People receive hygiene kits at Khanke IDP site in Duhok. The kits contain shampoo, soap, detergent, nappies and pads for women. (Photo: George Henton/Concern Worldwide)

Iraq

Why are we in Iraq? Years of conflict uprooted millions of people, eroded social cohesion, disrupted access to basic services, destroyed livelihoods, and led to increased protection risks. While the worst of the violence has receded, there is still much progress to be made towards recovery and development. In the meantime, millions of people across Iraq remain in need of humanitarian assistance.

Post-conflict doesn’t immediately equal post-crisis

Over 1.14 million people continued to be displaced in Iraq after years of conflict and hostilities, unable to return to their homes due to trauma and fear of persecution, damaged shelters, and a lack of opportunity to earn an income. Over 166,000 internally displaced people are living in camps and an additional 100,000 are living in informal settlements with critical shelter conditions. These IDP communities face challenges to accessing essential protection and water, sanitation, and hygiene (WASH) services.

Our programmes in Iraq seek to meet these basic needs of displaced people in camps and informal settlements, prioritising those most vulnerable such as children and women.

Latest achievements

Water, sanitation, and hygiene (WASH)

In 2023, our programme continued to improve both access to and quality of WASH services, reaching over 220,000 vulnerable people in northern Iraq.

Child protection

Working with national authorities

Hussein* (42) is a driver. There are eight in his family. "We live in terrible conditions in this site. We need fuel." (Photo: Kareem Botane/Concern Worldwide)

People receive hygiene kits at Khanke IDP site in Duhok. The kits contain shampoo, soap, detergent, nappies and pads for women. Photo: George Henton/Concern Worldwide

Aziza (36) is from Sinjar Sinuneh. (Photo: George Henton/Concern Worldwi

Aziza (36) is from Sinjar Sinuneh. "This is the only NGO that distributes the hygiene kit. We have been in the camps for 4 years, life is very hard in the camps, things get dirty quickly, the project inside the camp is making it even worse, so hygiene kits are crucial for us." (Photo: George Henton/Concern Worldwide)

A Concern distribution at Bardarash site, Iraq. (Photo: Concern Worldwide)

People receive hygiene kits at Khanke IDP site in Duhok in Iraq. Photo: George Henton / Concern Worldwide.

Markaz (40) from Sinjar Til Qasab. Photo: George Henton/Concern Worldwide

How we're helping Iraq

We are working hard to combat suffering and to build resilience in Iraq. We are doing this by establishing programmes which will offer protection services for children and tackle gender inequality.