United Nations Assistance Mission
For Iraq
The United Nations
At Work For Iraq
Published by the UNAMI Public Information Office
1
Table of Contents
Foreword
Fast Facts about the United Nations in Iraq
Report: Who Does What Where
Inter-Agency Information and Analysis
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4
8
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UN Assistance Mission for Iraq at a glance
About UNAMI
Political and Constitutional Affairs
Electoral Assistance
Human Rights
Development and Humanitarian Support
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11
13
14
16
Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO)
International Labour Organization (ILO)
United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees (UNHCR)
UN Children’s Fund (UNICEF)
UN Development Programme (UNDP)
UN Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization (UNESCO)
UN Entity for Gender Equality and the Empowerment of Women (UN Women)
UN Environment Programme (UNEP)
UN Human Settlements Programme (UN-HABITAT)
UN Industrial Development Organization (UNIDO)
UN Office for Project Services (UNOPS)
UN Population Fund (UNFPA)
World Food Programme (WFP)
World Health Organization (WHO)
International Organization for Migration (IOM)
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20
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26
30
32
34
36
38
40
41
44
46
48
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Stories
Helping restore and develop Iraq’s fisheries
Refugee returns home to give back to country
Samara: Reconciliation through restoration
Kurdistan Government bans domestic violence
Iraq’s Marshlands: a biodiversity jewel
Shielding the vulnerable
Responding to emergency situations within Iraq
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24
33
35
37
49
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Interviews
Interview with Deputy SGRSG Christine McNab
Interview with Tarik Kurdi, UNHCR’s Deputy Representative for Iraq
Interview with Sikander Khan, former UNICEF Representative for Iraq
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Front cover photo: With funding through World Bank Iraq Trust Fund, UNOPS constructs a blood bank in Erbil for the Ministry of
Health. Photo: UNOPS
For Iraq magazine is published by the Public Information Office of the United Nations
Assistance Mission for Iraq. Contents do not necessarily reflect the official position of the
United Nations or that of UNAMI. Contents may be freely reproduced, with due credit to
For Iraq magazine.
Editor-in-Chief:
Radhia Achouri
Managing Editor: Aicha Elbasri
Editor:Chris Cycmanick
Design: Ibrahim Al-Bustanji
For comments and suggestions, contact [email protected]
Ad Melkert, Special Representative of the Secretary General for Iraq, visits displaced families on 21 May 2011, southwest of Baghdad.
Photo: Bikem Ekberzade/UNAMI PIO
Foreword
Inside this Issue
UN Team in Iraq at a glance
“So
you are working in Iraq? And, is there any hope?,” that’s a question I have been asked many times with a raised
eyebrow. And I sensed the gap between the reality of the people of Iraq and the images abroad. This gap is paradoxically getting wider. Iraqis are rebuilding their country with ever more results and yet the pictures of violence
still dominate global headlines. Therefore, my answer to such questions has been that at some point, in the near future, this
trend will change. People will start to find out how many houses, schools and clinics have been built or rebuilt, how investments
are going up, jobs are rising, roads improving, T-walls taken away, oil revenues increasing. And eventually the electricity supply
will catch up with demand and water management will become the priority it needs to be. Above all, in the coming period with
so many changes going on in the region, more eyes will turn to Iraq to see how the transition was managed from deep destruction to modern state governance, notwithstanding the heinous attacks on this progress.
“Did the sun of Baghdad hit your common sense? Aren’t you a bit carried away in your optimism?,” is the next question. Time
will tell, I would reply. For I have seen the skills and determination by many Iraqis that are necessary to make progress work. And
I know there is a strong international engagement to help Iraq avoid the isolation and confrontation that dominated during
three decades. There are of course strong economic interests, which is normal in a globalized interdependent world. The crux of
the matter is to learn from the past the recognition of the constitutional principles, the democratic institutions, the rule of law,
education, health, housing and employment as the DNA of stability and success everywhere in the world. This is no exception
to Iraq and Iraq will be no exception to these principles. This is my hope and expectation.
In all of these areas the United Nations is here to support the Iraqi people. We are doing so at the request of the Government
and on the basis of the universal human rights and humanitarian principles that guide the United Nations all over the world.
I am happy to present in this publication to all those who are interested in learning about the work of the United Nations in
Iraq, an introduction to the various contributions by the United Nations Assistance Mission for Iraq and the agencies, funds and
programmes that are part of the United Nations Country Team.
I am proud to have had the privilege of being the guest of the Iraqi people for the past two years. Learning from a great history
and cultures and helping the country build a better future on universal values, has guided me and my colleagues every day. I
trust that in a few years the question to any United Nations staff working here would be: “How did Iraq manage to turn itself
around? When can I join you?” ■
Mr. Ad Melkert, Special Representative of the UN Secretary-General for Iraq from July 2009 to August 2011
Fast Facts about the United Nations in Iraq
W
here does the United Nations
work in Iraq?
The United Nations (UN) works in all the
18 governorates of Iraq and operates at
the community, governorate and national levels. National and international
staff are deployed throughout the country and work in partnership with their
local, provincial and national counterparts.
W
hich UN organizations work in
Iraq?
The United Nations Assistance Mission
for Iraq (UNAMI) works together with the
United Nations Country Team (UNCT)
to provide support to the Government
of Iraq and partners in their efforts to
achieve a better future for Iraqis. The
UNCT has 20 members, including 16 resident and 4 non-resident agencies. Members of the Team are: Food and Agriculture
Organization (FAO), International Labour
Organization (ILO), Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs (OCHA),
Office of the High Commissioner for Human Rights (OHCHR), UN Children’s Fund
(UNICEF), UN Conference on Trade and
Development (UNCTAD), UN Entity for
Gender Equality and the Empowerment
of Women (UN WOMEN), UN Development Programme (UNDP), UN Economic
and Social Commission for Western Asia
(ESCWA), UN Educational, Scientific and
Cultural Organization (UNESCO), UN Environment Programme (UNEP), UN High
Commissioner for Refugees (UNHCR),
UN Human Settlements Programme (UNHABITAT), UN Industrial Development Organization (UNIDO), UN Population Fund
(UNFPA), UN Office of Drugs and Crime
(UNODC), UN Office for Project Services
(UNOPS), World Food Programme (WFP)
and World Health Organization (WHO).
In addition to UN entities, the UNCT includes the International Organization for
Migration (IOM) and the World Bank.
W
hat is the difference between
UNAMI and the rest of the UN
entities operating in Iraq?
4
UNAMI is a political mission established
by the 2003 UN Security Council Resolution 1500, at the request of the Government of Iraq. The presence of UN
agencies, funds and programmes in
Iraq is established on the basis of bilateral agreements with the Government
of Iraq. UNAMI has been on the ground
since 2003, with its role expanded in
2007 with the passage of Resolution
1770.
Headed by a Special Representative of
the UN Secretary-General (SRSG) for
Iraq, UNAMI is mandated to advise and
assist the Government, at the latter’s
request, on a number of issues. This
includes advancing inclusive political
dialogue and national reconciliation, assisting in the electoral process and in the
planning for a national census, facilitating regional dialogue between Iraq and
its neighbours, and promoting the protection of human rights and judicial and
legal reform.
The mandate also tasked UNAMI with
working with government partners and
civil society to coordinate the humanitarian and development efforts of the
UN agencies, funds and programmes,
under the leadership of the Deputy
SRSG for development and humanitarian support who is also the Resident and
Humanitarian Coordinator in Iraq. While
UNAMI itself does not implement or
deliver humanitarian and development
programmes, it recognizes the critical
importance of supporting the partnership and technical cooperation between
the Government of Iraq and the 20 UN
agencies, funds and programmes operating in the country.
H
ow long has the UN been present
in Iraq and why?
A number of UN organizations have
been operating in Iraq since 1955. Others established their offices in the early
1990s and again after 2003. The UN continues to be present in Iraq to respond to
the needs of the Iraqi people, and sup-
port their efforts to achieve a peaceful
and prosperous future.
H
ow does the UN implement its
projects in Iraq?
In 2010, the UNCT and the Government
agreed on the first United Nations Development Assistance Framework Iraq,
covering the period 2011 – 2014. The
Framework commits the United Nations
to a programme of work in partnership
with the Government, civil society organizations, academia, the private sector
and the international donor community.
The Framework has five priority areas:
governance and human rights, inclusive
economic growth (including private sector development), delivery of essential
services, environment, and developing
the capacity of Iraqi women, children
and youth.
D
oes the UN have any alignment
with particular groups or factions?
The UN is an impartial body working in
Iraq at the request of, and in partnership
with, the Government of Iraq. The UN
does not favour any political, sectarian
or ethnic groups or factions. It upholds
the highest standards in fostering equal
opportunity among all Iraqi people, respect for human rights and enhanced
empowerment to achieve a successful,
dignified and sustainable future for the
Iraqi nation.
H
ow can I contact the UN in Iraq or
find further information?
To find links to UNAMI and UN organizations’ news and publications, visit the
Mission’s website:
http://www.uniraq.org
For further information on the UN’s work
in Iraq, visit: http://iq.one.un.org ■
5
Interview with Deputy SRSG Christine McNab
Ms.
Christine McNab, from Sweden, is the Deputy Special Representative
of the Secretary-General (DSRSG) for Iraq, overseeing the UN humanitarian and development efforts, as well as the UN Resident Coordinator and Humanitarian Coordinator for Iraq. Ms. McNab has been serving in this
capacity since October 2009. Prior to this, she was the Resident Representative for
the United Nations Development Programme (UNDP) and UN Resident Coordinator
in Bosnia and Herzegovina. She held a similar position from 2002 to 2006 in Jordan.
Before joining UNDP in 2001, Ms. McNab was the head of the Swedish development
programmes in Tanzania and Zambia, respectively, and had earlier served as a Senior Advisor on education and training for the Swedish International Development
Cooperation Agency.
Christine McNab, DSRSG for Iraq/Resident
Coordinator/Humanitarian Coordinator for
Iraq. Photo: Waseem Wastin/UNAMI PIO
UNAMI PIO: As a middle-income and
oil-rich country, Iraq is not high on
the world’s agenda in relation to development assistance. So, what kind
of support does the country require
from the United Nations?
Ms. Christine McNab: The United Nations family in Iraq is supporting the
Government and the people of Iraq to
achieve their development priorities
and goals. Although a middle-income
and oil-rich country, Iraq still grapples
with some of the basic development
challenges such as poverty, poor access
to water and sanitation, health and education services, poor electricity supply
and high unemployment. Almost seven
million Iraqis are living in poverty, which
is close to one quarter of the total population. In rural areas only 57 per cent of
households have access to clean water,
and only 77 per cent of children are enrolled in primary schools. The United
Nations’ support focuses on providing
our national partners with the necessary
expertise, knowledge, and experience
to enable them to address these development challenges and make further
strides toward a better future for all.
UNAMI PIO: How relevant are the Millennium Development Goals for Iraq
at this point in time and will the country achieve these goals by 2015?
Ms. Christine McNab: All Member
States of the United Nations are working together to achieve the Millennium
6
In an interview with the Public Information Office of the UN Assistance Mission for
Iraq (UNAMI PIO), Ms. McNab gives a brief overview of developmental issues facing
Iraq and how the United Nations is helping the country make further strides toward
a better future for all Iraqis.
Development Goals (MDGs) by 2015.
In Iraq, the MDGs define some of the
key benchmarks that are necessary for
achieving a better future for the country
and its people. Although Iraq has suffered the consequences of prolonged
conflict and economic strife in the past
several decades, the country has started to make progress toward achieving
some of the MDGs, including reducing hunger, promoting gender equality, and reducing child mortality. For
example, the proportion of population
consuming less than the minimum recommended food intake has decreased
from 30 per cent in 1998 to seven per
cent in 2007. The proportion of children
dying before reaching the age of five has
fallen from 62 in 1990 to 41 in 2006 per
1,000 live births. However, more work remains to be done in terms of increasing
the participation in primary education,
reducing unemployment, and ensuring
access to safe and reliable water and
sanitation.
UNAMI PIO: In May 2011, the United
Nations signed the UN Assistance
Framework Iraq (UNDAF) for the period 2011-2014. How important is this
development tool for Iraq and will the
results articulated in the Framework
be achieved by 2014?
Ms. Christine McNab: This is the first
UNDAF for Iraq. It is a sign of a strong
partnership between the Government
of Iraq and the United Nations, as well as
a symbol of our commitment to helping
achieve a better future for Iraq and its
people. The first UNDAF for Iraq is also
significant in that it marks Iraq’s transition from post-conflict recovery toward
longer-term development, whereby
the assistance from the United Nations
focuses on economic growth, environment, governance and protection of
human rights, basic social services, and
investing in women, youth and children.
The United Nations is committed to fully
achieving the results articulated in UNDAF by 2014, and we are confident that
together with our partners in Iraq we
will be successful.
you please tell us how the UN works
with Iraqi civil society?
Ms. Christine McNab: The United Nations in Iraq works with a wide range of
partners in the Government, civil society and the private sector. A number of
civil society organizations serve as our
partners on the ground where they are
directly involved in carrying out activities on behalf of the United Nations. The
United Nations also supports individual
civil society organizations through our
Emergency Response Fund and our
Quick Impact Projects fund.
UNAMI PIO: The issues of corruption
and transparency continue to be
highlighted in media reports. How
well do you feel the Government is
addressing those areas and what is
the UN role in making sure the country is fighting corruption?
Ms. Christine McNab: Corruption and
transparency are key issues in good governance, and good governance in turn
is crucial for Iraq’s transition to a democratic and peaceful society. In its efforts
to address the issues of corruption and
transparency, Iraq has acceded and ratified several international conventions
and human rights treaties. However,
these have not been translated into
domestic laws. The fact that the Iraqi
citizens have historically been unable
to participate adequately in decisionmaking and are not familiar with their
rights and duties also compounds the
challenges of addressing corruption in
Iraq. In this, the role of United Nations is
to provide support to the Government
and the people of Iraq to create more
efficient, accountable and participatory
institutions at all levels, improve the rule
of law and access to justice, promote human rights, and empower the people
of Iraq to be aware of their rights and
duties as citizens of a democratic and
peaceful society.
UNAMI PIO: What difference has the
UN made so far in the lives of Iraqis?
Ms. Christine McNab: I would like to
think that the United Nations, aside
from its normal programmatic work, has
succeeded in empowering Iraq’s most
vulnerable groups to play a greater role
in the decision-making processes that
have a direct impact on their lives. We
have also made significant efforts to create linkages between the people of Iraq
and their representatives to support
more responsive governing institutions
and have connected Iraq with global experiences and best practices.
UNAMI PIO: What can and can’t the
UN do for Iraqis?
Ms. Christine McNab: The United Nations can support Iraq and its people on
their way to a better, more prosperous
future. The United Nations cannot make
decisions on behalf of the Government
and the people of Iraq and cannot lead
them in their efforts to respond to development challenges. The United Nations
is here as a partner, offering our experiences and global best practices, and we
look to the Government and the Iraqi
people to provide leadership on Iraq’s
way forward. ■
UNAMI PIO: Who are the Iraqis that
the UN is serving and how is the United Nations trying to respond to their
needs?
Ms. Christine McNab: The United Nations works for the benefit of all the
people in Iraq. In addition, many of our
programmes focus on the most vulnerable populations, such as young girls
and women, children, and refugees and
those internally displaced. The UN works
with our partners in the Government of
Iraq, civil society and the private sector
to enable them to respond to the needs
of the Iraqi people. We also work with
the local communities to enable them to
participate in the decision-making processes and have a say in those decisions
that ultimately impact their lives.
UNAMI PIO: Who are the partners of
the United Nations in Iraq and can
UN group photo in a visit to Erbil citadel during the December 2010 UN Country Team retreat. Photo: UNAMI
7
Who Does What Where Report
T
he Inter-Agency Information and
Analysis Unit, in cooperation with
the UN Country Team (UNCT), released on 13 June 2011 the Who Does
What Where (3W) Report. Illustrated
with maps and graphs, the report covers all current UN agency activities in
Iraq, providing an analysis of the UN’s
224 ongoing projects and funding, as
well as the sectors and governorates in
which they work.
