GOVERNMENT OF IRAQ AND UN PARTNERS REVIEW PEACEBUILDING PROGRESS IN SINJAR

The Government of Iraq and the United Nations convened the second Steering Committee meeting of the UN Peacebuilding Fund project “Advancing Peace and Stability in Sinjar”. Participants reviewed progress, discussed the workplan, completion timeline and ways to sustain the project’s results.

Representatives of the Office of the Prime Minister's Advisor on Human Rights, the Ministry of Planning, Ninewa Governorate, the Sinjar and Ninewa Plains Reconstruction Fund, the UN Resident Coordinator’s Office, International Organization for Migration (IOM), United Nations Development Programme (UNDP) and UN Women took part. 

"Advancing stability in Sinjar requires national and international efforts to come together, and human rights and citizens' needs to be placed at the forefront of priorities, with a focus on social cohesion, the rule of law, reconciliation, and conditions for safe, voluntary and dignified return,” said the Representative of the Office of the Prime Minister's Advisor on Human Rights.

Funded through the Peacebuilding Fund’s Immediate Response Facility, the project is implemented by IOM, as convening agency, in partnership with UNDP and UN Women, and works to strengthen community participation and cooperation between communities and government institutions in Sinjar.

“Peace in Sinjar will be built by its communities, working with the government of Iraq. This project is giving women and young people a stronger voice in local decisions and helping link peacebuilding to livelihoods. Our task now is to carry those gains beyond the project and into the wider plans for Sinjar’s recovery,” said Peter Hawkins, United Nations Resident Coordinator ad interim in Iraq.

Through the Sinjar Open Space network, 125 people, many of them young women, were trained in advocacy, peacebuilding, negotiation and policy development. Five local peace structures bring 50 women across Sinjar together to identify community priorities, while communities are leading three memorial initiatives in Hardan, Khanasor and Dae Peri. A further 55 community peace actors were trained and supported to implement 11 community-led initiatives for peace, 110 people received livelihoods support through vocational training and enterprise activities, and 411 returnees were reached through psychosocial support services. 

“Our collective success will be measured when a family in Sinjar chooses not only to return, but to remain, confident that they can build a safe, dignified, and prosperous future in the place they call home,” said Pascal Reyntjens, IOM Iraq Chief of Mission.

“For families who have experienced conflict, displacement and loss, recovery is not only about rebuilding infrastructure. It is also about being able to rebuild livelihoods, regain a sense of security and dignity, access the support needed to recover from trauma, and have confidence that their concerns are heard and reflected in decisions that affect their communities”, said Mahab Madani, UNDP Head of Governance and Economic Diversification Pillar.

“Sinjar’s recovery will be sustainable only when women are recognized not merely as beneficiaries, but as leaders and decision-makers. By connecting women-led Local Peace Structures with public institutions and recovery mechanisms, we can ensure that community priorities translate into practical action, greater trust and lasting peace,” said Amy Nishtha Satyam, UN Women Representative in Iraq.

Ninewa Governorate now includes a Sinjar Open Space representative in its Area-Based Coordination meetings.

“What has changed in Sinjar is that the rate of return is better and there is greater stability, particularly on security, and the work of organizations has become smoother. I believe the current situation greatly helps the return of the displaced and the closing of this humanitarian file,” said Ali Omer Gabu, Assistant Governor of Ninewa for Displaced People and NGO Affairs.

Partners agreed to closely follow up on the implementation of the Peacebuilding Fund (PBF) project and its achievements, ensuring that interventions remain responsive to community needs, peacebuilding efforts, and transitional justice priorities in Sinjar. They also discussed the final external evaluation, alignment with the Sinjar Investment and Development Platform and the United Nations Sustainable Development Cooperation Framework 2025–2029, and steps to sustain results after the project ends.

Note to editors

UNDP is the leading United Nations organization fighting to end the injustice of poverty, inequality, and climate change. Working with our broad network of experts and partners in 170 countries, we help nations to build integrated, lasting solutions for people and the planet.

IOM is the leading United Nations organization in the field of migration and works closely with governmental, intergovernmental and non-governmental partners. IOM is dedicated to promoting humane and orderly migration for the benefit of all, by providing services and advice to governments and migrants. 

UN Women is the United Nations organization dedicated to advancing the rights, safety and opportunities of women and girls worldwide. It works with governments, civil society and other partners to develop laws, policies, programmes and services that respond to the needs of women and girls and support their full and equal participation in all aspects of life.

For media inquiries: 

Zainab Salih, UN Resident Coordinator’s Office – zainab.salih@un.org

IOM Iraq Media and Communications Unit – iraqmcu@iom.int   

Mohammed Al-Bahbahanee, Communications Analyst, UNDP Iraq – mohammed.al-bahbahanee@undp.org

Doaa Farooq. Communication and Partnership Assistant, UN Women Iraq - doaa.farooq@unwomen.org