United Nations in Iraq

The Sustainable Development Goals are a global call to action to end poverty, protect the earth’s environment and climate, and ensure that people everywhere can enjoy peace and prosperity. These are the goals the UN is working on in Iraq:

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03 October 2021

Head of U.N. Mission travels to southern Iraq to discuss importance of 10 October Elections

Baghdad, 2 October 2021 – The Special Representative of the United Nations Secretary-General (SRSG) for Iraq and Head of the United Nations Assistance Mission for Iraq (UNAMI), Jeanine Hennis-Plasschaert, traveled today to Basra and Nasiriyah. During her one-day trip in southern Iraq, she met with a wide range of Iraqi interlocutors, including government officials and members of civil society. The overall goal of her visit was to hear voters’ views on the upcoming elections and explain how the United Nations is supporting the electoral process. Landing first in Nasiriyah, the SRSG met with Governor Ahmed al-Khafaji of the Governorate of Dhi Qar. They spoke about the importance of Iraq's 10 October elections and ongoing United Nations support to the electoral process. Also in Dhi Qar, where Iraq’s “October” protest movement started, the SRSG met with civil society and paid tribute to the courage of so many Iraqis, while reiterating the United Nations’ support to Iraq on its road to stability. She also underlined the value of casting one’s vote. Travelling next to Basra, the SRSG was received by Governor Asaad Al Eidani. During their meeting, they agreed on the need for all stakeholders to respect the democratic process and protect the rights of all candidates and voters - ahead of and on 10 October. The SRSG also met with members of civil society. Recalling that early elections were a key popular demand during Iraq’s October 2019 protests, she emphasized the importance of ensuring accountability, exercising one’s electoral rights, and helping to shape the country's future. While in Basra today, the SRSG also met UN personnel who recently arrived from all across the globe to monitor the elections in southern Iraq before and on Election Day. During today’s encounters, the SRSG stressed the importance of casting one’s vote, as a vote not cast could in fact help those to whom one may be opposed. She also emphasized that, like Iraqis, the world wanted to see a stable and prosperous Iraq. Author: Office of Electoral Assistance, UNAMI

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Story

14 October 2021

For Peace: Our service; Our inspiration

These are the words which create the strong bond amongst a group of seven young, inspiring, courageous and skilled female soldiers of the 1st Fijian Infantry Regiment currently serving with the United Nations Guard Unit (UNGU) in Iraq. In the midst of the intense rays of the mid-morning sun, the women soldiers - two of whom are pioneering Naval Officers with the Fiji Naval Unit - adjust their blue UN embossed berets and take their positions alongside the 55 male soldiers of the Fiji UNGU. While their heartbeats are racing - due to the excitement of receiving their first-ever UN medal honouring their initial three-month service - their heads are held high and their feet march in formation to the beat of the drums. The ceremony has begun. Of significance is the fact that the auspicious occasion also marks the 51st anniversary of the Republic of Fiji's independence, and honours the dedication, sacrifice and service of the Fijian troops - past and present - who have served in Iraq since 2004. Presiding over the ceremony as Chief Guest of Honour was the Deputy Special Representative for Iraq of the United Nations Secretary-General, Ms. Ingibjörg Sólrún Gísladóttir. She gracefully inspected the Guard of Honour, following which she pinned on shiny, silver UN medals on the left breast pocket of the deserving soldiers. In her remarks, DSRSG Sólrún Gísladóttir congratulated the Fiji battalion and commended them for their "commitment, dedication, grace and humbleness" to provide safety and security for the premises of the United Nations Assistance Mission for Iraq (UNAMI) and hubs across the country. The parade fall out indicated the end of a colourful and prestigious event, but also marked the start of a customary informal gathering. If one has had the pleasure of being in the company of Fijians, or being welcomed with the traditional warm greeting of "Bula, Bula", then surely it would come as no surprise when the Fiji UNGU naturally burst into choir with the most upbeat and melodious hymn symbolising the gist of service and sacrifice; the zest of happiness and pride. Looking around the UNGU camp, the visible smiles on the faces of these commendable seven young women, all between the tender ages of 24 and 28 years, wipe out the worries of being so far away from home and from the embrace of loved ones. They truly fit into the peacekeeping environment and are confident that sharing their time and expertise in the field has an underlying sense of satisfaction that they probably would not experience in a home-setting. As one of the women shyly notes: "I am inspired to serve for peace; to make the world a better place". Thank You, Fiji, for your service and sacrifice!