The report provides an overview of
funding according to each sector. Most
recent 3W data shows that the majority of UNCT projects target governance
support, economic reform and diversification and protection, while more humanitarian projects, such as food assistance, shelter or water and sanitation,
are comparatively limited.
The report provides detailed maps on
UNCT activities per governorate in relation to what has been achieved within
the framework of the Millennium Development Goals, highlighting gaps
and unaddressed needs. It shows areas
where Iraq’s most vulnerable governorates remain largely underserved, while
better performing governorates benefit more from UNCT projects. The Unit
has also produced maps of projects
specific to each UN agency. These can
be downloaded from the Map Catalogue on its website:
www.iauiraq.org/maps.asp
Since the implementation of the 3W
database in February 2008, information has been provided on over 1200
projects in Iraq. Information on which
organizations are carrying out what
activities in which locations helps coordinate efforts to respond to the needs
of Iraq’s most vulnerable by identifying
gaps and avoiding duplication of activities.
The Inter-Agency Information and
Analysis Unit is an integral part of the
Office of the Resident and Humanitarian Coordinator for Iraq. The Unit was
established in 2008 to provide support
to the UN Assistance Mission for Iraq
and UN agencies in evidence-based
programming and advocacy, in line
with the needs and priorities of the
Government and the people of Iraq.
The 3W database can be accessed at
http://3w.iauiraq.org ■
Inter-Agency Information and Analysis
T
he Inter-Agency Information and
Analysis Unit (IAU) is an integral
part of the Office of the Resident
and Humanitarian Coordinator for Iraq.
The Unit was established in 2008 to provide support to the UN Assistance Mission for Iraq (UNAMI) and UN agencies
in evidence-based programming and
advocacy, in line with the needs and
priorities of the Government and the
people of Iraq.
The IAU aims to produce cutting-edge
analysis together with the UN agencies
and the Government of Iraq. Key analyses have focused on deprivation in the
Disputed Internal Boundaries, the Government budget, the economy and the
impact of conflict on daily life. Published
analyses are available on the IAU website: www.iauiraq.org
A growing focus area for the IAU is the
transfer of its capacities and knowledge
to the Government of Iraq to foster ownership and sustainability. The latest example is the Iraq Knowledge Network
Survey, jointly implemented by the Government, UN agencies, non-governmental organizations and the IAU, which will
provide the first comprehensive data
on Iraq since 2007. The Unit is currently
training the Government of Iraq’s statistical bodies on how to manage the Iraq
8
Information Portal (www.iauiraq.org/gp),
which is now available on the Central Statistics Office of Iraq website.
On a day-to-day basis, the Unit provides
maps and technical solutions to the UN
Country Team and UNAMI to improve
information management in Iraq. The
IAU has launched a web-based portal to
support the UN Development Assistance
Framework’s Priority Working Groups,
which will allow a large number of staff
to easily exchange and manage relevant
information and documents.
Within the UN system, the IAU model has
inspired discussion on its possible replication. During a 2010 UN conference on
“UN Effectiveness on Knowledge Sharing” in Turin, Italy, there was a consensus
that the Unit is a model for good practice for One UN and integration with potential for replication. In the words of the
lead facilitator of the conference: “There
is a hunger for knowledge on the practical application of the IAU elsewhere. It is
a great model for One UN and Integration.”
The Unit’s Steering Committee is chaired
by Ms. Christine McNab, the Deputy
Special Representative of the SecretaryGeneral for Iraq who oversees the UN
humanitarian and development efforts
and serves as the Resident and Humanitarian Coordinator in the country, with
participation from heads of UN agencies. Through a team of analysis “champions” from UN agencies, the Unit’s work
is validated and agencies’ inputs are ensured.
The IAU is funded by UNAMI, the Office
for the Coordination of Humanitarian
Affairs and annual contributions from
UN agencies. The Government also contributes to joint projects. In addition to
responding to information and analysis’
requests, the Unit produces light products for larger dissemination, such as
maps, presentations and policy briefs,
both in English and Arabic.
Throughout the rest of 2011 and 2012,
the IAU aims to further strengthen its
partnership with UN agencies and the
Government of Iraq to support the UN
Development Assistance Framework’s
Priority Working Groups and respond to
emerging needs. ■
Contacts
Tel (Jordan): +962 (0) 6 5534971
Tel (Jordan): +962 (0) 79 731 5779
Fax: +962 (0) 6 5534972
[email protected]
www.iauiraq.org
Students from Halshoo village during a UNICEF mine risk education programme in the Kurdistan region of Iraq. Photo: Bikem Ekberzade/UNAMI PIO9
T
he United Nations Assistance Mission for Iraq (UNAMI) is a political
mission established by the 2003
UN Security Council Resolution 1500 at
the request of the Government of Iraq.
It has been on the ground ever since,
with its role greatly expanded in 2007
with the passage of Resolution 1770.
UNAMI is mandated to advise and assist the Government and people of Iraq
on a number of fronts. This includes
advancing inclusive, political dialogue
and national reconciliation, assisting in
the electoral process and in the planning for a national census, facilitating
regional dialogue between Iraq and its
neighbours, and promoting the protection of human rights and judicial and
legal reform.
The mandate also tasks UNAMI with
working with government partners and
civil society to coordinate the humanitarian and development efforts of the
UN agencies, funds and programmes,
under the leadership of the Deputy
Special Representative of the SecretaryGeneral for development and humani-
Political and Constitutional Affairs
tarian support who is also the Resident
and Humanitarian Coordinator in Iraq.
While UNAMI itself does not implement
or deliver humanitarian and development programmes, it recognizes the
critical importance of supporting the
partnership and technical cooperation
between the Government of Iraq and
the 20 UN agencies, funds and programmes operating in the country.
Since its inception, UNAMI has played
a crucial role in providing significant
support in the drafting of Iraq’s 2005
Constitution, assisting in six elections,
coordinating UN humanitarian efforts
and the financial assistance of the donor community and providing advisory
support to the Council of Representatives. UNAMI continues to assist in political dialogue towards a resolution of
issues related to Kirkuk and other disputed internal territories of Iraq.
After having successfully helped establish, train and advise Iraq’s first High
Electoral Commission, the Mission is
currently assisting the Government establish an Independent High Commis-
sion for Human Rights to promote and
protect the rights of all Iraq’s people according to international standards.
UNAMI is headed by the Special Representative of the UN Secretary-General
for Iraq who is supported by two deputies. One deputy oversees the political
and human rights affairs, while the other oversees the UN humanitarian and
development efforts and performs the
functions of Resident and Humanitarian Coordinator in Iraq.
UNAMI AT A GLANCE
UNAMI AT A GLANCE
ABOUT UNAMI
The Mission is administered by the UN’s
Department of Political Affairs and supported by the Department of Peacekeeping Operations, as well as the Department of Field Support.
UNAMI is headquartered in Baghdad
with offices inside Iraq (Basra, Erbil and
Kirkuk) and outside the country, in Kuwait, Amman and Teheran. It has an
authorized strength of 1,014 personnel
(463 international and 551 local staff ). ■
SRSG Ad Melkert (L) and Prime Minister Nouri Al-Maliki (R) participate in a UN event held in July 2011, in Baghdad.
Photo: Sarmad Al-Safy/UNAMI PIO
U
NAMI’s political role in Iraq began
in 2004 with the adoption of UN
Security Council Resolution 1546.
The UN Security Council accorded to
UNAMI an expanded mandate under
resolution 1770, adopted on 10 August
2007. This resolution provides for UNAMI to assist, advise and support the
Iraqi Government and institutions in
advancing inclusive political dialogue
and national reconciliation, supporting efforts to resolve disputed internal
boundaries, assisting the constitutional
review process and facilitating regional
dialogue and cooperation between Iraq
and its neighbours. Since then, this mandate has been expanded and extended
every year.
UNAMI’s Office of Political and Constitutional Affairs (OPCA) carries out its responsibilities in close coordination with
the Government of Iraq, leaders from
all segments of the Iraqi society, the
UN Country Team and the international
community at large.
10 get ready to move in an early morning convoy mission on 6 April 2011. Photo: Bikem Ekberzade/UNAMI PIO.
UNAMI staff
With 19 international and 15 national
staff based in Baghdad, Erbil, and Kirkuk,
including nine governorate liaison officers, OPCA offers, upon request, political
and technical advice to Iraqi officials at
all levels. The liaison officers, Iraqi staff,
are based in nine governorates where
they liaise with local government officials.
OPCA staff conduct visits to the Council of Representatives, hold bilateral or
multilateral discussions with government officials and political leaders, draft
advisory documents, and support the
Mission leadership in advancing political dialogue on the mandated areas.
Disputed internal boundaries
In accordance with Resolution 1770 of
2007, UNAMI has made the issue of internal disputed boundaries a top priority. UNAMI’s activities in this regard
include support to confidence-building
measures adopted by the previous High-
Level Task Force, including on property
restitution, detainees, language and
cultural rights. Under this process, the
Mission is also engaged in a dialogue
on reconciliation in the Ninewa Province
and has facilitated meetings aimed at
ending the boycott of the Ninewa Fraternal List. Through these talks, officials
of Ninewa and the Kurdistan Regional
Government have committed to addressing the status of detainees and to
establishing a committee on ethnic and
religious communities.
UNAMI facilitated several meetings of
the Committee on Ethnic and Religious
Communities, bringing together representatives of the Christian, Shabak,
Turkoman and Yezidi communities, as
well as officials from the Ninewa administration, the Kurdistan Regional
Government and the Government of
Iraq. Discussions have focused on security needs of the various communities
and measures aimed at promoting and
protecting their legal, political, cultural,
11
In an effort to reinvigorate the process
of a more inclusive dialogue on disputed internal boundaries, a Standing
Consultation Mechanism, made up of
representatives of main political blocs,
was established following a meeting
held under the auspices of UNAMI on
27 March 2011. The Mechanism agreed
to work with the Mission to address outstanding issues, namely Kirkuk, Ninewa,
the Combined Security Mechanism and
the national census. Separate meetings
are being held to discuss issues related
to Kirkuk, especially on provincial elections and on power-sharing issues, and
on the future of the Combined Security
Mechanism.
In Kirkuk, a political team of six national
and two international staff work closely
with all local stakeholders, assisting
them to narrow down differences in
order to reach a political accord on the
implementation of power-sharing and
provincial elections. The team also provides technical assistance to the Kirkuk
Property Committee in implementing
recommendations drawn from a UNAMI
report related to the resolution of property and land disputes arising during the
post and pre-2003 period. This report
was adopted by the Provincial Council.
Constitutional and legislative
affairs
UNAMI’s mandate with respect to constitutional and legislative affairs encompasses the support to Iraqi constitutional review, the development of
mandated legislation and the strengthening of democratic institutions. The
constitutional support team comprises
seven specialized Iraqi and international
lawyers. Based in Baghdad, the team
also conducts regular activities in Erbil
and Kirkuk, in northern Iraq, and periodically in Basra, in the southern part of the
country. The team is fully integrated into
OPCA, as much of the legal work takes
place in the context of political negotiations.
The constitutional support team has
been working with the Council of Representatives on critical issues such as the
formation of the upper house of parliament (Federation Council), the clarification of minority rights, oil and gas legislation, as well as political and institutional
aspects of water management. The team
spends a considerable amount of time
in the Council premises, discussing work
plans and legislative or constitutional
proposals with leading committee members. It also organizes multilateral roundtable discussions for the Council and the
executive branch, where concepts related to pending legislation are debated
and refined among members of the political blocs, with the support of Iraqi and
international experts.
Electoral Assistance
Regional affairs
he UNAMI Office of Electoral Assistance, established in 2004, coordinates all electoral support
delivered by UNAMI, UNDP, UNOPS and
UNESCO. This structure, known as the
International Assistance Team, serves to
integrate UNAMI and UN agencies electoral support in Iraq.
commissioners to the IHEC in 2004 and
2007 and heads of the IHEC Governorate
Electoral Office.
The Office provides strategic and technical advice to those Iraqi institutions involved in electoral events, primarily the
Independent High Electoral Commission
(IHEC), the Council of Representatives,
the Government, the media and civil society with an aim of ensuring sustainable
and credible electoral processes.
As a result of the extremely busy electoral calendar in the last years, IHEC staff
have developed a high level of technical
expertise. Such national expertise is supplemented with the comparative experience of the members of the international
team. During the non-electoral periods,
the team focuses on building the capacity of the IHEC to ensure sustainable and
professional elections in the future. The
ongoing capacity and institution building project allocates US $24 million to
the strengthening of the professional
cadre of this crucial institution.
UNAMI’s mandate also provides for
the provision of support to efforts of
the Government of Iraq in promoting
regional cooperation and dialogue.
OPCA’s regional team is comprised of
two international and one national political affairs officer based in Baghdad.
Through its liaison office in Tehran,
OPCA is supporting joint Iraq-Iran UN
programmatic activities. Members of
the Baghdad-based regional team meet
regularly with representatives from the
Iraqi Ministry of Foreign Affairs, Iraqi National Security Council and Members of
the Parliament. Together with the Mission leaders, the staff travel regularly
to neighbouring countries and provide
support to visiting delegations from UN
Headquarters and nearby countries.
The regional team’s assistance covers
matters related to the normalization
of Iraq’s international pending issues
through the implementation of the
country’s obligations in accordance with
relevant UN Security Council resolutions, including those related to Kuwait.
This includes issues related to border
maintenance, war compensation, missing persons and property. ■
UNAMI AT A GLANCE
UNAMI AT A GLANCE
administrative and other human rights.
The Ninewa initiative contributed to an
improved information exchange and to
the release of several prisoners. UNAMI
is working with the parties towards a final outcome of the dialogue in Ninewa.
T
Since 2004, UNAMI and the UN team
have been supporting numerous electoral events in very short periods of time,
including voter registration updates
in 2004, 2005, 2008 and 2009; national
and provincial council elections in 2005
and 2009; the constitutional referendum
in 2005; and, regional elections in the
Kurdistan region in 2008. At the request
of the Government, the UN team has
also assisted in the selection of electoral
The electoral team works side by side
with its Iraqi counterparts and spends
most of their time in IHEC’s offices in
Baghdad and in Erbil.
Currently, the electoral team provides
advice and support in the areas of operations; field coordination; data centre
management; information technology;
logistics; procurement; training; legal
and complaints; graphic design; external relations; and, public outreach. This
is done through a team of 26 national
staff and international advisers who
have worked on electoral processes and
institutions in many countries around
the world and bring to Iraq a wealth of
experience.
More events are already on the horizon.
This includes the upcoming governorate
council elections in the three provinces
of the Kurdistan region, the establishment of a new board of commissioners
in 2012, updating the voters’ list, and
governorate council elections in 2013.
IHEC has determined that in order to
conduct an electoral event a minimum
of 160 days are required after the budget
and legal framework are in place.
In addition to ensuring the professional
sustainability of the IHEC, the team will
be looking at improving the understanding of the electoral processes amongst
other actors, such as the legislative and
executive branches, political entities, the
media and civil society. ■
The United Nations as seen by Iraqis
I think if the UN pays more attention to youth and can help them by assisting
in improving education in Iraq and pushing for creating more job opportunities,
it will have more impact on the daily life of the Iraqi people and its influence will
not be limited to the political life.” Student at year 6 of secondary school, 17 year old
female. Translated from Arabic
12
UNAMI staff serve as poll watchers and monitors during the 2009 parliamentary and presidential elections in Iraq’s Kurdistan region.
Photo: Rick Bajornas/UNAMI PIO
13
UNAMI AT A GLANCE
Human Rights
B
y signing several international
agreements, the Government of
Iraq commits to respect, provide,
and protect the human rights of all its
people. UNAMI’s Human Rights Office
works with the Government, as well as
members of Iraqi civil society, to support the promotion, respect and protection of human rights in Iraq in an
impartial manner. The Office, which
also represents the United Nations High
Commissioner for Human Rights in
Iraq, works closely with other UN funds,
agencies and programmes to ensure
that the basic rights of all Iraqis are fundamental to their activities.
