UNAMI Human Rights Office COVID-19 Poster Awareness Campaign | Iraq

About 30,000 posters were handed out across Iraq’s 18 governorates, in a matter of three weeks, thanks to the painstaking efforts of over 100 youth volunteers contributing to the fight against COVID-19. These posters, the work of talented Iraqi artists, inform about the health instructions and break the silence on the human rights impact of COVID-19 in an innovative and colourful display that appeals to the public.

Since the outbreak of the pandemic in Iraq, UNAMI’s Human Rights Office (HRO) has partnered with more than 18 NGOs to raise awareness on the impact of the virus and advocate for compliance with health instructions. We continue to do this through an illustration-based campaign that is disseminated via social media, street poster distribution and city murals.

A total of 13 images, by seven Iraqi cartoonists, including three women, aim to dispel rumours about the Coronavirus, raise awareness on the increase in domestic violence and limited access to education. In parallel, they inform about the health measures and our collective responsibility to contain the spread of COVID-19, and celebrate the courage and resilience of Iraqi healthcare workers.

In August, the al Namaa youth volunteers, including 27 women, from 18 NGOs distributed posters in over 90 remote areas and densely populated cities across Iraq. Posters inform on necessary individual prevention measures, urge people to speak up against misinformation and advocate to ensure access to education for all children.

In October, Imprint of Hope Organization completed 20 murals in 10 Baghdad neighbourhoods. The campaign transformed 560m of walls into colourful boards, informing on a range of issues, from how to take care of a loved one at home to highlighting the human rights consequences related to COVID-19. These murals covered walls on city squares and those of clinics, schools, universities and local administration buildings, as well as near traffic bridges and at bus stops. They illustrated the need to break the silence on domestic violence, inform about our collective responsibility to speak up against misinformation about the virus and ensure access to education for all children.

We will continue our efforts to encourage a public dialogue on the human rights consequences of the pandemic in the coming months and we will keep you updated on new cartoons and murals. Stay tuned.

Video produced by the Public Information Office of the United Nations Assistance Mission for Iraq (UNAMI)

Link to UNAMI Human Rights Office COVID-19 Poster Awareness Campaign video