Through this support, UNITAD will be empowered to continue its investigations into the financial mechanisms of ISIL and uncover additional evidence about perpetrators who profited from their involvement in the war crimes, crimes against humanity, and genocide committed by ISIL members in Iraq. “Tracing the financial mechanisms of ISIL means tracing the organization… and thus puts us on the path of identifying those most responsible for those international crimes.” said Special Adviser and Head of UNITAD Christian Ritscher, adding: “UNITAD is able to deliver on such investigations with strong fortitude through this crucial support from Germany.” UNITAD has completed its initial lines of inquiry into ISIL’s different revenue streams, money service businesses’ material support to the group, and continues its structural investigation on ISIL’s central treasury (Bayt Al Mal). Additional investigations and lines of inquiries stemming from this renewed commitment by Germany are expected to shed light on the role of ISIL’s oil trade, its pillage, and the role this trade played in underwriting the crimes committed especially those committed against targeted minority groups. H.E. Martin Jäger, German Ambassador to Iraq, emphasized the importance of UNITAD’s work: “By helping to deliver justice for the people of Iraq, UNITAD is an important actor not only in criminal justice but also in the stabilization of Iraq. We remain committed to supporting its important mandate both politically and financially”. Special Adviser Ritscher explained that: “UNITAD’s partnership with Germany will persist to further its mandate through this support to the investigations, as well as through Germany’s commitment to holding ISIL perpetrators accountable for international crimes, on which UNITAD stands strongly to partner.” This renewed contribution will better enable UNITAD to support domestic authorities in their legal proceedings aiming to hold ISIL members accountable for the international crimes they committed in Iraq. Cooperation with Iraqi and international partners, including law enforcement and prosecutorial entities, remains instrumental to accountability efforts and to the pursuit of justice for the victims and survivors of those crimes.

UNITAD’s partnership with the EU, which began in 2020, has already yielded notable achievements. A previous EU commitment of €3.5 million enabled provision of technical assistance to Iraq’s national authorities and Kurdistan Regional Government Authorities, and the identification and digitization of over 5 million paper documents, in addition to battlefield evidence, and electronically stored information.   Building on this renewed EU support, UNITAD will continue providing technical assistance and will expand its efforts to identify, preserve, and make use of evidence of ISIL crimes. Mr. Ville Varjola, Ambassador of the European Union to Iraq said: “The EU is proud to support UNITAD activities in Iraq and reinforce its partnership with the United Nations. The preservation and organization of evidentiary material in relation to ISIS crimes will serve to deepen the evidential foundations for prosecutions. The victims, survivors, and indeed humanity, deserve no less.”  Special Adviser and Head of UNITAD Christian Ritscher indicated that: “This funding is testament to the long-term partnership between UNITAD and the EU, through which the Team has been able to provide tremendous support to Iraqi authorities, as well as advance its investigations. Such support showcases great commitment by member states to the Team’s investigative efforts, and to the pursuit of justice and accountability for ISIL atrocious crimes.” He added: “We look forward to further cooperation with the EU and member states in critical areas of support to the Team’s investigations.” UNITAD is committed to support domestic efforts to hold ISIL members accountable by collecting, preserving, and storing documentary evidence of the international crimes which they committed in Iraq, to ensure the broadest possible use of such evidence before national courts, in line with international standards and in a way that serves victims’ rights and participation in the accountability processes.