In collaboration with the Government
and civil society, the Human Rights Office focuses on key areas, including the
rule of law, the protection of civilians
from the effects of armed conflict and
violence and the protection of those
who are detained or being tried before
the courts. The Office also promotes the
rights and protection of women, children, minorities and people with special needs. Important also is the protection of freedom of expression, as well as
economic, social and cultural rights.
The Office also advises and assists the
Government of Iraq and members of
civil society on international human
rights mechanisms. These include the
Special Procedures of the United Nations Human Rights Council, as well as
the review of Iraq’s compliance with
its international human rights obligations. Every four years this review is
conducted by the Council in a new process known as the Universal Periodic
Review.
The Office staff work in Baghdad, Basra,
Erbil and Kirkuk, with a limited presence in Mosul. Through civil society
partners, academia, non-governmental
organizations, UN agencies, funds and
programmes, members of the international community present in Iraq, and
ordinary citizens, the team monitors
14
UNAMI Human Rights Office conducts human rights training for members of security forces in Suleymania, in Iraq’s Kurdistan region, on 20 July 2011. Photo: Bikem Ekberzade/UNAMI PIO
the human rights situation throughout the country and investigates any
alleged violations no matter where
they are committed or by whom they
are perpetrated. When a violation is reported to the Office, its staff investigate
the incident and, depending on the
information obtained, they undertake
a variety of actions aimed at either preventing, stopping the violations or obtaining some remedy from the relevant
duty bearer on behalf of those affected.
This year for example, the Office organized in April a one-day training session
for 25 representatives of the Ministry of
Human Rights in Baghdad. The training
focused on monitoring and reporting
on the human rights violations that occurred during public demonstrations.
Also in Baghdad, a three-day workshop
was held for 35 members of civil society
organizations on human rights monitoring, reporting and advocacy with national authorities. In Kirkuk, the human
rights team organized in May a training
for 20 members of the Bar Association.
And, in Basra, the Office organized a
preventing abuses or supporting the
survivors of violence.
mission will operate independently according to international standards.
A key activity of the Mission’s Human
Rights Office in partnership with the
UN Development Programme, is assisting the Government in establishing an
Iraqi Independent High Commission for
Human Rights to promote and protect
the rights of all Iraq’s people according
to international standards. The Office is
actively assisting the Expert Selection
Committee - appointed by Parliament
- to develop and implement a transparent and open procedure for appointing
Commissioners and to assist the Government implement regulations for the
operation of the Commission, when appointed. This is to ensure that the Com-
Human Rights Officers regularly visit
prisons and places of detention, women’s refuges and orphanages throughout Iraq. This is done to assess the
physical conditions of those centres
and to make recommendations on how
to improve them or how to address any
violations of human rights within those
facilities.
To help strengthen the capacity of the
national law enforcement bodies with
regards to human rights, the UNAMI
team has trained the Iraqi Security
Forces on their legal duties to respect
the rights of those detained and trained
prosecutors on their duties and obligations in relation to the protection of the
rights of detainees and respect for fair
trial standards.
The Office has also been actively monitoring the right of Iraqi citizens to
peacefully exercise their freedom of
expression during demonstrations that
have been taking place throughout the
country. Monitoring the protection of
media professionals while reporting on
those demonstrations, has also been an
area of focus of the team. The ultimate
aim of UNAMI’s Human Rights Office is
to empower ordinary Iraqis so that they
can ensure the protection and respect
of their own rights. ■
The Millennium Development Goals (MDGs)
two-day workshop for 21 local officials
from the Ministry of Interior (police)
and the Ministry of Justice, focusing on
human rights in prison and detention
facilities.
1
Eradicate Extreme Poverty and Hunger
5
Improve Maternal Health
To empower the civil society partners,
the Office conducted workshops for
some 200 media workers, journalists,
human rights defenders and members
of the academia on how to protect the
right of freedom of expression in Iraq.
During May and June 2011, the human
rights teams in Basra, Erbil and Baghdad conducted training sessions under
the joint UNESCO/UNOPS project, “Protection of Media Professionals, Members of the Academic Community and
Human Rights Defenders in Iraq.”
2
Achieve Universal Primary Education
6
Combat HIV/AIDS, Malaria and other Diseases
3
Promote Gender Equality and Empower
Women
7
Ensure Environmental Sustainability
4
Reduce Child Mortality
8
Develop a Global Partnership for Development
UNAMI human rights staff are working
with women’s and children’s organizations and government representatives
on ways to protect vulnerable groups
from the effects of domestic or other
violence including suggestions on law
reform and ways to improve medical
and psycho social support aimed at
In a report entitled “The Millennium Development Goals in Iraq” released on 5 August 2010, the Government of Iraq and the
United Nations presented the progress made in a number of areas towards achieving the eight Millennium Development
Goals (MDGs) in I raq by 2015. A link to this report along with other information materials related to the MDGs in Iraq are
available through the Information and Analysis Unit’s website: http://www.iauiraq.org/mdgs.asp
15
OCHA and UNAMI staff in Sangasar, Kurdistan region of Iraq, meeting with Iraqis displaced by shelling along the border with Iran. Photo: UNAMI
UNAMI AT A GLANCE
Development and Humanitarian Support
T
he Development and Humanitarian Affairs Section (DHS) of UNAMI
works with government partners
and civil society to raise the profile of development and humanitarian issues in
Iraq and to connect Iraqi partners, both
the Government and civil society organizations, with the technical expertise
available within the UN family in Iraq.
The DHS team coordinates initiatives
with the UN organizations working in
Iraq, various branches of the Government and non-governmental organizations. It also keeps the Mission Headquarters in Baghdad informed of the
humanitarian and development needs
across Iraq.
The Section has approximately 40 Iraqi
and 20 international staff working
throughout the country’s 18 governorates.
An Iraqi staff member working in central
Iraq explains that when protests started
in Iraq in early 2011, he was tasked by
the DHS team in Baghdad with closely
monitoring events in his region and
providing daily reports. Having national
staff on the ground in all governorates
enables senior decision-makers in the
UN to have real time knowledge of what
is happening all over Iraq and what
people’s concerns are. This is crucial for
UNAMI’s understanding of how the Mission can assist the Government and the
people of Iraq.
It is worth noting that the role of DHS is
16
not to carry out projects on behalf of the
Iraqis, but rather to provide support and
technical expertise at their request. For
instance, under the leadership of Ms.
Christine McNab, the Deputy Special
Representative of the Secretary General
for Iraq who oversees the UN humanitarian and development efforts, and
in partnership with the UN Integrated
Water Task Force that brings together
all the UN partners working on water,
the DHS team in Basra has been actively
supporting the UN’s work in the marshlands, advocating for the Government
and the relevant stakeholders to focus
attention on this region.
Iraq’s marshlands are not only a unique
ecosystem, but also a region of great
importance to Iraq’s economy, development and cultural heritage. At the beginning of June 2011, DHS supported
the organization of a national forum on
the marshlands, by serving as a bridge
between the University of Basra and the
local authorities, civil society, and the UN
country team. The conference brought
together more than 70 representatives
from local and central government, civil
society and oil companies and resulted
in the “Basra Declaration.” The document
elaborates on the principles for Iraq’s national vision for the marshlands and is
expected to serve as the basis for future
activities in this area.
close partnership with the Governor of
Dohuk to address the issue of drought in
the region. Relying on the technical expertise of the UN organizations working
for Iraq, DHS facilitated consultations
between UN Educational, Scientific and
Cultural Organization (UNESCO) and
the Governor of Dohuk, whereby this
UN agency will provide support to the
Governorate on the planning and the
implementation of a drought mitigation
strategy. Through DHS’ and UNESCO’s
support, the technical experts within
the governorate’s institutions, academia
and non-governmental organizations,
will be able to access international expertise in drought mitigation and water
resource management, agriculture and
agronomics, and groundwater and soil
management.
As one international staff sums it up:
“Our Iraqi staff are key to getting our
work done, they understand the country and we always work as a team. For
instance, whereas I bring technical
knowledge and experience from other
places in the world on how to organize a
response to a flood disaster. It would be
very difficult to actually provide the response on the ground if we didn’t have
our Iraqi staff. They know the area and
the government structures and understand the culture and how to approach
people.” ■
Another example of the Section’s activities is how the team in Erbil over the past
several months has been working in
A UNICEF tanker truck delivers potable water to underserved Sab Qsoor neighbourhood in Baghdad. Photo: Sabah Arar/UNICEF
17
In fact, more than half of the dietary energy consumed by households in Iraq
is provided at a highly subsidized price
through the Public Distribution System,
rising to 67 per cent among those households in the lowest income quintile. At
present, 3 per cent of the Iraqi population is food-insecure and an additional
22 per cent – some 6.4 million people –
would become food-insecure if they do
not receive their allocation through the
Public Distribution System. Some 69 per
cent of all Iraqis living in extreme poverty
and food insecurity include non-skilled
workers, agricultural workers and unemployed heads of households, particularly
women2 . ■
Contacts
Tel (Iraq): +964 7901 91 3880
Tel (Jordan): +962 (0) 6 556 2550
Fax: +962 (0) 6 556 2553
[email protected]
www.faoiraq.org
Helping restore and develop Iraq’s fisheries
By Mohammad Raafi, FAO - Iraq
Soaring food prices, coupled with years
of conflict and economic sanctions, have
had a devastating impact on the livelihoods of Iraq’s people. To help mitigate
the effects accompanying the outbreak
of the avian flu, along with the rising prices of poultry, FAO sought to introduce
an alternative source of protein to Iraqi
household diets by helping increase fish
production.
Construction of a water basin in Qushtapa, in Iraq’s Kurdistan region, to be used for drought mitigation. Photo: FAO
UN AGENCIES IN IRAQ
Food and Agriculture Organization
FAO-IRAQ AT A GLANCE
T
he Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO), the lead agency in Iraq
in the food security and agriculture
sectors, has been operating in the country since the early 1990s.The Organization
has been active in helping the Government of Iraq build modern and efficient
agriculture and food security sectors with
a primary focus on agriculture policy,
livestock and veterinary services, water
resources, agro-industries, food safety,
fisheries and seeds.
To date, FAO programmes in Iraq have
benefited more than 713,000 men, women and children. This has included the
rehabilitation of water pumping stations
to provide clean access to water; training
in cottage industries, post-harvest industries and improved fish farm and dairy
cattle reproduction technologies; and developing home-gardens through seeds,
fertilizer, and agro-chemical inputs.
FAO has also been strengthening the
capacity of Iraqi technical staff, particularly in the fields of horticulture, animal
husbandry, fisheries, poultry and beekeeping. The Organization played an important role in the aftermath of the 2003
crisis in Iraq through an emergency response that helped revive the agricultural
sector.
18
Despite the persistent level of insecurity,
FAO has also been supporting the development of income-generation activities
for vulnerable Iraqis and the rehabilitation and maintenance of traditional irrigation schemes for resettled displaced
households in the country.
The Organization has been able to implement the latest technological advances in
the seed, fish and livestock sectors across
Iraq, while contributing to the national response to the emerging food insecurity in
the country by supporting the development of a comprehensive food security
analysis.
In general, sustainable development of
the agricultural sector of Iraq requires
an innovative integrated approach that
focuses on improving farming systems
through the transfer of technology and
the promotion of participatory community projects for agricultural development.
At present, FAO-Iraq is working on several
key initiatives, including the Iraq Agricultural Growth and Employment Generation Support Programme. The project is
led by Iraqi partners and designed to increase economic growth, expand the agricultural sector’s share of Gross Domestic
Product and generate employment, in
line with the Government’s development
priorities.
FAO-Iraq taps into the knowledge available in Iraqi universities and relies on its
Iraqi project coordinators who represent
international and local experts among
others. In coordination with the United
States Agency for International Development, FAO has been able to attract highly
qualified Iraqi experts living abroad. Six
Iraqi nationals and eleven international
staff are presently managing FAO projects
across the country.
Food and agriculture issues in Iraq
The agricultural sector in Iraq has been
declining in terms of production and
productivity since 2002. It does, however
remain the second largest contributor to
the Iraqi Gross Domestic Product after oil
revenues and has the potential to play a
key role in reducing poverty, food insecurity and unemployment in Iraq if significant and concerted efforts are made
towards its rehabilitation.
Poverty - combined with rising food
prices, drought and a lack of production
of sufficient food at the national level - is
rendering a large number of people vulnerable to food insecurity. As a result of
an increase in international food prices
and other factors, Iraqi food prices doubled between 2004 and 2008, causing a
20 per cent drop in protein consumption.1
The fishing sector is among the weakest
in Iraq’s economy. The country has a small
coastline of less than 60 km. The rivers Tigris and Euphrates as well as the country’s
marshes, dams and reservoirs, make up
Iraq’s main water source for inland fishing.
The per capita fish consumption in Iraq
is the lowest in the region compared to
12 kg in the Gulf Cooperation Countries,
10 kg in Iran, 4.5 kg in Syria and 3.7 kg in
Jordan. The per capita fish consumption
in Iraq saw a decline from 2.5 kg in 1990
to 0.8 kg in 2005. This was not only due to
a decrease in purchasing power, but also
to a gap between current supply and demand 3.
culture and by encouraging sustainable
aquaculture activities using both local
and foreign species.
The Organization has helped increase
inland fish production through management, stocking and enhancement of the
diversity of species with an effective regulatory framework. The project includes
a range of interventions, such as the establishment of brood stock development
centres and a brood fish supply network,
the diversification of species in inland fish
production and the establishment of a
decentralized fish seed supply network.
The ultimate beneficiaries of this project
are the inland fisheries and farming communities, particularly the rural poor and
marginalized segments of society. It is
estimated that to date more than 9,000
Iraqis benefited from the results of these
projects 4.
With FAO installing cages for fish harvesting in twelve different locations in the
Euphrates and Tigris, locally harvested
fish prices have dropped by 40 per cent
according to an evaluation conducted
jointly by FAO and local universities 5. The
growth period of fish also dropped from
eight months to four.
These results have encouraged the private sector in Iraq to adopt the same
technology as it has the potential to increase the pace of the rehabilitation of
the fisheries sector. It equally enhanced
the role of the Ministry of Agriculture to
boost the private sector’s investments in
this field, while leading to the establishment of 12 fishery associations. ■
In Iraq, this industry relies mostly on
inland fishing which faces several constraints such as the lack of quality fish
seed reaching the areas where there is
potential for inland fish production. Poor
communication and transportation facilities further aggravate the problem.
Since 2004, FAO, in partnership with Iraq’s
Ministry of Agriculture, has implemented a number of projects to restore and
develop fish production in the country.
Through the United Nations Development Group Iraq Trust Fund, FAO has
contributed US $10 million towards the
fisheries sector. These projects have
sought to develop the current state of
aquaculture by training and transferring
the most recent technology in cage fish
Pilot cages for FAO-funded fish farms in Kut dam, in Wassit Governorate. Photo: FAO
1-Food and Agriculture Organization and Information Analysis Unit, “Iraqi Food Prices Analysis”, March 2009.
2-Food and Agriculture Organization and Information Analysis Unit,, “Iraqi Food Prices Analysis”, March 2009.
3-USAID, Business Models for Aquaculture in Iraq, May 2006.
4-FAO, 2011 Project Summary, July 2011.
5-Basra University, Mosul University, 2010.
19
UN AGENCIES IN IRAQ
International
Labour
Organization
ILO-IRAQ AT A GLANCE
Social Economic Council
I
Through a partnership between the
Council of Representatives, ILO, the UN
Office for Project Services and the World
Bank, the first-ever National Conference
on Iraqi Socio-Economic Issues was organized. The event, held in late May 2011,
marked the launching of ILO’s broader
partnership with the World Bank in fostering an inclusive socio-economic policy-making process within Iraq.
raq has been a Member State of the
International Labour Organization
(ILO) since 1932. ILO is the only United
Nations agency that works with government, employer and worker representatives at the same time. This tripartite
structure makes the ILO a unique forum
in which governments and social partners of the economy of 183 Member
States of the United Nations can freely
and openly debate and elaborate labour
standards and policies.
