respect and protection of women’s rights

New York, 4 December 2017 - The

Special Representatives of the United

Nations Secretary-General (SRSG) on

Sexual Violence in Conflict (SVC),

Pramila Patten, and for Children and

Armed Conflict, Virginia Gamba urged

Iraq to reconsider the draft amend-

ments to the Personal Status Law that

alter fundamentally the legal provi-

sions governing marriage. It is a mat-

ter of concern that these draft amend-

ments are silent on the minimum age

of consent to marriage and do not ap-

ply to all components of Iraqi society.

“On 23 September 2016, H.E. Dr. Ibra-

him Al-Eshaiker Al-Jaffari, the Minis-

ter of Foreign Affairs of the Republic

of Iraq, signed with the United Na-

tions a Joint Communiqué formally

committing to prevent and address

conflict-related sexual violence in the

wake of Da’esh’s sexual violence

crimes that shocked the world’s con-

science. One of the key pillars of the

Joint Communiqué is to ‘support legis-

lative and policy reform to strengthen

Joint statement by the Special Representatives of the Secretary

General on Sexual Violence in Conflict and for Children and Armed

Conflict regarding proposed amendments to the Iraqi Personal

Status Law

program with an advanced “training of

trainers” in the near future.

Dohuk, 13 November 2017 – The

United Nations Assistance Mission for

Iraq (UNAMI) Human Rights Office

launched a training course in Dohuk

for journalists, media workers and civil

society activists in the field of freedom

of opinion and expression in the Kurdi-

stan Region of Iraq.

This training course, which took place

on 12 – 13 November, was entitled

Freedom of Opinion and Expression

and its Role in Promoting Reconcilia-

tion, Harmony and the Protection of

Human Rights for Journalists & Media

Workers in Kurdistan Region – Iraq.

The two-day training course was in-

tended to enhance the knowledge of

journalists and media workers about

the United Nations human rights pro-

tection system and mechanisms and

laws relating to freedom of opinion and

expression in Iraq and the Kurdistan

Region. The course also examined ethi-

cal principles for media relating to re-

porting on human rights violations and

Freedom of expression training takes place in Dohuk

Volume 4, Issue 6 Human Rights Page 35

the role of the media in promoting pub-

lic discourse in line with human rights

values and principles.

Twenty-nine (29) participants (13 wom-

en and 16 men), including journalists,

media workers and civil society activ-

Human rights training for teachers in Kurdistan Erbil, 16 November 2017 - the United

Nations Assistance Mission for Iraq

(UNAMI) Human Rights Office (HRO)

in cooperation with the Ministry of

Education in Kurdistan Region of Iraq

organized a four-day training course in

Erbil for 23 teacher, including 9 fe-

males, during 13 – 16 November on

human rights education.

This was the second in a series of cours-

es organized by HRO and supported by

the Flemish Government and the Min-

istry of Education in the Kurdistan

Region of Iraq (KR-I).

Mr. Yousif Othman, Director-General

of the Planning Department in Minis-

try of Education in KR-I welcomed the

training, which targets Public School

teachers in KR-I. He also highlighted

the importance of mainstreaming hu-

man rights principles in the curricula

and teaching methods and techniques.

Ms. Shahla Saeed, Human Rights Edu-

cation Project Manager at HRO empha-

sized the role of teachers in influencing

students’ attitudes in line with human

rights values and fundamental free-

doms in schools.

The overall goal of the training focused

on raising awareness of teachers and

supervisors of secondary schools on

human rights education in Erbil Gover-

norate and its surroundings and dis-

tricts (Soran, Koya, Khabat, Makhmour

and Shaqlawa).

ists in the field of human rights and

freedom of expression participated in

the training, representing newspapers,

TV channels, radio stations and news

websites in the Kurdistan Region of

Iraq.

Mr. Hemn Mamand a freelancer stated

“raising awareness about human rights

values and violations by journalists

leads to building healthy and produc-

tive social members, for it is media that

mainly shapes the way people think in

the world today.”

On his side, Mr. Hazhar Anwar a Re-

porter with KNN TV highly described

the content of the course as being time-

ly: “Kurdish society is desperately in

need of embracing the values and prin-

ciples highlighted in this course. Both

journalists and audiences have to adopt

the notional interpretations of human

rights in order to get along with inter-

national media standards while ad-

dressing varieties of violations and

values.”

Dohuk, 7 December 2017 - Enhanc-

ing human rights education for stu-

dents in the Kurdistan Region of Iraq

was the focus of a three-day training

course for 24 secondary school teachers

in Dohuk.

The training course, held 3-5 Decem-

ber, was the fourth in a series of train-

ing courses on human rights education

organized by the United Nations Assis-

tance Mission for Iraq (UNAMI) Hu-

man Rights Office (HRO). The project is

in cooperation with the Ministry of

Education of the Kurdistan Region of

Iraq. Financial support was provided

by the Government of Flanders.

Human Rights Education training for

teachers in Kurdistan Region of Iraq.

The training sessions focused on devel-

oping teachers’ expertise with regard to

human rights concepts and terminolo-

gies, including women’s and children’s

rights, as well as methods of teaching

and preparing lessons on human rights

values and principles. The participants,

who came from all over Dohuk Gover-

norate and included eight women, prac-

ticed developing and delivering lessons

for each other on these topics.

Mr. Omar Ali Taha, Director-General of

the General Directorate of Education

for Dohuk Governorate, noted with

thanks that the training will help make

students better informed on human

rights values and principles.

HRO plans to continue the training

Human Rights education training for teachers in Kurdistan Region

of Iraq

Baghdad/Geneva, 27 November

2017 - The Government of Iraq must

ensure that the military defeat of ISIL

translates into a victory for accounta-

bility and an end to impunity, the UN

Special Rapporteur on extrajudicial,

summary or arbitrary executions, Ag-

nes Callamard, has urged after an offi-

cial mission.

“As the military threats from ISIL re-

cede, the country has now entered a

transitional phase which is both com-

plex and fragile, presenting the oppor-

tunity to break with the past,” said Ms.

Callamard in a statement at the end of

her first visit to the country.

“There is a risk that old tensions arise

where these have not been mended,

and that grievances that were set aside

for the duration of the conflict may

return.”

Of the many urgent issues to be dealt

with, Ms. Callamard urged the Govern-

ment to ensure that all illegal depriva-

tions of life – including those not relat-

ed to the conflict - are promptly investi-

gated, and the perpetrators brought to

justice.

“The Iraqi people have been subjected

to inconceivable suffering at the hands

of ISIL,” said the UN expert, whose

visit took place from 14 to 23 November

2017.

“Justice for victims demands that the

possible crimes against humanity be

investigated. I welcome the govern-

ment’s commitment to this. But hasty

judgment and execution of ISIL mem-

bers for acts of ‘terrorism’ is a disser-

vice to the country.

The people of Iraq, the victims and sur-

vivors of the conflict, deserve a legal

framework and a judicial response that

properly reflect the nature of the

crimes committed, which are on a par

with atrocity crimes investigated and

tried in other parts of the world. Such a

role cannot be performed by a counter-

terrorism law.”

Ms. Callamard urged the government

to rapidly initiate legal reforms and

equip domestic courts to try interna-

tional crimes.

Ms. Callamard met victims of ISIL’s

violence, visited camps housing people

forced to flee their homes, and talked to

expert teams working on the identifica-

tion of the thousands of Iraqis buried in

mass graves.

“I will always carry with me the voice

of a young woman in a camp. ‘We don’t

have to be like them,’ she told me. ‘We

have seen enough killings. Do not exe-

cute more people.’ She had lost several

family members to ISIL and insisted on

Iraq: Full justice for all sides is key to lasting peace, says UN expert

after official visit

Volume 4, Issue 6 Human Rights Page 36

accountability and prison sentences for

ISIL members, speaking out against

revenge,” Ms. Callamard stated.

The UN expert acknowledged that the

military defeat of ISIL would open a

new phase for Iraq. “To help ensure the

promise of peace is secured on strong

foundations, extrajudicial killings and

disappearances in retaliation for ISIL’s

crimes, such as those which occurred in

the liberation of Fallujah and Mosul,

must cease immediately and all must

be investigated,” she said.

“Building a new Iraq requires the confi-

dence of all communities. That will be

achieved only if all allegations are thor-

oughly investigated, victims’ voices are

heard and perpetrators are promptly

brought to justice. It also demands

prompt reparations and remedies for

the victims.”

The Special Rapporteur also spoke to

people particularly vulnerable to kill-

ings, such as journalists and people

from the LGBTI community, whose

protection she said had to be a priority

for the Iraqi Government.

Ms. Callamard said so-called honour

crimes remained a grave problem in

Iraq, and Article 409 of the Penal Code

– which reduces punishment for men

who kill women for “honourable mo-

tives” – should be amended in line with

changes already introduced in Iraqi

Kurdistan, to end impunity for such

acts.

Her preliminary findings also highlight

the urgent need for the management of

mass graves, the plight of families of

people who have disappeared, and the

role of religious and tribal leaders in

the transitional phase and accountabil-

ity.

Ms. Callamard urged the international

community to support the transitional

justice process, including by providing

comprehensive and impartial assis-

tance, and by paying equal attention to

international crimes, including war

crimes and crimes against humanity,

no matter who had committed them.

“The ratification of the Rome Statute of

the International Criminal Court would

allow the Government to obtain inter-

national support in ensuring accounta-

bility for international crimes commit-

ted in Iraq,” she added.

The Special Rapporteur, who visited

the country at the invitation of the Ira-

qi authorities, thanked the Government

for its cooperation. She will present a

comprehensive report containing her

findings and recommendations to the

Human Rights Council in Geneva in

June 2018.

+ + +

Ms. Agnes Callamard (France) is the

UN Special Rapporteur on extrajudi-

cial, summary or arbitrary executions.

She has a distinguished career in hu-

man rights and humanitarian work

globally. Ms. Callamard is the Director

of Columbia Global Freedom of Expres-

sion at Columbia University and has

previously worked with Article 19 and

Amnesty International. She has ad-

vised multilateral organizations and

governments around the world, has led

human rights investigations in more

than 30 countries, and has published

extensively on human rights and relat-

ed fields.

The Special Rapporteurs are part of

what is known as the Special Proce-

dures of the Human Rights Council.

Special Procedures, the largest body of

independent experts in the UN Human

Rights system, is the general name of

the Council’s independent fact-finding

and monitoring mechanisms that ad-

dress either specific country situations

or thematic issues in all parts of the

world. Special Procedures’ experts work

on a voluntary basis; they are not UN

staff and do not receive a salary for

their work. They are independent from

any government or organization and

serve in their individual capacity.

Full text of the end of visit statement of

the Special Rapporteur on extrajudi-

cial, summary or arbitrary executions

on her visit to Iraq can be accessed at

http://www.ohchr.org/EN/NewsEvents/

Pag-

es/DisplayNews.aspx?NewsID=22452&

LangID=E

can contribute to Iraq’s human rights

reporting obligations to the UN.

Participant Mr. Ibrahim Ismaeil, Head

of the Al Messala Organization NGO,

stated that “NGOs in Iraq have worked

locally on human rights, but without

being able to transfer their efforts, ob-

servations and activities to the interna-

tional level, especially regarding the

human rights treaty mechanisms. With

this study trip, UNAMI has given us

our first opportunity to get familiar

with United Nations mechanisms for

the protection of human rights.”

Geneva, Switzerland, 27 November

2017 – The United Nations Assistance

Mission for Iraq (UNAMI) Human

Rights Office (HRO) launched a Study

Tour for NGOs in Iraq and the Kurdi-

stan Region of Iraq (KR-I). The study

tour focuses on the Economic and Social

Council (ECOSOC) of the United Na-

tions, including how NGOs can obtain

consultative status. Representatives of

17 NGOs and related institutions in

Iraq and the KR-I (12 men and 5 wom-

en) are benefiting from the study tour.

The first part of the study tour (21-23

November) took place in Amman, Jor-

dan. UNAMI HRO delivered three days

of training sessions in cooperation with

the National Center of Human Rights

in Jordan and the Geneva Institute for

Human Rights. These training sessions

aimed to refresh the knowledge of the

participants about international mech-

anisms for the protection of human

rights, the role of NGOs in promoting

human rights, and the importance of

obtaining ECOSOC consultative status.

The second part of the study tour start-

ed on 27 November in Geneva. The

Geneva portion of the study trip will

examine coordination and consultation

UNAMI Human Rights Office launches study tour for NGOs in Iraq

and the Kurdistan Region of Iraq

Volume 4, Issue 6 Human Rights Page 37

between the UN human rights system

and civil society in the Middle East as

well as the rules for working with

ECOSOC. Over four days, experts from

the United Nations Office of the High

Commissioner for Human Rights and

the Geneva Institute for Human Rights

will conduct presentations. The partici-

pants will also attend discussions of

Australia’s National Report to the Com-

mittee on the Elimination of Racial

Discrimination. Observing these discus-

sions will help participants to under-

stand how Iraqi NGOs and civil society

International Human Rights Day marked in Iraq

Iraq, 10 December 2017 - The United

Nations Assistance Mission for Iraq

and the Office of the High Commission-

er for Human Rights today marked the

International Human Rights Day in

Erbil, with calls for standing up for

human rights and upholding these

rights and protecting them through

actions and policies.

This year’s Human Rights Day calls on

everyone to stand up for human rights

and take a pledge. The event was orga-

nized in collaboration with Cihan Uni-

versity and attended by more than 275

students of the Faculties of Law and

International Relations and their pro-

fessors (both female and male).

In greeting the participants, the Presi-

dent of the Cihan University, Dr. Faud

Mawlood, stressed the importance of

such cooperation between the Cihan

University and UNAMI HRO, and

highlighted the role of the higher edu-

cation institutions in promoting human

rights especially when implemented

through the joint activities with spe-

cialized departments like the Human

Rights Office of UNAMI. He also

thanked for the continued technical

support provided by HRO to the Uni-

versity.

Officer in Charge of Erbil’s HR Office,

Mr. Nedim Osmanagic greeted partici-

pants on behalf of the HRO and Mr.

Zito Siany, a Human Rights Officer,

made a presentation on the significance

of the importance of the human rights,

and the role of students in advocating

for the rights of others and cultivating

the culture of human rights in the soci-

ety. Finally, a law student made a short

presentation about the Universal Dec-

laration of Human Rights.

Human Rights Day, observed every

year on 10 December, commemorates

the day on which, in 1948, the UN Gen-

eral Assembly adopted the Universal

Declaration of Human Rights. In 1950,

the Assembly passed resolution 423 (V),

inviting all States and interested or-

ganizations to observe 10 December of

each year as Human Rights Day.

+ + +

Children were the center of the day,

performing a play about the conse-

quences of child labor and showcasing

handicrafts made by adolescents at a

UNICEF supported child friendly

space.

This event was made possible through

funding from the Government of Ger-

many.

The United Nations Assistance Mission

for Iraq (UNAMI) Human Rights Office

in partnership with the Ministry of

Culture and Civil society groups com-

memorated today the International

Human Rights Day in Basra. The

theme for this year’s celebration was

“Stand up for your rights and those of

others’ and was aimed to promote and

raise awareness of the 70th Anniver-

sary of the Universal Declaration of

Human Rights.

The Human Rights Day in Basra was

attended by more than 100 partici-

pants, including the representatives of

the Iraqi Government from Basra Gov-

ernor Office, members of the Human

Rights Commission, and representa-

tives of the civil society and human

rights activists, journalists and mem-

bers of media, colleagues from the UN

country team, the Kuwait Consulate,

the Head of Basra Police, representa-

tives of the judiciary and members of

the Basra Provincial Council.

The event was opened by Elshareef

Mohammed, Head of the Human Rights

Office in Basra, said that this year’s

event was a special one, as it marked

the 70th anniversary of declaration

which had been adopted by the United

Nations General Assembly on 16 De-

cember 1948. He also stated that this

was an occasion to honor the exception-

al work of ordinary Iraqi citizens, who

with great courage had been working

on advancing the basic rights in the

Iraqi society.

The acting Head of Office UNAMI Bas-

ra, Mr. Patrick Kiezit, asked the audi-

ence to join him in observing one mi-

nute of silence in remembrance of hu-

man rights activists who lost their lives

while protecting the rights of innocent

people. He also stated that “everyone

should stand up for yourself and other’s

rights. Those strong enough to protect

and advocate for those who don’t have a

voice. Please don’t waiver, we need to

increase our vigilance, as disrespect

and insolence for basic human rights

continues to exist in many parts of the

world”.

International Human Rights Day marked in Iraq (continued)

Volume 4, Issue 6 Human Rights Page 38

The gathering was also addressed by

Mahdi Tammai, the Head of the Iraqi

High Commission for Human Rights in

Basra, who stated that “We hope to

build a new Iraq free from violations

and in Basra it is necessary to have UN

and international support to enhance

culture of human rights, especially in

building mindful, participatory and

responsible states and the three gov-

ernmental authorities should cooperate

with each other, especially in security,

education, and health fields to develop,

enhance and protect rights of people in

this city of sacrifice”.

Short films with human rights messag-

es were shown, followed by a perfor-

mance of a traditional musical group

and a theatrical performance on vari-

ous human rights themes, and promo-

tional material was distributed.

At the end of the event a special exhibi-

tion organized by Civil society groups

was opened to honor the Human Rights

Day and to promote and raise aware-

ness of the 70th Anniversary of the

Universal Declaration of Human

Rights.

+ + +

UNICEF celebrated International Hu-

man Rights Day in Tikrit, with a two

day long event that was held in cooper-

ation with UNICEF partners to empha-

size the importance of child rights.

Tikrit, 14 December 2017 - At the

invitation of the Martyrs Foundation,

Deputy Special Representative of the

Secretary-General for Political and

Electoral Affairs Ms. Alice Walpole

visited Tikrit to observe the work being

done to exhume and identify the vic-

tims of the Camp Speicher massacre,

DSRSG Walpole visited Tikrit to observe the work being done to

exhume and identify the victims of the Camp Speicher massacre

Volume 4, Issue 6 Human Rights Page 39

which took place in June 2014 when

ISIL killed, according to the Founda-

tion, up to 1,935 Iraqi boys and men

whom they had captured. The DSRSG

also laid a wreath to honor the victims

at one of the sites she visited.

The DSRSG noted the importance of

identifying remains so they can be re-

turned to their loved ones, and thanked

the Iraqis working on the graves for

their tireless efforts to bring to light

evidence of the crimes of ISIL. She reit-

erated UNAMI’s commitment to sup-

porting their efforts and to hold the

perpetrators of these crimes accounta-

ble.

Baghdad, 20 December 2017 –The

United Nations Assistance Mission for

Iraq (UNAMI) is deeply concerned

about the violence and the reported

casualties during demonstrations in the

Kurdistan Region of Iraq (KRI) in the

last two days, and calls for restraint

and calm on all sides.

The people have the right to partake in

peaceful demonstrations, and the au-

thorities in KRI have the responsibility

of protecting their citizens, including

peaceful protestors. KRI security forces

also are urged to exercise maximum

restraint in dealing with the demon-

strators. UNAMI also calls on the de-

monstrators to avoid any act of vio-

lence, including the destruction of pub-

lic and private properties.

UNAMI calls upon the authorities to

respect and protect the media, after one

outlet, NRT TV, was ordered to sus-

pend its broadcasts because of the con-

tent of its reporting on the demonstra-

tions. The Mission urges the media to

abide by the law, while emphasising

the critical role of free and impartial

media in any democratic society.

UNAMI decries violence in Kurdistan Region of Iraq, urges calm

Statement on closure of some offices of Al-Sharqiya TV

UNAMI expresses hope that this latest

incident with Al-Sharqiya TV will find

its resolution without delay.

Baghdad, 19 December 2017 –The

United Nations Assistance Mission for

Iraq (UNAMI) follows with concern the

reports of the closure of some offices of

Al Sharqiya TV.

A free and impartial media forms the

basis of a democratic society. Any steps

taken against the media must be avoid-

ed and must not be applied except in

exceptional cases and in full conformity

with domestic law and international

human rights obligations.

It is imperative that the authorities

ensure that journalists are protected

and able to do their job in an environ-

ment free of threats and intimidation.

The media has professional responsibil-

ities and must operate in full compli-

ance with the laws and the applicable

rules and regulations. At the same

time, hate speech and incitement to

violence based on religion, race or polit-

ical affiliation, have no place in a de-

mocracy.

The Mission recalls that journalists

have been caught up in the conflict over

the years – most recently a journalist

was killed and two others assaulted,

and two TV stations have been ordered

closed for failure to obtain licenses,

actions that have been criticized by

international media watchdogs.

Baghdad, 15 December 2017 - “I was

so desperate, I had lost hope; commit-

ting suicide seemed the only escape

from the abuse, back then,” said Fati-

ma*. “I didn’t know how to handle the

pain, but now I do. I am strong enough

to survive.”

According to different reports on sui-

cide, one in three women is victimized

by domestic violence at some point in

her life and one out of every four wom-

en who are the victims of domestic vio-

lence attempt suicide.

Mother-of-eight Fatima had suffered

from spousal abuse for more than a

decade.

“I never expected that my loving hus-

band could lay a hand on me,” she not-

ed. “It took one disagreement with his

family, nine years into our marriage, to

destroy the beautiful nest we had built

together.”

The disagreement happened when Fati-

ma’s brother-in-law wanted her and her

husband to vacate the house they were

renting from him ever since they got

married. When she refused, he verbally

abused her, called her a woman with no

honor, and sent her back to her par-

ents’ house. She explains that her hus-

band did not defend her nor stand by

her in this ordeal, however, a while

after he asked her to return home to

take care of the children.

One year later, the 35-year-old became

pregnant again. “Despite the instability

in my marriage, I was happy to have

another child. My husband’s reaction,

however, wasn’t a positive one; he re-

fused to support my pregnancy needs,

buy baby clothes, or spend any money.”

Fatima found herself relying on the

neighbors’ financial support to get by.

“One day, I decided to talk to him about

Surviving domestic violence, one day at a time

Volume 4, Issue 6 Human Rights Page 40

it. It was winter and we were sitting

around the heater. He refused to give

me money. I felt so desperate, I did not

have a dime to spend on my children.

In a moment of despair, I threatened to

self-immolate. He smirked at me and

told me to do it; so I came closer to the

heater to scare him but I got burnt,”

she said.

Fatima’s left side was burnt from head

to toe. Her husband refused again to

provide her the financial means to get

the proper treatment, holding responsi-

ble for the situation. She was so

ashamed and had no one to turn. She

reached out to her family who took care

of her treatment.

By then, Fatima had decided to no

longer have children; she believed it

was not healthy to bring children to a

broken marriage and a dysfunctional

family. She started taking contracep-

tive pills without her husband’s

knowledge.

With time, their relationship got better

and her husband asked for another

child. “I thought… why not. He is treat-

ing me with more respect.” She decided

to stop taking the pills and soon after,

she got pregnant.

What Fatima thought was a step for-

ward towards a happy marriage,

turned out to be a temporary happi-

ness. “I don’t know what triggered it,

but during my pregnancy my husband

started physically abusing me; he

would slap me on the face and beat me

on a daily basis. He would even use a

wooden bat or any home appliance he

could get his hands on; I would faint for

hours at times. Not only was the abuse

physical, but he also keeps repeating

that I am not a fit mother and that I

am a bad influence on my daughters.”

Yazidi documentary "a positive weapon" against ongoing genocide

New York, 20 December 2017 - Doc-

umenting the horrors suffered by the

Yazidis at the hands of ISIL, or Daesh,

terrorists provides a "positive weapon"

to confront the dangers of modern-day

genocide.

That's one of the hopes expressed by

the German-Yazidi producer of a new

film screened at the UN this week

called Háwar – A Cry For Help.

Düzen Tekkal was a journalist and

filmmaker who became a human rights

activist "overnight" when Daesh invad-

ed the Yazidi villages around Mount

Sinjar in northern Iraq in August 2014.

An estimated 5,000 members of the

minority community were killed in the

following days, while hundreds of thou-

sands were displaced and approximate-

ly 3,000 girls and women were forced

into sexual slavery.

Matt Wells sat down with Düzen before

the screening, and they were joined by

Michael Blume who runs a project fi-

nanced by the German state of Baden-

Württemberg which managed to evacu-

ate more than a thousand women and

children captured by Daesh terrorists.

Düzen began by outlining the film.

Full interview is available at

http://www.unmultimedia.org/radio/eng

lish/2017/12/yazidi-documentary-a-

positive-weapon-against-ongoing-

genocide/#.Wk37v9VuavF

Fatima explains that the thought of

leaving her husband occurred to her: “I

wanted to leave him many times. It

sounds crazy that I decided to stay, but

my children rely on me to protect and

support them and give them the securi-

ty and stability that every child de-

serves”.

When her neighbor introduced her to

the UNFPA-supported Women Centre

in Bnaslawa, she was reluctant to join;

she was afraid of being judged. She

remembers the first time she attended

a course, it was the sewing course. The

social workers welcomed her with

smiles; they didn’t approach her but

they let her feel comfortable, and gave

her the space to be ready to share her

story. “They gave me time to trust

them. What I like the most is that they

didn’t judge me for staying nor felt bad

for my condition. On the contrary, they

empowered me and offered a shoulder

to cry on. Before I joined, I was lonely, I

was physically ill and mentally ex-

hausted. The centre really changed my

life; I am now taking psychosocial sup-

port counseling which helps me face

every day with a positive attitude.”

*name changed for privacy and protec-

tion

Geneva, 15 December 2017 - Spokes-

person for the UN High Commissioner

for Human Rights, Liz Throssell,

briefed today journalist on Iraq execu-

tions and Tuz Khurmatu clashes. Here

is the text of the briefing notes:

(1) Iraq executions

We are deeply shocked and appalled at

the mass execution on Thursday of 38

men at a prison in the southern Iraqi

city of Nassiriya, Iraq, which once

again raises huge concerns about the

use of the death penalty in the country.

These 38 prisoners had been convicted

for terrorism-related crimes.

Given the flaws of the Iraqi justice sys-

tem, it appears extremely doubtful that

strict due process and fair trial guaran-

tees were followed in these 38 cases.

This raises the prospect of irreversible

miscarriages of justice and violations of

the right to life.

So far this year, we have learned of 106

executions in Iraq, including the mass

hanging of 42 prisoners in a single day

in September.

We once again urge the Iraqi authori-

ties to halt all executions, establish an

immediate moratorium on the use of

the death penalty and carry out an

urgent and comprehensive review of

the criminal justice system.

(2) Iraq: Tuz Khurmatu clashes

We are seriously concerned about the

UNHCHR Press briefing notes on Iraq executions, Iraq and Tuz

Khurmatu clashes

Volume 4, Issue 6 Tuz Khurmatu Page 41

situation in the city of Tuz Khurmatu,

in Salah al-Din Governorate in Iraq,

where on 9 and 12 December residen-

tial areas were reportedly shelled, caus-

ing casualties among civilians. It is not

clear who is carrying out the shelling

which is reported to be coming from the

mountains overlooking the area. Iraqi

forces are still working to discover the

exact locations from which the shelling

has come and the identity of those re-

sponsible.