Erbil, 20 September 2022 - Marking the new academic year in the Kurdistan Region of Iraq (KRI), the Ministry of Education of the Kurdistan Regional Government (KRG), jointly with UNICEF, the United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees (UNHCR), Save the Children and the education partners launched the “Back to Learning Campaign” to further improve access for out-of-school Iraqi children and welcome refugee children to quality education in public schools. The campaign reaffirms the commitment of UN agencies and partners to support the implementation of the Refugee Education Integration Policy (REIP) that was adopted by the KRG in late 2021. Under the slogan: “Education for All For a Better Future!”, the launch event was held at Bahari nwe school in Erbil, where some Syrian refugee children are now enrolled.   “With the support of our partners, we are committed to reach out to the most vulnerable children and help them realize their dreams of a better future,” said H.E. Alan Hama Sa'eed Salih, Minister of Education of KRG, at the event, emphasizing the importance of all children having equal access to education.   Starting this academic year, all refugee children aged six to nine can register and study in any public school in KRI. The Ministry of Education of the KRI, in cooperation with the Directorates of Education, schools and education partners will ensure access to education for all children in a welcoming learning environment. Children will receive instruction in officially recognized curriculum languages (Sorani, Badini, Assyrian, Turkmen, English and Arabic) in the Kurdistan Region of Iraq.   “Every child has the right to education, formal, non-formal, on-line or in-person education, no matter what their background or situation is. UNICEF wants all children in schools and learning. This also applies to refugees and hence, the implementation of the Refugee Education Integration Policy will give a brighter future to the refugee children. UNICEF will continue to support the Ministry of Education of the KRI to implement this policy, committing to reach all children with quality education,” said Teija Vallandingham, Chief of Education of UNICEF in Iraq. “Inclusion of the refugee children in the education system is one step towards an inclusive society.”   “It is our collective responsibility to exert every effort to pave the way for a better future for displaced children. The Kurdistan Regional Government’s Ministry of Education shows great leadership by welcoming refugee children to enroll in public schools and qualified refugee teachers to participate in these education efforts. The KRI shows the region and beyond what it means to welcome refugees,” said Jean-Nicolas Beuze, UNHCR Representative in Iraq. “Many of the refugee students in KRI were born here after their parents fled their homes in North East Syria in particular ten years ago. Learning alongside their Iraqi Kurdish friends will give them further opportunities to create bonds that will keep communities together.”   “Children are the future of our country and this is our responsibility to ensure that ‘no children is left out from the right to have a potential and better future’ – which can be enabled through bringing them to the school and learning centre throughout this Back to Learning Campaign. As a leading child rights organization, Save the Children believes that education is a fundamental right of children, regardless of their ethnic, religious, migratory, ability/disability status and gender and over the years, Save the Children has supported the right to education for thousands of children including refugees, host communities and Iraqi internally displaced persons by the Da’esh violence,” said Rizgar Al-Jaff, Acting Country Director, Save the Children Iraq. “Save the Children, along with all the education partners, UN agencies, national and international NGOs, must continue their efforts to ensure that all children, without discrimination, from all corners of Iraq, have access to quality education.”   In addition to the REIP, the Back to Learning Campaign aims to address the key factors that have resulted in children being out of school. The first goal is to ensure that Iraqi out-of-school children and adolescents are identified and have access to physical or virtual learning facilities/platforms under formal or non-formal education. The campaign then further addresses other social, cultural, economic, political, behavioral or personal issues that hinder their access to education. Authorities in the education sector will be notified about the new and emerging issues that have impacted children’s access to education and have left them out of schools. To keep track of these achievements, an online system will record necessary information about these children and adolescents, reasons for being out of school, and progresses made in supporting the children until enrollment in formal or non-formal education. Around 33,000 out-of-school Iraqi children and adolescents are targeted to be reached this year during the campaign.   To fill this learning gap, UN agencies and partners will continue supporting the Ministry of Education of the KRI to provide access to education to all children including the Syrian refugee children and adolescents. ###    Notes to editors:  About UNICEF
UNICEF works in some of the world’s toughest places, to reach the world’s most disadvantaged children. Across more than 190 countries and territories, we work for every child, everywhere, to build a better world for everyone. For more information about UNICEF and its work, visit: www.unicef.org Follow UNICEF on Twitter, Facebook, Instagram and YouTube   For more information please contact:  Miguel Mateos Munoz, Chief of Communication & Advocacy, UNICEF Iraq, +964 7827820238, mmateosmunoz@unicef.org   Monica Awad, Communication Specialist, UNICEF Iraq, Tel: +964 7809258545, mawad@unicef.org   About UNHCR UNHCR, the UN Refugee Agency, protects people forced to flee their homes because of conflict and persecution. We work in over 130 countries, protecting millions of people by responding with life-saving support, safeguarding fundamental human rights and helping them build a better future. For more information about UNHCR, please visit: http://www.unhcr.org For more information about education services for refugees in Iraq, please visit: https://help.unhcr.org/iraq/en/rights-and-obligations/education/ Follow UNHCR Iraq on Twitter (@UNHCRIraq), Facebook, and Instagram   For more information please contact: Firas Al-Khateeb, Spokesman and Communication Officer, UNHCR Iraq, khateeb@unhcr.org   Shaza Shekfeh, Associate Communication Officer, UNHCR Iraq +964 770 494 6384 shekfehs@unhcr.org   About Save the Children Save the Children has been working in Iraq since 1991. We are one of the largest international NGOs working in 100 + countries around the world, responding to humanitarian, recovery, and development needs of children and their families with the believe that every child deserve a future full with opportunities. We operate integrated child-focused programs across Ninewah, Dohuk, Kirkuk, Salah- addin, Anbar, Basra, Diyala, and Baghdad For more information about Save the Children Iraq. ( www.iraq.savethechildren.net) For more information please contact:   Noor Mousa, Advocacy and Campaign Coordinator, SCI IRAQ. Noor.Mousa@savethechildren.org 009647511240100

The newly built water treatment system will provide uninterrupted access to clean drinking water to over 9,500 people living in central al-Qayrawan, Sinjar. The purpose-built facility can treat over 100 litres of water per person daily. Before this, people living in al-Qayrawan did not have regular access to clean water. They would purchase water in tankers from private companies. The expense and uncertainty of transporting water by road resulted in increased prices and a lack of quality control. In addition, during the ISIL conflict, water supply from the tankers was regularly interrupted, leaving people without clean drinking water. The Reverse Osmosis Water Treatment system is self-sustainable and built to purify and desalinate groundwater. The project included building three water treatment stations strategically distributed across central al-Qayrawan to reach all households. Each station has a well, reverse osmosis plant, dispensing tanks and spigots to produce over 20,000 litres of water every hour. The project was implemented through USAID and UNDP’s Funding Facility for Stabilization programme. Since 2015, USAID has contributed over US $400 million to the Facility, including over $10 million in Sinjar, making it the Facility's leading partner. To date, USAID has supported around 900 rehabilitation projects through the Facility, including ensuring services such as water, education, electricity and health are restored. "The reopening of this water treatment system is an important milestone in the journey to rebuild Sinjar and recover from years of instability. Finding local and sustainable solutions such as this system is key to creating a safe and dignified environment for families choosing to return to Sinjar," says UNDP Resident Representative in Iraq, Zena Ali Ahmad. "We would not be here today without the support of one of our founding partners, USAID. Together with USAID, we have made tremendous contributions to stabilization in Iraq. I would also like to recognize the strong partnership UNDP has with the federal government and local authorities, which enables us to implement such projects and ensure their sustainability," she adds. UNDP is the leading implementer of stabilization activities in Iraq. To date, UNDP has completed over 3,300 stabilization projects across the liberated areas of Anbar, Diyala, Kirkuk, Ninewa, and Salah al-Din. The programme has assisted 4.95 million internally displaced people to return home.