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Story

13 October 2021

'It will help me to achieve my dream': Helping Iraqi girls stay in school

On International Day of The Girl Child, we look at a UN program which is helping girls in the region to keep learning. The 2,570 primary school children from Basra’s Shatt al-Arab district who are involved in the trial project from the UN Children’s Fund (UNICEF) and the World Food Programme (WFP), receive a cash stipend to support their education. “This will help me achieve my dream of becoming a dentist,” says 12-year-old Baneen, whose family were able to buy her own mobile phone with the money from the programme: mobiles phones were a popular choice amongst the families involved in the project. “The mobile phones have been helping with online study”, explains Principal Zainab Karim, a headteacher in Basra. “Many schoolchildren live in the same home as several other children, and share the same phone as their moms and dads. The students benefit from having their own phones. If they don’t need a new one for e-learning, the families can use the money to pay for transport, daily expenses, or clothing.” This year, for the first time, the UN agencies have also introduced the ‘Shatt al-Arab Coding Club for Girls,” which enables the girls in the project to study in a safe environment, learn new tech skills, and innovate to create digital solutions. The students are proud to be part of the first club of its kind in Iraq. “The sessions have taught me a lot, and they’re also fun”, says 12-year-old Narjis. “Also the idea of mixing education with play works because we usually grab our phones for games. Here they include educational games”. When girls stay in school and complete their education, their expanded opportunities help avoid them marrying or working too early. The project partners are currently working on a campaign to win hearts and minds to continue educating girls through the pandemic and beyond, and putting into practice the saying, “If you educate a girl, you educate a nation.” Cash and training sessions Alongside the cash support, UNICEF and WFP, together with local NGO Mercy Hands and partners including the Directorates of Education and Health, ran extra training sessions to support girls on health, hygiene, nutrition, and key protection issues. The stipends, which were paid in Iraqi dinars in three instalments at the equivalent of around $80 each, helped vulnerable families to provide for their children during the academic year. The instalments were paid periodically to the households during the girls’ year in Grade Seven, amounting to a total of $240 per schoolgirl who stayed in education. This project championing girls was made possible thanks to the support of Germany, Canada, and multilateral funds.

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Press Release

16 October 2021

Amid water shortages in Iraq, FAO, IFAD and WFP call for action on World Food Day to help communities confront climate change

Building on this year’s theme for World Food Day, “Our actions are our future- Better production, better nutrition, a better environment and a better life,” the UN partners and World Bank’s latest research highlights the impact of lower rainfall on people’s food security. “The impact of water shortages in Iraq is becoming evident through the lower crop yields for 2021. Urgent action is required to confront climate change, working together to address the root causes,” said FAO Representative in Iraq Dr Salah El Hajj Hassan, WFP Iraq Representative Ally-Raza Qureshi, and IFAD Lead Economist Alessandra Garbero in a joint statement. “Reforming food systems will also help the most vulnerable communities in Iraq withstand future shocks. Resilient, modern food systems are important for long term food security and the sustainable economic growth of Iraq.” Water shortages have resulted in below-normal development of vegetation and are affecting crop yields. According to estimates from FAO, by the end of the season, wheat production will be 70% lower and barley production negligible. The lower levels of rainfall this season are having a knock-on effect on smallholder farmers who have already been dealing with challenges in accessing markets due to higher prices. In Ninewa and Salah al-Din governorates, which are worst-affected by lack of rainfall, WFP’s analysis identifies that insufficient food consumption and use of negative coping strategies such as borrowing money or eating less food among households, are almost double the national average. Vulnerable communities, a vast majority of whom rely on agriculture, fishing, and livestock, who contribute the least to the climate crisis bear the brunt of the impacts with limited means to cushion the blow. Urgent action is required to address the water shortages in Iraq and climate change, as focus shifts to the 26th Conference of the Parties (COP26). Download copies of the latest report in Arabic and English at: https://bit.ly/2YKINTT