The ILO serves the needs of working
women and men by bringing together
governments, employers and workers
to set labour standards, develop policies and devise programmes. The very
structure of the agency, where both
workers and employers have an equal
voice with governments in its deliberations, shows social dialogue in action. It
ensures that the views of the social partners are closely reflected in ILO’s labour
standards, policies and programmes.
The Organization also promotes social
dialogue between trade unions and employers in formulating and, where appropriate, implementing national policy
on social, economic and many other issues.
Through its offices in Baghdad, Amman
and Beirut, ILO concentrates on key
20
The Conference of Economic, Social and Governmental Stakeholders, hosted by ILO, UNOPS, and the World Bank at the Iraqi parliament in Baghdad, 24-26 May 2011. Photo: Bikem Ekberzade/UNAMI PIO
socio-economic areas in close collaboration with Iraqi and international partners. The agency’s work focuses on helping Iraq develop a national employment
policy, creating a policy-framework for
the creation of a small and medium
sized enterprise agency and fostering an
inclusive socio-economic policy-making
process through social dialogue.
National Employment Policy
At the request of business associations,
labour activists and the Iraqi Ministry of
Labour and Social Affairs (MoLSA), ILO
assisted in the creation of a National
Employment Policy. Between 2008 and
2010, the Policy was created and adopted by a tripartite body represented by
Iraqi business, labour and governmental
officials. The Ministry adopted the Policy
in December 2010 and has submitted it
to the Iraqi Council of Ministers for implementation.
The Policy is a milestone in the history
of cooperation between Iraqi business
and labour. Through assistance from ILO,
MoLSA, along with representatives of
business and labour, produced a policy
with the aim of achieving these priorities:
■■ Addressing unemployment through
an economic growth that creates
new job opportunities through sustainable institutions;
■■ Increasing productivity rates of the
workforce to be able to compete
and adapt with changes in the labour market;
■■ Developing institutional and legislative frameworks in a way that
ensures granting workers their fundamental rights and social security
protection;
■■ Promoting a social dialogue between representatives of governments, employers, and trade unions
as a tool for achieving the dual goal
of decent work opportunities and
economic growth; and,
■■ Creating an objective link between
wages and productivity and linking
minimum wages with the cost of living.
Upon ratification by the Council of Ministers, Iraqi stakeholders, ILO and other
international partners will implement
the National Employment Policy over a
period of three years.
Through Iraqi leadership, ILO’s social
dialogue programme brings together
those elements of Iraqi business, labour,
government and civil-society previously excluded from the socio-economic
policy-making process. As a result of
the Conference, Iraqi leaders representing business, MoLSA and civil-society
agreed to form a Social Economic Council. The non-governmental body will act
as a forum and provide the opportunity
for all stakeholders to discuss and recommend changes to existing and future socio-economic policies in Iraq. The
Council will be led by Iraqis and supported by ILO and the World Bank. ■
Contacts
Tel (Iraq): +962 (0) 6 550 4700 ext. 5979
Tel (Jordan): +962 (0) 6 590 2100
Fax: +962 (0) 6 593 1249
[email protected]
www.ilo.org
21
UN AGENCIES IN IRAQ
United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees
UNHCR-IRAQ AT A GLANCE
T
he UN refugee agency (UNHCR)
has been operating in Iraq since
the 1980s. The agency reduced the
number of its staff inside Iraq after the
2003 attack on the UN Headquarters in
Baghdad.
The agency’s main activities in Iraq focus on protecting and assisting refugees
and internally displaced persons (IDPs),
as well as facilitating the return of hundreds of thousands of Iraqis exiled in
neighbouring countries, mainly Syria, or
displaced within Iraq. Between 2008 and
2010, some 545,000 people returned
from neighbouring countries to Iraq, or
from displacement within Iraq to their
places of origin. So far, an additional
77,020 Iraqis returned home in 2011.
UNHCR and its partners have been and
continue to assist with the reintegration
of thousands of returnees. A prime example of such reintegration assistance
was the Diyala Initiative which, among
other things, provided rehabilitation or
construction of shelters.
Providing protection and humanitarian
assistance to around 38,000 refugees
and asylum seekers, including Palestinians, Iranians, Syrians and Turks, remains
a high priority for UNHCR in Iraq. In
Makhmour camp for instance, which
hosts over 10,000 Turks, the agency sup-
ported the Ministry of Interior’s Permanent Committee in carrying out a registration of refugees. UNHCR also works
with Iraqi authorities to better document
the number and situation of stateless
people. To date, some 16,000 Faily Kurds
have had their nationality restored since
the enactment of the 2006 Law.
Together with the Ministry of Displacement and Migration, the agency is committed, to finding a solution for the 1.3
million IDPs in the country, including
467,000 who live in dire conditions in
386 settlements or public buildings
throughout Iraq. Among this group of
vulnerable displaced Iraqis 148,000 live
in 125 settlements in Baghdad under the
threat of eviction at any time; as many
illegally occupy land and buildings. In
2011, UNHCR has been assisting the
most vulnerable of the displaced Iraqis
in several areas across the country, including 15 settlements in the capital
and others in the northern and southern
parts of the country. With an increase in
budget, the agency was able to increase
this assistance following needs assessments and prioritization of the most vulnerable settlements.
UNHCR works through five well-established Protection and Assistance Centres,
10 Reintegration Integration and Community Centres, 14 Protection Assistance
and Reintegration Centres, as well as
through 40 mobile teams. These centres
provide communities with legal services
and social and information assistance.
They also enhance UNHCR’s response
to their needs through field-level operations coordination, protection monitoring and needs assessments.
Interview with Tarik Kurdi, UNHCR’s Deputy Representative
for Iraq
In 2010, UNHCR-Iraq rehabilitated or
constructed 7,110 shelter units for returning IDPs and refugees. The agency
also distributed over 40,000 relief item
kits and hygiene kits to vulnerable families. As of July 2011, UNHCR had completed the rehabilitation of 728 shelters.
This is part of a 1,063 shelter programme
targeting returnees and IDPs in 2011.
The agency also delivered some 5,613
relief assistance packages and provided
support and training to over 60 national
non-governmental organizations also
working to serve UNHCR’s persons of
concern.
With 158 international and national staff
working in Iraq, the agency is present in
Baghdad, Erbil, Mosul, Kirkuk, Basra and
Al-Waleed camp in the western Al-Anbar
Governorate. ■
Contacts
Tel (Iraq): +41 22 739 7542
Tel (Jordan): +962 (0) 6 510 0460
Fax: +962 (0) 6 565 9178
[email protected]
www.unhcr.org
Tarik Kurdi, UNHCR Deputy Representative for Iraq, talks to an Iraqi displaced woman. Photo: UNHCR - Iraq
Mr.
Tarik Kurdi, from Sudan,
took up his assignment as
the UNHCR Deputy Representative in Iraq in January 2010. Prior
to this, he served as the Deputy Director for Human Resources Management
at the agency’s Headquarters in Geneva
and in various capacities in several duty
stations, including Afghanistan, Pakistan, Zimbabwe, Uganda, Sierra Leone,
Liberia and Somalia. Mr. Kurdi’s 28 years
of service for refugees, IDPs and other
persons of concern reflects his firm commitment to the values and principles
of the United Nations. In this interview
with the Public Information Office of the
UN Assistance Mission for Iraq (UNAMI
PIO), Mr. Kurdi discusses the challenges UNHCR faces in Iraq and how it has
adapted to help Iraq’s most vulnerable.
Iraqi displaced women collect water near Suleymania, along the Iranian border, on 23 July 2011. Photo: Hélène Caux/UNHCR
22
UNAMI PIO: UNHCR has been operating in Iraq since the 1980s. Can you
please tell us how the agency has
moved from protecting refugees and
asylum seekers to assisting displaced
persons in the country?
timates as to the numbers of Iraq’s
internally displaced persons (IDPs).
How are these figures calculated?
Mr. Tarik Kurdi: UNHCR, the UN refugee
agency, protects and assists some 40,000
refugees and asylum seekers within Iraq,
in addition to helping, returnees, stateless and internally displaced persons.
These are not just Iraqis; there are also
Palestinians, Iranians, Syrian and Turkish.
In fact, after the fall of Saddam’s regime
in 2003, and the escalation of sectarian
violence following the 2006 Samarra
bombing, the dynamics within Iraq
changed dramatically. There was widespread internal displacement. This was
a challenge our team was ready, willing
and best equipped to deal with. UNHCR
Iraq works with the Government to provide protection and durable solutions
for this population.
Mr. Tarik Kurdi: UNHCR works closely
with Iraq’s Ministry of Displacement and
Migration. In January 2011, the Ministry
estimated the total number of IDPs in
Iraq at around 1.3 million people. The
Ministry has branch offices throughout
the country that can provide assistance
and register or de-register IDPs. Through
these mechanisms, the number of returns is calculated, as well as estimates
on the current number of those displaced.
UNAMI PIO: There are varying es-
UNAMI PIO: What kind of problems do
IDPs face on a daily basis?
Mr. Tarik Kurdi: IDPs still encounter various protection and assistance related
needs. For those who live in settlements
in particular, the problems are immense.
23
UN AGENCIES IN IRAQ
In the past few months, I’ve been to a
number of these settlements within
Baghdad and I’ve been consistently
shocked by the situation that people live
in, including limited or no access to decent housing structures, water and sanitation, electricity, clinics or hospitals.
While fleeing for their lives many IDPs
lost crucial documentation or identification. Without these documents they
are unable to enjoy certain rights and
access to basic services. They will face
difficulty in renewing or re-issuing these
items and risk being evicted at any time.
UNAMI PIO: How is UNHCR responding operationally to this vulnerable
population in light of the security
challenges?
Mr. Tarik Kurdi: We’ve taken an approach that involves a combination of
the following: Mapping and profiling of
settlements, coordination, humanitarian
intervention, long-term solutions, advocacy and resource mobilization. The security challenges have promulgated a
variety of challenges to us as UNHCR, a
very operational agency. I find it difficult
to accept for example that I, as an international staff member, cannot go to every location where a person of concern
lives. We’ve had to adapt to this situation
and we’ve done this extremely well con-
sidering the constraints upon us. Our
monitoring of persons of concern and
programme activities, for example, is
backed by some very advanced technological applications unseen in any other
UNHCR operation.
UNAMI PIO: What can you say to Iraqis
who wish to seek asylum?
Mr. Tarik Kurdi: The decision to flee
one’s home is a decision that no human
being should have to take. However, I
would reassure them that if they should
choose to request UNHCR’s assistance,
their case will be dealt with using the utmost professionalism of an international
agency such as ours that enjoys more
than 60 years of experience.
UNAMI PIO: UNHCR has repeatedly
expressed dismay at the forced repatriation of Iraqis by European countries. Have these trends continued?
And how can they be prevented?
Mr. Tarik Kurdi: Deportations from
some European countries, as well as from
the region, have continued throughout
2011. UNHCR and implementing staff
have a monitoring role at Baghdad international airport. The majority of persons
deported have been single adult males,
whose asylum claims have been rejected
on appeal. However, in recent months, a
number of families with young children
have also been deported. This is also the
case of persons from minority groups,
including Christians and Yezidis. States
have the right to determine who should
legally remain within their borders and it
should be recognised that not everyone
is entitled to international protection.
However, UNHCR will continue to advocate against the forcible return, contrary
to the current eligibility guidelines of
persons from ‘at-risk’ groups, or those
originating from certain governorates.
UNAMI PIO: In general, what can and
what can’t UNHCR do for Iraqi refugees, asylum seekers and those internally displaced?
Mr. Tarik Kurdi: Unfortunately, we cannot bring peace to Iraq and we cannot
prevent violence from taking place. Only
Iraqis can. We can provide international
protection, material assistance and advocacy for refugees and asylum seekers. For IDPs, UNHCR uses the guidelines
for internal displacement to guide any
assistance. We currently cover a whole
range of issues, while respecting the
sovereignty of the State. For both of
these groups we seek appropriate and
durable solutions to end their plight
and bring stability to their lives after the
trauma of leaving their homes. ■
Refugee returns home to give back to country
By Sabah Abdulrahman, UNAMI PIO
B
orn to a middle-class family in Erbil, a city in the Kurdistan region of
Iraq, Dr. Bayan Galali, 54, was raised
to value education. She was the first
female in her extended family to leave
home to study in another city, Mosul.
She would grow to become a doctor, a
mother of three children and a refugee.
After 14 years in exile, Dr. Galali decided
to return home to give back to the people who made her who she is: a caring
person.
Dr. Galali is the eldest of five brothers
and four sisters and a proud daughter
of a liberal father who allowed her to
travel alone at the age of 18, to study at
Mosul’s medical school. By the time she
graduated in 1981, there were very few
24
women physicians, like herself.
“For me, being a doctor was not only a
profession, but also a passion; a passion
to get closer to society and to women
in particular, to understand their social
problems and help them overcome
them,” Dr. Galali says while recalling her
work as Director of the only health centre in Qushtapa, a small village located
about 15 km south of Erbil.
Early on in life, she knew she was inclined to help people, especially women
whose family members suffered at the
hands of Saddam Hussein’s regime.
The summer of 1983 was particularly
painful to remember, Dr. Galali said,
while telling the story of Barzani people
who were displaced from their village to
Qushtapa. Saddam’s troops broke in and
rounded thousands of men in buses;
some were brought back in coffins several years later and many are still missing, she says.
Human rights organizations say Iraqi
troops rounded thousands of men originating from Barzan, the home area of
the leaders of the Kurdistan Democratic
Party. They presumably did so in revenge for their alleged support of Iran
during the Iraq-Iran war.
“Before July 1983, women from the Barzan area were so powerless that they
could not even talk about their illness.
Their husbands or other male family members used to speak for them.
Once Saddam took their males, women
showed a great resolve to support their
children and themselves,” says Dr. Galali who was at the time helping women
with counseling at the clinic she was
heading in Qushtapa.
Using her social connections and professional network, she also managed
to help many women find a job so that
they can provide for their children and
families. “I am still in touch with many of
these women and their children. Every
now and then some visit me,” Dr. Galali
said with joy.
Then came the tragic spring of 1991. On
6 April, the UN refugee agency (UNHCR)
estimated that about 750,000 Iraqi Kurds
had fled to Iran. Dr. Galali would join the
hundreds of thousands who fled to the
neighbouring country to escape the regime’s reaction to a failed uprising. For
six months, she volunteered in a hospital on the Iranian side of the border, before seizing the first opportunity to go
back home to serve those who needed
medical aid in her native city.
It was at this time when she first collaborated with the United Nations. Between
1992 and 1994, the Erbil Health Department appointed her as the liaison officer
with UN Children’s Fund (UNICEF); an experience Dr. Galali appreciated greatly
during those hard times.
Saddened by the assassination of a number of the city’s best doctors and many
other victims, as well as the escalation of
clashes between the Kurdistan Democratic Party and the Patriotic Union of
Kurdistan forces that spilled over into
civil war, Dr. Galali took once again the
road to exile. This time, accompanied
with her family, she headed to Europe
in late 1995. Soon, she was granted refugee status in the Netherlands; a situation she wasn’t all too happy about, at
least at the beginning.
“How could I be happy? I was somebody
back home and then became a figure in
another country’s immigration department computer database. I was a working health professional in my country.
Dr. Bayan Galali, a former Iraqi refugee currently serves as a psychiatrist in the Erbil Health
Department. Photo: Sabah Abdulrahman/UNAMI PIO
Then I became a jobless housewife in my
new home, in Utrecht, spending most of
my time doing boring house work,” Dr.
Galali says.
While looking after her hearing impaired
son, Dr. Galali enrolled in a Dutch language class and a sign language course.
She also resumed studying medicine
to increase her chances to work in the
Netherlands as a health professional. By
2009, the time she decided to go back
home, Dr. Galali had a Ph.D. and had
shifted her medical focus to research on
mental health. She was ready to return
home to give back to her country.
The refugee’s journey ended in Erbil,
where everything started. Today, Dr.