Tensions have been increasing in Tuz

Khurmatu following September’s inde-

pendence referendum in the Kurdistan

Region of Iraq and in disputed areas,

which include Tuz Khurmatu. In recent

weeks, clashes have broken out be-

tween Kurdish Security Forces – also

known as the Peshmerga - and Turk-

men Popular Mobilization Units or

PMUs. This fighting has to date result-

ed in an unconfirmed number of deaths

in each group.

UN human rights officers visited the

area on 7 December and again on 14

December to investigate reports of the

burning of homes and looting of busi-

nesses. They spoke to residents of Tuz

Khurmatu in Kirkuk and Erbil who

had fled the violence and also saw for

themselves in Tuz Khurmatu some 150

premises that had been burned or oth-

erwise damaged. This follows reports

that, on 16 and 17 October, a similar

number of houses were looted and

burned by Turkmen PMUs and civil-

ians, and that up to 11 houses reported-

UNAMI investigates reports of human rights violations in Tuz

Khurmatu

Baghdad, 12 December 2017 - A

team from the Human Rights office of

the United Nations Assistance Mission

for Iraq (UNAMI) conducted a mission

to Tuz Khurmatu in Salah al-Din Gov-

ernorate on 7 December 2017 to investi-

gate reports of punitive destruction of

property of residents who have been

displaced by the clashes in the area in

October and reports of intimidation to

prevent the safe return of the displaced

to their homes.

This visit has been i.a. prompted by

repeated reports about indiscriminate

targeting of civilians, forced evictions

and destruction of property prior to but

notably after 16 October 2017 that UN-

AMI addressed i.a. in its statement of

19 October. In that statement and in a

briefing to the UN Security Council

meeting in New York on 22 November

by Special Representative of the Secre-

tary-General for Iraq Ján Kubiš, at

least 150 houses belonging to Turkmen

and Kurds were reportedly set ablaze

and there were other reports of acts of

violence. Moreover, the United Nations

expressed concern about the clashes in

the town which have inflicted casual-

ties, and triggered a new wave of dis-

placements primarily from the Kurdish

community.

During the mission to Tuz Khurmatu

last week, the UNAMI team visited

several areas in the town and met with

a number of officials. UNAMI officials

also have met in Erbil with a number of

representatives of Tuz Khurmatu dis-

placed residents and listened to their

accounts about the circumstances sur-

rounding the alleged attacks. Another

UNAMI mission to Tuz Khurmatu was

planned in the coming days to visit also

other areas including those suggested

by the displaced residents to further

investigate the allegations.

UNAMI also expresses its concern

about the recent repeated indiscrimi-

nate mortar attacks which has inflicted

losses, including civilian casualties

from among the Turkmen community

in the town that were followed by a

retaliatory action. It calls for an imme-

diate end to acts that threaten the se-

curity and the safety of Kurdish and

Turkmen communities and their civil-

ian residents. It also calls upon the

Government of Iraq to deploy all neces-

sary measures that will put an end to

any violence and violations of human

rights, ensure law and order and estab-

lish calm and stability in Tuz Khurma-

tu, also to facilitate return of IDPs and

normal functioning of the city, district

and all its communities.

ly belonging to Kurdish families and

officials were destroyed by explosives in

the city. Thousands of residents, main-

ly of Kurdish origin left for the Kurdi-

stan Region of Iraq, apparently fearing

repercussions, and to date many have

not returned.

Iraqi Government forces are in control

of Tuz Khurmatu, supported by Popu-

lar Mobilization units. The city’s popu-

lation is a mix of Turkoman, Kurd and

Arab communities and there is a seri-

ous risk that given the ethnic and reli-

gious fault lines in the area, that vio-

lence could escalate and spread.

We urge the end of all acts that threat-

en the fundamental rights of the Tuz

Khurmatu population. We also call on

the Iraqi authorities to ensure that

civilians there are protected and those

responsible for human rights abuses

brought to justice.

The team noted that it was difficult to

spot looted buildings unless doors were

open, and that many houses were inac-

cessible behind high walls or within

compounds, making it impossible to

determine whether there was damage

or looting. The team cannot therefore

exclude the possibility that the number

of houses destroyed and/or looted could

be higher; indeed, UNAMI has received

allegations about a significantly higher

number of houses affected.

The UNAMI team also observed wide-

spread graffiti marking homes as be-

longing to Turkmen, allegedly to pre-

vent damage and/or looting. IDPs re-

ported they would ask Turkmen friends

and/or neighbours to mark their prop-

erties to protect them.

UNAMI has consistently expressed

concern about the situation of the civil-

ian population in Tuz Khurmatu and

allegations of the destruction of proper-

ty, both in press statements on 19 Octo-

ber and 12 December and during the

briefing by Special Representative of

the Secretary-General for Iraq, Mr. Ján

Kubiš, to the UN Security Council on

22 November. UNAMI requests the

Iraqi authorities to take all necessary

measures to protect civilians in Tuz

Khurmatu, not least in light of recent

shelling attacks; to facilitate the safe,

dignified and voluntary return of IDPs;

and to hold accountable those responsi-

ble for the violations that occurred

since mid-October. UNAMI also ex-

presses its concern over the recent re-

peated indiscriminate mortar attacks

which have inflicted losses, including

civilian casualties from among the

Turkmen community, in the town and

calls for an immediate end to acts that

threaten the security and the safety of

the Kurdish and Turkmen communi-

ties.

Baghdad, 23 December 2017 –

Teams from the United Nations Assis-

tance Mission for Iraq (UNAMI) con-

ducted monitoring missions to Tuz

Khurmatu where they observed de-

stroyed homes and businesses in sever-

al primarily Kurdish neighbourhoods of

the ethnically and religiously mixed

city in the wake of the transfer of secu-

rity authority in the area in October.

Since the outbreak of violence in Tuz

Khurmatu in October, UNAMI has

received a number of allegations of

human rights abuses and violations, in

particular with regard to civilian casu-

alties and two allegations of sexual

violence. These incidents are still being

investigated. UNAMI also received and

investigated a large number of allega-

tions concerning the destruction of

property that took place on 16 and 17

October. A number of sources and wit-

nesses alleged that civilians and mem-

bers of Turkmen armed groups carried

out these acts as well as intimidating

residents, many of whom left the city in

fear. The identity of the perpetrators of

these acts remains unknown.

UNAMI received reports of these inci-

dents from internally displaced persons

(IDPs) from Tuz Khurmatu who are

currently in Kirkuk, Sulaymanyia and

Erbil, government and security forces,

media reports and journalists, commu-

nity and political representatives and

national and international NGOs.

Many IDPs attributed the violence to

the tensions between the Kurdish and

Shia-Turkmen communities. They al-

leged much of the destruction and loot-

ing occurred after the Kurdish inhabit-

ants left the city, most of whom have

not yet returned. Moreover, many al-

leged that while looting was apparently

carried out widely and at random in

their neighbourhoods, more serious

damage was of a targeted nature - for

example, on the basis of political or

security affiliation.

As of 14 December, according to figures

provided by the International Organi-

zation for Migration,[1] 1,440 families

(8,694 individuals) from Tuz Khurmatu

are currently displaced following the

events of mid-October. 444 displaced

families (2,664 individuals) have re-

turned to their homes. One IDP told

UNAMI "I am afraid for my family's

security. We do not want to go back

until this issue is resolved. The deploy-

ment of Iraqi Army commandos from

outside Tuz Khurmatu to secure our

neighbourhoods is a good thing because

they are neutral." Another IDP stated:

"We are afraid to go back because there

is also shelling now into our neighbour-

hoods."

Summary of UNAMI findings in Tuz Khurmatu

Volume 4, Issue 6 Tuz Khurmatu Page 42

Teams from UNAMI undertook two

monitoring missions to Tuz Khurmatu

on 7 and 14 December, primarily to

assess allegations concerning property

damage. They visited the neighbour-

hoods of Askari and Imam Ahmed, and

subsequently Jumhori and Jamila. UN-

AMI observed during the first mission

in the Askari and Imam Ahmed neigh-

bourhoods, both of which have a large

Turkmen population, one building dam-

aged from what appeared to be a mor-

tar strike. UNAMI also observed dam-

age to the local Kurdish PUK party

office and severe fire damage to an au-

tomobile business north of the city.

During the mission, UNAMI also met

representatives of the Tuz Khurmatu

City Council, representing Sunni-Arab,

Shia-Turkmen, and Kurdish communi-

ties. A representative from the Shia-

Turkmen Popular Mobilisation Units

(PMUs) was interviewed, as well as a

senior police officer responsible for the

area. The team sought to obtain inde-

pendent accounts of what transpired,

as well as accounts of security opera-

tions, and information about investiga-

tions being carried out.

Before the follow-on visit on 14 Decem-

ber, UNAMI received an analysis of

satellite imagery of the primarily Kurd-

ish quarters of Jumhori and Jamila

prior to and after the violence. The im-

agery indicated that at least 29 build-

ings had been destroyed in Jumhori

and 11 in Jamila. During the visit, the

UNAMI team observed approximately

100 shops burnt or damaged along the

main market road in Jumhori, many of

which could not be observed in the sat-

ellite imagery. The team also observed

approximately 30 homes that were

burnt or damaged. Five houses were

demolished in Jamila and one in Jum-

hori.

Baghdad, 30 October 2017 - Dis-

placed Iraqis staying in camps have

been affected by heavy dust and sand

storms that hit major areas of the Kur-

distan Region of Iraq from Saturday

evening.

Dozens of youngsters in several camps

needed medical assistance after report-

ing breathing problems. In one camp,

Al Salamiyah 1,south of Mosul, which

is managed by UNHCR through its

partner, ACTED, camp officials said

around 47 tents were badly damaged

and had to be removed. Around half of

the damaged tents were empty at the

time. Tents that were occupied have

been repaired.

“Everyone was coughing a lot and it

UNHCR: Heavy dust and sand storms in KR-I affect Iraqis in

displacement camps

Volume 4, Issue 6 Humanitarian Page 43

was so windy”, said Yazi Ahmed, from

Zummar, who lives at the camp with

eight family members. “I have asthma,

and it was very difficult”.

Another father, 56 year old Abduljab-

bar Salman, from Qayrawan, Ninewa

governorate, said: “Because of the sand-

storm, many tents fell over. So many

children had difficulty breathing.”

Hundreds of tents collapsed in three

UNHCR camps east of Mosul

(Hasansham U2, U3 and Chamakor).

Staff from UNHCR and BCF have been

replacing damaged tents.

“We couldn’t sleep all night”, said

grandmother, Khadijah Ibrahim.

“”Dust whipped up into the tent and we

couldn’t breathe. We held fast to the

tent; we feared it would blow away.”

Around 50 people from the eastern

camps were taken by ambulance to a

local hospital with respiratory difficul-

ties. One 53 year old man, who suffered

from severe asthma and had received

medical treatment the week earlier,

later died.

Mosul, 31 October 2017 - For Qasim

Jamel and his brother Faris, the emer-

gence of the so-called Islamic State of

Iraq and the Levant (ISIL) marked the

end of normality as they knew it. They

lived with their families under ISIL

occupation for almost two years until

they finally escaped and took refuge in

a camp near Mosul, Debaga 2.

While living conditions were far from

ideal, the camp has become a safe ha-

ven for thousands of families that faced

the same struggle.

At first, the main source of humanitari-

an assistance Qasim and his relatives

received came from WFP. Food rations

containing a month’s supply of wheat

flour, bulgur, lentils, salt, sugar, and

cooking oil gave them relief and ingre-

dients to cook family meals.

Now, WFP is transitioning from food

rations to cash assistance, allowing

people like Qasim and Faris to buy food

for their families, something they have

not been able to do in a very long time.

For the past three years, ISIL occupa-

tion in Iraq has forced more than three

million people out of their homes. When

fighting to retake Mosul and surround-

ing areas began in October last year,

insecurity deepened, development came

to a halt, and humanitarian needs sky-

rocketed.

The presence of ISIL and the ensuing

conflict prevented Qasim, Faris and

their families from finding a safe place

to settle. First, they had to flee from

their hometown of Makhmur to Hawija

with their wives, small children, and

siblings. As time passed, feeding a fam-

ily in Hawija became increasingly diffi-

cult; a siege cut supply routes and ac-

cess to food, clean water and medicine,

so the brothers were forced to upend

their families once more.

While their families received ready-to-

eat food from WFP when still on the

road, the journey was no less treacher-

ous. They had to leave in the night and

pass a field full of mines in order to

escape ISIL in Hawija.

Faris arrived in Debaga camp first,

with his wife Sahar and their three

children — the youngest was not yet

born. Then followed Qasim and his wife

Suhan, also pregnant at the time, and

their small toddler. Their parents, sib-

lings, and older brother’s family soon

followed.

“I should have gone with my brother,

when his family left five months before

us, because the situation only got worse

and worse. It was so bad. We had no

food, no medicine, the water was dirty

and we never had electricity,” Qasim

explained.

One lady told WFP that she would try

to save up from the cash assistance and

buy a little meat. “I want to taste lamb

again. It has been such a long time,”

she said.

With generous support from the Euro-

pean Commission’s Humanitarian Aid

and Civil Protection department

(ECHO), Qasim and Faris will receive a

text message from WFP announcing

when and where they can pick up their

entitlement of around 14 euros per fam-

ily member each month.

The brothers try to take construction

work when possible. But, if lucky, they

will only work one or two days a week,

earning a meager and unreliable in-

come.

WFP cash assistance will help ensure

these brothers can continue to provide

for their growing families, despite the

challenging circumstances.

“I know that my wife is excited to start

receiving cash,” Qasim says. “She is

very happy and looking forward to

shopping for the family and deciding for

herself what we need to buy and cook.”

By Inger Marie Vennize, WFP.

Cash provides choice and relief for families in Iraq

Baghdad, 01 November 2017 - IOM

has delivered more than 800 non-food

item (NFI) kits in the past month to

recently displaced families from West

Mosul to Amiriyat Al Fallujah. The kits

were funded by the Office of US For-

eign Disaster Assistance (OFDA).

In 2017, more than 64,950 individuals

have been displaced by military opera-

tions in west Anbar. Of these, more

than 19,000 have been displaced from

20 September through 31 October, fol-

lowing the intensification of the Iraqi

Forces’ offensive against ISIL in the

west Anbar districts of Ana, Al Ka’im

and Ru’a on 19 September.

Staff from IOM, the UN Migration

Agency, spoke with a newly displaced

woman, Zahraa, who was receiving

medical assistance from an IOM mobile

medical team:

IOM mobile medical teams provide

assistance to nearly 1,000 primary

health care beneficiaries per week in

Anbar governorate.

“We had a good life in west Anbar. We

owned a house and farm in Al-Qaim

district where we grew crops. After

ISIL entered the city, the situation

quickly deteriorated. We were regularly

harassed and had to stop planting our

crops. When our savings ran out we

survived only on our remaining crops.

We sold everything we owned to cover

the family’s basic needs –my husband,

As Iraqis flee conflict, their everyday needs go with them

Volume 4, Issue 6 Humanitarian Page 44

our three sons and our three grandchil-

dren.

“One day a bomb fell close to my grand-

children while they were playing. Two

of them, aged 8 and 9, were killed and

the third one was injured. Our house

was damaged. We decided to leave Al-

Qaim and displace.

“We paid smugglers; they drove us out

of the area at night until we reached

the Iraqi Forces. We first went to the

checkpoint, then to Kilo 18 camp in

Ramadi and then moved to Ameriyat

Fallujah Camp.

“I had severe psychological and health

conditions, especially after losing my

two grandchildren. I attended the IOM

medical clinic and received advice from

specialist doctors. I was treated for

irritable bowel syndrome. My family

and I normally visit the clinic around

UNHCR begins its winter assistance programme for displaced Iraqis

and refugees

Baghdad, 2 November 2017 - This

week, UNHCR Iraq began its winter

assistance programme to help vulnera-

ble displaced Iraqis and Syrian refu-

gees. Altogether, more than 100,000

households will benefit from additional

help over the next four months.

A large part of the assistance will be

cash-based, allowing families to decide

for themselves how to spend the money

on their most urgent needs during the

difficult winter months.

In the Kurdistan Region of Iraq (KR-I),

where temperatures can fall to below

zero centigrade at night, UNHCR plans

to provide cash assistance to over

20,000 refugee households and to more

than 30,000 recently-displaced Iraqi

families, including those living in and

outside of formal camps.

The transfer value of help has been

designed to align with the Iraqi Minis-

try of Migration and Displacement

(MoMD) plans to provide kerosene for

displaced families.

Some of the most vulnerable house-

holds in camps will also receive winter

kits, including a heating stove, high

thermal blankets and tent insulation

kits.

Assistance targeting families displaced

as a result of the recent Mosul offensive

will also cover 8,000 households living

in urban areas, while 17,500 house-

holds living in camps will receive cash

payments and winter kits.

In central and southern Iraq, 15,500

displaced families (including 3,000 liv-

ing in urban areas) will receive cash

assistance or winter kits.

“We will manage better with this help”,

said mother, Yazi Ahmed, who was

registered for cash assistance in UN-

CHR–managed Al Salamiyah 1 camp,

south of Mosul. “I plan to buy clothes

and food for the children.”

Father-of-seven, Mohammed Ibrahim,

from Abu Maria, near Telafar, ¬said:

“We have no money, so this help is very

important for us; we really need it. Our

house was destroyed back home and we

have no idea how we will spend this

winter.”

“This assistance is an important lifeline

for families as winter approaches, espe-

cially in the Kurdistan Region of Iraq,

where temperatures plummet at night”,

said UNHCR Iraq Representative, Bru-

no Geddo. “Winter is the hardest time

for displaced Iraqis, especially those

still living in tents or unfinished build-

ings.

“To ensure we reach displaced families

as quickly as possible, the bulk of our

help this year has been monetized. The

aim is to give families more flexibility

in making decisions about their spend-

ing priorities.”

UNHCR is grateful to donors who have

made this vital assistance possible.

twice per week. We have access to the

necessary medical care and medicine.

“Displacement is difficult, and my fami-

ly has been deeply affected by the situ-

ation. We hope to return to Al-Qaim to

go about our normal lives, to rehabili-

tate our damaged house and return to

planting and harvesting,” said Zahraa,

who displaced from Al-Qaim in Septem-

ber 2017.

IOM Iraq Displacement Tracking Ma-

trix (DTM) has been monitoring the

west Anbar crisis since January 2017,

when significant displacement move-

ments were already taking place due to

hostilities in the area and in anticipa-

tion of major military operations.

This testimony was collected by Sandra

Black at IOM Iraq and edited by Jorge

Galindo at IOM HQ in Geneva.

many thanks to the generous contribu-

tions of donors, including the (DFID -

UK Department for International De-

velopment).

Baghdad, 09 November 2017 - The

United Nations World Food Programme

(WFP) welcomed a contribution of

US$1.5 million from the Republic of

Korea that will provide food assistance

for some 30,000 vulnerable Syrian refu-

gees in the Kurdistan Region of Iraq for

two months.

“In the aftermath of conflict, the Re-

public of Korea was once a recipient of

food assistance, including from WFP,”

said Song Woong-Yeob, Ambassador of

the Republic of Korea to Iraq. “We have

now become donors and maintain a

strong partnership with WFP in over

30 countries. We sincerely hope this

contribution will provide much needed

relief to Syrian refugees and their fami-

Republic of Korea contribution provides WFP food assistance for

Syrian refugees in Iraq

Volume 4, Issue 6 Humanitarian Page 45

lies in Iraq.”

This contribution will allow WFP to

provide food assistance to Syrian fami-

lies that have sought refuge in Iraq.

Through electronic food cards that

WFP provides to vulnerable people in

Iraq, each family member will receive

US$19 per month to purchase the food

they prefer from local shops. In addi-

tion to allowing for greater choice in

their diets, this programme injects cash

into the local economy, which benefits

shops and producers with increased

demand for their products.

“Thanks to this generous and timely

donation from the Republic of Korea,

WFP will continue to address the un-

derlying causes of vulnerability for

UNHCR prepare to launch its cash-based winterization assistance in

Laylan -1 displacement camp in Kirkuk

Baghdad, 13 November 2017 - UN-

HCR Iraq, with the support of the mo-

bile service Asiacell Hawala has started

distributing cash-based winterization

assistance to displaced Iraqis in Kir-

kuk. The cash assistance approach

gives families the freedom to decide

how to spend money on their priority

needs during winter.

The cash assistance initiative in Kir-

kuk was first launched in Laylan 1

camp. It will be rolled out to four other

camps jointly managed by UNHCR and

International Relief and Development

(IRD). More than 4,780 households will

benefit from this project. The first

phase, currently in progress, is regis-

tration, where household information is

verified. After that, the cash distribu-

tion of the winterization project is trig-

gered and new mobile SIM cards are

distributed enabling cash transfers to

families.

Zohour Khalil (31) is a displaced widow

and mother of 7 young children who

has benefitted from the cash assistance.

She describes how she fled her village

during the conflict in Northern Iraq.

“While we were fleeing Hawija in 2016,

and making our way to Kirkuk city, we

crossed the path of some fighters and

were caught up in heavy gun fire. My

husband was killed.” said Zohour in

tears, “I was not even able to bury his

body. I had to leave him behind and all

I was thinking of was how to keep my

children out of the shooters’ sight”.

When Zohour and her children arrived

in Kirkuk she looked for a place to live.

She looked for an unfurnished house to

rent, but soon ran out of money and

was unable to pay the rent. She took

her children to Laylan 1 camp knowing

she would receive assistance and free

accommodation.

Because she had no money, Zohour had

to sell some of the assistance she re-

ceived whist living in the camp. She

spent the money on much needed items

like clothes and shoes; and on medica-

tion that she could not get at the public

health center in the camp.

The cash assistance that Zohour and

her family will receive will help her

support her family’s needs in the best

way. “Monetizing the assistance gives

us a better opportunity to prioritize our

needs and demands”. She said.

Zohour’s 12 year old son, Ahmed, also

feels the benefit of the money received.

He asks his mother, “Will this mean

that you can buy new clothes and shoes

for me? For all of us? Will I be able to

get rid of these worn out clothes I have

been wearing since we left home? This

means I won’t have to listen to hurtful

words about the way I am”.

Syrian refugees in Iraq, increase fami-

lies’ self-reliance and reduce the need

for international assistance in the fu-

ture,” said Sally Haydock, WFP Repre-

sentative in Iraq.

Since 2014, the Republic of Korea has

provided US$4.8 million in support of

WFP food assistance for Syrian refu-

gees in Iraq.

Samarra, 15 November 2017 – UN-

HCR Iraq has begun rolling out its win-

ter assistance programme to help vul-

nerable refugees and displaced Iraqis.

Altogether, more than 100,000 house-

holds will benefit from additional help

over the next two months.

A large part of the assistance will be

cash-based, allowing families to decide

for themselves how to spend the money

on their most urgent needs during the

winter.

UNHCR staff talked to some of the

families being registered for assistance

at Al Salamiyah 1 displacement camp:

Ahmed Ibrahim Khudur, 42, from Zan-

jali, Mosul:

“Our house was destroyed and I have

no work. We will have to spend winter

in the camp.

“This money will be of great help, and

we need it urgently. Money is better for

us. I need to pay for medical treatment

for my epilepsy and we will be able to

buy winter clothes. We only have sum-

mer things with us.”

UNHCR continues to provide cash as-

sistance to vulnerable families with

UNHCR Iraq continues to roll out its winter assistance programme

Abu Ghraib, 16 November 2017 -

This week, UNHCR Iraq Representa-

tive Bruno Geddo met displaced fami-

lies at Al Ahal camp in Abu Ghraib

district, Baghdad Governorate, where

the agency is working with its partners,

and heard some of the challenges they

are facing.

More than 230 families (over 1,000

individuals) are staying at the camp.

Several had moved to the camp follow-

ing the closure of other displacement

sites in Baghdad.

“There is strong pressure for displaced

families to return home, but some of

them cannot return due to the levels of

destruction, levels of contamination of

unexploded devices or because their

houses have been completely demol-

ished in the conflict”, said Geddo in a

meeting with camp manager, Raad

Farhan, Abu Ghraib mayor, Othman Al

UNHCR Iraq Representative visits displaced families in Abu Ghraib

district, Baghdad

Volume 4, Issue 6 Humanitarian Page 46

Maadhedi and Kamil Al Owaisi, head

of Abu Ghraib District Council.

“The camps in Abu Ghraib are very

important …they offer families a place

to stay inside Baghdad until they can

return home, a place for families who

Radio programme lends a voice to refugees and displaced Iraqis in

Kurdistan

Erbil, 17 November 2017 – Micro

Camp Radio held a series of radio work-

shops in the Kurdistan Region of Iraq

(KR-I) in September and October 2017.

Over 100 refugees and displaced Iraqis

of mixed age and gender took part in 12

camp and community centre radio

workshops, broadcasting in and across

the region.

Every Friday, UNHCR Iraq is sharing

an episode of the radio workshops, in

co-ordination with Micro Camp Radio.

This week, the broadcast is from Basir-

ma Camp for Syrian refugees, just

north of Erbil in northern Iraq and has

been providing shelter to over 3,000

Syrian refugees since it opened in 2011.

The episode begins with a song in

Kurdish played on the Bağlama, a lute-

like instrument by one of the refugees,

Ali, who played alongside his son Mo-

hammed. The sad tones tell of their

migration and estrangement.

One of the topics of this week’s episode

centres on migration to Europe and

becoming an asylum seeker. Many par-

ticipants voiced their desire to leave

and seek a better future for them and

their children.

“I want to go abroad, to Europe, to pre-

serve the future of my kids,” said one of

the women, who preferred to be un-

named.

People in the camp spoke about their

hopes for the future and their desire for

peace.

The episode closes with another song,

Bella Ciao that added a cheerful tone

and in had all the participants clapping

along.

You can enjoy the episode on the follow-

i n g l i n k : h t t p : / / r a d i o -

activite.fr/basirma/

cannot return for now.”

He said UNHCR would continue to

support the camp authorities and the

remaining families, including replacing

damaged shelters and providing a gen-

erator for the camp.

Salah al-Din, 19 November 2017 -

UNHCR Iraq Representative, Bruno

Geddo, met Salah al-Din Governor, Dr.

Ahmed al-Jabouri during a visit to the

Governorate and discussed the humani-

tarian situation facing displaced Iraqis

living in camps and measures to facili-

tate returns.

UNHCR has been involved in providing

shelter and humanitarian assistance to

vulnerable displaced families in Salah

al-Din as well as providing legal protec-

tion to hundreds of displaced individu-

als who have lost their documents

while fleeing areas of conflict.