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Press Release

14 October 2021

IOM assessments highlight evolving economic needs under unprecedented impacts of COVID-19 in Iraq

To ensure that livelihood programming continues to be responsive to the evolving needs of Iraqi communities, the International Organization for Migration (IOM) conducted 29 Labour Market Assessments (LMAs) – studies involving individual interviews and focus group discussions to help IOM Iraq teams better understand the realities of local markets; the hiring preferences of employers; and the skills, needs and goals of jobseekers, consumers and others. The results of these assessments have been published alongside LMA reports from 2020 and 2019 in a collection titled Labour Market Opportunities and Challenges. They highlight the considerable livelihood needs remaining as communities recover from the ongoing impacts of COVID-19 and years of conflict. “As conditions evolve, so must our response. Together with our community consultation process, the LMA findings help us understand how we can adjust how we provide livelihoods programming to have the greatest impact, with an eye to inclusivity and sustainability,” said Clementine Favier, Head of IOM Iraq’s Returns and Recovery Unit. The LMA findings identified the types of vocational training, on-the-job training and business support packages that would be most beneficial in each surveyed district, information that is already being used to focus funding and plan interventions. The LMAs showed that 74 per cent of jobseekers preferred cash over voucher or in-kind livelihood assistance. The assessments also suggested a preference for entrepreneurship, with about 70 per cent of jobseekers preferring to run their own business over being employed in the private sector. These findings emphasize the instability of the private sector, where price hikes and informal working conditions are common. It is estimated that Iraq’s economy shrunk by 10.4 per cent in 2020, the largest contraction since 2003. This deterioration demands a robust, targeted response, particularly in areas previously occupied by the Islamic State in Iraq and the Levant, which continue to suffer from a lack of services and extensive damage to infrastructure. Market assessments and thematic reports are also conducted for IOM’s Enterprise Development Fund to further analyse emerging opportunities and challenges facing the Iraqi economy. IOM Iraq carries out LMAs with support from the U.S Agency for International Development (USAID); KfW, the German Development Bank; and the U.S. Department of State, Bureau of Population, Refugees and Migration (PRM).

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Press Release

07 October 2021

FAO supports corn silage production in Kirkuk

The meeting was attended by Mrs. Ahlam Fakhreddin, Assistant Director of Agriculture, and a delegation from the Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations (FAO) in Iraq, headed by Dr. Salah El-Hajj Hassan, FAO Representative, including FAO experts and five extension project supervisors division cadres in Kirkuk Directorate and representative from the private sector. The meeting provided an excellent opportunity to discuss the organization plans to support the agricultural sector in Iraq and the main achievements of FAO work in Ninewa Governorate, in particular in the field of fodder production and dairy processing. Dr. Salah highlighted that the purpose of the visit is to study and improve the reality of agriculture in Kirkuk governorate. He presented FAO plans to replicate the successful experience of Ninewa in Kirkuk governorate, main area for cultivation of yellow corn in Iraq, indicating the opportunities to process and market yellow corn silage to supply livestock breeders throughout Iraq, where corn silage is considered a high quality feed. The FAO Representative congratulated the pioneering initiatives of the private sector to investment in the production and processing of corn silage, also a priority of FAO as main solution to improving the financial returns of livestock breeders. The visit also included a field observation to the silage plant in the village of Al-Bdeir in the Dibis district, where, for the first time in Iraq, 3000 dunums of corn will be harvested for making silage. The FAO team emphasized on the follow-up of the silage manufacturing process and the commitment to technically support this initiative.

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