Galali is a psychiatrist in the Erbil Health
Department and a lecturer at the Social
Work Department at Erbil’s Salahuddin
University.
Since her return, she has been relentlessly volunteering her time and expertise
to women, men and youth in need. She
offers free counseling services to abused
women in protection shelters run by the
Kurdistan Regional Government’s Ministry of Labour and Social Affairs and to
cancer patients at the Pena Centre, of
which she is a founding member.
draft mental health act.
Dr. Galali also renewed her collaboration
with the United Nations as a member
the experts and consultants committee
of the Kurdistan Heartland Alliance; an
organization that deals with survivors of
wars and torture and has support from
the UN Assistance Mission for Iraq. As
part of the numerous trainings she has
been providing, she is part of the training staff for Youth-Friendly Health Centres of the UN Population Fund (UNFPA).
At the end of each day, when Dr. Galali
goes home, her 20 year-old hearing impaired son is waiting for his mother to
join him in a bit of football or watch an
exciting game on television.
Walking in the footsteps of his mother,
the young man is also a volunteer at one
of the city’s institutes for deaf children.
His brother and sister have already graduated from university.
As she looks at her sons and daughter,
Dr. Galali hopes they will never endure
the war and instability she had witnessed in her youth. ■
Given her interest in helping people
who endured endless trauma and turmoil, she has become a member of the
Committee in charge of preparing the
25
Children programme is commencing in
Basra with the plan to expand it across
all governorates in the coming years.
And, better mechanisms for planning,
monitoring and evaluating child rights
violations are being put into place in every governorate across Iraq.
On the Area-Based level, in 2009 and
2010, UNICEF provided access to primary health services to over 400,000
deprived children and pregnant women
in remote areas. Some 300,000 students
have better access to quality education,
including 200,000 students benefitting
from the rehabilitation of 283 school
buildings. Improved access to safe water and sanitation has been provided to
over one million people in 48 deprived
communities and the first ever Iraqi
solid waste landfill project in line with
international standards will soon be
opened in Basra. Mine Risk education is
being provided to around two million
people and 7,500 children have been
trained on the risks and prevention of
abuse, exploitation and violence.
Students from Halshoo village during a UNICEF mine risk education programme in the Kurdistan region of Iraq. Photo: Bikem Ekberzade/UNAMI PIO
United Nations Children’s Fund
UN AGENCIES IN IRAQ
UNICEF-IRAQ AT A GLANCE
G
uided by the Convention on the
Rights of the Child, which Iraq
ratified in 1994, the UN Children’s
Fund (UNICEF) has been bringing partners together to respond to Iraq’s priorities and needs.
UNICEF has been working in Iraq since
1952. In 1983, at the request of the Government, UNICEF established a permanent presence in the country. UNICEF’s
assistance in Iraq has shifted over the
years to adapt to the Iraqi context including the consequences of the 19801988 and 1991 wars, international sanctions and the 2003 war.
In 2008, with the relative improvement in the security situation and
better access to some parts of the
country, UNICEF reoriented its country
programme to support the Government
of Iraq develop national child-friendly
social policies, modernize its institutions
and improve the nationwide delivery of
basic services critical to the survival and
development of children.
The UN children’s agency further initiated a response to accelerate the attainment of the Millennium Development
26
Goals in a number of areas of acute child
deprivation and vulnerability.
For an Iraq fit for children
After surviving years of protracted conflict and acute deprivation, the 15 million children of today’s Iraq now stand to
benefit from relative security improvements. However, with outdated social
policies, limited governmental technical capacity, dilapidated social service
infrastructure and ongoing violence,
children’s rights continue to be violated
and the attainment of the Millennium
Development Goal targets is still distant.
There are many issues facing Iraq’s children:
■■ One in four or around 3.5 million are
living in poverty;
■■ More than 1.5 million under the age
of five are malnourished;
■■ Around 700,000 have never enrolled in primary school;
■■ Nearly 100 infants die each day with
around 35,000 infants dying before
reaching their first birthday;
■■ Around 2.5 million children do not
have access to safe water;
■■ One in four children do not have access to proper sanitation facilities;
■■ Around 800,000 children are working; and,
■■ Approximately 800,000 are orphans.
Activities and results for children
On the National level, UNICEF is assisting the Government of Iraq in developing a number of policies including a Child Protection Policy, Water and
Sanitation Policy, Nutrition Policy, Early
Childhood and Maternal Health Policy
and National Education Strategy.
On the Nationwide level, multi-year
immunization plans have been developed with the Ministry of Health ensuring the implementation of the “Reach
Every District” Strategy to target districts
with immunization coverage of less
than 80 per cent. Multiple immunization
campaigns reaching millions of children
every year have also kept Iraq polio-free
since 2000 and contained other diseases
such as measles. A child-friendly school
framework, as well as a teacher training programme to improve the overall
quality of teaching and learning in the
primary education system, is being developed. Solid Waste Master Plans to
improve waste disposal are being developed in six governorates. A Justice for
Kadhum Al-Sahir: UNICEF’s new
Ambassador
World-renowned Iraqi singer Kadhum
Al-Sahir was announced as UNICEF’s first
ever Ambassador to Iraq on 9 May 2011in
Baghdad. Al-Sahir returned to his country for the first time in 14 years to highlight the needs of children across Iraq.
In his new capacity, Mr. Al-Sahir will focus
on the plight of Iraq’s most deprived children; those in greatest need who are facing multiple issues at the same time without the adequate services to respond to
them.
Kadhum Al-Sahir, UNICEF’s ambassador in Iraq, speaks to the press at the UN Headquarters
in Baghdad, in May 2011. Photo: Sabah Arar/UNICEF
UNICEF is currently concluding its fourth
Multiple Indicator Cluster Survey in Iraq,
which will highlight what the most deprived children across Iraq are suffering
from and which areas of the country,
down to the community level, they are living in. With the results expected to be finalized at the end of 2011, it is planned for
Mr. Al-Sahir to announce the findings to
highlight the situation and call for investments in the exact services needed for
those children who have been left behind.
Mr. Al-Sahir is among the most followed
stars and personalities in the Arab world
today. Long an advocate for Iraq’s children, he started using his music in 1998
to raise awareness of their suffering
when he performed “Tathakkarâ (Remember).” The song is about Iraqi children stranded in conflict and it received
a UNICEF award for making an outstanding contribution towards improving the
lives of children in need. ■
Contacts
Tel (Iraq): +39 0831 05 2600 ext. 3722
Tel (Jordan): +962 (0) 6 551 5921
Fax: +962 (0) 6 551 3745
[email protected]
www.unicef.org/infobycountry/iraq.
html
Wisam’s Story
I was born in 1996. My name is Wissam Qasim and my family is made up of 16 members. I am
the third oldest son. My father works as a labourer and he’s the only person supporting us
financially in this country, which has only seen war and instability.
I love going to school and was looking forward to the future, because I would love to be an
agricultural engineer. But when I was eight years old, the war came and destroyed everything,
leaving me without a school or a dream. My family and I started looking for a place to live, a
shelter and some stability was the most important thing for my family. I had to leave school to
help my father and I chose to work in something that is a bit close to my dream of becoming an agricultural engineer.
I work now as a cleaner in Al-Rashdiya municipality. I clean streets. I like working because it means that I am helping my
father in bringing food for the family. I would be lying if I said I want to stay in this work. I would love to go back to my school
and make my dream of becoming an engineer true. I wish the district where I live is clean and I work as an engineer in it. I
wish for it to have a football field. I wish to work on building Iraq and say no to war. I am 15 years old.” Traslated from Arabic
27
UN AGENCIES IN IRAQ
Interview with Sikander Khan, former UNICEF Representative for Iraq
Mr.
Sikander Khan, from Pakistan, served as the UNICEF
Representative for Iraq from
August 2008 to June 2011. Prior to this,
he served as the agency’s Deputy Representative in Afghanistan and in various
positions in several countries, including
Sudan. Mr. Khan’s long-standing commitment to protect children’s rights and
well-being spans over his 22-year career
with the United Nations. Iraq, where he
served earlier, between 1996 and 1997,
holds a special place in his personal and
professional path. In an interview with
the Public Information Office of the UN
Assistance Mission for Iraq (UNAMI PIO)
in June 2011, Mr. Khan talked about the
alarming situation of Iraq’s 15 million
children and called upon the Government of Iraq to invest more in the country’s most deprived children.
UNAMI PIO: What is the current situation of Iraq’s children?
Mr. Sikander Khan: It’s clear that the
quality of life for an Iraqi child living in
Baghdad and another one living in Erbil,
Basra or Diwaniya is not the same. Over
the past 30 years, war and international
sanctions have taken a heavy toll on
the entire society, most notably upon
children. According to a survey we conducted in 2006, Iraq has gone from being among the most hospitable places
for children in the Middle East and North
Africa to being, regrettably, one of the
most difficult.
For example, if we look at access to safe
water, in the mid-1980s 87 per cent of
Iraqis had access to it. By 2006, that number dropped to 77 per cent. Of those deprived of this vital resource, 2.5 million
were children. Additionally, with around
3.5 million children living in poverty,
over 1.5 million of those under the age
of five are undernourished and nearly
100 infants die every day. The situation
today for Iraq’s 15 million children needs
to be improved.
UNAMI PIO: Most of the eight Millennium Development Goals (MDGs) are
related to children, how is the country
doing in terms of achieving these targets by 2015?
Mr. Sikander Khan: Though the MDGs
are for every human being on earth, six
of the eight goals relate directly to children. Unfortunately, despite all efforts,
the attainment of most of these goals
in Iraq by 2015 is distant. For example,
MDG 1 aims to reduce by half the proportion of people living below the pov-
28
UNICEF’s former Representative for Iraq, Sikander Khan (L), with the SRSG for Iraq, Ad Melkert
(R), at the UN Headquarters in Baghdad. Photo: UNICEF
erty line, which in Iraq’s case are those
who are living on less than a US $2.20
a day and suffering from hunger. Since
poverty hits children hardest, reducing
poverty needs to start with children. In
other words, achieving this goal would
mean that over 400,000 undernourished
Iraqi children would have to receive the
adequate food and nutrients so that
they can grow up healthy by 2015.
UNAMI PIO: What about the other development Goals?
Mr. Sikander Khan: Iraq can achieve
each of them, but it has to double and
better focus its efforts. For example, for
primary school enrolment to be attained
(MDG 2), nearly 700,000 children need to
be enrolled in the coming five years. In
order for Iraq to reach the child mortality
target (MDG 4), close to 100,000 children
would have to be saved over the same
period. For MDG 7, Iraq has to secure access to safe water to around one million
children and provide decent sanitation
to nearly three million others by 2015.
These are not just statistics. Behind every figure there is a child suffering in silence. However, achieving these goals is
possible if Iraq manages to focus on the
over four million most deprived children
who, according to our data, are lacking
essential services and facing the most
serious violations of their rights under
the Convention on the Rights of the
Child, which Iraq ratified in 1994, and
under the UN Security Council resolution 1612.
UNAMI PIO: Speaking of statistics, can
you tell us how UNICEF has been surveying the needs of children in Iraq?
Mr. Sikander Khan: It’s mainly through
the Multiple Indicator Cluster Survey, or
MICS. So far, despite security challenges,
UNICEF has conducted three surveys;
the last one was in 2006. We are currently collecting data for the 4th MICS
survey. These types of surveys are supported by UNICEF globally to produce
statistically sound estimates on a range
of issues, such as health, education,
child protection, HIV/AIDS and water,
sanitation and hygiene.
The results of the 4th survey will help
our Iraqi partners to track progress
against their national goals and global
commitments, including the MDGs. We
are also developing a database that will
show us the exact needs of the most deprived children and where they are living, down to the community level.
began to shift towards early recovery
and development. We were then able
to re-orient our programmes in a way
that would help Iraqi partners to overcome the outdated social policies, the
limited governmental technical capacity and dilapidated social service infrastructures. We decided to focus on three
main areas: supporting the modernization of government policies, helping
strengthen the institutional capacities
of our government counterparts and
developing programmes in pockets of
Iraq where children are living in extreme
deprivation and in most need.
According to this vision, we have been
helping the Government to modernize a
number of national policies including a
National Education Strategy and Policy,
a National Water and Sanitation Policy,
and a Child Protection Policy, among
others. We have also been supporting
nationwide immunization drives and
primary health care services. Currently,
we are working on an arrangement with
the Ministry of Health to potentially procure and infuse the Iraqi health system
with the highest quality medicine and
health supplies on the international
market.
Our support to the Accelerated Learning Programme, as well as the primary
school teacher training programme,
will give adolescents who dropped out
of primary school a second chance at
completing their primary education.
Thanks to the extraordinary work of our
Iraqi staff and partners, we are on the
ground, working in dozens of deprived
communities, helping provide safe water, adequate sanitation, health care facilities, schools, and protection services
to hundreds of thousands of Iraq’s most
deprived children. This work would not
have been possible without our strong
partnership with a number of Iraqi ministries, national and international NGOs,
civil society organizations and certainly
without the generosity and unconditional support of a number of UN Member States.
Iraqis and 34 internationals - we will be
able to fully support our Iraqi partners
in protecting children’s rights across the
country.
Our partnership with Iraqis is also growing. We recently appointed world renowned Iraqi singer Kadhum Al-Sahir as
UNICEF’s first ever Goodwill Ambassador
to Iraq who, for the first time in 14 years,
returned to Iraq this past May to accept
the appointment. He is working with us
as a UNICEF “Ambassador for Equity” to
mobilize more Iraqis to invest in Iraq’s
most deprived children to make Iraq fit
for its children. We hope more Iraqi celebrities, as well as citizens, will join the
movement.
UNAMI PIO: What can the Government do to improve the situation of
Iraq’s children?
UNAMI PIO: In recent years, has violence ever stopped UNICEF from
conducting its work throughout the
country?
Mr. Sikander Khan: Violence and lack of
security very much affect our ability to
work. In 2005 and 2006, when violence
was at its height, forcing us to remotely
manage from Amman, we had a network
of over 100 hundred Iraqi servicers, who
bravely made sure UNICEF responded to
immediate survival needs by facilitating
the provision of items, such as medical
kits and supplies for clean water and hygiene. By April 2009, with a small team
of six international managers, including myself, UNICEF was back in Baghdad. Since then, we recruited dozens
of Iraqis, many of whom occupy senior
positions that are critical to driving our
programme.
Today, UNICEF Iraq has 103 staff, 80 Iraqis and 23 internationals; mostly in Baghdad with a presence in the north, central, and south of Iraq. There are plans
to open nine offices at the governorate
level. When we reach our operational
capacity - with 12 offices, 185 staff, 151
Mr. Sikander Khan: I would first like to
say that Iraqis can count on UNICEF as a
partner. We will continue to help. But it is
the responsibility of the Government to
support parents by investing in health
and education and other basic needs
for all children. In addition to continuing
to place children’s issues at the centre
of governmental policies, planning and
budgeting agendas, the central Government can also take a significant step by
making additional investments in its
most deprived children. An additional
US $1 billion spent per year on the over
four million children who are most deprived would give them new opportunities to realize their full potential. Only
with such an investment will development targets be attained and the progress children deserve be achieved.
Since February, young men and women
have been leading protests, demanding
access to jobs, electricity, water, education and basic services. With around
450,000 children turning 18 every year,
63 per cent of the population being less
than 25 years old, Iraq’s future critically
depends on how Iraqi youth are dealt
with. If allocated and used efficiently,
the US $1 billion investment in today’s
most deprived children, combined with
respect of basic rights and freedoms,
can prevent tomorrow’s generation
from taking to the streets and making
such legitimate claims. It will ultimately
lead to social peace, stability and equitable development. ■
UNAMI PIO: In light of the current
situation, what is UNICEF doing for
Iraq’s children today?
Mr. Sikander Khan: When I assumed
my duties in 2008, the work of UNICEF
here was primarily focused on saving
the lives of millions of children affected
by violence between 2005 and 2007, by
bringing clean water, life-saving health
care, emergency education; and creating safe spaces for children to be protected from and cope with the extreme
violence they experienced.