“UNHCR is co-ordinating with the local

government to facilitate returns of dis-

placed people to their areas as well as

helping 950 individuals by issuing re-

placement documents, through co-

operating with the Kirkuk Civil Direc-

torate and many more documents are

to come,” Said Bruno Geddo at a press

conference.

“We are also rehabilitating a number of

pedestrian bridges, three water treat-

ment facilities, and a school in Yathrib

and Balad areas of Salah al-Din to help

restore normal life to these areas and

support the return of displaced individ-

uals”, he said.

UNHCR Iraq Representative meets Salah al-Din Governor, discusses

humanitarian situation in the Governorate

families had started to arrive at two

camps, originally built for displaced

Iraqis from Mosul. When families start-

ed to arrive at the front gate of Surdash

camp, water, showers, toilets and cook-

ing facilities were not yet installed.

DAY 3 — The Rapid Response Mecha-

nism

When WFP arrived at Surdash camp,

partners were already organizing the

distribution site. The night before, the

local community provided home-cooked

meals and in the morning, locals ar-

rived in small trucks with blankets,

cook wear, clothes and shoes.

Other UN agencies, and Iraqi NGOs

were installing water, bathrooms, elec-

tricity and other services. All the while,

family after family appeared at the

gate to register for a new home.

Before noon, the UN distribution site

was up and running. WFP together

with UNICEF and UNFPA have an

emergency system called the Rapid

Response Mechanism (RRM). Besides

food rations from WFP, each family

receives bottles of clean drinking water,

diapers, sanitary items, clothing for

women and other essential items.

At the end of day, three over 400 fami-

lies had picked up their assistance,

giving them a few days of respite until

all services were in place and the Iraqi

authorities had organized food aid to

meet families longer term needs.

By Inger Marie Vennize, WFP

Kirkuk, 20 November 2017 - In just

three days, conflict in the disputed are-

as of Kirkuk —almost 240 kilometers

north of Iraq’s capital city— forced

thousands of terrified families to flee

their homes. With only enough time to

grab their children and run for their

cars, many left with nothing but the

clothes they were wearing.

In situations like this one, a rapid hu-

manitarian response can be the differ-

ence between life and death. Within 72

hours, the World Food Programme

(WFP) and partners distributed food

boxes containing biscuits, dried fruits,

canned meat and chick peas, as well as

other life-saving essentials to support

thousands of affected people.

On October 16, the Iraqi Security Forc-

es (ISF) launched an offensive to retake

disputed areas in Kirkuk and Sinjar

governorates that had been under the

control of the Kurdish Peshmerga Forc-

es since ISIL’s invasion in 2014.

Day 1 — The Assessment

The morning after the offensive began,

WFP staff headed to Chamchamal,

about an hour east of Kirkuk, where

many families were sheltering. Other

staff went south to Kalar to assess the

needs and conditions there.

The situation was extremely fluid, de-

veloping by the hour. Talking to the

displaced families and coordinating

with local authorities and other part-

ners would be the first step in getting

food to those that needed it most.

In Chamchamal, hundreds of people

were sheltering in mosques, abandoned

buildings, and some even out in the

open. A lot of families had come from

Kirkuk city, while others escaped Tuz

Khurmatu, a town some 50 kilometers

to the south.

Having survived conflict for decades,

Iraqis are used to supporting each oth-

er and many do so with great empathy

and generosity. In Chamchamal, many

families opened their homes to the dis-

placed, volunteers cooked hot meals

and distributed fresh bread, whilst

others provided any clothes and blan-

Fleeing Iraq’s Kirkuk - what the first few days of a UN emergency

Volume 4, Issue 6 Humanitarian Page 47

kets they could spare to new families

who had arrived with next to nothing.

WFP worked around the clock with

partners and local community leaders

to organize food distributions the fol-

lowing day. As families were scattered

in abandoned buildings, roadsides and

small parks, WFP needed to spread the

message that life-saving ready-to-eat

food would be available the next morn-

ing at key locations in Chamchamal.

Similar distributions were organized

for people who fled to other locations.

Late that afternoon, WFP staff found

that the check point on the Kirkuk road

was packed with hundreds of families.

After some confusion, it became clear

that these families were returning

home. Less than 24 hours after the

offensive had started, a statement

made by the Iraqi Security Forces as-

sured that it was safe to return; the

fighting in Kirkuk was over.

Day 2 — The Immediate Response

By the second day, WFP distributed

ready-to-eat food boxes to more than

4,500 people staying at the container

site in Chamchamal and near a sports

stadium on the outskirts of the town.

The distributions were organized off

the back of a large truck and partners

registered families lining up for food,

making sure bigger families received

two food boxes.

As the last boxes were picked up that

day, authorities informed WFP that

work as a civil servant and had a

monthly contract, but ISIL threatened

me because I worked for the govern-

ment. My parents and I had to leave

the city and flee to Baghdad by car; our

journey was a dangerous one, and some

of our convoy’s cars caught fire when

we were hit by shelling from the con-

frontations between the Iraqi forces

and ISIL. We eventually arrived safely

to Baghdad, and now we live in an un-

finished building rent-free; we live on

social welfare and receive assistance

from the host community” says Dhuha

Sulaimaniyah, 20 November 2017 -

Challenges to the return of internally

displaced people to Beiji, Salah al-Din

Governorate, were discussed in a meet-

ing held in Sulaimaniyah in mid No-

vember 2017. Representatives of the

local authorities, communities, key

security actors and other stakeholders

examined establishing a mechanism to

analyze, understand and address the

situation at the community level. They

suggested expanding community based

social cohesion and reconciliation activ-

ities targeting different ethnic and reli-

gious groups.

“We believe in the importance of

strengthening individuals and building

human capacities prior to implement-

ing infrastructure projects. Through

this meeting, UNDP has provided a

platform for the government and stake-

holders to have a critical discussion on

Challenges to the return of internally displaced people to Beiji,

Salah al-Din Governorate, were discussed

Volume 4, Issue 6 Humanitarian Page 48

current issues in Beiji,” stated the

Prime Minister’s Advisor for National

Reconciliation Affairs of Salah al-Din

Governorate, Dr. Faal Niema Al-

Maliki.

In turn, the Mayor of Beiji, Mr. Mo-

hammed Mahmood Ahmed, said: “We

IOM Iraq Chief of Mission Gerard Waite met with Minister of

Planning Salman Jumaily

Baghdad, 21 November 2017 - IOM

Iraq Chief of Mission Gerard Waite met

with Minister of Planning Salman Ju-

maily this past week in Baghdad. “In

support of the Government of Iraq’s

priorities, IOM is focused on providing

support to displaced Iraqis and improv-

ing areas of return, in close coordina-

tion with the United Nations’ country

team in Iraq,” said Waite. “We appreci-

ate the efforts of the Ministry to coordi-

nate international development and

reconstruction programmes, to address

the needs of the most vulnerable Ira-

qis.”

Waite and Jumaily discussed the re-

turn of displaced people within Iraq,

assisted voluntary return and reinte-

gration of Iraqi migrants from Europe,

and data services and data collection,

for which IOM is working closely with

Government of Iraq.

Minister of Planning Jumaily said, “We

confirm our readiness for the Iraqi Min-

istry of Planning to cooperate with

IOM. The country continues to face

challenges with displacement and mi-

gration. We encourage IOM in its work

and are ready to put our resources into

innovating together for our migration

management efforts.”

are in urgent need for rehabilitation

programmes for returnees.”

This meeting was organized by UNDP’s

Iraq Crisis Response and Resilience

Programme (ICRRP), with generous

funding from the Austrian Develop-

ment Agency.

Baghdad, November 2017 -

“Displacing with my wife and three

children from Shirqat was very diffi-

cult. In August 2017 we fled ISIL in a

dangerous journey, in the dark, despite

my physical challenges. Moving quickly

is difficult for me; I am diabetic and

had to have my leg amputated in 2010

due to gangrene. But I am the family’s

head and I only thought of saving them.

We were able to reach the western of

Shirqat side by boat, and now live in an

unfinished building. Unfortunately, I

need another operation, but I cannot

have it because I would have to travel

abroad,” said َ Qasim, who displaced

from east Shirqat.

With funds from Office of U.S. Foreign

Disaster Assistance Ismail received a

non-food item package including a bed

sheet, cool box, hygiene kit, jerry can,

kitchen set, mattresses, rechargeable

fan, rechargeable light, sewing kits and

towels, which will contribute to allevi-

ating the hardships of displacement.

+ + +

“I was living in the area of Mosul’s

Dam, in Ninewa Governorate. I used to

IOM’s aid opens new perspectives for displaced Iraqis

electricity network and installing the

250 metre-long water pipes to fixing

doors and windows. They also gave us

water heaters, fire extinguishers, air

cooling units and first-aid kits and we

were also taught how to use the equip-

ment they gave us.

We live in a much better condition now,

but as long as we live away from home

we will be strangers. I hope that the

situation goes back to normal and that

we can go back to whatever remains of

my city. What has been destroyed, we

can build again.” Said Hussien, dis-

placed from Sinjar.

+++

Abu Abdullah and his family live in an

unfinished school in east Mosul; they

displaced from Wana town, north of

Mosul, after his house was destroyed in

military operations. The unfinished

school does not have any doors or win-

dows, and in response IOM provided

him and another 180 displaced people

families who live in the neighborhoods

of Altameem, Sukar, Karma, Mithaq

and Wahda with sealing-off kits. The

kits include material and tools that

who is 50 years old.

Dhuha received a package to start a

small income-generating project. The

package includes home furnishings

such as bed sheets, blankets, pillows,

bedding and other items.

Funded by the U.S. Department of

State: Bureau of Population, Refugees,

and Migration, and through IOM’s

Community Revitalization Programme,

business packages will help IDPs, re-

turnees and the host community to

start small business projects to help

them improve their monthly income

and their living conditions. As part of

the assistance to the project, the benefi-

ciaries, including Dhuha, go through a

business development course to build

their capacities in in commercial skills

such as preparing business plans, mar-

keting and bookkeeping.

+++

“With the equipment I have received

from IOM, I will be able to cover the

costs of my studies, continue my pro-

jects, work and develop,” said Ahmed.

Ahmed fled in 2014 after ISIL took

control of his city. He was a high school

student and had to leave his hometown

and six-member family, in a difficult

journey that lasted for three days until

he finally reached Baghdad. His family

was only able to join him a year later,

IOM’s aid opens new perspectives for displaced Iraqis

Volume 4, Issue 6 Humanitarian Page 49

Essam, a camp representative in Amri-

yat Al Fallujah Camp.

“This is the first time I have participat-

ed in a camp management training

session. The session was organized by

IOM and helped me to understand

many aspects of camp management as

well as given me insight on how to bet-

in 2015.

Through the business start-up package,

Ahmed received various equipment to

allow him to open a shop. The package

includes an air cooler, a show refrigera-

tor, generator, display shelves, an elec-

tric digital scale, and other necessary

items.

+++

“I used to have a car oil change garage

and was doing very well. But when

ISIL entered the city of Ramadi, every-

thing changed for the worse. We were

harassed to the point I had to close my

shop and leave with my wife and four

children. It took us two days to reach

Amiriyat Fallujah Camp; we have

adapted to our lives here and I have

even been chosen as a camp sector rep-

resentative because I have actively

participated in the camp’s life to im-

prove everyone’s living conditions,” said

ter coordinate with all parties to im-

prove the camp and provide better ser-

vices and useful solutions to the dis-

placed people who live here,” added

Esam.

This training is funded by European

Commission - Civil Protection & Hu-

manitarian Aid Operations – ECHO.

+++

“My sister, mother, uncle’s family and

I fled our hometown by bus on 3 August

2014, as ISIL advanced on our town.

We headed towards the mountain be-

cause there was no other place to go

and staying could cost us our lives. We

later heard that had we been half an

hour late, ISIL would have captured us

and that 35 people were killed on the

first day ISIL entered the city. Alt-

hough the bus could only accommodate

20 people, more than 40 people were

crammed in. We eventually had to get

off so women could ride in the bus. We

continued our hike up the mountain on

foot. Two weeks later, ISIL committed

their massacre against our Yazidi

brothers and sisters. We crossed into

Syria, and then back into Iraq near

Duhok. We decided to go to Pirzin in

Erbil , where we now live in an old

poultry farm and have been here for

three years.

At the beginning, the farm’s condition

was very bad, and there were scorpions

everywhere. We used to kill six or sev-

en of them daily. We started to improve

the place, rehabilitating what we could

with IOM’s help from setting up the

allow setting up partitions for privacy,

build doors to increase safety, and seal

off openings and cracks in the building

to prepare for the winter season.

+++

“I am grateful for this opportunity. I

have received what I needed to start

my own business, a beauty and wed-

ding salon. My sister, Um Ahmed, is

participating in this project by using

one of the rooms in her house as the

salon. This business will help me to pay

my rent and provide for the needs of my

children – aged 6, 9 and 13 –who are

going to school this year,” says Iman, a

33-year-old woman who was displaced

from Salahaldin in 2013 following ISIL

attacks on the town.

On 12 October 2017, IOM distributed

30 small business packages to displaced

Iraqis and host community members in

the framework of the Community Revi-

talization Programme (CRP) in Basra.

These businesses will enable beneficiar-

ies such as Iman to improve their in-

come and their living conditions.

The CRP is funded by the U.S. Depart-

ment of State: Bureau of Population,

Refugees, and Migration.

security of the most vulnerable Afghan

refugees in Iran. The Chinese govern-

ment and people are together with

those brothers and sisters who are in

difficulty. We appreciate the efforts and

efficiency in implementing this project

by our WFP and Iranian colleagues."

WFP has been providing food assis-

tance to these refugees since the first

asylum seekers arrived from Afghani-

stan and Iraq in the late 1980s.

ghan and Iraqi refugees in Iran,

strengthen their livelihoods and pro-

vide food security,” said WFP Repre-

sentative in Iran Negar Gerami.

Chinese Embassy in Iran said: "As part

of the implementation of the South-

South Cooperation Assistance Fund

declared by Chinese President Xi

Jinping at the UN Sustainable Devel-

opment Summit in September 2015,

efforts are being made to achieve food

Tehran, 27 November 2017 - The

United Nations World Food Programme

(WFP) welcomes China’s contribution

to provide food assistance to Afghan

and Iraqi refugees and promote educa-

tion for refugee girls residing in the

Islamic Republic of Iran.

The US$1 million contribution will be

used to purchase fortified wheat flour,

sunflower oil enriched with vitamins,

lentils, rice and sugar for food distribu-

tions among Afghan and Iraqi refugees

living in settlements across Iran. The

commodities will be locally purchased

to ensure speedy delivery and conformi-

ty with Iranian standards.

Each month, WFP provides 30,000 of

the most vulnerable refugees with food

assistance that includes bread, rice,

sugar, lentils and oil. In addition, WFP

provides a take-home ration of sunflow-

er oil to 3,000 refugee schoolgirls and

their female teachers in 20 settlements

across Iran, which help to promote

girls’ education and bridge the gender

gap.

“WFP is very grateful to the Govern-

ment of the People’s Republic of China

for its contribution that will enable us

to address the basic food needs of Af-

World Food Programme welcomes contribution from China to

support Afghan and Iraqi refugees in Iran

Volume 4, Issue 6 Humanitarian Page 50

UNFPA increases its life-saving interventions in newly liberated

areas of West Anbar

Erbil, 30 November 2017 – The com-

pletion of the second phase of the liber-

ation of West Anbar towards end of

October 2017 has resulted in need for

humanitarian assistance for the cur-

rent and displaced residents in the are-

as of Ana, Rua, Qaim & Obaidi. It is

estimated that approximately 60,000

people, out of whom 15,000 are women

of reproductive age, remain in Qaim,

Ana, Rawa, Obeidi and the surrounding

villages.

The United Nations Population Fund

(UNFPA) in Iraq and its partners were

at the forefront to assist pregnant wom-

en and girls in West Anbar as part of

its rapid response to emergencies. To

meet the needs of women and girls,

UNFPA supported its partner, the

United Iraqi Medical Society (UIMS) to

deploy two mobile delivery units in

Qaim and Ana areas where no health

facilities were functional due to lack of

supplies, equipment and medical per-

sonnel.

In a month’s time, the mobile delivery

unit set-up in Ana had conducted 30

deliveries, while the one in Qaim de-

ployed on the 26th of November con-

ducted two deliveries in one day. In

addition, UNFPA is sending equipment

and medical supplies to meet the re-

quirements for complicated deliveries.

Traumatized young girls and women

living under ISIL rule and suffering

from different forms of gender-based

violence for the last 3 years were also

provided treatment and psychological

care. UNFPA facilitated the establish-

ment of a Women Community Center

and outreach teams in Ana and Qaim.

The trained social workers identify and

provide counseling to women and girls

who faced, and often continue to be

subjected to gender-based abuse includ-

ing forced marriages. Dignity kits were

also provided in West Anbar.

Internally displaced persons were also

given access to reproductive health

(RH) and GBV services through the

clinics in different camps in Anbar Gov-

ernorate and the remote areas such as

Rutba and Heet, where services have

been halted and facilities were dam-

aged.

These life-saving interventions were

the outcome of a major funding support

received from the Government of Japan

and the European Civil Protection and

Humanitarian Aid Operation (ECHO).

breakfast for the girls, the view from

her window reveals the ruins that sur-

round her home. But there is a market

stall close by where Noora spends can

buy food with cash vouchers provided

by UNICEF.

The vouchers are a lifeline for the fami-

ly: $30 per child, per month, helps cov-

er daily needs. Families in Mosul are

assessed by partners at Mercy Hands

for critical needs, and the funding

comes from the governments of Poland,

Germany, and Kuwait.

The critical element is that the families

decide how to spend the money so that

it fits with their specific needs. “I use

the money for food,” Noora says. “This

is the most important thing for the

children because it helps them focus

more on the classes. Who can learn on

an empty stomach?”

Once a journalist, Noora now is looking

for work so she can support her family

without cash vouchers. Her daughter

Maryam wants to become a teacher to

give children hope, and Sara wants to

become a pediatrician because she loves

babies. Noora wants to give both

daughters the best chance for their

future careers.

By Krman Kamal, Communications

Consultant, UNICEF Iraq.

look after them or get them ready in

the mornings.

Maryam and Sara’s contact with their

mother was an occasional phone call,

and the girls would tell Noora how

much they missed school. Despite the

heavy fighting at the time, Noora decid-

ed to return. “It was worth it because I

got to spend time with my girls,” she

said.

Noora and her two daughters now

share a small two-bedroom house with

extended family. As Noora prepares

Mosul, 3 December 2017 - Noora

prepares breakfast for her two daugh-

ters Maryam, 11, and Sara, 10, as they

get ready for school. A familiar scenario

played out all over the world, but this is

East Mosul in northern Iraq, a city just

out of the flames of war.

In 2014, when Mosul fell, Noora was

divorcing her husband, and had to re-

turn to her home in Baghdad without

her daughters. Maryam and Sara

missed a year of school because their

father told them there was no one to

Cash vouchers are a lifeline for families in Mosul

Volume 4, Issue 6 Humanitarian Page 51

Generous German funding will significantly help vulnerable people

in Iraq

Baghdad, 10 December 2017 - The

Federal Foreign Office of Germany has

generously donated EUR 30 million

(USD 34.8 million) to the Iraq Humani-

tarian Fund (IHF), a pooled fund led by

the Humanitarian Coordinator and

managed by OCHA.

“We are deeply grateful to the German

Government and the German people for

this very generous contribution,” said

the Humanitarian Coordinator for Iraq,

Ms. Lise Grande.

The German Government has already

channeled USD 10.9 million to the IHF,

bringing Germany’s total contribution

for the year to the pooled fund to USD

45.7 million.

“The pooled fund is the backbone of the

humanitarian operation in Iraq,” said

Ms. Grande. “More than 125 projects

targeting 4.2 million Iraqis in nine gov-

ernorates have received funding

through the IHF in 2017 alone.”

“The military campaign against ISIL is

over, but the humanitarian crisis is

not,” said Ms. Grande. “More than 3.3

million Iraqis are displaced--hundreds

of thousands are living in camps and

improvised shelters. They need help.”

The IHF has provided more than USD

70 million to front-line partners in sup-

port the Mosul humanitarian opera-

tion. In October 2017, USD 14 million

was allocated for the Hawiga operation.

“Millions of Iraqis have suffered terri-

bly,” said Ms. Grande. “Our top priority

now is to help ensure that people who

need help receive it. In the months

ahead we will be working closely with

the Government so that people are able

to return to their homes safely, volun-

tarily and in dignity.’

strained by long years on the move. In

locations where there are female-

headed households, and particularly

households headed by minor females,

“lack of money” is consistently among

the top three obstacles to return.

Long-term concerns over economic se-

curity persist with 80 per cent of dis-

placed people and 63 per cent of return-

ees cited access to employment as one

of their top three needs.

However, the main obstacle to return

reported by the displaced population

remained lack of security in the place

or origin, whether due to ongoing con-

flict, presence of UXO, landmines and

militias.

The ILA Part I: Thematic Overview,

the ILA Part II: Governorate Profiles

and Questionnaire can be downloaded

on the DTM ILA II portal page.

have returned to houses that have suf-

fered significant damage, and 60 per

cent to moderately damaged residences.

Regarding infrastructure, most damage

appears to affect roads, followed by the

public power grid and water networks.

The share of displaced Iraqis who have

settled in critical shelters and return-

ees unable to return to their habitual

residence seems to have slightly in-

creased compared to 2016. This might

be related to the lack of legal documen-

tation for houses, land and property

which was reported among the top

three challenges in nearly one out of

four locations.

Difficulties in returning to the habitual

residence may also be related to the

fact that in some cases, those who re-

main in displacement are among the

poorest and most vulnerable families,

Erbil, 12 December 2017 - As the

Iraqi Government celebrated its final

victory over ISIL this week, IOM, the

UN Migration Agency, released a new

study, which shows that 90 per cent of

displaced Iraqis are determined to re-

turn home. This is similar to the long-

term intentions recorded in 2016.

More than 1.3 million internally dis-

placed persons (IDPs) have returned to

their places of origin so far in 2017. In

total since the start of the crisis in

2014, IOM estimates that more than

2.8 million displaced Iraqis have re-

turned, while more than 2.9 million

people remain displaced.

The IOM study, Integrated Location

Assessment (ILA) analyzes both dis-

placement and return movements of

conflict-affected people across Iraq.

Approximately 2.1 million displaced

persons and more than 1.6 million re-

turnees, based in 3,583 locations across

Iraq, have been covered in the assess-

ment, which was carried out between

March and May 2017.

Only in Basrah and Najaf did families

report that they consider integrating

into the local community, where they

are displaced.

According to the findings, Anbar was

the single governorate where most re-

turns took place in both 2016 and 2017,

followed by Ninewa in 2017.

Among the main findings, this study

identifies that residential and infra-

structure damage is widespread. Near-

ly one third of returnees are reported to

UN Migration Agency publishes assessment on displacement and

returns in Iraq

Volume 4, Issue 6 Humanitarian Page 52

UNHCR and the Iraqi Salvation Humanitarian Organization (ISHO)

completed a rehabilitation of the Al Furat Park in Diwaniya

Diwaniya, 14 December 2017 - On 14

December 2017, UNHCR and the Iraqi

Salvation Humanitarian Organisation

(ISHO) completed a Quick Impact Pro-

ject (QIP) in Diwaniya city, Diwaniya

Governorate, to rehabilitate Al Furat

Park. The project would benefit 50 dis-

placed families and 247 families of the

host community with their children.

An inauguration ceremony was organ-

ised by UNHCR and ISHO’s Protection

Assistance and Reintegration Centre

(PARC) team. Also present were the

mayor of Diwaniya, the chairman of the

Women Affairs Committee at the Di-

waniya Provincial Council, representa-

tives of the Ministry of Displacement

and Migration, UNICEF, and members

of the displaced and host communities

and their children.

In his speech at the ceremony, the

mayor of Diwaniya appreciated the

efforts of UNHCR and its partner’s

efforts to implement such a project.

Iraqi displaced and host community

families had a good time while their

children played together in the park.

This quick impact project is intended to

foster peaceful co-existence between

members of the host community and

the displaced families living in the ar-

ea.

Iraq to include 1,200 vulnerable dis-

placed families in its essential winter

assistance programme, supporting

them with emergency kits to cope with

winter conditions. Each emergency kit

includes a carpet, plastic mat, thick

blankets, rechargeable light, and a hy-

giene kit.

“With the winter setting in, we really

need this heater, blankets and winter

clothes,” said Abu Mashari, a displaced

man from Hatra district, around 170

kilometres south of Mosul, pointing to

the winter kit he received from IOM.

“We left all our belongings behind in

the middle of the night, as we were in

hurry to leave our home. We didn’t

bring anything other than what we

were wearing in the beginning of sum-

mer,” he added. “We don’t have enough

money to buy clothes and other items to

warm ourselves and our tent during the

cold nights.”

The additional financial support also

allows the population of the two emer-

gency sites constructed by IOM, in Haj

Ali and Qayara, southeast of Mosul

which, combined, currently shelter

more than 73,000 IDPs, to access medi-

cal services and receive quick support

and referral in case of medical emer-

gencies.

IOM has mental health and psychoso-

cial centres in selected IDP camps to

reach out to the IDP community

through mental health and psychoso-

cial assistance, raising awareness on

mental health issues and specialized

care when needed.

tation of residential areas ravaged by

conflict and help returnees upon their

arrival to settle in their areas of origin.

Many of these beneficiaries still face

urgent needs for shelter and access to

basic services, including water, electric-

ity and health care.

“The German Government is very hap-

py to support returnees in areas of re-

turn and strengthen government au-

thorities in their efforts to restore es-

sential services in the most affected

areas of return,” said the German Am-

bassador in Iraq, Cyrill Nunn. “Our

scaled-up support includes restoring

the electricity grid and water supply in

retaken areas, as these services have

been heavily damaged and are priori-

tized for immediate rehabilitation by

host communities and returnees,” the

German Ambassador added.

The German funding will enable IOM

Baghdad, 19 December 2017 - As the

winter temperatures continue to drop

in Iraq and nearly 2.9 million people

are still living in displacement across

the country, the Government of Germa-

ny has extended its partnership with

IOM Iraq by injecting another 7 million

euros to address the urgent humanitar-

ian needs of those who remain internal-

ly displaced.

With these additional 7 million euros,

the total contribution of Germany to

IOM Iraq’s emergency operations

reaches 18 million euros from 2015

through 2019. Since 2015, Germany’s

support has enabled IOM to respond to

critical humanitarian needs of internal-

ly displaced persons (IDPs), especially

in areas such as Mosul, Fallujah, and

Ramadi, which had recently been re-

taken from ISIL.

The funding also supports the rehabili-

Germany assists UN Migration Agency’s humanitarian operations

in Iraq as winter advances

Volume 4, Issue 6 Humanitarian Page 53

Funding from Germany underpins WFP cash assistance to conflict-

affected Iraqis

Baghdad, 20 December 2017 – The

United Nations World Food Programme

(WFP) has welcomed a contribution of

€4.4 million (US$5.2 million) from the

Government of Germany, which will

provide cash-based assistance to almost

a quarter of a million Iraqis for one

month.

“The German Government greatly ap-

preciates its strong and effective part-

nership with WFP in Iraq,” said Dr.

Cyrill Nunn, Germany’s Ambassador to

Iraq. “WFP plays a critical role in

providing life-saving assistance to the

most vulnerable people in this country.

With this additional contribution to

WFP’s Emergency Operation, we recon-

firm our commitment to those who are

in desperate situations - they will not

be forgotten.”

This contribution will allow WFP to

increase the scale and reach of cash-

based transfers through WFP’s food

assistance management system, known

as SCOPE. This allows vulnerable Ira-

qis to buy nutritious foods of their

choice from local shops. Every month,

families are notified by text message

that their electronic credit allocation of

around €15 euros (US$17) per family

member has been reloaded. Using a

WFP SCOPE card, they can withdraw

cash from a local money transfer agen-

cy or pay for food in designated stores.

“We’re grateful to the German Govern-

ment for its contribution to assist Iraqis

still affected by conflict,” said Sally

Haydock, WFP Representative and

Country Director in Iraq. “By giving

cash assistance to families, we are giv-

ing them a broader choice in what they

buy while helping strengthen the local

food market.”

Since 2014, Germany has contributed

€104 million (US$122 million) to WFP’s

operations in Iraq. These funds have

enabled WFP to provide nutritious food

to the most vulnerable Iraqis and Syri-

an refugees every month.

ter months.”

The generous funding from Germany

will also enable UNHCR to carry out its

protection activities for internally dis-

placed Iraqis including prevention and

response to gender-based violence and

child protection, support to the govern-

ment to issue/renew civil status and

identity documents to displaced Iraqis,

protection monitoring and psychosocial

support. These services are provided

through both community based ap-

proaches and individual interventions.

Acknowledging this urgently needed

and timely support, Germany’s Ambas-

sador in Iraq, Dr. Cyrill Nunn, notes:

“The first cold waves of this year’s win-

ter season have already reached Iraq.

Hundreds of thousands of displaced

people are facing another winter away

from home. With this additional contri-

bution, the German Government would

like to ease the suffering of those most

in need, especially children, women and

female-headed households, older per-

sons and persons with disabilities.”

Baghdad, 27 December 2017 - UN-

HCR, the UN Refugee Agency, wel-

comes the additional contribution of

34.5 million euros for 2017 and four

million euros for 2018 from the Federal

Republic of Germany to provide assis-

tance to displaced Iraqis. This brings

the total amount received from Germa-

ny for this contribution for the period

2015-2018 to a total of 90.5 million

euros.

The German contribution will enable

UNHCR to provide life-saving support

to address winter needs for displaced

families in a timely manner. UNHCR’s

winter assistance programme for 2017

aims to reach 673,000 internally dis-

placed people in Iraq in the gover-

norates of Anbar, Kirkuk, Ninewa, Er-

bil, Dohuk, and Sulaymaniyah over

four months.

UNHCR’s winter assistance package

includes winter kits consisting of high

thermal blankets, a stove, a heater,

plastic sheeting, jerry cans for water

and kerosene. Vulnerable families re-

UNHCR welcomes additional contribution from Germany to help

protect and assist displaced Iraqis

Volume 4, Issue 6 Humanitarian Page 54

ceive cash assistance allowing them to

decide for themselves how to meet their

most urgent winter needs.

Bruno Geddo, UNHCR Representative

in Iraq said, “Many displaced Iraqis

fled their villages in the summer with

little more than the clothes they had

on. The winter assistance that is made

possible through the generous contribu-

tion of Germany will enable UNHCR to

provide people with in-kind and cash

assistance necessary to brave the win-

UNDP support for renewable energy in Iraq

Baghdad, 2 October 2017 - To pro-

mote sustainable energy in Iraq, the

United Nations Development Pro-

gramme (UNDP) is providing technical

and capacity building support to the

Government aiming to integrate the

renewable energy source of solar photo-

voltaic in the energy mix to meet the

country’s electricity demand. Creating

provisions for clean and sustainable

energy have become urgent for Iraq to

accelerate the implementation of the

Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs)

adopted in 2016. This support is being

channe led under the pro jec t

“Catalyzing the Use of Solar Photovol-

taic Energy”, in partnership with the

Regional Center for Renewable Energy

and Energy Efficiency (RCREEE) and

the Global Environment Facility (GEF).

On 02 October 2017, forty representa-

tives of the Ministries of Electricity,

Health and Environment, Industries

and Science and Technology, as well as

the private sector, participated in a

technical workshop in Baghdad on poli-

cy options and incentives for renewable

energy. Participants analysed the po-

tential for renewable energy in Iraq

and explored policy, legal and regulato-

ry framework best practices from the

region.

“The Government of Iraq deeply appre-

ciates the support and technical inputs

of UNDP and RCREEE,” stated Advisor

to Iraq’s Prime Minister for Energy,

Mr. Raad Mohsin Alhares. “Together,

we look forward to harness the poten-

tial of solar photovoltaic energy in

meeting the electricity demand of Iraq

whilst keeping our commitment to the

cause of climate change."

UNDP Country Director for Iraq, Mr.

Mounir Tabet, said: “Renewable energy

acts as a strong catalyst and a force-

multiplier for the SDGs. Key to pro-

gressing on its generation and on

measures to achieve energy efficiency

in Iraq is catalyzing private sector in-

vestments in national policies and

strategies. This will create conditions

necessary for renewable energy to con-

tribute to achieving the SDGs.”

In partnership with RCREEE, UNDP is

rolling out targeted policy initiatives

including the development of Feed-in-

Tariff and grid code for electricity in

the coming months. The proposed poli-

cy inputs and support are expected to

create an enabling environment for the

promotion of and increased investment

in renewable energy, helping Iraq to

meet its energy commitments.

Stabilization and Development

sufficient and assist in maintaining

their households, especially since many

women lost their husbands or family

members during the war and are now

the sole providers for their children.

“They are given an opportunity to learn

new concepts and ideas on how they

can improve on one if not the major

source of their family income,” Culaton-

Viray said.

“Improvement in production process

and productivity can all translate to

higher profits - which eventually go

back to the welfare of the family.”

Cutalon-Viray added that if women are

able to improve on their home-based

micro businesses, it will contribute to

their self-sufficiency and once they re-

turn back to their homes, if they do

return, they will carry with them the

knowledge to continue their livelihood

activities for resettlement.

UNIDO hopes that its training for the

women will “help them become more

resilient in facing the day to day adver-

sities of life, help them realize their

strengths and values as individuals and

encourage the drive in them to pursue

their goals."

By A.C. Robinson, Rudaw

Erbil, 24 October 2017 – The United

Nations Industrial Development Or-

ganization (UNIDO) has recently

launched a new program in the Kurdi-

stan Region for Internally Displaced

Persons (IDPs), refugees and host com-

munities to train them in the agri-

business sector to enhance livelihoods

and employability opportunities that

could contribute to their future econom-

ic stability and food security.

“The premise is that we need to

strengthen the local economy and the

local enterprises so that the economy

can continue to support the presence of

the IDPs and the refugees,” said Pee-

wee Culaton-Viray, Chief Technical

Adviser for the Employment and Food

Security Project of UNIDO.

“Overall, the training programs seek to

contribute to the development of the

human resource base of the KRG for

economic development,” she added.

The primary goal of UNIDO is to

“strengthen economic resilience of Syri-

an refugees, Iraqi IDPs, returnees and

their host communities and promote

inclusive sustainable industrial devel-

opment” within the Kurdistan Region.

UNIDO’s target is to train 520 people

in which at least 40 percent are women.

Youth with a minimum age of 18 are

also encouraged to enroll in all areas of

the agri-business training programs.

These areas include teaching modern

farming techniques in vineyards and

orchards for fruits such as figs and

pomegranates, household micro enter-

prises which includes producing fruit

leather, pomegranate concentrate, jams

and other confectionaries and food pro-

cessing factories such as tahini facto-

ries or confectionary production facto-

ries.

Training is also provided in IDP and

refugee camps.

UNIDO's project, which is funded by

the Austrian and Japanese Govern-

ments, had trained trainers from the

Ministry of Agriculture and Water Re-

sources as well as the Ministry of Trade

and Industry of the Kurdistan Regional

Government (KRG). The KRG Ministry

of Planning is the main coordinating

agency in implementation of the pro-

grams.

The initial training block began on Oc-

tober 8, 2017 and will continue through

December 14 with plans to follow

through with the training courses up

until May 2018.

Training takes place at several loca-

tions throughout the KRI, mainly in

rural communities where employment

opportunities are scarce in order to

UN program trains Iraqi IDPs, refugees on family income,

economic growth

Volume 4, Issue 6 Development Page 55

improve family incomes and economic

stability within their host communities.

UNIDO tries to limit class size to 20

persons per group in order to enhance

the effectiveness of training. Study

materials and tools are provided, de-

pending on the sector for which the

training is provided, as well as trans-

portation to encourage participation.

Since the rise of ISIS in 2014 along

with military operations to liberate

ISIS controlled areas, the UN has reg-

istered through January 2017, 3.9 mil-

lion IDPs as well as over 230,000 Syri-

an refugees. Of these numbers, the KRI

currently hosts 1.5 million IDPs and

refugees.

Nearly 25 percent of all IDPs and refu-

gees have sought refuge in the Erbil

Governorate while another 25 percent

live in host communities and camps

within the urban areas of Baharka,

Khabat, and Shaqlawa while the re-

maining live in camps or have returned

to their homes.

Besides providing training to increase

employability and economic improve-

ment to IDPs and refugees, UNIDO

also stresses the empowerment of wom-

en so that they can become self-

plied. An equal number of electricity

generators and transformers have also

been delivered and installed. So far, 11

bridges have been reconstructed, with

13 more under implementation and

over 200 kilometers of key road links

have been repaired.”

The Emergency Operation for Develop-

ment has created opportunities for col-

laboration with development partners

which will complement the objectives of

the additional financing operation. In

addition to United Nations agencies,

these partners include several govern-

ments that have committed to making

financial contributions, including gov-

ernment of Germany and Kuwait, and

the Japan International Cooperation

Agency.

In order to promote an inclusive ap-

proach in the reconstruction process,

the additional financing project will

strengthen its focus on citizen engage-

ment mechanisms. These will encour-

age community participation and en-

hance ownership of subprojects by ben-

eficiaries and communities. The project

will also establish a transparent and

accountable reconstruction monitoring

framework that will improve the avail-

ability of timely and comprehensive

information that is useful to the public

to actively participate in the national

efforts towards reconstruction and de-

velopment.

The additional financing operation is

aligned with the priorities of the World

Bank Group’s engagement in Iraq and

the Government’s plan to capitalize on

the liberation of ISIS-held areas and

the slow recovery in oil prices to rein-

state trust with the citizens, namely by

implementing critical economic and

governance reforms, providing basic

services efficiently and equitably and

ensuring inclusive and sustainable

recovery and reconstruction efforts.

Washington, 31 October 2017 - The

World Bank approved today a US$400

million financial assistance package to

support the recovery, reconstruction

and rehabilitation of priority infra-

structure to restore delivery of public

services in areas of Iraq newly liberated

from the Islamic State of Iraq and Syr-

ia (ISIS). The package represents an

additional financing to the Iraq Emer-

gency Operation for Development Pro-

ject (US$350 million) approved back in

July 2015 and already underway in

seven cities in Diyala and Salah Ad-Din

governorates.

The additional financing will allow the

geographic scale-up of existing project

activities to additional cities liberated

from ISIS in the Salah Ad-Din and Di-

yala governorates, as well as in the

governorates of Anbar (including

Ramadi), Kirkuk, Ninawah (including

Mosul) and the Kurdistan Regional

Government’s (KRG’s) governorate of

Dohuk. Similarly, implementation re-

sponsibilities will also expand to subna-

tional governments in addition to the

central government institutions.

“The international community has ex-

pressed its commitment to support the

urgent need for the Government-led

reconstruction of Mosul and other re-

cently liberated cities. The World Bank

is committed to work with Iraqi author-

ities to ensure that this much-needed

reconstruction takes place in a sustain-

able, inclusive and equitable manner to

foster long term development and cre-

ate opportunities for everyone,” said

Saroj Kumar Jha, World Bank Mashreq

Regional Director.

The current project activities span over

five primary sectors: water and sanita-

tion, electricity, health, transport and

municipal services. The additional fi-

nancing will continue to support these

sectors, as well as address pressing

education, agriculture/irrigation and

urban service delivery needs of commu-

nities in liberated areas. It will also

support the restoration and preserva-

tion of key cultural heritage assets es-

pecially in the Old City of Mosul. But

beyond the physical repair, emphasis

will be given to improving the quality of

education for boys and girls, and in-

creasing the employment of women,

youth as well as the poor in both urban

and rural areas.

The additional financing will also sup-

port the Government of Iraq in attract-

ing private sector participation in re-

construction efforts. To this effect, stud-

ies will be carried out to assess the fea-

sibility of public private partnerships in

$400 million for the reconstruction of Mosul and newly liberated

areas in Iraq

Volume 4, Issue 6 Development Page 56

the reconstruction, operation and

maintenance of Mosul airport, which

was severely damaged during the liber-

ation of Mosul. Similar efforts will also

extend to restoring public transport

terminals that serve intercity transport

and reconstruction of key segments of

the railway network.

“The Emergency Operation for Develop-

ment Project has restored the access of

2 million people to drinking water, im-

proved sanitation and electricity con-

nectivity, and reconnected 2.5 million

people through reconstruct ing

transport infrastructure. This recon-

struction process has created thou-

sands of employment opportunities to

Iraqi people”, said Ibrahim Dajani,

World Bank Program Leader for Sus-

tainable Development and Infrastruc-

ture, Mashreq Department and Coordi-

nator of the Iraq Reconstruction Pro-

gram. “Over 100 water tankers, gar-

bage collection trucks and other munic-

ipal services equipment have been sup-

Basra, 01 November 2017 - The

southern Governorate of Iraq, Basra,

now has a three-year strategic plan for

oil and gas. As a key pillar of Basra’s

economy, this industry is supposed to

employ thousands of workers and gen-

erate billions of dollars of revenue each

year. Unfortunately, the industry is

falling short of its expected develop-

mental goals. It has been assessed that

the industry’s performance can be

boosted through sound management

and improved capacity and expertise.

The Provincial Council of Basra is seek-

ing to address this issue, in part, with

its Committee for Oil and Gas.

To this end, the Committee has formu-

lated a strategic plan with the support

of the United Nations Development

Programme (UNDP). This support was

channeled under the Basra Compact

agreement signed between UNDP and

the Governorate of Basra in 2015 to

provide the Governorate with technical

assistance in major thematic areas,

including strategic planning.

Starting November 2016, UNDP

worked closely with the Committee for

Oil and Gas to develop the strategic

plan. In July 2017, the Provincial

Council of Basra endorsed the first

draft, and approved the final version

for printing in September 2017. Hun-

dreds of copies were distributed to rele-

vant stakeholders in October 2017.

Chairman of the Committee for Oil and

Gas, Mr. Ali Shaddad Al Fares, said:

“We believe in the importance of strate-

gic planning to achieve comprehensive,

Provincial Council of Basra formulates strategic plan to contribute

to effective management of the oil and gas sector

Volume 4, Issue 6 Development Page 57

sustainable development in all aspects

of life. Given that oil and gas are the

most important sources of Iraq’s na-

tional wealth at the present time, the

Committee for Oil and Gas had to fol-

low a scientific methodology in plan-

ning for the future of Basra.”

Mr. Shaddad added: “We thank UNDP

for providing technical and logistic sup-

port during the whole process. We fol-

lowed the mandate of the Committee in

the plan to ensure control over the op-

erations of oil companies and play an

effective legislative role.”

Formulating the strategic plan followed

a participatory approach, engaging

respective stakeholders in rounds of

consultation meetings and a concluding

three-day workshop in Basra. Partici-

pants were members of the Provincial

Council and Committee for Oil and

Gas, Director of the Governorate’s En-

ergy Department, together with repre-

sentatives of the Basra Oil and Gas

University, technical colleges and insti-

tutes, and experts. They identified and

Fifteen informal settlement sites cleaned from trash and rubble in

an effort to improve the living conditions of displaced Iraqis

Salah al-Din, 1 November 2017 -

IOM’s Camp Coordination and Camp

Management (CCCM) staff joined

hands with volunteers from displaced

communities across Salah al-Din Gov-

ernorate and brought the necessary

machinery to clear 15 informal settle-

ment sites, including damaged and

unfinished buildings occupied by IDPs,

from trash and rubble in an effort to

improve the living conditions of dis-

placed Iraqis. IOM CCCM team in Sa-

lah al-Din trains volunteers from the

local IDP communities to endow them

with the necessary skills in site mainte-

nance – fixing pipelines, windows,

doors and floors as well as electricity

wiring, rehabilitating bathrooms and

toilets and more. The volunteers coordi-

nate their efforts through a volunteer

site representative who oversees volun-

teer groups for women, youth and a

maintenance group who get together to

discuss the issues in the sites and come

up with an adequate solution. The

CCCM activities in Salah al-Din are

supported by European Commission -

Civil Protection & Humanitarian Aid

Operations – ECHO.

tackled challenges that ranged from

political dynamics, to economic and

environmental aspects, to social com-

plexities such as tribal conflicts, minor-

ities and ethnic differences, as well as

technology constraints.

The key objectives of the strategic plan

are to set up the Governorate’s vision

for supporting the development of the

oil and gas sector in Basra, generating

employment especially for youth, whilst

considering related social and environ-

mental impacts. The plan further prom-

ises a framework of cooperation with

stakeholders that can only develop such

a big and complicated sector.

UNDP Head of Basra Office, Mr. Thair

Shraideh, said: “This new strategic

plan will serve as an essential guiding

tool that the Provincial Council of Bas-

ra can rely on for years to come. UNDP

will continue to provide technical sup-

port contributing to the effective man-

agement of an important sector that

can be utilized for human develop-

ment.”

Karbala, 05 November 2017 - The

Governorates of Karbala and Babil are

developing transportation plans with

technical assistance from UN-Habitat

and UNDP. This support is being chan-

neled under the Local Area Develop-

ment Programme (LADP), implement-

ed by UNDP and funded by the Europe-

an Union. On meetings held on 24 and

25 October 2017, members of the

Transportation Plan Committees in

both Governorates discussed the exist-

ing transportation infrastructure and

the potential of adopting environmen-

tally sustainable solutions.

Karbala and Babil are developing transportation plans

Volume 4, Issue 6 Development Page 58

UN-Habitat reaffirms strong partnership with the Government of

Japan in supporting recovery and reconstruction in Iraq

Ramadi, 8 November 2017 - The

United Nations Human Settlements

Programme (UN-Habitat) and the Em-

bassy of Japan in Iraq organized a joint

press conference to mark the inaugura-

tion of the returnees’ shelter site in Al

Karama, Ramadi, and to acknowledge

the significant contributions that the

Government of Japan has provided to

UN-Habitat Iraq to support recovery

and reconstruction projects in Iraq.

Since 2015 to date, the Government of

Japan has generously funded the reha-

bilitation of 1,315 war-damaged houses

and construction of 2,692 durable shel-

ter units implemented by UN-Habitat

in 17 sites across Iraq. Altogether,

these projects have benefitted an esti-

mated 26,000 vulnerable IDPs and re-

turnees.

On 5 November 2017, a new low-cost

housing site in Al Karama, Ramadi,

was inaugurated to accommodate 3,150

returnees. The site is equipped with

basic services such as electricity, drink-

ing water and sewage, as well as public

facilities such as a primary school, a

women’s social center and a women’s

safe space that were established and

will be operated in collaboration with

other UN agencies such as UNICEF,

WHO and UNFPA. The Al Karama

shelter site also utilizes advanced and

environmentally-friendly technology

imported from Japan, such as solar

lanterns and water-resistant floor pan-

els produced from recycled plastic wa-

ter bottle caps. On the same day, UN-

Habitat also handed over rehabilitated

houses in Mo’almeen neighborhood,

Ramadi, which employed returnees as

labourers to improve their livelihoods.

During the inauguration event, H.E.

Mr. Mohamed Rikan Alhalbousi, Gov-

ernor of Anbar, expressed his apprecia-

tion to the Government of Japan on

behalf of the citizens and the govern-

ment of Anbar. He stated that the sup-

port from the Government of Japan

implemented through UN-Habitat has

had a real impact in Anbar Gover-

norate to bring back displaced people to

their home.

Dr. Aisa Kirabo Kacyira, UN Assistant

Secretary-General and UN-Habitat

Deputy Executive Director, stated that

Iraq offers one of the best examples to

showcase how the support from the

Government of Japan is contributing to

human security, and confirmed that

UN-Habitat is committed to continue

working in partnership with the Gov-

ernment of Japan, national and local

authorities in Iraq, communities, and

UN sister agencies to rebuild conflict-

affected communities.

H.E. Mr. Fumio Iwai, Ambassador of

Japan to Iraq, notes that Japan has

contributed to this project not only by

financing, but also by using its environ-

ment-friendly technology such as solar

light and floor panel. He expresses his

hope that Iraqi Government makes

more self-effort in order to achieve a

better future for the Iraqi people.

new Housing Policy will help to offer a

useful and scientific tool to complement

the outstanding efforts of the Govern-

ment of Iraq on Reconstruction and

Development”

On her side, H.E. The Minister of Mo-

CHMPW, stated that “the meeting and

the endorsement of the new housing

policy coincide with the liberation of

most of the previously controlled areas

by ISIL and the exacerbation of chal-

lenges to reconstruct the damaged are-

as, and its timely occasion to discuss

the future role of UN-Habitat to en-

hance its contribution to support the

Government’s efforts in reconstruction

and to transform the Iraqi cities into

more inclusive, secure, sustainable and

resilient.

UN-Habitat collaborated with the con-

cerned Ministries and the local authori-

ties who are responsible on the assess-

ment of the correlation between the

housing policy with other plans and

strategies and identified the challenges

and obstacles encountered by different

institutions for the implementation of

the housing policy and provided recom-

mendations for monitoring and evalua-

tion.

Assistant Secretary General and Depu-

ty Executive Director of UN-Habitat

Dr. Aisa Kacyra Kirabo with the Minis-

ter of Construction, Housing, Munici-

palities and Public Works Dr. Anne

Nafi’ Aoussi in Baghdad, Dr. Kirabo

congratulated the Government of Iraq

for the endorsement of the updated

housing policy and confirmed that UN-

Habitat will continue to do its utmost

to ensure that its ongoing engagement

and support will result in visible im-

pact and tangible results on the ground

to make differences in the lives of vul-

nerable people in Iraq”. She added: “We

are confident that the launching of the

Baghdad, 6 November 2017 – The

Council of Ministers of Iraq endorsed

the updated housing policy and its

working plan matrix and requested

from the concerned ministries and enti-

ties to undertake the needed arrange-

ment for implementation -each accord-

ing to its respective mandate- to pro-

vide decent housing to Iraqi citizens.

The new housing policy was developed

through the technical support of UN-

Habitat to the Ministry of Construc-

tion, Housing, Municipalities and Pub-

lic Works (MoCHMPW) and other con-

cerned Ministries.

During the meeting between the UN

The Council of Ministers endorses the updated housing policy of

Iraq by the Ministry of Construction, Housing Municipalities and

Public Works through the support of UN-Habitat

Volume 4, Issue 6 Development Page 59

Collaboration between the United Nations Human Settlements

Programme and the Ministry of Planning to launch a data platform

for recovery, reconstruction and resilience projects

Baghdad, 06 November 2017 – Dur-

ing the visit of Dr. Aisa Kacyra Kirabo

the UN Assistant Secretary General

and Deputy Executive Director of the

United Nations Human Settlements

Programme to Iraq, the Ministry of

Planning signed with UN-Habitat a

letter of intent to launch a data plat-

form for recovery, reconstruction and

resilience projects.

Within the event, the Deputy Executive

Director stated that “the Programme

undertakes numerous contributions to

support the efforts of the Iraqi Govern-

ment for the recovery and reconstruc-

tion in the liberated areas from the

terrorist group (ISIL), and in addition

to providing housing and urban recov-

ery projects in the damaged areas and

in a complimentary approach, UN-

Habitat supports the polices and tools

needed to carry out the national plan

for reconstruction through the agree-

ment with the Ministry of Planning to

launch the data platform for recovery,

reconstruction and resilience in Iraq”.

On his side, the Technical Deputy Min-

ister of Planning Dr. Maher Hamad

Juhan, clarified that “the signature of

this document as a joint effort between

the Ministry of planning represented by

its sectorial departments and the Unit-

ed Nations Human Settlements Pro-

gramme to launch the data platform

that will offer comprehensive infor-

mation about the projects and clear

image on the monitoring mechanisms

of reconstruction projects, in addition to

depicting prospects of destruction in

the affected areas aiming at identifying

the activities and their geographic dis-

tribution at the sectorial level” . Dr.

Juhan added that “the destruction of

Infrastructure in Iraq is unprecedented

therefore we need to build a monitoring

mechanism for the projects and set

clear priorities for implementation.”

Baghdad, 08 November 2017 - The

newly released Doing Business Report

2018 titled Reforming to Create Jobs

finds that Iraq has implemented in

2016/17 substantive changes in the

local regulatory framework in two main

areas: Starting a Business and Getting

credit.

In fact, starting a business in Iraq has

become easier by combining multiple

registration procedures and reducing

the time to register a company. Entre-

preneurs are no longer required to reg-

ister separately with the tax authority.

Furthermore, the time required to reg-

ister a company has declined due to an

increase in resources at the registry,

and an improvement of the online reg-

istration system.

Iraq has also improved access to credit

information by launching a new credit

registry managed by the Central Bank

of Iraq. As of January 1, 2017, the reg-

istry listed 234,967 consumers and

4,877 commercial borrowers with infor-

mation on their borrowing history with-

in the past five years.

“Doing Business data show that fragile

economies are reforming and approach-

ing crises as opportunities for better

business regulations,” said Saroj Ku-

mar Jha, World Bank Mashreq Region-

al Director. “As part of its Vision 2030

program, the Government of Iraq is

embarking on a substantive reform

Doing Business 2018: Recent reforms in Iraq pave the way for more

progress going forward

Volume 4, Issue 6 Development Page 60

agenda that builds on the Governmen-

tal General Framework Program (2014-

2018) which prioritizes institutional

economic reforms and private sector

development. The World Bank Group is

committed to support its efforts in iden-

tifying and pushing forward priority

reforms that can help foster the busi-

ness environment and generate growth

and better opportunities for all Iraqis.”