By 2008, the security situation started
improving and the Government’s focus
Primary School girls from Baghdad receive their school supplies procured under UNICEF’s Back to School initiative in Iraq.
Photo: Sabah Arar/UNICEF
29
lining operational processes and staff
structure. Additionally, UNDP assisted
the Government to define and implement its first e-Governance Strategy
and Work-Plan. These reforms should increase cost-effectiveness, transparency
and accountability, with the UN mobilizing expertise and investment support.
Fighting corruption goes hand in hand
with such reforms. UNDP has provided
information and communication technology to the Supreme Board of Audit. A core group of master trainers has
been established on anti-corruption issues and more than 25,000 participants
trained. UNDP also contributed to the
development and launch of the Government’s first ever National AntiCorruption Strategy.
To enhance access to justice and promote legal reform, three pilot courts
were established in Baghdad, Erbil and
Basra with UNDP’s support. Additionally,
the organization worked to modernize
the curriculum of the Judicial Training
Institute, created family justice support
units to support victims of genderbased violence and successfully set-up a
comprehensive legal database with over
18,000 documents.
UNDP’s Local Area Development Programme promotes small and micro businesses in Sayed Sadiq and Shahrazour districts, in northern Iraq. Photo: UNDP
UN AGENCIES IN IRAQ
United Nations Development Programme
UNDP-IRAQ AT A GLANCE
T
he United Nations Development
Programme (UNDP) is the UN’s
global development network, with
a presence in 166 countries. UNDP globally focuses on assisting countries build
and share solutions to the challenges
of democratic governance, poverty reduction, crisis prevention and recovery,
gender equality and women’s empowerment and environment and sustainable
development. UNDP also coordinates
global efforts to reach the Millennium
Development Goals.
The organization has had a sustained
presence in Iraq since 1976 and has
adapted to significant development
challenges. Currently, UNDP implements
over 50 projects across the country with
an annual budget of over US $70 million. UNDP’s work is carried out by 127
national and international staff, of which
40 are based in Iraq.
During 2010, the first Country Pro30
gramme Document for the period 20112014 was endorsed by the Government
and approved by the UNDP Executive
Board. Signed in 2011, the Country Programme Action Plan identifies UNDP’s
programme structure and is aligned
with the United Nations Development
Assistance Framework for Iraq and the
National Development Plan.
Promoting democratic governance
By strengthening linkages between
state and non-state actors, UNDP, in
partnership with the Government and
the civil society, supports accountable
and responsive governance that is representative and inclusive of all Iraqi citizens and underpinned by the application of the rule of law and human rights.
Elections have been a central activity for
UNDP, mainly through helping develop
the capacities of the Independent High
Electoral Commission in its successful undertaking of the 2009 provincial
elections and the 2010 parliamentary
elections. Through a broad partnership,
the Commission’s staff continue to be
trained by UNDP and partners in key areas such as voter information, outreach
and dispute resolution.
Supporting a professional independent
media in Iraq is a major objective of
UNDP. The organization provided management reform and legal advice to the
two media regulating bodies; namely
the Commission for Media and Communication and the Iraq Media Network. In
2005, UNDP supported the inception
of Aswat Al-Iraq, an independent news
agency, with strategic guidance and editorial capacity development. The news
agency recently celebrated its 300,000th
news item.
Modernizing civil service is a priority
for the Government of Iraq. Thus, UNDP
is spearheading a joint-UN initiative
to support sector level reforms. An assessment was undertaken in health,
education and water management; and
recommendations were agreed upon
with the Government, including stream-
Human Rights is core to UNDP Iraq. The
agency worked closely with the UN Assistance Mission for Iraq and the Ministry of Human Rights on a strategic
plan regarding the enforcement of human rights in all government functions.
UNDP is supporting the establishment
of the Independent High Commission
for Human Rights by providing substantive management and human resource
guidance.
As part of its peace building initiatives
with regards to the Disputed Internal
Boundaries, UNDP organized a series of
workshops to provide community lead-
ers with tools to examine local issues
and engage in open dialogue. Sessions
were conducted to identify, train and establish a network of community facilitators across the disputed areas. Analysis
at the district level was conducted on
conflict dynamics to promote greater
awareness, reduce tensions and identify
development interventions that promote peace.
On the health front, UNDP is supporting
the Government in its response to the
spread of tuberculosis by developing
an extensive detection and treatment
initiative and by supporting capacity
building measures, such as training of
medical staff in selected clinics.
Supporting poverty reduction and
economic growth
UNDP partners with the UN Country
Team to help Iraq achieve economic
growth so that Iraqis can enjoy diversified, inclusive growth that is socially and
environmentally responsible, focused
on job creation and social protection,
especially for the most vulnerable populations.
Part of UNDP’s response to this objective
is the multi-agency Private Sector Development Programme for Iraq, which was
launched in 2009. In cooperation with
six other UN agencies, this three-year
joint initiative aims to create and enable
an effective, coherent and comprehensive framework for private sector development.
UNDP is contributing to enhance the capacity of local government by assisting
in the preparation of a comprehensive
and participatory development planning process. To achieve economic recovery at the local level, work continues
on sound budget strategies and mapping of resources to foster delivery of
essential services for all. UNDP additionally assists the governorates to identify
service delivery shortfalls.
The organization also contributes to the
Government’s efforts to restore basic infrastructure and services, such as health,
electricity, water and sanitation. With
UNDP’s support, seven hospitals were
constructed or rehabilitated, providing
1,529 beds; access to potable water was
provided to 1.2 million Iraqis; a system
to manage the national electricity was
upgraded, with 360MW added to the
power grid. These projects generated
job opportunities for the Iraqi people.
Landmines and unexploded remnants
of war pose a danger to the population
and are hindering economic recovery.
In partnership with the Government,
the organization has drafted a mine action regulatory framework with relevant
standards and is working with international non-governmental organizations
in southern Iraq to provide mine clearance and staff training at the Department of Mine Action to meet obligations
of the International Mine Ban Treaty.
Climate change and environmental deterioration is severely affecting Iraq, with
increasing sand-storms and droughts
over the past three decades. UNDP initiated work with the Government to
develop the National Communication
on Climate Change and the National Environmental Strategy and Action Plan,
which seeks to assess the impact of major economic development on the environment. ■
Contacts
Tel (Iraq): +39 0831 05 2600 ext. 2676
Tel (Jordan): +962 (0) 6 560 8330
Fax: +962 (0) 6 560 8331
[email protected]
www.iq.undp.org
Launch of the Iraq Development Management System
UNDP, in partnership with United States Agency for International Development, the United Nations Office for Project Services and the European Union, launched the Iraq Development Management System on 16 June 2011, in Baghdad, This comprehensive bi-lingual web application manages the entire cycle of government and donor-funded development projects,
including social, economic and environmental projects.
The System serves as a reliable and credible source of information on the distribution of development projects according
to sectors, governorates and agencies. It supports the implementation of the National Development Plan, which envisages
3,000 projects with a total of US $100 billion to be implemented from 2010 to 2014.
This instrument contributes to greater efficiency and effectiveness of investment projects in Iraq, supporting greater transparency and accountability in the decision-making process of funding allocation across thematic and geographic sectors. It
also allows the international community to align its support strategies to Iraq’s national priorities.
31
UN AGENCIES IN IRAQ
United Nations
Educational,
Scientific and
Cultural
Organization
Samara:
Reconciliation through
restoration
By Parvine Ghadami and Hiba Sha’ath,
UNESCO-Iraq
UNESCO-IRAQ AT A GLANCE
T
he United Nations Educational,
Scientific and Cultural Organization (UNESCO) Office for Iraq was
established in Amman, Jordan in February 2004 to support education, culture,
the sciences and communication in the
country.
UNESCO interventions in Iraq are designed to support national capacity
to manage the urgent sectoral needs,
strengthen and support Iraqi civil society
and human rights and assist vulnerable
groups and targeted professions, such as
journalists and academics.
To date, the Office has implemented
over 50 projects in all four sectors with
a total value of over US $145 million. The
Organization’s work for Iraq supports
programme implementation in line with
the objectives of the National Development Plan (2010-2014) and the International Compact with Iraq.
Areas of intervention, activities and
achievements
In an effort to help Iraq overcome the
outdated education system, UNESCO’s
work in the Education Sector has focused on rebuilding primary and secondary education, fighting illiteracy,
rehabilitating higher education institutions, strengthening vocational education, and enhancing capacity within the
Ministries of Education and Higher Education to strategically plan and deliver
quality education.
The Office has implemented an Education Management Information System,
created a Teacher Training Network,
provided fellowships for professors, established Avicenna Virtual Campuses,
and printed and distributed 18 million
primary and secondary textbooks. It has
32
The dome of the Al-Askari shrine during the reconstruction work, April 2010. Photo: UNESCO
also helped establish an educational
TV satellite channel, rehabilitate vocational schools by providing computers and workshop equipment, trained
instructors and teachers, and just last
year reached out to 130,000 members of
communities across the country through
literacy interventions and awareness
campaigns.
UNESCO’s Sciences Sector has been improving water resources management in
the country and helping increase access
to water. UNESCO-Iraq has restored and
conserved 20 Karez (water canals) in the
northern governorates and held training
sessions for a total of 276 water experts,
in addition to assisting to reintegrate
Iraq into international and regional water forums.
Protecting and restoring damaged heritage sites in need of protection and restoration, returning looted artifacts, and
assisting outdated and neglected museums has been the focus of UNESCO-Iraq’s
Culture Sector. The Office has thus been
active in protecting Iraq’s rich cultural
heritage; some achievements to date include: contributing to the restoration of
the Al Askari Shrine in Samara; establishing a Conservation Master Plan and buffer zone for the Erbil Citadel; protecting
Iraqi intangible heritage, and working on
the restoration of the Iraqi National Museum, the Sulaymaniyah Museum, the
Dar Al-Wali House and many other sites
of important Iraqi heritage.
Strengthening media in Iraq has been
a priority for UNESCO’s Communication
and Information Sector. It has pushed
for an independent media by advocating
for freedom of information, the protection of journalists, and improved electoral coverage. The Office has disseminated guides on human rights, freedom
of information and elections reporting,
as well as provided safety and trainings
to journalists.
Donors, partners and funding
The Office works in coordination with
several key national partners. This includes the Ministries of Education and
Higher Education, Planning, Water Resources, Labour and Social Affairs, Culture, Tourism and Antiquities, the Prime
Minister’s Office, Governorates, the Independent Higher Electoral Commission,
and the Communications and Media
Commission, as well as national and international NGOs. A significant number
of projects are implemented jointly with
other UN agencies.
UNESCO-Iraq’s main funding has largely
been from the United Nations Development Group Iraq Trust Fund, which
closed in June 2010, and from bilateral
donors such as the European Union, the
Office of H.H. Sheikha Moza bint Nasser,
the Qatar Foundation, the United States
Agency for International Development
and the Governments of Germany and
Japan. ■
Reconstruction of the Al-Askari shrine by the Iraqi Technical Committee, under the supervision of
UNESCO, June 2009. Photo: UNESCO
B
uilt in 836 AD to replace Baghdad
as the capital of the Abbasid Caliphate, the city of Samara is an important pilgrimage centre for the Shi’a
community, hosting millions of pilgrims
every year. It is located on the outskirts
of Samara Archaeological City, designated by UNESCO in 2007 as a World
Heritage Site in Danger. It is renowned
for the Al Askari Shrine, containing the
mausoleums of the tenth and eleventh
Shia Imams, as well as the shrine of Muhammad al-Mahdi, the twelfth and final
Imam of the Shia’s.
In 2006 and 2007, the Shrine was gravely
damaged by successive bombings, resulting in the destruction of the building’s golden dome, minarets and nearly
all of the retaining structure. This wanton act of destruction against such a
visible symbol of the Shia community
quickly sparked widespread violence
across the country. In the days following
the 2006 bombing, hundreds of people
were killed and some 200 mosques were
destroyed in sectarian fighting, 50 in
Baghdad alone. National and religious
authorities, as well as the international
community, quickly condemned the acts
and called for a “full commitment to rebuild all the damaged mosques.”
Following the bombing of the Shrine,
the former Director-General of UNESCO,
Mr. Koïchiro Matsuura, stated forcefully
the Organization’s commitment to work
with the Government of Iraq to protect
and restore the historical, spiritual and
cultural heritage of the Askari Shrine as
a “cornerstone of the rebuilding of the
country and a decisive step on the road
towards national reconciliation.”
In 2006, the UNESCO-Iraq Office began
implementing a project for the restoration of the Al-Askari Holy Shrine in Samara. With support from the European
Union, which allocated US $5.4 million
for the reconstruction of the site through
the UN Development Group Iraq Trust
Fund, and the Government of Iraq, which
contributed an additional US $3 million,
UNESCO took on the task to restore it.
The project commenced once the city
had been secured by national authorities. UNDP joined the effort as a partner,
carrying out related works in Samara to
lessen tension and help restore livelihoods.
The project began with urgent works
to protect and clean the site, classifying
and storing architectural elements. It
also included training for Iraqi architects
and engineers on using technical equipment, and on follow-up and monitoring
of the restoration, with training provided
by Istanbul’s International Centre for
Study of the Preservation and Restoration of Cultural Property.
Through these preventative works, the
project provided short/medium-term
employment to more than 600 local
residents and strengthened national
capacity to perform similar work on
other damaged sites. Perhaps more importantly, the initiative became a visible
symbol of reconciliation and cooperation between communities, demonstrating to the country that despite ongoing
violence, there was a continued Iraqi-led
effort to protect national identity and
safeguard tolerance.
To leverage the work on the Shrine,
UNESCO, in close collaboration with
Samara authorities, organized a visit in
February 2009 for nearly 500 intellectuals and religious leaders from Karbala,
Najaf and Kazemyah, the most important Shia cities in Iraq, to Samara to start
a dialogue of peace and collaboration
with the predominantly Sunni residents
of the city.
Currently an active site of worship hosting thousands of pilgrims each month,
the Shrine has become a powerful symbol of social and economic renewal and
the ongoing reconciliation process in
the country, as much as its bombing
was used as a powerful symbol of division. The message of tolerance implicit
in its reconstruction is being transmitted
daily to thousands, and the active cooperation between religious communities
since the project’s outset has provided,
even in the darkest days, a rallying point
around which those who rejected violence and hatred could coalesce.
As Mahmood Khalef Ahmad, Samara’s
Sunni mayor, stated, “National reconciliation started here when the people asked
for help in rebuilding the Askari Shrine.
What we have achieved here should be a
clear example to other provinces in Iraq.” ■
Contacts
Tel (Iraq): +962 (0) 6 550 4700 ext. 3775
Tel (Jordan): +962 (0) 6 590 2340
Fax: +962 (0) 6 590 2350
[email protected]
www.unesco.org/en/iraq-office
33
Kurdistan Government bans domestic violence
By Anou Borrey, UNDP-Iraq
O
n 20 June 2011, the Kurdistan Regional Government’s Parliament
passed the first-ever domestic violence bill in the history of Iraq. Domestic
violence, as defined within the new bill,
includes all violent acts and behaviours,
or the use of violent words or threats on
the basis of gender, inside a family, be
it extended or adoptive, which result in
negative mental, psychological, physical
or sexual impacts and restrict the freedom and rights of the victim.
The bill, which has been in the making
over the past five years, is the outcome
of the concerted efforts of members of
Parliament and participation from civil
society members, religious leaders, human rights activists, members of relevant ministries, along with their technical staff and members of the judiciary.
A mother and her daughter in Erbil, in Iraq’s Kurdistan region. The mother makes a living sewing hats. Photo: Bikem Ekberzade/UNAMI PIO
UN AGENCIES IN IRAQ
UN Entity for Gender Equality and the Empowerment of Women
UN WOMEN AT A GLANCE
W
omen in Iraq are underrepresented in the higher levels of
the public sector and government. Only 18 per cent of women are
employed or are looking for employment. They make up around seven per
cent of the workforce in non-agricultural
sectors.