Overall, Iraq ranked at 168 on the ease

of doing business, compared to 165 in

last year’s report. It should be noted,

however, that these two rankings are

not comparable because of the introduc-

tion of some methodology refinement

and data revisions that impact how

countries rank. In the Doing Business

2017 report, the paying taxes indicator

was expanded to include post-filing

New playgrounds opened in Duhok and Erbil

Duhok/Erbil, November 2017 – Over

50 participants including representa-

tives of Governorate of Duhok and the

municipality and engineers and experts

in energy efficiency joined UNDP on 7

November 2017 for the opening of the

Sunshine Energy Club playground in

Duhok, part of the Local Area Develop-

ment Programme, implemented by

UNDP and funded by the EU.

The playground is not just for enter-

tainment, but has educational purpose

– with innovative ways, equipment and

activities teaching young generations

about energy efficiency and saving,

protecting environment and staying

active and healthy. Children from

ISHIK Private Kindergarten with their

teachers became the first members of

the Sunshine Energy Club in Duhok.

On 20 November 2017 the Sunshine

Energy Club playground was opened in

Erbil, the Kurdistan Region of Iraq.

The Head of the European Union (EU)

Liaison Office in Erbil, Ms. Clarisse

Pasztory, representatives of the Gover-

norate of Erbil and the Ministries of

Education and Higher Education, engi-

neers and experts in energy efficiency

gathered for the opening ceremony.

processes—the processes that occur

after a firm complies with its regular

tax obligations. This year, the method-

ology was further refined in accordance

to best practices. In particular, the indi-

cator reviewed the way it captures val-

ue added tax and corporate income tax

audits.

On the distance to frontier (DTF) met-

ric, Iraq’s score went from 44.39 in Do-

ing Business 2017 to 44.87 in Doing

Business 2018, using a comparable

methodology. This means, that in the

last year, Iraq has improved its busi-

ness regulations as captured by the

Doing Business indicators in absolute

terms—the country is narrowing the

gap with the global regulatory frontier.

The full report and its datasets are

available at www.doingbusiness.org

for meetings with the teachers, stu-

dents, administrators as well as FFS

engineers and key city officials.

“Rapidly bringing back some sense of

normalcy to people’s lives is of vital

importance to the recovery of Iraq,”

said Mayor of Fallujah, Mr. Issa Sayer

Al-Issawi. “It is equally critical that all

Iraqis know and feel that their govern-

ment is there for them, sparing no ef-

fort to help them return to their

hometowns, restore their livelihoods

and maintain hope in brighter future

for themselves and their children.”

Erbil, 13 November 2017 - Many

Iraqis confronting the judicial system

do not have either the legal knowledge

on how to defend or enforce their rights

nor have the financial means to afford

counsel.

Eliza, a 14 year old Iraqi Kurdish girl

fell in love with the neighbours’ son and

became pregnant.

“When our families found out, they

denounced both of us and sent us to

prison. Many of our friends were fearful

that we would be killed under the so-

called honour killing.” Eliza says.

Due to the sensitivity of the situation,

the two families were unable to com-

municate with each other directly.

They, therefore, sought assistance from

the Legal Help Desk, which they have

heard about from their neighbours.

In cooperation with the Kurdistan Re-

gional Government and implementing

partners, “Heartland Alliance” and the

“Women Empowerment Organisation,”

Easy and affordable legal counsel

Volume 4, Issue 6 Development Page 61

UNDP Iraq established three legal

Help Desks in Erbil, Sulaimaniyah and

Duhok, as part of its “Access to Justice

Programme for Vulnerable Iraqis.”

Help desk teams including four Iraqi

lawyers and a social worker receive

daily visits from Iraqis who have no

access to legal resources or means to

achieve justice.

The programme covers the entire Kur-

distan Region and is funded from the

European Union with US$ 150,000.

This is part of the EU’s support to pro-

jects in support of Rule of Law and Hu-

man rights in Iraq where they have so

far contributed Euros 14 million.

“A large number of people were able to

attend and receive information on their

legal rights, obtain one-on-one counsel-

ling on specific issues and in some cas-

es request that one of the Legal Help

Desk lawyers represents them” said

Peter Batchelor, Country Director of

UNDP Iraq.

Eliza is grateful that her family and

her neighbouring family finally found

their way to the Help Desk.

“A Help Desk Lawyer, discussed our

situation with the two families and

after lengthy negotiations both families

agreed for us to marry” Eliza added. “I

now live happily with my husband and

we have a beautiful new-born baby.”

Eliza’s story is one example of the huge

threat that “honour killings” impose on

women and at times their unborn chil-

dren in Iraq.

Baghdad, 29 November 2017 – The

Ambassador of the Kingdom of the

Netherlands to Iraq, H.E. Matthijs

Wolters, visited the city of Fallujah

today accompanied by senior officials

from the United Nations Development

Programme’s (UNDP) Funding Facility

for Stabilization in Iraq and the UN

Mine Action Service (UNMAS), to as-

sess progress achieved on the city’s

stabilization effort, particularly in the

areas of education and health. The

Netherlands is the fourth largest donor

supporting stabilization work in Iraq,

contributing close to US$ 28 million.

“The Iraqi people have endured un-

speakable hardship due to years of ISIL

occupation and the fierce effort to liber-

ate their cities and towns from ISIL,”

said H.E. Ambassador Wolters. “We are

proud to be associated with this great

effort by the local government support-

ed by UNDP to stabilize liberated are-

as, rehabilitating essential infrastruc-

ture and basic services, to allow people

to return home.”

At the request of the government of

Iraq, UNDP established the Funding

Facility for Stabilization (FFS) in June

2015 to safeguard against the resur-

gence of violence and extremism, facili-

tate returns and lay the groundwork

for reconstruction and recovery. Since

then the Facility has managed over

1,489 projects that helped local authori-

ties quickly restore essential infrastruc-

tures in 23 newly liberated cities and

districts in the governorates of Anbar,

Ninewah, Salah al-Din, Diyala and

Kirkuk. More than 95 percent of all

stabilization projects are done through

the local private sector employing local

labour. This approach is highly effec-

tive, helping to inject liquidity into the

local economy, generate local jobs and

reduce overall costs.

More than 2.6 million of the 5.8 million

Iraqis who were forced to flee their

homes have returned to their communi-

ties. In addition to the electricity, wa-

ter, sewage, health, and education pro-

jects it has implemented in Fallujah

since the middle of 2016, FFS has dis-

tributed cash grants to hundreds of

vulnerable female-headed households,

and local small businesses. More than

490,000 people have returned to Fallu-

jah since its liberation. Today, Fallujah

is once again flourishing as a hub of

economic development.

The visit in Fallujah included stops in

Fallujah University, Al-Shuhadda Pri-

mary School and Playground and the

Fallujah Teaching Hospital, allowing

The Netherlands renews commitment to Stabilization in Iraq

Baghdad, 17 November 2017 - A new

Irrigation Sub Canal project was com-

pleted in Yathrib sub-district of Salah

al-Din. With a length of 3,970m, the

Canal irrigates 1,888km2 of agricultur-

al lands benefiting nearly 48 house-

holds. The project was implemented by

United Nations Development Pro-

gramme - UNDP and funded by Germa-

ny.

New irrigation sub canal project was completed in Yathrib

Volume 4, Issue 6 Development Page 62

UNDP trains a pool of civil society master trainers on training

assessment and reporting

Istanbul, 20 November 2017 - “We

now have improved knowledge of tools

and standards of assessment and re-

porting on training activities.” This is

what one representative of civil society

organizations (CSOs), Mrs. Etimad Al-

Azzawi, said at the conclusion of a two-

day training of master trainers held in

Istanbul on 17-18 November 2017. “We

used to conduct assessments randomly,

but now we are able to proceed within a

framework and open space for partici-

pation and interaction with other mas-

ter trainers,” she added.

The United Nations Development Pro-

gramme (UNDP) organized this activity

under its Strengthening Participatory

and Accountable Governance project

(SPAG). The activity followed a needs

assessment for the capacities of a pool

of master trainers providing support to

civil society and non-governmental

organizations in their governorates.

The workshop assessed training design

submissions to select the Best Training

Design Award for Iraq 2017, and tack-

led techniques and challenges of design

and implementation, as well as prepa-

ration of comprehensive activity re-

ports. Participants developed a work-

plan for 2018, focusing on cooperation

and networking between the master

trainers themselves, as well as between

the master trainers, the NGOs Direc-

torate of the Council of Representative,

and respective local and national or-

ganizations.

CSOs representative and trainer, Mr.

Haider Alawadi, said: ”The training

provided an opportunity for us to ex-

change information, experiences and

lessons learned from previous design

and implementation of training activi-

ties.”

UNDP will continue providing tech-

nical support to ensure sustainability of

the pool of master trainers who are

helping to build Iraqi expertise and

provide a knowledge base for civil socie-

ty and respective entities in Iraq.

Under SPAG, UNDP has been support-

ing Iraq’s Council of Representatives in

modernizing its internal procedures, in

order to empower its oversight role over

legislative processes and strengthen

participatory and accountable govern-

ance in line with national reform plans.

Anti-corruption efforts that UNDP is supporting discussed in Berlin

Berlin, 19 November 2017 – UNDP

recently organized a visit to Germany

for a group of Iraqi civil servants. “Iraq

led the fight against Daesh in the Coa-

lition and won, and it will lead the fight

against corruption and will win," said

Deputy Chief of Staff of the Prime Min-

ister of Iraq, Dr. Naufel Al-Hassan. He

was addressing Chair of Transparency

International, Ms. Delia Matilde Fer-

reira Rubio, during a visit to their offic-

es in Berlin along with UNDP repre-

sentatives. Discussions focused on

Iraq’s anti-corruption efforts that

UNDP is supporting.

ments. The head of the Services Com-

mittee suggested to organize a compre-

hensive presentation about the national

programme and the draft legal frame-

work and its social, economic and envi-

ronmental impact to be hosted in the

Parliament to ensure wider under-

standing and to facilitate the way for-

ward.

This seminar was organized within the

framework of the National Programme

for Regularization and Rehabilitation of

Informal Settlements and IDPs Areas

which is implemented by UN-Habitat

and funded by the Office of Refugees

and IDP Affairs at the US Embassy.

Mosul, 27 November 2017 – Mosul’s

Al Qasoor Water Treatment Plant is on

the eastern bank of the Tigris River

which bisects the city that was, until

about six months ago, one of the last

strongholds of the Islamic State of Iraq

and the Level (ISIL).

The water treatment facility – which

looks from the air like two dark-green

turn tables – today holds about 12,000

cubic metres of fresh water pumping to

300,000 people in 24 neighbourhoods;

but shortly after ISIL fell, no one want-

ed to go near the site for fear that it

was riddled with explosives.

“The explosive contamination [in Iraq]

is very extensive. It is on an industrial

scale,” Pehr Lodhammar, Senior Pro-

gramme Manager for United Nations

Mine Action Service (UNMAS), told UN

News by phone from Iraq. “I’ve worked

in 14 countries, I’ve worked with this

my whole life, but I’ve never seen the

complexity or the variety.”

He described improvised explosive de-

vices combined with the ammunition

that has been fired but failed to deto-

nate.

Six months after ISIL, life is returning to Mosul despite hidden

bomb threats

Volume 4, Issue 6 Development Page 63

“All the improvised explosive devices

are with homemade explosives, differ-

ent types of switches, ranging from

pressure plates, anti-lift devices, infra-

red devices and even remote-control

devices,” he said, adding that there are

also belts that go on for kilometres with

tens of thousands of attached explo-

sives that will set off like dominos.

The water treatment plant was, unlike

the hospital in west Mosul or the Uni-

versity of Mosul, without explosives.

Once UNMAS confirmed it was safe,

the facility was rebuilt – most of the

plant’s pumps, valves, switches and

control panels were destroyed, as was

its chlorination system and filtration

pools. It opened this past August.

Despite this danger, life is returning to

Mosul and services are being re-

established – school classes are resum-

ing, hospitals are starting to treat pa-

tients, people play football in open are-

as.

This return to life was captured

through the lens of Cengiz Yar, a docu-

mentary photographer based in the

Middle East and on assignment for

UNMAS in Mosul.

Baghdad, 4 December 2017 – Follow-

ing to the Cabinet’s endorsement on the

draft legal framework to address infor-

mal settlements and to prevent en-

croachments on public lands, the Minis-

try of Planning and the United Nations

Human Settlements Program (UN-

Habitat), organized an orientation sem-

inar with the heads and members of

the Legal, Services, Security and De-

fense committees in the Iraqi Parlia-

ment in preparation for the official dis-

cussion of the draft legislation.

The General Secretary of the Council of

Ministers H.E. Dr. Mahdi Al Allaq,

opened the event and presented the

efforts of the Government through the

Poverty Reduction Strategy under

which the “National Programme for

Regularization and Rehabilitation of

Informal Settlements and IDPs Areas”

has been established with UN-Habitat.

Dr. Al Allaq referred that more than

three million Iraqis currently live in

more than 3,600 informal settlements,

exacerbating the burden of the Iraqi

cities which are already strained by the

repercussion of the displacement crisis.

He added that under the ongoing na-

tional programme, the institutional

setup was established and technical,

legal and financial solutions introduced

and called for the support of the parlia-

mentarians to conclude the discussion

process and ratification of the new legal

framework.

The Parliamentarians confirmed their

positive approach towards this initia-

tive and emphasized on the critical

need to address comprehensive and

sustainable solutions for the informal

areas. They referred to the resulted

challenges related to buildable lands

scarcity, the obstacles to change the

official land description. They called

the Government to consider the estab-

lishment of new cities and to avoid the

impact of demographic changes due to

the uncontrollable urban encroach-

Parliamentarians’ seminar on the new legal framework to address

informal settlements in Iraq

grammes in Iraq as one of the most

effective and efficient mechanisms in

Iraq to lay the ground for the safe re-

turn of internally displaced persons,

giving hope to those who strive for a

normal life again.

“I am happy to see Iraqi youth today

taking the lead in shaping the future of

their country. Germany is committed to

Erbil, 08 December 2017 - Key Minis-

ters and officials from the Kurdistan

Region of Iraq (KR-I) alongside repre-

sentatives of the private sector, civil

society, labour unions, the internation-

al community, donors and development

agencies convened at a high-level con-

ference yesterday in Erbil on E-

Governance and Public Service Cen-

tres. The Ministry of Interior of the KR-

I organized the conference under the

auspices of the Prime Minister of the

Kurdistan Regional Government, H.E.

Mr. Nechirvan Barzani, and with the

support of the United Nations Develop-

KR-I Ministry of Interior presents pilot efforts to simplify access to

government administrative services using Information and

Communication Technologies

Volume 4, Issue 6 Development Page 64

ment Programme (UNDP).

The conference examined progress on

efforts of the Ministry of Interior to

simplify citizens’ access to basic govern-

ment administrative services, such as

the e-visa and the new drivers’ licence

renewal system, through online elec-

tronic platforms that can be used also

from the convenience of their homes.

This comes under a project entitled E-

Governance for Better Service Delivery

that the Ministry launched in March

2017, with help from UNDP, aiming to

improve the responsiveness, transpar-

ency, and accountability of its delivery

of quality administrative services to the

public. To that end, the project pro-

motes the use of Information and Com-

munication Technologies (ICTs), includ-

ing computer-aided platforms that can

also be accessed remotely through the

internet.

“The Ministry of Interior is committed

to providing the quickest high-quality

services to the citizens,” emphasized

the Minister of Interior, Mr. Kareem

Sinjari. “This will not only save consid-

erable time and money for the citizens

and Ministry alike, but it will help ad-

dress potential administrative and fi-

nancial corruption as well.”

The Ministry showcased its planned

pilot Public Service Centres – new hubs

equipped with automated ICT plat-

forms to deliver a variety of adminis-

trative services to the community, such

as issuing personal status certificates

(birth, divorce, death, etc.). These cen-

tres will serve as an example for the

wider application of e-governance in

the Kurdistan Region of Iraq.

“Responsive and accountable institu-

tions are a key objective that UNDP is

helping to achieve within its primary

focus on democratic governance and

peacebuilding in Iraq. Central to this

objective is more efficient quality ser-

vices to citizens whilst ensuring that no

one is left behind.” said UNDP Country

Director for Iraq, Mr. Mounir Tabet.

“Any such effort must pay special at-

tention to helping the most vulnerable

and marginalized segments of the pop-

ulation, who may not have access to or

experience with ICT platforms to be

equally served with these modern

means.”

Partners of the KR-I Ministry of Interi-

or from Azerbaijan and the Asan Khid-

met Institution, which have provided

technical advice and know-how through

the course of the project E-Governance

for Better Service Delivery also partici-

pated in the conference.

Baghdad, 13 December 2017 – The

Government of the Federal Republic of

Germany has contributed an additional

USD 94 million (EUR 80 million) to two

major UNDP programmes that are

helping to stabilize newly liberated

areas – the Funding Facility for Stabili-

zation (FFS), which finances fast-track

initiatives in areas liberated from the

Islamic State of Iraq and the Levant

(ISIL) and the Iraq Crisis Response and

Resilience Programme (ICRRP), which

promotes recovery and resilience-

building. This latest instalment brings

Germany’s total contribution to both

programmes to USD 263.2 million,

making it the top supporter of UNDP’s

work in this area.

“Nothing is more important right now

in Iraq than stabilizing the areas which

have been liberated from ISIL,” said

Lise Grande, UNDP Resident Repre-

sentative for Iraq. “The task is huge.

Electricity grids need to be rehabilitat-

ed, water systems repaired, rubble re-

moved and schools and hospitals

opened. Germany’s support comes at

just the right time. Three million Iraqis

are still displaced. Helping to improve

conditions in their home towns is the

first step in giving people confidence in

their future.”

H.E. Dr. Cyrill Nunn, Ambassador of

the Federal Republic of Germany in

Iraq lauded UNDP’s stabilization pro-

Generous contribution ranks Germany as top contributor to

stabilization in Iraq

Iraq, UNDP established the Funding

Facility for Stabilization (FFS) in June

2015 to facilitate the return of dis-

placed Iraqis, lay the groundwork for

reconstruction and recovery, and safe-

guard against the resurgence of vio-

lence and extremism.

The Facility currently has 1,500 pro-

jects underway in 23 liberated cities

and districts, helping local authorities

to quickly rehabilitate essential infra-

structure. More than 95 percent of all

stabilization projects are done by the

local private sector employing local

labour. In Mosul, FFS is implementing

548 projects; 105 electricity, water,

sewage, health, education and liveli-

hoods projects are already completed.

“I recall well my own mother’s stories of

the devastation of her hometown of

Rotterdam, during World War II,” said

Ambassador Wolters to a group of grad-

uate students whom he met as part of

his visit to the Women’s Education Fac-

ulty in Mosul University, drawing par-

allels with the current destruction of

Mosul. “Rotterdam has recovered, and

today it is a vibrant city. In the years to

come, I am hopeful that Mosul will fol-

low in Rotterdam’s footsteps.”

support recovery in Iraq, but we firmly

believe that it is the people of Iraq who

will ultimately determine how success-

ful and sustainable that recovery will

be,” stressed Ambassador Nunn on his

first visit to Mosul, on 12 December

2017, to review progress of stabilization

work in Mosul, especially focusing on

Generous contribution ranks Germany as top contributor to

stabilization in Iraq (continued)

Volume 4, Issue 6 Development Page 65

health and education projects.

He toured the Old City and visited Mo-

sul University, Nineveh University,

West-Mosul Hospital Complex and

West-Mosul General Hospital. “The

destruction that we saw today is of

staggering scale. Mosul had suffered

enormously under ISIL, and it is time

now to help this ancient city restore its

strength and diversity,” remarked Am-

bassador Nunn. “I was very happy to

meet with the students of Mosul Uni-

versity as they resume their studies in

newly rehabilitated facilities. A univer-

sity represents a city’s future.” The

German Ambassador encouraged the

President of Mosul University to pur-

sue possible academic partnerships

with German universities and other

higher education vocational training

colleges.

Based on priorities identified by the

Government of Iraq and local authori-

ties, the FFS helps quickly repair pub-

lic infrastructure, provides grants to

small businesses, boosts the capacity of

local government, promotes civil en-

gagement, and provides short-term

employment through public works

schemes. Established in June 2015, the

FFS is working in newly liberated are-

as in Anbar, Salah al-Din, Nineveh,

Diyala and Kirkuk Governorates. Close

to 1,500 projects are underway across

23 locations. ICRRP, which was estab-

lished in 2014, focuses on restoring

livelihoods and promoting social cohe-

sion in areas impacted by the crisis.

Baghdad, 17 December 2017 – The

Government of the Kingdom of the

Netherlands has contributed an addi-

tional USD 14.2 million (EUR 12 mil-

lion) to UNDP’s Funding Facility for

Stabilization (FFS), which finances

fast-track initiatives to stabilize areas

liberated from the Islamic State of Iraq

and the Levant (ISIL). The Nether-

lands is currently the fourth largest

donor supporting stabilization work in

Iraq, with a total contribution of over

USD 42 million.

“Now that combat operations against

ISIL are over, the highest priority in

the country is stabilizing the areas that

have been liberated,” said Lise Grande,

UNDP Resident Representative for

Iraq. “There are urgent needs every-

where. This contribution from the

Netherlands means that we can accel-

erate progress in the most sensitive

areas, including Mosul.”

“Today, in the Old City of Mosul, I have

seen firsthand the devastating destruc-

tion that ISIL has left behind. But I

have also seen how life in other areas is

coming back, thanks to the courageous

work of the Iraqi people and local au-

thorities, supported by UNDP’s critical

rehabilitation projects.” said H.E. Mat-

thijs Wolters, the Ambassador of the

Kingdom of the Netherlands to Iraq,

who visited several areas in Nineveh

Governorate last week accompanied by

senior officials from the United Nations

Development Programme’s (UNDP)

Funding Facility for Stabilization in

Iraq and the UN Mine Action Service

(UNMAS), to assess progress achieved

on stabilization efforts across the prov-

ince, particularly in the areas of educa-

tion and health. “The Netherlands

stood with Iraq in its war to uproot

ISIL. Today, we also stand with Iraq in

peace, as a focus country for Dutch

development aid. We are proud to sup-

port UNDP’s impressive stabilization

effort in Iraq.”

At the request of the Government of

The Netherlands increases its support to stabilize newly liberated

areas in Iraq

The project will aim to involve 1,000

women, including from ethno-religious

minorities; especially Yazidis –

considered one of the most vulnerable

communities of internally displaced

persons (IDPs) in Iraq.

The Yazidi community is mostly con-

centrated in northern Iraq. Its mem-

bers, especially women, went through

ordeals when ISIL swept into their

areas, beginning in 2014 and seized

large swathes of territory, killing and

enslaving thousands of Yazidis.

“The active participation of women is

essential to reach sustainable peace

and community stabilization. This live-

lihood training will assist vulnerable

women to strengthen their skills and

allow them to support themselves and

their families. We are pleased to pro-

vide support, especially during this

time of transition, as families continue

to recover from devastating conflict,”

said Bruno Antonio Pasquino, Italian

Ambassador to Iraq.

“Gender and minorities are the two

Mosul, 19 December 2017 - UN-

Habitat in collaboration with its imple-

menting partner, the local NGO Mercy

Hands, organized its 13th awareness

raising sessions on Housing, Land and

Property rights (HLP) in East Mosul

under its project titled “Housing, Land,

and Property Rights Response for Vul-

nerable People in Mosul and Surround-

ing Areas” funded by the Iraq Humani-

tarian Pooled Fund.

Many families have lost their occupan-

cy or ownership documents in Mosul

due to the wave of hostilities to liberate

the city from ISIL, in which a high

number of properties were damaged or

destroyed. The loss of property docu-

ments put displaced families, in partic-

ular female-headed households, in vul-

nerable positions as their property

rights could not be recognized. Thus,

UN-Habitat focused its activities on

restoring occupancy and ownership

documents of vulnerable households, by

providing free legal assistance and con-

sultations through the team of lawyers

under their implementing partner.

Households mappings and recording

the type of incidents are essential in

identifying HLP violations, and are an

integral part in prioritizing interven-

tions. Since the beginning of the pro-

ject, the assessment teams mapped

HLP incidents in seven neighbourhoods

in East Mosul, reaching 1,985 houses

and 12,654 individuals.

Housing, land and property rights response in Mosul

Volume 4, Issue 6 Development Page 66

UN-Habitat has been conducting

awareness raising sessions with benefi-

ciaries seeking information about their

HLP rights, as well as capacity building

and advocacy sessions with local au-

thorities in order to highlight the issue

of HLP and the need for additional in-

terventions. Thirteen sessions with the

households have been conducted since

the beginning of the project, covering

different neighbourhoods in East Mo-

sul, and providing necessary infor-

mation on HLP rights and referral

pathways. As the project has a particu-

lar focus on female-headed households,

a number of sessions were held exclu-

sively for females in order to provide

them with a comfortable space to raise

claims and understand their rights and

available mechanisms for reclaiming

their rights.

The Mukhtar of the Al-Quds neighbour-

hood, Hamid Hameed Ehmaid, high-

lighted the importance of the interven-

tion, and positive impact it has with

regards to referring cases to the team

lawyers, based in the courts in Mosul

and Baghdad.

The Mukhtar also underlined how “Al-

Quds is a poor neighbourhood; there

are 6,000 families living here with more

than 1,000 Internal Displaced Persons

(IDPs). We have only two schools and

no health center. I work from 8am to 10

pm everyday as I have so many cases to

deal with as well as many complex is-

sues in Al-Quds, at times you can find

four families sharing the same house so

you can imagine. Many displaced peo-

ple have settled here because the rent

price is cheaper. Before the implemen-

tation of the HLP project, there was no

one to support the citizens in the neigh-

bourhood. The intervention of UN-

Habitat is essential for families to

claim their rights, otherwise no one

would be able to pay the fees of the

lawyer and the court process”

Accordingly, 539 cases have been re-

ferred to the legal team, 212 of which

are at the final step in the court pro-

cess.

The project will run until the end of

January 2018, and UN-Habitat is com-

mitted to increase its HLP interven-

tions in Mosul, and other areas in Iraq

in 2018.

Baghdad, 22 December 2017 – After

the end of the successful first phase of

the IOM Iraq - Italian Government

partnership to strengthen community

stabilization initiatives in Diyala Gov-

ernorate (between August 2016 to No-

vember 2017), a new project has been

launched to support the psychosocial

well-being of vulnerable displaced wom-

en in Dohuk and Ninewa governorates.

Funded by the Italian Agency for De-

velopment Cooperation (AICS), the one-

year project, with a budget of half a

million euros, will enable IOM Iraq to

empower vulnerable women who have

been affected by conflict, including

through the provision of livelihood sup-

port.

IOM, Italy broaden stabilization efforts for conflict-affected

communities in Iraq

should look at the past to understand

the causes behind these issues and to

pave the way for prevention measures,”

said a police officer attending the train-

ing.

traditional focal points of the Italian

activities in the field of development

cooperation,” Ambassador Pasquino

added.

In addition to individual livelihood sup-

port for women, the project will provide

a dozen grassroots local civil society

organizations (CSOs) with training and

follow-up coaching to address the es-

sential psychosocial needs of communi-

ty members, in partnership with Gov-

ernment of Iraq and Kurdistan Region-

al Government authorities including

the Ministry of Labour and Social Af-

fairs and the Ministry of Health.

The training courses will cover a broad

range of topics such as psychosocial

support and social cohesion, enhancing

CSOs management and networking

skills, as well as providing beneficiaries

with entrepreneurial livelihood support

by creating self-help groups to improve

interactions, social cohesion, and confi-

dence among them.

“Engaging local CSOs will enable us to

transfer the experience we gained over

the last three years in providing psy-

chosocial support in emergency con-

texts, and prepare the community-

based partners to take the lead in

providing psychosocial services,” said

Renato Libanora of IOM Iraq’s psycho-

social support team.

The project in Dohuk and Ninewa

builds on the similar recently complet-

IOM, Italy broaden stabilization efforts for conflict-affected

communities in Iraq (continued)

Security Sector Reform

ed project that IOM implemented in

Diyala, in partnership with AICS.

Khalida Nouri of Khanaqin, one of Di-

yala project’s participants, says that

the project economically empowered

dozens of women by teaching them sew-

ing skills.

“About 44 women participated in the

course I taught; they were mostly dis-

placed from their homes, and included

Kurds, Arabs and Turkmen,” she said.

“The course’s contents and the interac-

tion among us made me more confident.

I learned many things; since taking

this course I have become more self-

sufficient. I also had an opportunity to

learn about other people’s traditions

and lifestyles,” Nouri said.

Nouri added that she is still in contact

with a number of participants who

opened small sewing businesses, either

at home or in shops, thanks to the

skills they learned in the course. Nouri

said that there are now nearly 500 ap-

plicants who want to enroll in this

course to be able to help themselves

and their families.

According to the latest Displacement

Tracking Matrix (DTM) figures, since

January 2014, more than 2.9 million

Iraqis are still displaced This includes

941,000 in Ninewa 360,000 in Dohuk

and nearly 83,000 in Diyala gover-

norate. More than 2.7 million of former-

ly displaced Iraqis have returned to

their place of origin.

Baghdad, 30 October 2017 - The IOM

Iraq Community Policing (CP) Pro-

gramme organized between 15 and 18

October 2017 a training for police offic-

ers. The programme, funded by the

German Government, aims at improv-

ing the security environment in Iraq by

facilitating dialogue and information-

sharing on security-related issues be-

tween police and local communities.

“When issues arise, resolving them

promptly should be the priority, so they

do not escalate into bigger problems.

People involved in problem solving

Community policing training organized by IOM

Volume 4, Issue 6 Development Page 67

By Hoshyar Abdullah, Member of Iraq’s

Council of Representative, Parliamen-

tary Security and Defence Committee

Baghdad, 31 October 2017 - As a mem-

ber of Iraq’s Council of Representatives

(CoR) and the Parliamentary Security

and Defence Committee for the past

three years, I participated in numerous

workshops, trainings and discussions

organized by national and international

organizations. Amongst these, the most

significant and beneficial were those

organized by UNDP, owing to its inte-

grated approach and relevant topics

related to Iraq’s present and future.

A major challenge for Iraq is security,

especially in light of the fight against

the terrorist organization, Daesh. Since

2003, the country has been struggling

to maintain its security, in the absence

of capable security institutions that are

resilient to mounting challenges with

minimum losses. In this regard, UNDP

focused its assistance on security sector

reform efforts in Iraq. On many occa-

My experience with UNDP: An integrated approach to meet the

aspirations of citizens

Volume 4, Issue 6 Security Sector Reform Page 68

sions, I stressed that existing security

institutions need restructuring.

I participated in a few workshops

UNDP organized in Sulaimaniyah,

Amman, Cairo and Tunis. Amongst

others, discussions revolved around

security sector reform and restoring

institutional and economic capabilities

and collaboration between institutions,

ensuring effective workflow, capacity

building and training requirements,

and advocating for quality work - issues

of paramount importance to our current

situation.

UNDP’s focus on these topics was re-

markable, as well as generating con-

crete recommendations for the develop-

ment of security cooperation frame-

works between the executive and legis-

lative institutions. Similarly, involving

the executive, judicial and legislative

authorities was key to the success of

these efforts; i.e. in the area of security

sector reform oversight, adopting an

integrated approach that extends be-

yond the CoR to the state level and

strengthening civil society collabora-

tion.

During my time in office, I have noticed

the following strengths in UNDP work:

1- Selection of relevant and sensitive

topics: many workshops organized by

national and international organiza-

tions tackle issues proportionally relat-

ed to the Iraqi context. However, some

are not priorities or even of tangible

benefit. I can say that the topics we

tackled in the Security and Defence

Committee workshops were critical and

UNDP is helping to strengthen criminal defense in Iraq

Baghdad, 25 November 2017 - Today

the United Nations Development Pro-

gramme (UNDP) conducted a seminar

and workshop in Baghdad for 30 senior

criminal defence lawyers of the Iraqi

Bar Association. Operating since 1933,

the Iraqi Bar Association is a well-

established organization with around

107,000 members.

The Government of Iraq’s international

commitments pursuant to the Interna-

tional Covenant on Civil and Political

Rights to enable effective criminal de-

fence and recognized best defence prac-

tices were reviewed. Essential rights

for a criminal defendant include his

right to a defence counsel during police

custody; access for defence counselto

prosecution files to enable meaningful

preparation of defence; and, the right of

the defence to have witnesses called to

be heard in the main trial.

UNDP’s Rule of Law programme Crimi-

nal Justice Advisor, Mr. Andreas

Kirsch-Wood, stressed: “A robust de-

fence from the moment of arrest of a

suspect and scrutiny by the defence of

all evidence used by the court for deter-

mining its verdict is a prerequisite for a

fair trial.”

Participants discussed the shortcom-

ings the defence faces in the Iraqi crim-

inal justice system. Defence lawyers

mentioned cases of incommunicado

detention of their clients, denied access

to detainees, denied access to examine

records used by the courts to determine

guilt or innocence of accused, the right

denied to question evidence presented

in court, and cases of intimidations,

including arrests, of defence lawyers for

conducting defence work. The defence

lawyers emphasized the need to change

procedural rules and practices in Iraq

to strengthen the rights of the defence

to protect the innocent and wrongly

charged defendants, and to build trust

in the justice system. The lawyers un-

derlined that a criminal justice system

that leaves only limited space to the

defence cannot develop the necessary

reliability and recognition.

UNDP supports a comprehensive pro-

gramme on security sector reform in

Iraq. UNDP collaborates with all main

stakeholders, including the Bar Associ-

ation of Iraq.

sensitive. Security sector transfor-

mation through assessing its strengths

and weaknesses is one example.

2- Careful planning with the Security

and Defence Committee to develop a

work mechanism and future vision.

From the very beginning, we had a

clear roadmap to guide a series of tech-

nical, well-prepared workshops that

concluded with recommendations, fol-

lowed by implementation of the desired

results relevant to security sector re-

form.

3- Objective and realistic handling by

the expert facilitators through the ap-

plication of theories combined with

practical examples and experiences

that are relevant to the Iraqi context.

4- Teamwork: There was a spirit of

teamwork between the Security and

Defence Committee and the UNDP

team, as well as with other organiza-

tions and stakeholders, such as the

executive and judiciary.

5- Follow-up: after each workshop,

UNDP coordinates with the Committee

to implement the recommendations,

thus ensuring our joint efforts are sus-

tained and produce tangible results.

Finally, I would like to say that my

experience with UNDP was very benefi-

cial at the professional level. Overall,

UNDP efforts were an added value to

our work, especially in terms of facilita-

tion of our work and identification of

gaps in the security sector in order to

apply reforms and create a security

environment that meets the aspirations

of citizens.

Baghdad, 20 December 2017 - A

training programme to integrate hu-

man rights principles into the work of

community police in newly liberated

areas of Iraq has given 60 Iraqi Interior

Ministry staff of community policing

the opportunity to focus on the basic

concepts of human rights and gender-

based policing to better serve their com-

munities.

Community policing is an important

aspect for creating an assuring environ-

ment for the displaced to return in safe-

ty and security to their homes in the

newly liberated areas.

The “Training Workshop on Improving

the Impact and Effectiveness of Com-

munity Police in the Newly Liberated

Areas in Iraq” was delivered by the

Training on Community Policing for newly liberated areas of Iraq

Volume 4, Issue 6 Security Sector Reform Page 69

Human Rights Office of the United

Nations Assistance Mission for Iraq

(UNAMI) in cooperation with UNOPS

and the Iraqi Ministry of the Interior.

Funding was provided by the Govern-

ment of Japan.

The training programme included two

intensive training courses from 11-20

December for 60 staff of community

police (men and women) from liberated

areas in Ninewa, Diyala, Salah al Din,

and Kirkuk. The courses focused on

basic concepts of human rights and

gender-based policing, the United Na-

tions human rights system, and stand-

ards of conduct for community police to

protect women, children and vulnerable

groups.

For participant Hatham Adnan Has-

IOM Iraq holds Community Policing conference on Ninewa

Baghdad, 23 December 2017 - In

cooperation with Iraq’s Ministry of In-

terior, IOM Iraq held a conference on

20 December on Community Policing in

Ninewa Governorate, which aims to

promote cooperation between law en-

forcement agencies and community

members towards peace and security.

Ninewa was deeply affected by the oc-

cupation by ISIL and associated con-

flict, with heavy damage to its infra-

structure – especially in its capital Mo-

sul – and extensive displacement, with

more than 941,000 individuals still

displaced across the governorate.

In 2016, with funding from the German

Federal Foreign Office, IOM Iraq start-

ed the project to strengthen community

policing in retaken areas of Ninewa and

other conflict-affected areas in Iraq.

This is done through the establishment

of Community Policing Forums (CPFs)

which are inclusive platforms that in-

volve police officers, local leaders, civil

society organization representatives

and community members, where citi-

zens can raise and discuss their securi-

ty concerns. CPFs identify and develop

initiatives that lead to safer communi-

ties, protect the most vulnerable and

enhance cooperation, transparency and

mutual trust between these actors.

CPF members analyze the available

resources in their respective communi-

ties and assess the ability of a wide

range of actors to find solutions to situ-

ations that are potentially dangerous

and harmful. As such, CPFs are tools

for conflict prevention.

The conference followed a series of ac-

tivities in November and December

that included the establishment of five

new CPFs in Ninewa and training for

more than 400 individuals, including

police officers, community members

and civil society representatives, on

applying community policing in a con-

text of post-conflict returns.

The conference was preceded by a

three-day workshop exploring the role

of women in security dialogue. Over 80

women and men from across Iraq par-

ticipated, including police, civil society

representatives and the community

members, to discuss the impact of gen-

der-based violence on community secu-

san, from the Diyala police force, the

course exposed him to ways to apply

international human rights standards

to police work.

“I hope that we can apply what we

learned in this training about Conven-

tions and Codes of Conduct in practice

in our society. I also hope that the Unit-

ed Nations will continue such training,

because many police members have

heard about the United Nations but

don’t know about the relationship be-

tween international human rights

standards and police work.”

Trainer Shahla Saeed, a Human Rights

Officer from UNAMI, said “the partici-

pants made great progress in under-

standing community privacy and inter-

national standards of human rights.

They increased their support for hu-

man rights concepts and their under-

standing of gender and child rights.

The participants showed their happi-

ness to learn how respect for human

rights can improve relations with the

communities they serve.”

The UNAMI Human Rights Office

plans to follow up on this programme

with a “training of trainers” in January

2018. The training of trainers will pre-

pare 12 participants to conduct effec-

tive training courses with community

police officers to support their role,

reinforced by the values, principles and

standards of human rights.

rity, the role of women in violent ex-

tremism and how women and children

affiliated with ISIL should be treated.

Workshop participants formed working

groups on these topics, and discussed

how to implement action plans devel-

oped in the event.

The Community Policing conference on

Ninewa was held in Baghdad and was

attended by government officials, nota-

bly Mr. Saad Maan, spokesman of the

Ministry of Interior and the Head of

Community Police Directorate, Briga-

dier General Khalid Al Mhannah, NGO

staff and CPF representatives from

Mosul, Fallujah and Baghdad.

Brigadier General Saad Maan, spokes-

person of the Ministry of Interior,

thanked the German Government, IOM

IOM Iraq holds Community Policing conference on Ninewa (continued)

Volume 4, Issue 6 Security Sector Reform Page 70

and guests for their efforts in support of

the CP model. “We have been working

very hard to put Iraqi citizens first.

There will be no sustainable security in

the governorates unless citizens are

part of it, and that is exactly the foun-

dation of this initiative, by strengthen-

ing community policing forums across

the country, especially in Ninewa. We

have achieved great results in stabiliz-

ing the country thanks to the coopera-

tion with our international partners,”

said Saad Maan.

Speakers also included CPF members

from Al-Amiriat Al-Fallujah and Mosul

(Baasheka), police officers, community

members and civil society organization

representatives, who introduced and

discussed the successes and challenges

of the CPFs in Ninewa. The conference

gave CPF members the opportunity to

network and share experiences.

“The sharing of experiences, successes

and challenges of Community Policing

Forums in retaken areas will help us to

improve the next phase of this project

and build on mutual trust that has

been established”, said IOM Iraq Chief

of Mission Gerard Waite.

“I am very grateful for the cooperation

between the government of Iraq and

Germany on this Community Policing

The Government of Germany continues to support the clearance of

explosive hazards in the newly retaken areas of Iraq

Baghdad, 5 November 2017 – The

United Nations Mine Action Service

(UNMAS) welcomes a renewed contri-

bution of EUR 7 million from the Gov-

ernment of Germany for survey and

clearance of explosive hazards, includ-

ing improvised explosive devices and

explosive remnants of war, in Iraq. The

support will facilitate rehabilitation of

infrastructure in areas retaken from

ISIL/Da’esh, assist the stabilization

process and allow for the safe return of

displaced persons to their communities.

The conflict with ISIL/Da’esh in Iraq

has resulted in complex and extensive

explosive hazard contamination and

has displaced more than three million

people since 2014. Explosive hazards

present a significant risk for individu-

als returning to their communities, as

well as those providing the initial re-

sponse.

Clearing explosive hazards from infra-

structure is a critical first step before

any rehabilitation can commence. UN-

MAS and its partners have recently

carried out survey and clearance of a

major hospital complex in West Mosul

where close to 2,000 explosive hazards,

including improvised explosive devices

and suicide belts, have been removed to

date, which has enabled rehabilitation

work to begin.

With the contribution from the Govern-

ment of Germany, UNMAS will contin-

ue conducting critical first-step activi-

ties, such as clearing hospitals and

schools and supporting people to return

to safer communities.

Since 2016, the Government of Germa-

ny has contributed EUR 12 million to

UNMAS in Iraq.

Germany’s Ambassador to Iraq, Mr.

Cyrill Nunn, said: “Germany remains

committed to stabilization efforts in IS-

liberated areas. In close cooperation

with Iraq and the international commu-

nity and as Co-Chair of the Working

Group on Stabilization, we must not

reduce our efforts to allow IDPs to re-

turn to their homes, enhance their re-

silience and help the people of Iraq

towards a prosper future and social

cohesion.”

Mr. Pehr Lodhammar, Senior Pro-

gramme Manager, UNMAS Iraq, stated

that “The generous contribution from

the Government of Germany will ena-

ble UNMAS to provide explosive haz-

ard management technical advice and

training for the Government of Iraq as

well as assistance with clearance of

IEDs and unexploded ordnance in re-

taken areas in support of critical stabi-

lization efforts”.

project,” said Dr. Cyrill Nunn, German

Ambassador to Iraq. “We have high

hopes that the success of the project

can contribute to the much-needed rec-

onciliation and stabilization in Iraq,”

added the Ambassador, highlighting

the valuable contribution of CPFs for

the stabilization of the Iraqi social fab-

ric.

A total of 66 CPFs have been estab-

lished across Iraq; of which 42 with the

support of IOM Iraq; the other 24 have

been independently established by local

police and communities.

The "Community Policing in Iraq"

booklet features stories from Communi-

ty Policing Forums, and the community

members who have received assistance

through them.

Mine Action

Baghdad, 05 December 2017 – The

United Nations Mine Action Service

(UNMAS) welcomes the contribution of

5 million Czech crown (US$232,000)

from the Government of the Czech Re-

public to support the training of Iraqi

local police.

The conflict with ISIL in Iraq has re-

sulted in complex and extensive explo-

sive hazard contamination ranging

from improvised explosive devices to

hand grenades and mortar bombs. Ex-

plosive hazards have displaced more

than three million people since 2014

and present a significant risk for fami-

lies returning to their communities, as

well as civil servants providing initial

Government of Czech Republic to support training of Iraqi Police

Volume 4, Issue 6 Mine Action Page 71

response.

The Explosive Hazard First Responder

training course aims to develop the

knowledge of local police officers on

what to do if they find a suspected ex-

plosive hazard or if someone in the

community makes a report. After the

training, they are able to identify, mark

and report so that the qualified opera-

tors in the Ministry of Interior or Min-

istry of Defense can respond. The train-

ing programme establishes the founda-

tion for the management of any inci-

dent involving an explosive hazard.

Iraqi local police play a critical role in

responding to explosive hazard threats

in communities as people return to

Commencement of the explosive hazards clearance activities in

Mosul’s Old City

Baghdad, 06 December 2017 – The

United Nations Mine Action Service

(UNMAS) has recently been granted

access to the Old City of Mosul to as-

sess, survey and clear explosive haz-

ards including improvised explosive

devices and explosive remnants of war

to complement the work of the Iraqi

Security Forces. This will not only facil-

itate rehabilitation of infrastructure

and assist the stabilization process but

also allow for the safe return of dis-

placed families to their homes.

A general assessment of the Old City

started on 20 November following a

multi-partner technical workshop,

which was held in Mosul on 16 Novem-

ber. The aim of this assessment is to

get a better understanding of the explo-

sive hazards threat levels in the Old

City to advise UNDP, UNEP, UNESCO

and UNHABITAT on possible areas

that need to be cleared before they start

their respective work. This, together

with other assessments by the above

UN organizations, will also assist in

giving the best advice to the Govern-

ment.

In the first two days of the assessment,

over 100 explosive hazards were report-

ed by civilians and other national agen-

cies to the clearance teams on Ninewa

Road, the main street running from

West to East through the Old City. On

22 November, during the monitoring

visit to Al Shifa Hospital Complex,

West Mosul, the Delegation of the Eu-

ropean Union to Iraq had the oppor-

tunity to pass through the Old City via

the Ninewa road, on a street that had

just being cleared. They were the first

members of the international communi-

ty to access this part of the Old City.

Thanks to the generous contribution of

the European Union, UNMAS and

partners could clear this critical access

road.

If the current assessment and clear-

ance pace is maintained and no major

events occur, it is estimated that Mo-

sul’s Old City will still need many years

of clearance before being declared free

from the threat of explosive hazards.

Clearing explosive hazards from infra-

structure is a critical first step before

any rehabilitation can commence. With

the contribution from the EU Delega-

tion to Iraq, UNMAS and partners will

continue conducting clearance activities

in the Old City of Mosul and supporting

families to return home safely.

Mr. Pehr Lodhammar, Senior Pro-

gramme Manager UNMAS Iraq, stated

that “The extent of explosive contami-

nation in Mosul is of a previously un-

seen magnitude. The generous support

from the EU is critical for UNMAS to

establish access to Mosul Old City.”

Mr. Tomas Reyes Ortega, Deputy Head

of Mission at the EU Delegation in

Baghdad, who recently visited Mosul's

Old City together with an EU delega-

tion, highlighted the key coordinating

role played by the EU in facilitating the

clearance of explosive contamination in

Iraq and the excellent cooperation with

UNMAS.

Mr. Reyes Ortega said that "the clear-

ance of explosives creates the condi-

tions for a safe, voluntary and dignified

return of internally displaced persons

who are striving to return safely to

their homes", adding that "the EU has

recently agreed on a further contribu-

tion of 10 million euros in support of

UNMAS' work in Iraq."

their homes. There are multiple reports

of families returning to find explosive

hazards in their houses. The police are

at the front line to provide immediate

response at the community’s request.

To date, UNMAS has trained 168 police

officers in Anbar and is working with

other partners to strengthen linkages

into community policing initiatives.

With the contribution from the Czech

Republic, UNMAS is able to conduct

additional critical Explosive Hazard

First Responder training courses for

the local police.

Mr. Jan Vyčítal, Ambassador of the

Czech Republic to the Republic of Iraq,

stated: “The Czech Republic has been

an active supporter of the conflict af-

fected population in Iraq throughout

the current conflict both in the humani-

tarian field and in the stabilization

phase, including through our contribu-

tion to the training of Iraqi police forc-

es. The current contribution to UNMAS

confirms our active approach, while

combining our focus on stabilization

and capacity building.”

Mr. Pehr Lodhammar, Senior Pro-

gramme Manager, UNMAS Iraq, stated

that “The generous contribution from

the Czech Republic will further enable

UNMAS to support the Iraq Govern-

ments efforts to protect civilians from

the threats of explosive hazards.”

Baghdad, 07 December 2017 – The

Government of Portugal will support

explosive hazard management, risk

education and capacity enhancement

initiatives to address explosive hazards

in Iraq, with a contribution of one hun-

dred and fifty thousand Euros (USD

175,000) to the United Nations Mine

Action Service (UNMAS).

The conflict with ISIL has resulted in

complex and extensive explosive hazard

contamination and has displaced more

than three million people since 2014.

One of the main concerns for displaced

populations in retaken areas are booby-

trapped houses and the extensive pres-

ence of explosive hazards such as Im-

provised Explosive Devices (IEDs). Un-

til areas have been assessed, it is not

safe for people to return home. In coor-

dination with the Directorate of Mine

Action, risk education to create aware-

ness regarding the dangers of explosive

hazards is being provided in IDP camps

and affected areas.

As west Anbar has been retaken from

ISIL by Iraqi Security Forces, UNMAS

UNMAS welcomes generous contribution from Portugal to support

safe returns in retaken areas

Volume 4, Issue 6 Mine Action Page 72

teams have conducted two initial as-

sessment missions to Haditha, Rawa,

Al Qaim and Anah. UNMAS assess-

ments have enabled UN humanitarian

agencies to conduct assessments and

planning for potential provision of hu-

manitarian aid. During one of the mis-

sions, UNMAS was shown three houses

with explosive hazards inside. The

houses had subsequently been marked

United Nations and Mine Action community commemorate 20th

anniversary of signing of the Anti-Personnel Mine Ban Convention

Baghdad, 10 December 2017 - The

United Nations Mine Action Service

(UNMAS), the Directorate of Mine Ac-

tion (DMA), and the Embassy of Cana-

da to Iraq, celebrated the signing of the

Anti-Personnel Mine Ban Convention

twenty years ago, through a special

photo exhibit of photographs from Mo-

sul and beyond showcasing the clear-

ance work undertaken by mine action

operators.

The photos reflect the human stories

behind the destruction and now recov-

ery of Mosul. One storyline follows a

mechanic and a technician at a water

treatment plant and how mine action

operators cleared the facility of explo-

sive hazards which allowed for the re-

habilitation of the facility, which pro-

vides water to over 500,000 people and

employs 75. Another illustrates life on

campus at Mosul University, which

recently reopened after being cleared of

explosive hazards by mine action opera-

tors, with photographers showing stu-

dents attending classes and socializing

despite the destruction.

Photos for the exhibit, which was held

on 3 December, were provided by the

Directorate of Mine Action, Baghdad

Organization, Handicap International,

iMMAP, Mines Advisory Group, Norwe-

gian Peoples Aid and Optima Group to

highlight their work across Iraq carry-

ing out risk education, victim assis-

tance, demining, and other clearance

activities. The photos also highlighted

the need for the significant resources

required to continue this critical work.

Twenty years ago, the Anti-Personnel

Mine Ban Convention, commonly

known as the “Ottawa Treaty” or “Mine

Ban Treaty”, opened for signature. Be-

fore the Treaty, anti-personnel

landmines had been used by armed

forces across the world, causing tens of

thousands of civilian casualties a year

and threatening the lives, limbs and

livelihood of people who could not safe-

ly access land, buildings and natural

resources.

The Republic of Iraq acceded to the

Mine Ban Treaty on 15 August 2007,

becoming a State Party on 1 February

2008. Iraq ranks among the world’s

most heavily landmine-affected coun-

tries. Contamination left from past has

been intensified by new explosive con-

tamination, specifically improvised

explosive devices. The Directorate of

Mine Action and UNMAS, together

with local security sector services,

NGOs, and commercial partners, are

supporting people to return home safely

and through clearance of explosive haz-

ards, enabling the rehabilitation of

critical services such as hospitals, wa-

ter treatment plants and schools in

areas recently retaken from ISIL.

Mr Andrew Turner, Chargé d’Affaires

of the Embassy of Canada to Iraq, and

special guest to this event given Cana-

da’s instrumental role in the Treaty,

stated: “For Canada, mine action is

essential to the success of the Sustaina-

ble Development Goals, as it underpins

peace and stabilization efforts, and the

delivery of humanitarian assistance –

two of the main pillars of Canada’s

engagement in Iraq."

by the local authorities. The families

who lived in these houses will be una-

ble to return until the explosives have

been cleared.

“The generous contribution from the

government of Portugal will allow UN-

MAS to continue to ensure safe returns

in retaken areas for the population of

Iraq” stated Mr Pehr Lodhammar, UN-

MAS Iraq Senior Programme Manager.

supported by the United Nations Mine

Action Service (UNMAS) in the re-

sponse to complex explosive hazards in

liberated areas. Explosive hazards are

mixed in with an estimated 11 million

tonnes of infrastructure debris in Mo-

sul, posing a significant obstacle to

people trying to return home. UNMAS

provides risk education to women, girls,

boys and men in internally displaced

people’s (IDPs) camps and to those who

have already returned home to reduce

the probability of accidents. Also, UN-

MAS encourages the employment of

female community based risk education

volunteers to spread lifesaving educa-

tion messages to female community

members.

Baghdad, 13 December 2017 - “I was

not afraid. All I cared about was com-

pleting my tasks professionally to prove

that women are able to succeed in eve-

rything they do.”