Violence, insecurity and weak performance of state functions are likely to
affect the role of Iraqi women in rebuilding the country.
While several UN entities address women’s issues mainly from a humanitarian or developmental perspective, the
primary agency within the UN system
dedicated to advancing women’s rights
and achieving gender equality is the
United Nations Entity for Gender Equality and the Empowerment of Women
(UN Women).
UN Women became operational in January 2011, replacing the former United
Nations Development Fund for Women
(UNIFEM).
The new agency works on the premise
that it is the fundamental right of every
34
woman to live a life free from discrimination and violence and that gender
equality is essential to achieving development and to building just societies.
Areas of intervention, activities
and achievements
In Iraq, UN Women has been promoting women’s participation in the political and peace-building processes,
helping address violence against
women and enhance the capacity of
the State Ministry of Women Affairs,
the Higher Commission for Women
and non-governmental organizations
in dealing with women’s issues.
The agency has also been active in
promoting the protection of women’s
rights and gender equality within the
framework of the Constitution and legislation review processes.
As part of its advocacy role, UN Women
has been raising awareness on women’s rights and the importance of their
participation in the reconstruction of
Iraq guided by the Convention on the
Elimination of all Forms of Discrimination against Women, the Beijing Platform of Action and UN Security Council
resolutions 1325 and 1820.
The agency facilitated and coordinated
the UN gender advocacy efforts, which
materialized in the drafting of the “Gender Advocacy Paper” for the 2010-14
National Development Plan. As a result
of this UN contribution, Iraq’s Development Plan has adopted a much more
gender-sensitive approach to development.
Through a series of trainings, workshops and advocacy campaigns across
Iraq, UN Women - working in partnership with the Government, civil society
and UN partners - continues to play a
critical role in strengthening the civil
society organizations’ ability to be active in the area of women’s human
rights, peace-building, local development and combating violence against
women. ■
Contacts
Tel (Iraq): +39 0831 05 2600 ext. 3754
Tel (Jordan): +962 (0) 6 520 0060
Fax: +962 (0) 6 567 8594
[email protected]
www.unifem.org.jo
The initial step in its drafting was undertaken in 2007 by the first Parliamentary
Committee of Women. Because the bill
was not perceived as a priority at the
time and members of the Parliament
held the belief that the issue was covered under existing laws, the draft only
made it through one reading. There was
also insufficient data on the prominence
of violence against women to corroborate the need for such legislation.
After the 2009 elections for the Kurdistan Regional Government, the newly
elected Parliamentary Committee of
Women continued the efforts started
by the previous Committee. The endeavour was supported by a strong
campaign conducted by both national
and international non-governmental organizations. This campaign was driven
by updated and new reports and statistics pertaining to a range of acts of violence against women.
By the end of 2010, the Committee of
Women invited civil society organizations, law professors, government officials, representatives of embassies and
the United Nations to contribute to the
discussion and provide their feedback
on the draft bill. Members of the Committee agreed that the United Nations
Development Programme (UNDP) in
Iraq would provide technical support to
help them overcome a number of technical hurdles.
Clear progress was made during ensuing consultations, guided by international standards and influenced by the
domestic violence bill’s ultimate goal,
aiming to trigger behavioural change
rather than punishment.
To further enhance the bill’s visibility
prior to its presentation to Parliament,
UNDP-Iraq sponsored a roundtable discussion, organized with the logistical
support of the Gender Studies and Information Organisation. The forum was
attended by members of Parliament, the
Secretary General of the High Council
for Women, representatives of relevant
ministries, civil society organizations,
human rights activists and legal experts.
with a directive to establish specialized
courts to deal with domestic violence
cases. Interest groups continue to advocate for changes to be included in the
bill that would further enhance access
to justice for women.
The support provided by UNDP to the
Committee of Women’s work on the
draft bill was part of UNDP’s Family, Security, Justice and Support Programme;
an initiative that advocates for a holistic
approach to the issue of violence against
women. In addition to policy and legislative support in this arena, it also provides technical support to the Ministry
of Interior in enhancing its capacity to
provide access to justice for women, especially women survivors of violence, at
the federal and regional level.
UNDP-Iraq also provides technical assistance to the Government and relevant
stakeholders to provide protection for
women and children. Future funding for
this project has been secured through
substantial contributions from the respective Governments of Denmark and
Norway.
The programme’s future implementation will be carried out in partnership
with the UN Children’s Fund (UNICEF)
and the UN Office for Project Services,
while ensuring effective coordination
with relevant UN agencies. ■
Some of the key components of the new
bill include the recognition of female
genital mutilation as a crime, along
The United Nations as seen by Iraqis
The UN has played a great role in developing the capacities of the Iraqi administrative
personnel through workshops and training courses. In addition, it played an effective
role in the areas of elections, human rights, women’s rights, support of the health sector
and providing protection to Iraqi refugees. I also think the UN doesn’t want to interfere
in Iraq’s internal affairs… but I believe it would play a better and more effective role if it
had direct contact with the people by working in the social field with them and without
mediators.” A public servant at the Iraqi Ministry of Planning, 35 year old female. Translated
from Arabic
35
change and unsustainable exploitation of these resources are having
a negative impact on the country’s
environment. As a result, Iraq is exposed to a range of environmental
issues, including drought, desertification and increasing soil salinity.
As much as 39 per cent of Iraq’s
agricultural land suffered a reduction in cropland between 2007 and
2009. Air, water and soil pollution is
a growing problem. The percentage
of dried Mesopotamian marshlands
is as high as 90 per cent and the proportion of land area covered by forest is four per cent.
While Iraq is recognized as being vulnerable to climate change in terms
of available water and fertile land for
agriculture, these natural challenges
have also been exacerbated by unsustainable practices. For example,
the Mesopotamian marshlands,
once a jewel of biodiversity, were
badly degraded and vast areas were
lost due to draining. However, this
area is being rehabilitated through
the joint efforts of the international
community and national partners.
In addition, Iraq’s industrial sector
generates uncontrolled emissions of
hazardous waste from derelict factories and functioning plants that
use outdated, harmful and inefficient technologies that produce excessive emissions. Extractive industries, in particular, have contributed
significantly to these environmental
problems, as well as poor municipal
services which have led to a deteriorating urban environment with
growing air, noise and water pollution. ■
Contacts
Tel: +973 17812777
Fax: +973 17825110 1
[email protected]
www.unep.org.bh
Iraq’s marshlands: a biodiversity jewel
By Diane Klaimi and Ryuichi Fukuhara, UNEP
T
The Al Hammar marsh near Chibayish, in southern Iraq. Photo: Casey Walther/UNESCO
UN AGENCIES IN IRAQ
United Nations Environment Programme
UNEP-IRAQ AT A GLANCE
T
he United Nations Environment
Programme (UNEP) is the lead
agency for addressing environmental issues at the global and
regional level. UNEP coordinates
the development of environmental
policy by keeping the global environment under review and bringing
emerging issues to the attention of
governments and policy makers. It
focuses on six programmes: addressing climate change; disasters and
conflicts; ecosystem management;
environmental governance; harmful
substances; and, hazardous wastes
and resource efficiency.
UNEP is a regionally-based agency,
and Iraq is covered by UNEP’s Regional Office for West Asia based in
Bahrain. In Iraq, the agency works
closely with the Ministry of Environment providing technical and policy
36
guidance and capacity building support.
Since 2003 UNEP, in a project funded
by the Government of Japan, has
worked with the Government of
Iraq on an initiative in support of the
environmental management of the
Iraqi marshlands.
As part of the UN Country Team, the
agency is currently active in one of
the five focus areas of the United
Nations Development Assistance
Framework for Iraq (2011-2014),
dealing with environmental management and the country’s compliance with its obligations under ratified environmental treaties.
UNEP has also facilitated southsouth cooperation for Iraqi stakeholders to exchange experience
with neighbouring countries and to
obtain assistance in monitoring the
trade in Ozone Depleted Substances’
trade with Iraq and combating the illegal activities in this domain.
The agency is working with the UN
Development Programme and the
Government to establish an institutional framework for climate change
management. The objective is to effectively engage in global climate
change efforts, provide trainings
on climate policy development and
help mobilize global resources to
fund climate change mitigation and
adaptation projects. These efforts
aim to reduce the impact of climate
change on the people of Iraq in
terms of agricultural production and
food security.
Environmental issues in Iraq
Iraq is blessed with a rich biodiversity and natural resources; but poor
policies, combined with climate
he Iraqi marshlands constitute
the largest wetland ecosystem
in the Middle East, with unique
historical, cultural, hydrological and
socio-economic significance. Since
the 1970s, the marshlands have been
damaged significantly, due to upstream dam construction and drainage operations by the former Iraqi
regime. By the time this regime collapsed in 2003, the area’s rich biodiversity and unique cultural heritage
had been almost entirely destroyed.
UNEP’s commitment to the Iraqi
marshlands dates back to 2001 when
the agency alerted the international
community of satellite data showing
that 90 per cent of the marshlands
had already been lost. In a needs
assessment initiative for the reconstruction of Iraq, extensive ecological
damage to the area was identified by
UNEP and the United Nations/World
Bank as one of the country’s major
environmental and humanitarian disasters. Such ecological damage had
led to the displacement of much of
the local population.
The project, entitled “Support for
Environmental Management of
the Iraqi Marshland,” responded
between 2004 and 2009 to the urgent priorities in this area in an environmentally sound manner. The
project laid out the basis for sustainable management and restoration
of the marshlands by facilitating the
formulation of a strategy, monitoring marsh conditions, strengthening the capacity of Iraqi decisionmakers. It also focused on providing
basic services, such as water, sanitation, and wetland management options during the pilot phase.
The pilot activities were implemented in six villages, which included
six modular reverse osmosis water treatment facilities, distribution
networks and a photovoltaic power
supply system to augment conventional power for a water treatment
facility. The activities also included
one constructed wetland Environmental Sound Technology for sanitation, one wetland rehabilitation
facility, one pilot facility for natural
wetland system and nine solar stills
for household water provision. As a
result, the project improved access
to drinking water and sanitation and
wastewater for the marsh communities. Approximately 25,000 persons
gained access to safe drinking water
and a community of 170 residents
gained access to a sanitation system
using constructed wetlands. The
project also improved ecosystems
and biodiversity in communities participating in the pilot activities.
In addition, a large number of employment opportunities were generated for assessments, pilot applications, awareness raising, monitoring,
training organization, and security
provision. Close linkages between
training activities and project implementation were crucial in building
the capacity of Iraqi personnel and
institutions to carry out the project
activities on the ground. By training
and working with personnel from
institutions at the national, governorate and local levels, the project
succeeded in enhancing the sustainability of institutional capacity and
gainful employment of staff.
In 2009, UNEP and the UN Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization (UNESCO) launched another
initiative; a joint three and a half year
project to establish and implement
a sustainable management framework in the Iraqi marshlands. The
initiative addresses the outstanding universal value of the marshes.
In recognition of the rich biological
diversity and the role of the wetland
system in the regional ecosystem
and culture of indigenous people,
Iraq’s marshlands will be proposed
for nomination to UNESCO as a
world heritage site. ■
37
UN AGENCIES IN IRAQ
United Nations
Human
Settlements
Programme
UN-HABITAT IRAQ AT A GLANCE
T
he United Nations Human Settlements Programme (UN-HABITAT)
is the lead UN agency for promoting socially and environmentally sustainable towns and cities with the goal
of providing adequate shelter for all.
In Iraq, the agency has been working for
over 13 years throughout the 18 governorates in response to the pressing
needs in the four areas of urban planning and local governance, land management and administration, pro-poor
housing and urban infrastructure and
basic services.
Given the urgent need for informed
urban policies in Iraq, UN-HABITAT has
shifted its focus from building, rehabilitating and improving homes and other
facilities to building the capacity of Iraqi
counterparts and providing them with
the necessary technical expertise.
UN-HABITAT in Iraq plays an active role
in strengthening the housing, urban
and community infrastructure sectors
and increasing its focus on supporting
central and local government on issues
related to policy and governance. In addition to strengthening Iraqi capacity
to formulate and implement vital policies, strategies, and programmes, the
agency has continuously contributed to
the country’s recovery process by rehabilitating run-down and damaged community infrastructure, including schools
and parks in cities throughout the country.
The agency has seven field-based teams
in Iraq. Since 2003, the Programme has
been managed from Amman through
38
An Iraqi displaced family in front of a makeshift shelter in central Baghdad’s Um Al-Baneen Camp.
Photo: Hélène Caux/UNHCR
its offices in Baghdad and Erbil and with
technical and operational support from
UN-HABITAT headquarters in Nairobi.
The agency’s programme in Iraq has
had an overall portfolio of US $100 million, distributed amongst 30 projects
and programmes implemented across
the country. Most of these are funded
through the United Nations Development Group Iraq Trust Fund, while a
small number of projects have been financed through bilateral channels.
UN HABITAT works closely with a range
of partners both in Iraq and elsewhere.
At the national level, it maintains a close
engagement with the ministries of Construction and Housing, Municipalities
and Public Works, Planning, Education
and Migration and Displaced; and at the
local level with the entire range of authorities. UN-HABITAT also partners with
other UN agencies, the World Bank, the
International Finance Corporation, academia and training institutions.
The urban situation in today’s Iraq
Urbanization began in Mesopotamia,
between the Euphrates and Tigris rivers, the site of today’s Iraq. The city of
Babylon alone was considered a marvel
of the ancient world, with a system of
protective walls that ringed the city for
miles. For the first time, people channeled their energy to address the needs
of a community as a whole. They erected
defensive walls and built canals for the
irrigation of farmland. It was the first
success story of urban settlement.
Today, as a result of a combination of
wars, international sanctions, displacement, deterioration of access to basic
services, as well as a lack of urban planning, Iraq’s cities are under extraordinary stress. The 2010 UN-HABITAT Iraq
Country Programme Document captures some of the problems facing Iraq’s
human settlements:
■■ Over 70 per cent of Iraq’s population live in cities and towns. There
is a housing shortage of at least 1.5
million units;
■■ Only half the Iraqi population have
access to safe water. Sewage collection and treatment services in Baghdad are provided to 80 per cent of
the residents and to only nine per
cent of urban populations outside
of Baghdad;
■■ Iraq needs 19,000 primary schools;
the current number of available
school buildings is 15,815, of which
50 per cent require major refurbishment;
■■ Almost one-third of the 1,809 public
health centres are reported to have
“deteriorated” due to lack of maintenance, lack of supplies, reduced
or unskilled health workers, and
inadequate support services. Up
to17 per cent of the workforce is unemployed and an additional 30 per
cent is underemployed;
■■ Governance structures in Iraq’s 18
governorates, excluding Kurdistan,
are highly centralized. The legal structures for registering property ownership, titles, and transfers and for conducting foreclosure processes in the
event of defaults are weak; and,
■■ Existing national and local legal
frameworks, policies, and programmes are outdated or weak. ■
Contacts
Tel (Iraq): +39 0831 05 2600 ext. 2473
Tel (Jordan): +962 (0) 6 592 4889
Fax: +962 (0) 6 593 1448
[email protected]
www.unhabitat.org.jo
39
UN AGENCIES IN IRAQ
A dry food packaging plant in the southern industrial zone of Erbil on 7 July 2011. The owner of the plant was trained by UNIDO. Photo: Bikem Ekberzade/UNAMI PIO
With funding through the World Bank Iraq Trust Fund, UNOPS constructs a blood bank in Erbil for the Ministry of Health of the Kurdistan Regional Government. Photo: UNOPS
United Nations Industrial Development Organization
United Nations Office for Project Services
UNIDO-IRAQ AT A GLANCE
UNOPS-IRAQ AT A GLANCE
T
he United Nations Industrial Development Organization (UNIDO) has
been working for Iraq since 2004
with the aim of promoting sustainable
economic and industrial development
in Iraq, and working towards improving the living conditions of the poor by
drawing on its global resources and expertise.