Ms. Montaha Khudair is an Iraqi wom-

an who works hard in pursuit of a bet-

ter future for herself and all women in

Iraq. When first joining the Directorate

of Mine Action of the Ministry of

Health and Environment, as Deputy

Director of the Planning Department,

she could not visit minefields like her

male colleagues. In a society where

gender equality is yet to be realized,

she had no high expectations either.

In November 2016, UNDP organized a

training workshop in Erbil on the role

of gender in disaster risk reduction,

environment and climate change. Ms.

Montaha was one of the participants.

Only then, she started to think how

achieving gender equality would im-

prove the work environment in the

Directorate of Mine Action she joined.

Ms. Montaha began to conduct research

on various sections of the Directorate

that do not engage women, and identify

the root causes and potential solutions.

A few weeks later, she submitted the

research findings and recommenda-

tions to her management aiming to

improve engagement of women by the

Directorate, as well as the work envi-

ronment for women. Soon after, man-

agement approved the inclusion of

women in mine action missions and,

with support from UNDP, established

the Gender Unit, which will work to

ensure integrating gender perspective

in mine action policies and pro-

grammes. This unit is the first of its

kind in the Directorate.

“My first field mission was to a mine-

field in Missan, far away in the desert

south of Iraq. I was aware I am putting

myself in danger. Any small mistake

would cost me my life, but giving up

has never been an option for me,” says

Ms. Montaha.

In fact, Ms. Montaha was one of the

very first female engineers to join the

male-dominated Directorate of Mine

Action and later head the Gender Unit

in 2016. There was no female field staff

back then. A few months into her arri-

val, the number hiked up to eight.

“I faced some obstacles,” Ms. Montaha

recalls. “Some colleagues rejected the

idea of women going out to minefields

and performing dangerous tasks such

as demining.” In an attempt to change

this culture, she conducted a workshop

at the workplace to explain the im-

portant role women can play “in any

Engineer Montaha Khudair helps to reduce gender inequality in

the field of mine action, inspired by UNDP

Volume 4, Issue 6 Mine Action Page 73

field, including mine action.” She says:

“I made it clear to everyone that my

plan is not just about including women

in missions to mine-affected areas; it is

also to build women’s capacity and

skills, and raise their risk awareness to

be equals of male colleagues in per-

forming the duties they signed up for.”

Director General of the Directorate of

Mine Action, Mr. Khalid Rashad, said:

“Engaging women in such tough field is

a challenge for us, but it is also neces-

sary to improve the Directorate’s work.

Women have indeed played an effective

role since they joined our team. Their

contributions to mine action, including

through field assessments and

demining, have been of added value to

the Directorate.”

Demining had been a male-only domain

of work in Iraq, but not any longer.

UNDP and other UN agencies are sup-

porting government plans to reduce

gender inequality in various sectors, in

accordance with the Sustainable Devel-

opment Goals (SDGs) adopted in 2016.

UNDP has reached out to thousands of

women in dozens of gender related ac-

tivities over the years.

The Directorate of Mine Action is also

Erbil, 14 December 2017 – The Unit-

ed Nations Mine Action Service

(UNMAS) held a certification ceremony

for 11 mine action personnel from the

Iraqi Kurdistan Mine Action Agency

(IKMAA) and 8 mine action implement-

ing partners, following their completion

of the ‘risk education managerial skills’

workshop to enhance the respond to the

explosive hazard threat in liberated

areas in Iraq. A similar workshop was

organized last October in Baghdad.

UNMAS celebrates certification ceremony for Mine Action personnel

in Erbil

Volume 4, Issue 6 Mine Action Page 74

Participants from IKMAA, Danish

Demining Group (DDG), Mines Adviso-

ry Group (MAG), Handicap Interna-

tional and Spirit of Soccer were actively

engaged in discussions and group work

throughout the five-day workshop,

which covered various tools and tech-

niques, development of new and inno-

vative materials, as well as a report

and proposal writing.

“We aim at establishing a new format

for risk education practice with new

UNMAS second ‘risk education managerial skills’ workshop to

enhance the capacity and skills of the Iraqi Kurdistan Mine Action

Agency (IKMAA) personnel organized in Erbil

Erbil, 24 December 2017 - United

Nations Mine Action Service (UNMAS)

recently organized a second ‘risk educa-

tion managerial skills’ workshop to

enhance the capacity and skills of the

Iraqi Kurdistan Mine Action Agency

(IKMAA) personnel as well as mine

action implementing partners working

in liberated areas and IDP camps.

The aim of the workshop, funded with

support from Denmark, Estonia, Fin-

land, Italy and the United Kingdom,

was to support a coordinated approach

for those organizations accredited to

respond to the explosive hazard threat

in liberated areas.

The 19 participants from IKMAA, Dan-

ish Demining Group (DDG), Mines Ad-

visory Group (MAG), Handicap Inter-

national and Spirit of Soccer were ac-

tively engaged in discussions and group

work throughout the five-day work-

shop, which covered various tools and

techniques, development of new and

innovative materials, as well as a re-

port and proposal writing.

“We aim at establishing a new format

for risk education practice with new

methods and tools. We encourage such

workshops which contribute to upgrad-

ing the planning and managerial capac-

ities, and we welcome the cooperation

from all risk education operators here

present”, said Mr. Ali Hamad Beg, Dep-

uty Head of IKMAA, during the certifi-

cation ceremony.

methods and tools. We encourage such

workshops which contribute to upgrad-

ing the planning and managerial capac-

ities, and we welcome the cooperation

from all risk education operators here

present” said Mr. Ali Hamad Beg, Dep-

uty Head of IKMAA, during the certifi-

cation ceremony.

Ms. Shaimaa Ahmed, a participant

from DDG, stated: “We are deeply

grateful to UNMAS for holding this

training which gave us additional infor-

mation for our field work. I particularly

benefited from the session about pho-

tography”.

“I benefited a lot from the training by

acquiring important knowledge and

understanding about new topics, spe-

cially Communications, Case Studies,

and Call for Proposals.” mentioned Mr.

Mutassem Saadallah, a participant

from MAG.

UNMAS appreciates the support of the

Governments of Denmark, Estonia,

Finland, Italy and the United Kingdom,

which have funded this second training

course.

West Anbar, 04 November 2017 –

IOM, the UN Migration Agency, medi-

cal teams are providing assistance to

nearly 1,000 primary health care bene-

ficiaries, including displaced persons,

returnees and host communities, per

week in Anbar Governorate.

In anticipation of military operations,

and due to recent military operations in

remaining ISIL held areas, more than

7,100 individuals (over 1,150 house-

holds) have been displaced from west

Anbar between the 12¬–31 October,

mostly from the districts of al-Kai’m

and Rau’a. Since January 2017, more

than 64,950 individuals have been dis-

placed by military operations in West

Anbar. Of these, more than 19,000 have

been displaced since 20 September fol-

lowing the intensification of the Iraqi

Forces’ offensive against ISIL in the

west Anbar districts of Ana, Al Ka’im

and Ru’a.

IOM staff spoke with Noriah, a mother

of seven children recently displaced

from Al-Qaim, at an IOM mobile medi-

cal team clinic. “We have been dis-

placed because of the very bad situation

and the lack of food. Our lives used to

be normal. After ISIL entered the city,

my children stopped studying and our

lives became very difficult. We got to a

stage at which I could not always afford

to feed my children,” said Noriah.

“We decided to move at night; we bor-

rowed money from our relatives to pay

the smugglers. We fled only in the

clothes that we were wearing. We

walked with other families who were

UN Migration Agency provides medical care to newly displaced

persons from West Anbar

Volume 4, Issue 6 Healthcare Page 75

also trying to get out of the city. Our

journey lasted for three days via the

Trabeal road and then to Kilo 160 until

we reached the camp of Amiriyat Fallu-

jah.”

IOM medical teams provide primary

health care consultations, obstetric and

gynecological consultations, and refer-

ral of emergency cases. The most com-

mon ailments reported include upper

respiratory tract infections, diarrhea,

leishmaniasis, scabies and chronic dis-

eases, including hypertension and dia-

betes. Some trauma patients present

injuries sustained during the conflict.

IOM medical teams are also providing

awareness raising sessions on preven-

tion of communicable diseases and good

health practices.

The locations for the mobile medical

teams are determined according to the

needs of the population and in coordi-

nation with Anbar’s Department of

Health. Current locations include Am-

riyat Al-Falluja, Falluja, Heet,

Kubbaissa, and two locations in Garma.

WHO’s life-saving work in Iraq continues with support from the

European Commission

Baghdad, 8 November 2017 – The

World Health Organization (WHO) has

received an additional seven million

Euros from the European Commission

Civil Protection and Humanitarian Aid

Operations (ECHO) to support emer-

gency trauma care and essential life-

saving health care for people affected

by conflict in Iraq.

The funds will be used by WHO to pro-

vide emergency health care for tens of

thousands of people in Mosul, Telafar,

Hawija, Anbar and other locations.

ECHO’s support will help improve ac-

cess to first-line emergency health care

and referral services for communities,

and ensure timely response to potential

disease outbreaks. It will also help im-

prove data collection, analysis and dis-

semination aimed at improving the

quality and timeliness of WHO’s and

other medical humanitarian partners’

health services and activities at field

level.

“This support demonstrates the strong

partnership between the European

Commission and WHO with a shared

goal of delivering quality health ser-

vices to all vulnerable communities in

Iraq,” said Altaf Musani, WHO Country

Representative in Iraq.

“In such critical times, where health

infrastructures and services in Mosul

and other parts of Iraq have been ei-

ther destroyed or severely curtailed,

these funds will enable WHO to work

closely with health authorities, nation-

al and international partners to step up

front line services, bring back to life

health structures in newly retaken

areas and provide basic health services

in displacement camps,” Musani added.

“The conflict in Iraq continues to strike

thousands of Iraqis. Bringing back the

basic services able to help them recover

from their wounds, from the trauma

they experienced, is a priority for

ECHO. Helping Iraq’s health system

recover and cater for the health needs

of those most vulnerable cannot wait,”

said Javier Rio Navarro, head of the

ECHO office in Iraq.

These medical services are life saving

for many newly displaced people who

suffer from health conditions that were

complicated by insufficient access to

health assistance in ISIL-held areas.

In addition, IOM medical teams are

running a tuberculosis response and

prevention project in several gover-

norates, funded by the Global Fund. In

Anbar, this project provides support to

the National Tuberculosis Programme

centres in Anbar; conducts screening

for suspected cases and awareness ses-

sions on tuberculosis symptoms and

prevention; follow-ups on tuberculosis

patients and provides them with trans-

portation and high-protein foods; as

well as training sessions for staff mem-

bers of Anbar’s Department of Health.

IOM Iraq Displacement Tracking Ma-

trix has been monitoring the West

Anbar crisis since January 2017, when

significant displacement movements

were already taking place due to hostil-

ities in the area and in anticipation of

major military operations. Of the total

displaced, 42,800 are registered in

camps, and more than 22,150 are in out

-of-camp locations (over 21,500 in pri-

vate settings, and 570 in critical shelter

arrangements, including unfinished

buildings). The majority of the dis-

placed from West Anbar are within

Anbar Governorate; more than 28,400

have been displaced to the district of

Falluja, and over 22,000 to Ramadi.

Others have fled to Baghdad gover-

norate (over 4,200) and Erbil gover-

norate (4,400).

Baghdad, 9 November 2017 - As part

of UNICEF's Water, Sanitation and

Hygiene (WASH) activities in raising

awareness on best hygiene practices,

handwashing with soap, and how to

avoid water-borne diseases, a UNICEF

booth has been placed on the road

(Baghdad, Al-Qanat) where pilgrims

are marching through to the holy

shrines in Karbala.

UNICEF and supported by UNAMI-

FriendsOfUNICEF volunteers distrib-

uted awareness brochures and talked to

the families and children about the

importance of handwashing, and best

practices to avoid getting sick.

Everyone who visited the booth appre-

ciated the work that UNICEF and the

FriendsofUNICEF volunteers are do-

Raising awareness of best hygiene practices campaign

Volume 4, Issue 6 Healthcare Page 76

ing, especially during the commemora-

tion of the occasion of Arbaieen where

millions of people are walking towards

one destination, and getting generous

amounts of food, water, and services

along the way.

UNICEF partner Mercy Hands for Hu-

manitarian Aid is visiting schools in

Baghdad to talk with students about

good hygiene.

Now that the weather is changing,

there is an increased risk of water and

air borne diseases to spread. Good hy-

giene helps protect against the transfer

of germs.

After the presentation, there was a

competition among students to see who

had learned the most. Winners received

copybooks, crayons and branded brace-

WHO strengthens the capacity of family physicians in Iraq as an

approach towards achieving universal health coverage

Baghdad, 15 November 2017 – As

part of its support to strengthen service

delivery for universal health coverage

in Iraq, and in line with the United

Nations Sustainable Development Goal

3 to achieve universal health coverage

by 2030, WHO supported a 4-day train-

ing of trainers course.

The training was designed by the Fami-

ly Medicine Department at the Ameri-

can University of Beirut Medical Cen-

ter at the request of WHO, aimed at

building the capacities of 21 family

medicine practitioners in the Ministry

of Health in Iraq and Ministry of High-

er Education and Scientific Research to

better prepare them to host, adapt and

facilitate a combined theoretical

(online) and practical bridging course

for general practitioners in the country

and to orient them on the principles

and elements of primary care services.

This will improve general practitioners

technical skills in service delivery for

universal health coverage as well as to

increase the number of family practi-

tioners.

Forty five percent (45%) of Iraq’s medi-

cal doctors are general practitioners.

WHO has identified family practice as

an efficient and effective approach to

improve the delivery of primary health

care services in countries of the East-

ern Mediterranean Region. A prelimi-

nary assessment of primary health care

(PHC) conducted in 22 countries in the

Region, showed that 90% of PHC facili-

ties are managed by general physicians

who are certified to work without fur-

ther specialized training after graduat-

ing from medical schools.

Universal health coverage aims to en-

sure that everyone receives the quality

services that they need, and are pro-

tected from health threats, without

suffering financial hardship. It is a way

of reducing poverty and increasing

health security, so that no one is left

behind.

lets.

The school is also now decorated with

posters on hand washing to remind the

children of good habits they learned!

UNICEF, Iraqi Red Crescent Society

and #FriendsOfUNICEF volunteers

were also at the Baghdad International

Fair promoting the use of safe water,

best hygiene practices and handwash-

ing.

In a related activity, UNICEF distrib-

uted Aquatabs water purification tab-

lets in Baghdad and Iraqi Red Crescent

Society (IRCS) volunteers are talking to

people in their homes, in the markets

and at school about how to use them to

have fresh, clean water at home.

plies Manager at Rizgary Hospital said:

“Every day, we perform more than 50

surgeries in three operating rooms; the

availability of intravenous fluid for

these surgeries is crucial. Our hospital

provides services to the local communi-

ties, displaced Iraqis and Syrian refu-

gees alike, free of charge.” He added,

“These are essential life-saving sup-

plies. Shortages due to the current fi-

nancial situation have placed a high

burden on the hospital, but the supplies

we have just received will cover for at

least 200 major operations and 100

minor interventions.”

Displacement continues across Iraq

Mosul - According to IOM Iraq’s Dis-

placement Tracking Matrix (DTM),

more than one million individuals were

displaced during operations to retake

Mosul (which began in October 2016).

From Markaz Mosul sub-district, en-

compassing the city of Mosul, nearly

600,000 people continue to be dis-

placed, and more than 222,400 people

have returned, since the end of the of-

fensive in July 2017.

Across Iraq - more than 2,991,000 Ira-

qis continue to be displaced due to the

current crisis, which began in January

2014. More than 2,679,000 of those who

were displaced have returned (as of 15

November 2017).

Mosul, 21 November 2017 – To

strengthen government-run health

facilities in the wake of the Mosul cri-

sis, IOM Iraq has donated medical

equipment and supplies valued at ap-

proximately USD 500,000 to Al-Salam

Teaching Hospital in east Mosul.

The equipment was funded by the Unit-

ed Kingdom Department for Interna-

tional Development (DFID) and the

Government of Kuwait.

The Ninewa Governorate’s Department

of Health coordinated the donation and

nominated Al-Salam Teaching Hospital

in east Mosul to receive the supplies,

due to the hospital’s increased patient

load following the influx of returning

displaced persons and high numbers of

vulnerable host community members.

The donation aims to contribute to the

stabilization of communities in east

Mosul.

Prior to the handover in October, the

equipment and consumables were used

in IOM’s field hospital in Hammam al-

Alil, about 30 km south of Mosul. Since

its establishment in March 2017, a few

months into the battle to retake Mosul

from ISIL, IOM’s field hospital in Ham-

mam al-Alil played a critical role in

providing emergency care and treating

patients displaced from conflict zones,

mainly West Mosul.

Between March and September 2017,

IOM’s field hospital in Hammam al-Alil

served approximately 9,300 outpatients

and admitted 664 cases for non-trauma

and trauma surgeries, including inju-

ries and fractured limbs sustained as

result of the conflict.

The medical equipment and supplies

donated to Al-Salam Hospital include:

operating tables, anesthesia machine,

ventilators, medical monitors, infusion

pumps, heart defibrillators, hospital-

grade autoclave sterilizers, patient

trollies, X-ray machines, laboratory

equipment, and consumable medical

supplies.

“It was the right time to carry out this

upgrade, which will double the capacity

of the hospital to deliver health ser-

vices,” said Dr. Sangar Perdawed, IOM

Iraq’s National Emergency Health Co-

ordinator. “This donation is part of

IOM’s capacity building activities,

which strengthen government-run

health centres to better serve all pa-

tients.”

“This is the only intensive care unit

(ICU) currently operational in Mosul,”

said Dr. Raad Abdulhady, Manager of

Al-Salam Hospital. Referring to the

defibrillator and medical monitors that

will be installed in the ICU, he added,

“We needed the donated equipment; it

IOM equips Mosul Hospital with a half-million dollar donation

Volume 4, Issue 6 Healthcare Page 77

will contribute to saving lives, whether

in operating theatres, intensive care or

emergency units.”

The original Al-Salam building – once

Mosul’s main hospital – was severely

damaged almost a year ago, during

military operations to retake the east-

ern part of the city. The hospital reo-

pened in March 2017 in a nearby East

Mosul location. It has a capacity of 150

beds.

According to Dr. Abdulhady, between

450 to 500 patients currently visit the

hospital daily, mainly for orthopaedic,

cardiac and internal medicine, and

injuries, many from road traffic acci-

dents. Patients receive treatment free

of charge.

In addition to the upgrades in Al-Salam

Hospital, IOM Iraq has recently donat-

ed consumable supplies and medical

equipment valued at approximately

USD70,000 to other health facilities

throughout the country. The benefi-

ciary health facilities include Raparen

Teaching Hospital, Rizgary Teaching

Hospital, Nanakali Hospital, Razhan

Clinic, Hawler Teaching Hospital, West

Emergency Hospital, East Emergency

Hospital (all in Erbil Governorate); and

Al-Areage Primary Health Care Center

in Mosul and the health clinic in Gwer.

Dr. Ibrahim Khalil, the Medical Sup-

Kirkuk, 27 November 2017 - For

more than 3 years, the people of Hawii-

ja district in Kirkuk Governorate, Iraq,

were cut off from lifesaving health care

and immunization services, leaving

many children susceptible to vaccine-

preventable diseases. “For years, I wor-

ried that my children may contract

polio and measles or die,” said Hadija, a

32-year-old mother of 3 children.

In September 2017, the district became

accessible following military operations

launched by the Government of Iraq.

WHO, together with Kirkuk Direc-

torate of Health, immediately deployed

mobile medical teams to provide im-

munization services, and health care

for people suffering from trauma inju-

ries or chronic disease conditions.

Five mobile medical teams were de-

ployed to Khan, Tal Ali, Abbassi, Masa-

naa, Al Zab and Ryadh areas. Since

then, from mid-September to 15 No-

vember 2017, more than 10000 people

in Hawiija district have benefited from

WHO’s support, including 1563 chil-

dren vaccinated against childhood im-

munizable diseases.

Lifesaving mobile health teams reach people in newly liberated

areas of Hawiija, Iraq

Volume 4, Issue 6 Healthcare Page 78

Although these newly accessible areas

are still security compromised, WHO

saw urgency in delivering health care

to thousands of people that had been

cut off from aid for years, and whose

health was being compromised day by

day. Five main health facilities have

been partially or completely damaged,

in addition to Hawija general hospital.

Currently, only the Kirkuk Directorate

of Health and WHO-supported frontline

health teams are delivering immuniza-

tion services in these areas.

Among the beneficiaries is Hadija, who

brought 2 of her children to the mobile

teams for vaccination. “I believe that

vaccination prevents many childhood

diseases and can save my children. I

take this seriously and it has always

been a top priority when it comes to the

health of my children,” she said.

“Being cut off from regular health ser-

vices worried me. I thought of my chil-

dren and how they may become disa-

bled or die. Now we have health teams

that move around our village to ensure

that not only children, but everyone

has access to health care,” added Had-

A new post-operative care facility opens in Mosul’s Al-Salam

Hospital

Baghdad, 1 December 2017 – The

World Health Organization (WHO),

with funds from the Government of

Kuwait, has established a post-

operative care unit in Al-Salam Hospi-

tal, East Mosul to enhance the capacity

of Ninewa’s Directorate of Health to

provide quality post-operative care for

surgical patients during the first 24 to

72 hours.

The 42-bed facility was constructed and

equipped at the request of Ninewa Di-

rectorate of Health and contains female

and males wards: each equipped with

admission and physician consultation

rooms, nurses and doctors rest rooms.

The facility will be used to admit pa-

tients who are recovering from a surgi-

cal procedure.

Al-Salam Hospital is one of the 6 major

hospitals that were severely damaged

during the Mosul operations. It is

among the few that recently re-opened

and are currently experiencing a surge

in the patient caseloads.

Mosul’s 3-year crisis and insecurity has

left devastating effects on the city’s

health sector and infrastructure in turn

affecting life-saving and disability-

preventing surgical services including

emergency, trauma, obstetrics and

post-operative care.

The construction of the facility was

timely, and will help to accommodate

increased caseloads of trauma and

emergency patients seeking surgical

interventions, and to improve in-

patient comfort in the hospital. The

hospital currently serves the needs of

people from east and west Mosul given

that all hospitals in west Mosul remain

non-functional and closed.

As the situation normalizes, and as

more people return to their homes of

origin, the need for essential lifesaving

emergency, trauma and post-operative

health services remains incredibly

high. These, however do not match the

capacity of the few functional hospitals

in Mosul.

WHO and other health partners are

working tirelessly hard with health

authorities to restore, rehabilitate and

rebuild the health system and infra-

structure so that all people receive

quality health care. Thanks to WHO’s

donors, The Government of Kuwait,

European Union Humanitarian Aid

(ECHO), the Office of United States

F o r e i g n D i s a s t e r A s s i s t a n c e

(USAID/OFDA), the Government of

German and the Government of Japan.

ijah.

The WHO-supported mobile teams de-

liver a comprehensive package of life-

saving health services that include

vaccination, medical consultations,

medicines, referrals, health promotion

and treatment for chronic conditions. In

addition, the teams conduct water qual-

ity monitoring, and distribution of chlo-

rine tablets at household levels.

Additional 30 mobile medical teams

will be deployed to Hawiija on 3 Decem-

ber 2018 to vaccinate children during

an upcoming immunization campaign.

To date in 2017, financial support from

European Union Humanitarian Aid

(ECHO), the Office of United States

Foreign Disaster Assistance

(USAID/OFDA) and the Government of

Germany has allowed WHO to deploy

more than 70 lifesaving mobile teams

to hard to reach areas and newly acces-

sible locations across Iraq.

Baghdad, 4 December 2017 -

UNICEF launched today the Maternal,

Neonatal and Child Health (MNCH)

survey results. MNCH activities aim at

saving the lives of women, newborns

and children.

UNICEF launched MNCH survey results

Volume 4, Issue 6 Healthcare Page 79

UNICEF partnered with Central Sta-

tistical Organization, Kurdistan Re-

gional Statistical Office and the Feder-

al & Kurdistan Ministries of Health to

conduct a MNCH survey in areas

where UNICEF is collaborating with

MOH to support implementation of

health care activities.

The findings launch in Baghdad was

attended by Minister of Planning, Dr.

Salman Ali al-Jumaili; Dr. Ihsan Jafar

on behalf of Dr. Adeelah Hammood,

Minister of Health; Shanelle Hall,

UNICEF Deputy Executive Director,

Hamida Ramadhani, UNICEF Iraq

Deputy Representative and Moazzam

Hossein, Chief of Health and Nutrition

section at UNICEF Iraq

Key Survey Findings:

*A high proportion of mothers (85.3%)

received antenatal care more than once

UNICEF’s “Back to School” campaign continues

Baghdad, 25 October 2017 - As part

of its "Back to School" campaign,

UNICEF is working with partners to

distribute school kits to displaced chil-

dren and to children in vulnerable are-

as.

Student kits, school in carton, recrea-

tion kits, math kits, science kits are

designed to motivate children to return

to class and to encourage parents to

send their children to school.

Recreation kits are a tool for psychoso-

cial support. Other supplies to aim to

improve the quality of education chil-

dren are receiving and reduce the drop

out rate by providing materials chil-

dren need to attend classes.

These school kits are funded through

the support of European Commission -

Civil Protection & Humanitarian Aid

Operations - ECHO, U.S. Department

of State: Bureau of Population, Refu-

gees, and Migration and the govern-

ments of Canada and Germany.

and over half of mothers received ante-

natal care at least four times (58.3%).

*The Under-Five mortality rate was

37/1,000 live births. It was higher in

females compared to male children.

*44.3% of children age 6-23 months

were receiving a minimally acceptable

diet.

*The percentage of children fully vac-

cinated before the age of 2 years was 50

percent.

Priority areas of programming based on

survey results:

*Improving neonatal health care and

reduction of neonatal mortality;

*Promoting appropriate infant and

young child feeding;

*Strengthening routine immunization

*Strengthening prevention and man-

agement of diarrhea and acute respira-

tory infections in children.

UNICEF’s Deputy Executive Director visits Iraq

Ramadi, 5 December 2017 -

UNICEF's Deputy Executive Director

Shanelle Hall, visited Iraq to show her

support for the children of the country,

visited the vaccine warehouse in

Ramadi, funded by European Commis-

sion - Civil Protection & Humanitarian

Aid Operations - ECHO. This ware-

house is a critical step in providing life-

saving vaccines for children across

Iraq.

"They're storing all the basic immun-

izations for children. It's an impressive

facility that's serving the governorate.

We know we have more work to do and

more support to give," said Ms. Hall,

after the visit.

Education

Erbil, 1 November 2017 - When 26

year old Zahra was displaced alongside

her family from Mosul in 2014 they all

headed to the Muthana Governorate in

southern Iraq. Zahra lost many things,

including her chance to attend college

after graduating from high school.

“When we were displaced, things were

very difficult. We had to give up so

much that my family decided I should

stop my education and stay at home,”

said the young Iraqi girl.

“Despite the many financial difficulties,

I didn’t want to give up my dreams.”

she added.

Zahra and her family suffered major

difficulties when they settled in south-

ern Iraq. At first, they had to share a

UNHCR Iraq assistance empowers displaced Iraqis from Mosul to

continue their education

Volume 4, Issue 6 Education Page 80

small house with five other families (40

individuals) and there was also the

language barrier. Zahra being from the

Iraqi Turkmen minority spoke little

Arabic.

With the loss of her home, friends and

college education Zahra underwent

some psychological issues, but thanks

to the intervention of UNHCR’s part-

ner’s, Canadian Aid Organization

CAOFISR, she received mental health

support and was able to recover. She

also began to focus on her studies.

“I decided to, improve my Arabic, and

enroll in an accounting course at a

technical institution.”

With the help of UNHCR’s support,

Zahra was able to resume her educa-

UNICEF is working with NRC - Norwegian Refugee Council to help

kids affected by conflict catch up with classes

Baghdad, 13 November 2017 - Over

10,000 children -- nearly half of them

girls -- in Hasansham, Khazir and

Chamakor camps in northern Iraq have

access to catch up classes, recreational

activities and psychosocial support.

These activities are critical to helping

children cope with distressing experi-

ences. They also give the kids opportu-

nities to continue studying so that the

time they spend displaced is not a lost

chance at an education.

These activities are made possible

through funding from the government

of Germany and U.S. Department of

State: Bureau of Population, Refugees,

and Migration.

In a related event, thanks to support

from Dubai Cares, 735 children in Su-

limaniyah now have access to education

as a result of a new school being built.

tion and graduate with an accounting

degree and is very proud of her achieve-

ment.

Vocational training continues

Erbil, 10 November 2017 - UNDP

continues to help build capacity in Iraq

with the aim of developing skills and

increasing employability, especially

amongst the most vulnerable popula-

tions.

Most recently in Duhok and Zakho, 239

internally displaced people, host com-

munity members and Syrian refugees,

over half of whom are females, received

one-month vocational training. Courses

included mushroom cultivation and

greenhouse farming; pastry-making

and cooking; information technology,

webpage design, computer and mobile

maintenance; ceiling decoration; and

air conditioning installation and

maintenance in construction. Female

oriented courses included childcare,

sewing and coiffure.

On 6 November 2017, 102 participants

celebrated their successful completion

of the training in Zakho. And, a day

later, another graduation ceremony

took place in Duhok for 137 graduates.

These activities were implemented un-

der UNDP’s Iraq Crisis Response and

Resilience Programme (ICRRP), and

made possible through generous fund-

ing from the Government of Germa-

ny/GIZ. In total, 1,000 internally dis-

placed people, host community mem-

bers and Syrian refugees have benefit-

ed from vocational training opportuni-

ties in Duhok, Zakho, and #Erbil dur-

ing the period of April - November

2017. More than 400 trainees have

been directly placed in private sector

jobs.

Dohuk, 20 November 2017 - Educa-

tion is a basic human right, enshrined

in the 1989 Convention on the Rights of

the Child and the 1951 Refugee Con-

vention. It is also a vital aspect of our

work at UNHCR. In times of displace-

ment, education is crucial as it can fos-

ter social cohesion, provide access to

life-saving information, address psycho-

social needs, and offer a stable and safe

environment for those who need it

most. It also helps people to rebuild

their communities and pursue produc-

tive and meaningful lives.

With support from UNHCR Iraq, Min-

istry of Education - Kurdistan Regional

Government and other education ac-

tors, Qandil and its Community Out-

reach Volunteers launched “back-to-

school campaign” reaching out to refu-

UNHCR Dohuk launches the “back-to-school campaign” by

supporting students with notebooks and textbooks

Volume 4, Issue 6 Education Page 81

gees, IDPs and host population in ur-

ban areas in Duhok Governorate. Dur-

ing the campaign, Qandil raised aware-

ness regarding the importance of edu-

cation and also distributed 1,000 note-

books to secondary and high school

students. The same platform was used

to encourage Children and Youths who

have been out of school to enrol in the

KRG formal education system.

UNHCR opened the first high school for Syrian refugees in Domiz-2

refugee camp in Duhok Governorate

Duhok, 14 December 2017 - UNHCR

opened the first high school for Syrian

refugees in Domiz-2 refugee camp in

Duhok Governorate. Paiam High school

was constructed by the NRC - Norwe-

gian Refugee Council, UNHCR Iraq's

education partner, in close coordination

with the Department of Education in

Duhok.

This is the first hard structure school in

Duhok’s refugee camps and it is the

first high school in Domiz-2. Previously,

refugee students had to go to high

schools located outside the camp, which

made it difficult for them to continue

their education beyond the ninth grade.

This was especially the case for girls.

The school will help to solve the prob-

lem of students who are on the verge of

dropping out of school.

Through its educational activities and

in partnership with NRC and close

collaboration with the Department of

Education, UNHCR in Duhok provides

opportunities for refugee students to

receive an education bringing a sense of

normalcy and stability to their lives.

UNHCR’s Public Information and Ex-

ternal Relations Officer in Duhok Gov-

ernorate, Rasheed Hussein, spoke to

the media during the opening ceremony

of the school on 5 December, 2017.

UNHCR has also continued its support

to strengthen education infrastructure

and systems to provide opportunities

for refugee students to get education

and bring a sense of normalcy and sta-

bility to their lives. Through its part-

ner, (NRC - Norwegian Refugee Coun-

cil ; UNHCR distributed 3,000 text-

books to all refugee schools in Dohuk

Governorate as a part of UNHCR’s

support to the Directorate of Education.

In partnership with NRC, UNHCR has

also completed the construction of a

secondary school in Domiz-2 Refugee

Camp to decongest the existing school

in the camp. In Akre Refugee Camp,

Human Appeal contributed to the ex-

tension of the existing school in Akre

Refugee Camp which accommodate

high school students.

UNICEF is running a pilot e-leaning program for 300 Syrian refugee

students in KR-I

Erbil, 30 November 2017 – UNICEF

is running a pilot e-leaning program for

300 Syrian refugee students in Erbil,

Sulimaniya and Dohuk in partnership

with SABIS and supported by the gov-

ernment of Germany.

All class materials are on tablets that

they bring with them to class three

times a week. This way, they have a

teacher with them all the time--lessons,

homework, tests, and textbooks are all

on the tablets!

This program is recognized by the Min-

istries of Education in Kurdistan as

well as in Syria, which means that if

these children return to their homes,

the e-learning classes will count as part

of their education.

Baghdad, 7 November 2017 - Majala-

ty is a children’s magazine which was

In cooperation with UNICEF, Majalaty is back!!!

Volume 4, Issue 6 Youth Page 82

first published in 1969. It aims to edu-

cate children, raise awareness and

IOM publishes children’s coloring book to promote social cohesion

Baghdad, 12 November 2017 - The

country of Iraq is rich in traditions,

culture, and languages; each brings its

own color and texture. Joined like

stitched threads, they together make

up the diverse and vibrant fabric of

Iraqi society.

This coloring book recognizes an im-

portant tradition in Iraq: the role of the

hakawatis, or storytellers. The coloring

book is an effort to promote social cohe-

sion through sharing a piece of Iraq’s

rich cultural heritage.

In Iraq’s oral tradition, the hakawati

was a source of folk wisdom and stories.

Later, mothers told these stories to

their children, which contribute to cre-

ating a sense of shared custom and

belonging within the society. Years

later, those children, as adults, fondly

remember the stories, and may use

them to recall shared traditions.

Acknowledging the contribution of sto-

rytelling to tighten the threads towards

the weaving of a cohesive Iraqi society,

this book gathers various folk stories

from many of Iraq’s ethno-religious

groups. It includes Kurdish, Arabic,

Shabak, Yazidi and Turkic folk stories,

but does not mention their origin.

This is intentional, as the book aims to

present the younger generation with an

interconnected view of Iraq’s cultural

heritage; and to offer the opportunity to

bringing readers and those who share

the stories closer together.

You can access the coloring book at

http://iomiraq.net/file/39297/download

guide learning.

In cooperation with UNICEF Iraq a

special edition of Majalaty was pro-

duced that addresses health and per-

sonal hygiene issues.

Copies of the magazine are being dis-

tributed in schools in Baghdad where

the messages in the magazine are being

discussed to promote good health and

hygiene practices among children.

This special issue of Majalaty was pro-

duced through the support of the gov-

ernment of Kuwait.

New skills, new you — giving kids in Kirkuk a place to grow

Kirkuk, 9 November 2017 - Children

displaced by conflict from Hawija, and

local children from Kirkuk spent every

day of their summer holidays visiting a

youth centre in Kirkuk. The youth cen-

tre is on the main street in downtown

Kirkuk. Its walls are covered in a chil-

dren’s drawing of flowers, trees, houses,

beautiful nature, and drawings taken

from their imaginations. The kids are

in individual classrooms, divided by

age, but boys and girls are together.

The youth centre opens its doors to over

3,200 young people who come to learn

English, Arabic and Kurdish and enjoy

theatre, art and drawing classes run by

UNICEF’s partner Intersos. UNICEF

supports this youth centre through a

generous donation from the European

Commission’s Directorate-General for

European Civil Protection and Human-

itarian Aid Operations (ECHO).

Zina is one of the teachers who works

with the children. She explained that

there were students who were too

afraid to even pick up a pen and try

writing when they first arrived. They

had experienced so much violence and

conflict that it was difficult for them to

function normally in non-stressful situ-

ations. Now, they help each other with

their lessons, and are happiest when

they are learning new things.

“It’s great to see the kids’ eyes shining

when they’re mastering a new skill. I

hope that all of these children have the

chance to live normal lives their lives

like other children in the world,” she

said.

8-year-old Abdulrahman has been com-

ing since here since the beginning of

UNICEF’s activities in January 2017.

He spends most of the time in art class,

and learning English. “My favourite

activity is drawing. I come here because

I want to improve. Sometimes drawing

helps us to express hidden feelings,” he

said.

For youths, there are courses in how to

repair cell phones and tailoring. Adoles-

cents are also encouraged to attend

awareness raising sessions on early

marriage and premenstrual syndrome.

Gender based issues such as early mar-

riage, violence, and sexual education

are of particular concern for displaced

people, and the youth centre offers a

safe space to receive information.

These courses aim to fill gaps left be-

hind by a broken educational system

and for displaced people living in camps

or improvised shelters.

By Krman Kamal, Communications

Consultant, UNICEF Iraq.

Baghdad, 20 November 2017 – Years

of conflict have severely curtailed the

rights of children in Iraq. Their rights

to protection from violence, education

and access to safe drinking water are

under assault from nearly every direc-

tion.

“UNICEF is working with partners like

the German government to champion

the rights of Iraqi children and to en-

sure they have every opportunity to

fulfill their potential,” said Peter Haw-

kins, UNICEF’s representative to Iraq.

A new contribution of 23 million USD

from the German government will ena-

ble UNICEF to deliver educational ser-

vices to some 265,000 children who may

have missed school for a year or more.

The generous contribution will also be

used to repair damaged water networks

UNICEF thanks the people of Germany for their continued support

to the children of Iraq

Volume 4, Issue 6 Youth Page 83

in conflict affected communities, so that

families can return to their homes.

“The extent of violence and poverty

faced by Iraqi children because of the

long-lasting conflict is deeply concern-

ing,” said Dr. Cyrill Nunn, the German

Ambassador in Iraq.

“Children are abused, abducted, injured

or even killed without a chance to es-

cape this cycle of violence and despair

on their own. I am pleased that the

German Government can support

UNICEF in addressing the most urgent

needs of these children, be it through

protection, education or lifesaving wa-

ter and sanitation,” Dr. Nunn added.

Over 3 million Iraqis are currently dis-

placed. During the past year, more

than one million people —half of them

children—have been displaced as the

result of the conflict in Ninewa, Anbar

and Kirkuk governorates. Nearly

200,000 of those children are still dis-

placed and receiving on-going humani-

tarian assistance.

New York, 13 November 2017 – The

United Nations stands ready to assist

efforts to respond to the earthquake

that struck Iran and Iraq on Sunday,

the Organization's top official has said.

UN Secretary-General António Gu-

terres “is deeply saddened by the loss of

life and damage” following the quake

that struck the border regions of the

two countries, said a statement issued

by his Spokesman, Stéphane Dujarric.

The statement said the Secretary-

General conveyed his condolences to

the bereaved families and to the Gov-

ernments and people of Iran and Iraq,

and wished those injured a speedy re-

covery. He also commended the local

response efforts underway.

“The United Nations stands ready to

assist if required,” read the statement.

By United Nations News

UN ready to assist response efforts following quake in Iran and

Iraq, says Guterres

Inauguration of replica of the Statue of the Lamassu at UNESCO

HQ in Paris, France Paris, France, 6 November 2017 -

Nimrud’s Lamassu stands proud at

UNESCO Headquarters - thanks to

Italy, Association Incontro della Civili-

ta and the Iraqi Ministry of Culture.

Nimrud has been the target of deliber-

ate attacks by extremists - this replica

stands as a symbol of recovery and re-

silience.

Timeline

es to Sulaymaniyah Hospital, the pri-

mary hospital in the area, along with

trauma and surgical kits,” said Ms

Grande.

"The key is to act quickly so we can

help prevent any further loss of life.”

Baghdad, 13 November 2017 - An

earthquake measuring a magnitude of

7.3 on the Richter scale struck last

night approximately 32kms from the

city of Halabja, Iraq. The earthquake

was felt across Iraq, including in the

cities of Baghdad, Erbil, Sulaymaniyah,

Kirkuk and Basra.

“There have been reports of six fatali-

ties and upward of 500 casualties,” said

Lise Grande, Humanitarian Coordina-

tor for Iraq. We are deeply saddened by

the loss of life and we extend our sin-

cerest condolences to all of the people

impacted by this tragedy.”

"Our priority right now is to help local

authorities respond as quickly as possi-

ble," said Ms. Grande. “An assessment

team has just arrived in Darbandikhan,

one of the areas worst impacted by this

quake. We’ve also received a request

from the Government to dispatch a

United Nations Disaster Assessment

and Coordination (UNDAC) team from

OCHA: Humanitarian partners are rushing to help the victims of

the earthquake

Volume 4, Issue 6 Timeline Page 84

Geneva. This is a highly specialised

team that will help to assess conditions

and coordinate the response."

"This morning, the World Health Or-

ganization (WHO) has sent an Immedi-

ate Response Team and two ambulanc-

IOM Iraq provides medical assistance to earthquake-affected

families

Sulaymaniyah, 15 November 2017 –

On Monday, 13 November an IOM Iraq

Mobile Medical Team arrived in Kani

Bardina village, Warmawa district, to

provide medical assistance to families,

following an earthquake of 7.3 on the

Richter scale the previous evening,

which struck 32 kilometres from the

city of Halabja in the governorate of

Sulaymaniyah, Iraq.

Approximately half of the 40 homes in

Kani Bardina village were damaged or

destroyed in the earthquake.

The IOM Mobile Medical Team is

providing assistance in response to a

request from the Joint Crisis Coordina-

tion Centre of the Kurdistan Regional

Government of Iraq, for medical sup-

port in the area to assist those who

were injured in the earthquake. The

team is receiving guidance from local

health authorities.

In Kani Bardina, the Team provided

primary health consultations for adults

and children, and tests, treatment and

medication for chronic diseases such as

diabetes and asthma. The few cases

needing further treatment were re-

ferred to Sulaymaniyah hospital and to

Halabja hospital – which was also dam-

aged in the earthquake.

The IOM Mobile Medical Team visited

Halabja Hospital, which during the

earthquake sustained damage to the

ceiling, floor, and walls, with blocks

falling onto empty hospital beds. The

hospital’s director Dr. Ranj Zangana

explained that throughout yesterday

they continued to provide services for

visiting patients, but those who needed

longer-term care were transferred or

referred to Sulaymaniyah hospital.

The IOM Mobile Medical Team spoke

with and provided medical support to

Jamil, 58 years old, and his family. He

said: “All my family was sleeping when

the earthquake hit. We did not get out

of our house fast enough and then we

could not open the doors, which were

damaged in the earthquake, so my wife

and I helped our five children to climb

out the window, and then we climbed

out ourselves.

“Our house has many cracks in the

walls, it is not safe to stay inside. The

shelter we had for our animals col-

lapsed – we have lost seven of our

sheep and a few of the other sheep have

serious injuries. We are now living in a

tent in our garden, which we used for

planting vegetables. We need to stay

close to our house because we cannot

leave the remaining animals alone; we

depend on them for income."

Jamil added, “Today we received medi-

cal check-ups from IOM. My wife re-

ceived treatment for her blood pres-

sure; it was too high because of the

earthquake. We hope to receive help to

repair our house before the winter sea-

son begins.”

continue to deliver assistance to health

facilities receiving patients affected by

the earthquake. This emergency re-

sponse by WHO has been made possible

with funds from European Union Hu-

manitarian Aid (ECHO) and the Office

of U.S. Foreign Disaster Assistance

(USAID/OFDA).

Baghdad, 15 November 2017 - In

response to the recent earthquake in

the border region between Islamic Re-

public of Iran and Iraq, WHO’s office in

Iraq has deployed a medical team sup-

ported with 3 ambulances, 4 tents and

emergency lifesaving supplies to Sulay-

maniyah governorate in northern Iraq.

The health supplies, sufficient for 200

surgical operations, have been preposi-

tioned at the Emergency Hospital in

Sulaymaniyah governorate.

An interagency assessment mission to

Sulaymaniyah governorate reported

that 8 people had been killed, more

than 500 people injured and 3 health

facilities damaged, 2 of which remain

nonfunctional as a result of the earth-

quake. WHO’s support is in response to

a request from the Directorate of Joint

Crisis Coordination Centre, Ministry of

Interior, Kurdistan Regional Govern-

ment and the Directorate of Health

Sulaymaniyah.

On Sunday, 13 November 2017, an

earthquake measuring a magnitude of

7.3 on the Richter scale struck approxi-

WHO delivers urgent health assistance for earthquake trauma

patients

Volume 4, Issue 6 Timeline Page 85

mately 32 kms from the city of Halabja,

Iraq. The earthquake was felt across

Iraq, including in the cities of Baghdad,

Erbil, Sulaymaniyah, Kirkuk and Bas-

ra. Five districts in Sulaymaniyah were

struck the hardest.

WHO and health partners continue to

closely monitor the situation and will

UNFPA scales up response after earthquake hit Iraq

Erbil, 19 November 2017 – In the

aftermath of the powerful earthquake

that struck the Iraq-Iran border last

Sunday evening, the office of the Unit-

ed Nations Population Fund (UNFPA)

in Iraq scaled up its emergency inter-

vention.

The 7.3 magnitude earthquake struck

the border region between Iraq and The

Islamic Republic of Iran, 30 km south-

west of Halabja in Iraq, on Sunday 12

November 2017. According to the inter-

agency assessment mission to Sulay-

maniyah, the earthquake left eight

people dead, more than 500 injured and

hundreds of families displaced. Fur-

thermore, three health facilities were

damaged in Darbandixan and Halabja

alone.

To respond to the needs of the newly

displaced women and girls, UNFPA

deployed one gynecology mobile clinic

in Shahid Azadi Mama Alaa primary

health clinic (PHC), the only function-

ing health facility in Darbandixan in

Sulaymaniyah, the area which suffered

the most serious damage in Iraq. The

PHC is being turned into a makeshift

hospital, where tents are being set up

in the clinic’s courtyard. The mobile

clinic, which will be part of the make-

shift hospital, is crucial at this time as

the maternity wards were damaged

and are no longer operational.

The UNFPA team also distributed med-

icines and reproductive health kits as

well as dignity kits to more than 500

women and girls in the areas and pro-

vided much-needed psychosocial sup-

port to traumatized women in Darban-

dixan. In addition, UNFPA plans to

conduct psychosocial sessions in Hala-

bja during the upcoming week.

The United Nations Population Fund,

with the support and collaboration of

local partners, continues to monitor the

situation and stands ready to provide

necessary support to government and

women in need.

Baghdad, 23 November 2017 - En-

suring accountability for most serious

crimes, UNAMI Human Rights Office

organized an Expert Meeting on 23

November 2017 in Baghdad to discuss

the Draft law on the establishment of

the National Specialized Court on the

most serious crimes in Iraq.

teams at the dam locations in carrying

out a deep dive assessment of the dam-

age caused by the earthquake and put-

ting together a rehabilitation plan to

address immediate and longer term

concerns,” said Yara Salem, World

Bank Iraq Country Manager.

Baghdad, 27 November 2017 - A

joint team from the World Bank and

the Ministry of Water Resources visited

Sulaimaniyah Province to assess the

impact of the recent earthquake that

hit the Iraq-Iran border on the Dar-

bandikhan and Dokan Dams. Both

dams are very strategic. They were

built in 1961 for flood control, irriga-

tion, drinking water supply and later

power generation was added.

Concerns about the safety and manage-

ment of these two dams were raised

after a 7.3 magnitude earthquake

struck the Iraq-Iran border on Novem-

ber 12, centered 30 km southwest of

Halabjah in Iraqi Kurdistan, around

217 km northeast of Baghdad.

At the request of H.E. Dr. Haider Al-

Abadi, Prime Minister of the Republic

of Iraq, the World Bank mobilized a

technical support mission to carry out a

fact-finding assessment of the damage

the earthquake has inflicted on the

Darbandikhan and Dokan dams.

“We highly value the partnership be-

tween the Government of Iraq and the

World Bank office in Baghdad and we

appreciate the Bank’s prompt response

and cooperation in answering the Min-

istry’s request for assistance in dealing

with this emergency,” commented H.E.

Hassan Al Janabi, Minister of Water

Resources.

The objective of the Bank mission is to

support the Ministry of Water Re-

sources in preparing a detailed diagnos-

tic of the damage that has been caused

by the recent earthquake, reviewing

the emergency preparedness plan, and

preparing an action plan for managing

the dams.

The mission found that the dam opera-

tor and the technical staff of the Minis-

World Bank and Ministry of Water Resources evaluate

Darbandikhan and Dokan Dams following Iraq quake

Volume 4, Issue 6 Timeline Page 86

try of Water Resources are managing

the post-earthquake situation in a

highly satisfactory manner. The extent

of the further technical support needed

will be based on the mission’s findings.

“The World Bank is working hand in

hand with the Government of Iraq

Expert meeting on the Draft law on the establishment of the

National Specialized Court on the most serious crimes in Iraq held

in Baghdad

After the ceremony, few groups of vol-

unteers set out to selected neighbor-

hoods of the Iraqi capital on a cleaning

campaign as part of their work to raise

awareness to volunteering.

Every year, over 6,500 UN Volunteers

serve with UN entities in some of the

most challenging environments across

the world, and 12,000 UN Online Vol-

unteers complete over 20,000 assign-

ments online through the UNV Online

Volunteering service.

Baghdad, 09 December 2017 - The

United Nations Assistance Mission for

Iraq (UNAMI), in collaboration with

the Mayoralty of Baghdad, marked

today the International Volunteer Day

in a ceremony at the Al-Zawraa Park in

Baghdad.

International Volunteer Day (IVD)

mandated by the UN General Assem-

bly, is held each year on 5 December. It

is viewed as a unique chance for volun-

teers and organizations to celebrate

their efforts, to share their values, and

to promote their work among their com-

munities, non-governmental organiza-

tions (NGOs), United Nations agencies,

government authorities and the private

sector.

The event was addressed by Dr. Ali Al-

Attar, Prime Minister’s Youth Advisor,

and by Samir Ghattas, Director of UN-

AMI Public Information Office, as well

as by representatives of the Office of

the Mayor of Baghdad and volunteer

organizations.

Dr. Al-Attar praised the volunteers as

an important partner in the process of

building their country and encouraged

them to continue their good work.

Mr. Ghattas said the commemoration

was to show appreciation and increase

awareness about the work of volunteers

who “are driven by a sense of dedica-

tion and their passion to assist those in

need.”

IVD 2017’s theme “Volunteers Act

First. Here. Everywhere” recognizes

the contributions of volunteers as first

responders in times of crisis. Volun-

teers are present, all around us, an-

swering calls in times of need, helping

Baghdad marks International Volunteer Day

Volume 4, Issue 6 Timeline Page 87

save lives today, and supporting those

who want to continue living their lives

with dignity tomorrow. Risking their

lives every day to care for people affect-

ed by conflict, violence and humanitari-

an crises, volunteers brave many dan-

gers to help others, driven by the desire

to make a difference in the face of hu-

man suffering. This year, IVD promotes

the contributions of such volunteers at

the local, national and international

level.

Baghdad, 18 December 2017 - The

United Nations Assistance Mission for

Iraq (UNAMI) and the United Nations

Migration Agency (IOM) have orga-

nized tonight in Baghdad the marking

of the International Migrants Day with

a Global Migration Film Festival's

screening of the movie - “Lost in Leba-

non”.

The second annual Global Migration

Film Festival, organized by the Inter-

national Organization for Migration

(IOM), the UN Migration Agency, is

organized by more than 100 of IOM’s

country missions across the world and

is an opportunity to celebrate the diver-

International Migrants Day marked in Baghdad with a Global

Migration Film Festival’s movie screening

Volume 4, Issue 6 Timeline Page 88

sity and unique contributions of mi-

grants to the communities and coun-

tries where they live. It is also a tribute

to the many films that capture the

beauty of migrants and challenges that

they face and bring these realities to

audiences around the world.

The Film Festival is part of the UN's

“Together” global campaign to promote

diversity and inclusion. The movies and

documentaries shown during this festi-

val come from all regions of the world.

IOM Iraq organized Global Migration

Film Festival in Erbil from 14 to 18

December 2018 during which 6 short

and 5 feature movies were presented.

Greetings Message

Baghdad, 24 December 2017 – Spe-

cial Representative of the United Na-

tions Secretary-General for Iraq

(SRSG), Ján Kubiš, extends his greet-

ings to the Iraqi people, in particular

the Christian community, on the occa-

sion of Christmas and of the New Year

celebrations.

“This is a time of joy and celebration,

and it is particularly so this year be-

cause this is the first Christmas after

the defeat of Daesh,” Mr. Kubiš said.

“All Iraqis, regardless of their religion

or tribal affiliations, have stood togeth-

er to drive the terrorists out of the

country. Let us remember those who

have lost their lives over the past year

as a result of terrorist acts and pray to

God for their souls,” he added.

“My best wishes and greetings go to all

on this joyous occasion, particularly

those who are celebrating Christmas on

25 December. Merry Christmas and a

Happy New Year,” SRSG Kubiš said.