In order to meet the needs of the Iraqi
people, according to the Government’s
developmental plans, UNIDO developed
a two-track strategy focusing both on
early recovery, as well as rehabilitation
and development activities. In line with
this strategy, UNIDO has implemented a
number of projects worth a total of US$
54 million. The Organization operates in
11 of Iraq’s 18 governorates, including
Al-Anbar and Ninewa, among the country’s most volatile areas.
UNIDO’s assistance is carried out in line
with the UN Development Assistance
Framework for Iraq (2011 – 2014) in coordination with the UN Country Team
and the UN Assistance Mission for Iraq.
In this regard, UNIDO endeavors to facilitate the UN activities aimed at achieving
inclusive, more equitable and sustainable economic growth.
Areas of intervention, activities
and achievements
As part of the early recovery efforts,
UNIDO has assisted in improving the
devastated livelihoods and productive
capacity through community-based ap40
proaches, both in rural and urban areas.
UNIDO’s “Micro Industry Support Programme” has been recognized as a key
contributor to the UN’s overall efforts to
strengthen productivity, and generate
income and employment opportunities
for various vulnerable groups. To date,
the programme has trained over 7,000
Iraqi beneficiaries in agro-industrial and
manufacturing skills, and rehabilitated
more than 20 vocational centres in Iraq.
The second track, namely bridging
rehabilitation to development, was
launched in response to the Government’s request for the UN to focus on
private sector development and industrial rehabilitation as a means to reconciliation and community stabilization.
UNIDO’s Enterprise Development Programme has been supporting the establishment of new small and mediumsized enterprises, as well as upgrading
those already in existence. This initiative
aims at helping Iraq create domestic
markets for goods and services, while
contributing to income and employment generation, poverty alleviation
and overall economic growth. Thus far,
UNIDO and its counterparts assisted
over 350 private enterprises, leading to
the creation or upgrading of over 200
small- and medium-sized enterprises.
The Organization has built and strengthened the capacity of over 200 government counterparts through various
initiatives, including training and study
tours. By the end of 2011, UNIDO is planning to launch a distance-learning platform for Iraqi entrepreneurs, allowing
them to participate in training activities
at their convenience.
UNIDO is among the leading agencies
of the joint UN Private Sector Development Programme for Iraq that aims
to create an effective, coherent and
comprehensive framework for private
sector development in Iraq at both national and governorate levels. In this
context, UNIDO’s technical assistance
consists of activities that include legislative assessment, investment mapping
and capacity-building. The Organization
is also supporting the rehabilitation of
three state-owned enterprises that are
considered viable for the rehabilitation
and revitalization.
The Organization has focused specifically on sectors that can contribute immediately and directly to the reconstruction
of the country and have a strong potential to generate employment. Among
these, agro-industries received special
attention, leading to the rehabilitation
of a major palm date processing plant
and several dairy production facilities in
Baghdad. As a result, the palm date processing plant has received the International Organization for Standardization’s
22000 food safety and quality certification, allowing it to directly export to foreign markets. ■
Contacts
Tel (Iraq): + 39 0831 05 2600 ext. 2528
Tel (Jordan): +962 (0) 6 581 5921
Fax: +962 (0) 6 581 3978
[email protected]
www.unido.org
T
he mission of the United Nations
Office for Project Services (UNOPS)
is to expand the capacity of the UN
system and its partners to implement
peacebuilding, humanitarian and development operations that matter for
people in need.
Operational excellence for results
that matter
Partners request UNOPS, an operational
arm of the UN, to support them with
management services to supplement
their own capacities, improve speed, reduce risk, boost cost-effectiveness and/
or improve quality to provide their projects with a greater chance of success.
Worldwide, UNOPS has more than 5,000
personnel running operations in four
key service areas: project management,
procurement, human resources and
finance. Working closely with governments and communities, UNOPS aims to
maximize the sustainability for the projects it supports.
Since 2004, the UNOPS Operation Centre in Iraq has been supporting the
United Nations system and its partners
with a primary focus on project development, coordination and technical management.
The organization has been the second
largest implementer of projects for the
United Nations Development Group Iraq
Trust Fund; the main mechanism for for-
eign funding of UN projects in Iraq, with
43 projects and a total budget value of
US $238,097,148 for the Fund.
At the beginning of 2011, approximately
80 personnel were in charge of 17 projects in Iraq, Jordan, Syria and Yemen.
Through its offices in Iraq (Baghdad, Erbil, Suleymania, Kirkuk, Babil and Basra)
and in Jordan (Amman), UNOPS focuses
on project development and technical
management in the following areas:
Infrastructure
With funds provided through the World
Bank Iraq Trust Fund to the Kurdistan Regional Government’s Ministry of Health,
UNOPS is working to improve the emergency health response capacity of this
Ministry. Activities include the design
and construction of a new blood bank
in Erbil, the rehabilitation of existing
blood banks in Suleymania and Dohuk;
and the design and construction of new
emergency response centres in all three
cities. This includes the establishment of
communication systems, the provision
of 12 ambulances and strengthening
the capacity of medical staff providing
pre-hospital emergency services.
Technical assistance and support
services
Since 2007, UNOPS has worked with the
Electoral Assistance Team of the UN Assistance Mission for Iraq and the UN Development Programme to build the capacity of the Independent High Electoral
Commission for Iraq. With funds from
the Iraq Trust Fund, the aim has been
to develop the Commission’s policy and
management structure and strengthen
prioritized departments which include
warehouse management, graphic design, security and computer training.
Electoral support
Under the mandate of the UN Assistance
Mission for Iraq and with funding from
the Iraq Trust Fund, UNOPS supported
Iraqi non- governmental organizations
(NGOs) and observer networks to train
and mobilize national electoral observers for the Iraqi elections from 2005 to
2010. For the 2010 parliamentary ballot,
UNOPS supported the mobilization of
more than 29,000 observers. Over the
course of the years, a resource pool of
more than 50,000 accredited and experienced local observers has been built
and is considered a fundamental asset
to Iraq and also to the credibility of future elections.
Human Rights and Rule of Law
UNOPS is currently implementing a
three-year human rights programme
called the Programme for the Protection of Detainees and Torture Victims.
The initiative is funded by the European
Union and aims at enhancing the protection of human rights of detainees
and ex-detainees in Iraq.
Through support to two rehabilitation
centres for victims of violence and torture, over 4,000 Iraqis have benefited
from physical, psychological, social
and medical rehabilitation services. To
41
UN AGENCIES IN IRAQ
enhance the protection of detainees’
rights, the project has also supported
20 legal defence centres in 16 governorates of Iraq to provide free legal aid to
detainees.
The project is also working to strengthen partnerships with key Iraqi rule of law
institutions and to enhance the country’s correctional system. These activities
have included joint trainings for civil society members and prison management
staff on human rights-based management of detention facilities, grants to
local NGOs to further train prison staff
on human rights and to support prison
monitoring work, as well as awareness
activities on the rights of prisoners and
detainees.
Reconciliation and Civil Society
Since 2005, UNOPS has been working
directly with civil society, and public authorities on both the Iraqi federal level
and in the Kurdistan region, as well at
the governorate level and in local communities to support civil society in Iraq.
Through grant projects, the organization has built the capacity of Iraqi NGOs,
enabling them to improve their skills in
project design and implementation. Between 2005 and 2011, it supported approximately 500 projects implemented
by Iraqi NGOs.
The organization has also been a leader
in the multi-year processes of developing a federal and a Kurdistan region NGO
law in Iraq. It has brought stakeholders
from public authorities and civil society
together to discuss mutually beneficial
principles. This resulted in jointly drafted
NGO laws in line with international best
practices being passed both federally
and in the Kurdistan region. Currently,
UNOPS is helping NGOs implement
both laws.
An example of UNOPS’ support to national reconciliation efforts in Iraq has
been its work with Iraqi NGOs on community-based initiatives implemented
in Disputed Internal Boundaries’ areas
to support peacebuilding and conflict
mitigation through the promotion of
intra and inter- community cooperation.
Activities, funded by Germany, included
conducting conflict analyses, participatory rapid appraisals and quick impact
activities to address community-identified needs.
Economic recovery and development
and Basra to prepare and implement
development plans that uphold human
rights and promote gender sensitivity.
The programme assists in infrastructure
repairs and works with local authorities
to enhance their capacity to deliver services.
UNOPS is also providing operational
support and field personnel to the International Labour Organization to help
boost private sector development in
Iraq. Together they are working on the
creation of sustainable employment,
enhancing access to business loans for
small and medium enterprises, and fostering a policy and regulatory environment that is conducive to private sector
development and to promoting domestic and international investment. ■
Contacts
Tel (Iraq): +39 0831 05 2600 ext. 2433
Tel (Jordan): +962 (0) 6 590 2100
Fax: +962 (0) 6 593 1249
[email protected]
www.unops.org
UNOPS works together with the International Labour Organization on the
implementation of the Local Area Development Programme in Iraq; a joint economic recovery initiative implemented
in partnership with six other UN agencies. The aim of this initiative is to help
local authorities in Suleymania, Hillah
The United Nations as seen by Iraqis
Actually, Iraq needs the United Nations to play a role at present and in the near future
as a guarantor while monitoring the situation in the country. I also think that the main
problem is the way the UN views Iraq and its attempt to solve problems one-by-one.
This results in new problems which were not taken into account. However, if the UN
works in accordance with a mandate that gives it the authority to solve all problems
at once, that would be better, because it would save time and may prevent the emergence of problems and complications during the work.
I believe the UN’s work in Iraq and the rest of the world has become more complicated. While the nature of
today’s problems and required solutions has changed, the framework and composition of the Security Council
have remained unchanged since the 1950s. I think the UN has to start changing.” History teacher for intermediate schooling, 55 year old male . Translated from Arabic
42
43 UNOPS
With funding through the World Bank Iraq Trust Fund, UNOPS constructs a blood bank in Erbil for the Ministry of Health of the Kurdistan Regional Government. Photo:
UN AGENCIES IN IRAQ
United Nations
Population
Fund
In 2010, UNFPA developed its first
Country Programme for Iraq in consultation with the Government of Iraq and
several partners. The Programme covers the 2011-2014 cycle and focuses on
the inextricably related areas of population and development strategies, reproductive health and gender. It also appropriately integrates adolescent and
youth issues. The Programme is aligned
with national priorities and with the
findings of the Common Country Assessment. It contributes to improving
governance and protection of human
rights, increasing access to high-quality
essential services and investing in human capital and the empowerment of
women and youth. These are also three
outcomes of the UN Development Assistance Framework for Iraq (20112014).
UNFPA-IRAQ AT A GLANCE
T
he United Nations Population
Fund (UNFPA) promotes the right
of every woman, man and child
to enjoy a life of health and equal opportunity. UNFPA supports countries in
using population data for policies and
programmes to reduce poverty and to
ensure that every pregnancy is wanted,
every birth is safe, every young person
is free of HIV/AIDS, and every girl and
woman is treated with dignity and respect.
The Country Programme addresses key
population matters in Iraq as identified
in the Common Country Assessment
and the National Development Plan
(2010-2014). It tackles issues that are
of direct relevance to UNFPA’s mandate
and thematic areas, in particular the following:
Working in partnership with other
United Nations agencies, governments,
communities, non-governmental organizations, foundations and the private
sector, UNFPA raises awareness and
mobilizes the support and resources
needed to reach the targets set forth at
the International Conference on Population and Development and in the Millennium Development Goals.
UNFPA first began supporting population and family planning activities in
Iraq in 1971. Activities were suspended
in 1991 and were resumed in 1995 with
a set of humanitarian interventions
funded from UNFPA. The humanitarian programme focused primarily on
providing support to reproductive
health and family planning services by
conducting capacity-building activities, providing medical equipment and
supplies and renovating a number of
health care facilities and delivery rooms
in underserved areas.
During the 2003 crisis, UNFPA distributed
relief supplies that were pre-positioned
in the neighbouring countries. Immediately after the 2003 war and up to 2007,
UNFPA focused on emergency reproductive health activities. It established its
main office in 2004 in Amman and suboffices in Baghdad and Erbil in 2009.
Since mid-2007, UNFPA expanded its
programme in Iraq using core resources
to launch several initiatives covering the
following four thematic areas:
■■ Population and development strategies, including data collection, dissemination and utilization for better
44
A young mother from northern Iraq. Photo: UNFPA
integration of population issues into
Iraq’s National Developmental plans;
■■ Comprehensive reproductive health
services, with focus on women
needs in this area;
■■ Adolescents and youth vulnerabilities and rights; and,
■■ Gender equity and combating
gender-based violence.
These initiatives were funded through
the United Nations Development
Group Iraq Trust Fund and other resources. UNFPA provided technical
support to health service providers
and assisted in establishing referral
and surveillance systems for maternal
health. The agency addressed youth
health, development and protection,
including through awareness-raising
efforts. It supported national partners
to secure preventive and responsive
interventions for survivors of violence
against women. The agency also assisted a number of ministries to build national capacities to plan and implement
high quality, internationally recognized
population and housing censuses and
other large scale surveys, such as the
National Youth Survey.
■■ Population Growth: The population of Iraq has been severely impacted by the last three decades of
war, a suppressive regime, internal
turmoil and economic sanctions.
Life expectancy dropped from 62.5
years in 1995 to 58 years in 2005.
Between 1970 and 2007, Iraq’s
population has nearly tripled - from
10.2 million to 30.3 million - and is
expected to increase four fold by
2050. This rapid growth, driven by
a high fertility rate, has resulted in
a broad-based age composition. It
is estimated that 43 per cent of the
population are under the age of 15
and an increasing number - 20 per
cent - have entered working age
and the reproductive pool. Meanwhile, 23 per cent of the population
are under the poverty line, with 36
per cent living in rural areas1.
■■ Migration and Displacements:
Since 2006, over 1.6 million Iraqis
are internally displaced and another two million have sought
refuge outside the country. Moreover, poor agricultural and rural
development are driving migration
streams towards urban centers,
generating pressure on urban services that have become crippled by
the growing demand. Consequently, nearly 71 per cent of the population live in urban centres and 57
per cent of the urban population
live in slum-like conditions2.
■■ Reproductive Health & Maternal
Mortality: Regardless of the difficulty in estimating the levels and
trends of maternal mortality, the
estimate reported by the Government of Iraq of 79 per 100,000 live
births, is much higher than neighbouring countries3. One in four delivering women faces serious complications during pregnancy. This
could be attributed to high fertility rate, poor birth practices, weak
availability and referral of obstetric
care, and a high level of anemia
among pregnant women, which is
estimated at 35 per cent. Maternal
mortality and reproductive practices are directly related to the early
age of first marriages (22.6 per cent
of women are married before the
age of 18), low modern contraceptive use (only 33 per cent of women
in reproductive age in 2006), and a
lack of male involvement in the reproductive health arena4.
■■ HIV/AIDS: Awareness among females aged between 15 and 49
is very low (57 per cent) and their
knowledge of HIV transmission is
negligible (2.7 per cent).
■■ Youth Issues: Young people aged
between 15 to 24 made up 5.9 million of the Iraqi population in 2007
and are expected to reach 7.5 million in 20155. The demographic increase of youth presents an opportunity for the country if it adopts a
well-structured population policy
and family planning strategy. It also
constitutes a challenge in its postconflict context with few economic
opportunities for young unemployed Iraqis. Recent data displays
several alarming youth develop-
ment indicators. The enrolment
ratio in secondary education is less
than 40 per cent, the illiteracy rate
is high and youth unemployment
stands at roughly 30 per cent in
20086. According to a survey conducted in 2009 by UNFPA-Iraq, only
40 per cent of young people see a
value in taking part in social and
political life. And only 46 per cent
of those could identify HIV/AIDS
transmission means, while only 26
per cent recognize the protection
means. Existing data also indicates
a rising incidence of substance
abuse, violence and exploitation
among youth7.
■■ Women’s Issues: Women’s participation in the labour force has significantly decreased over the last
few years. Several reports indicate a
rising incidence of violence against
women and human trafficking of
young girls. Female genital cutting and honour killing have also
been reported in Iraq’s Kurdistan
region. As a result, the social status
of women and their participation
in everyday life has been undermined, particularly in conflict affected zones, resulting in restricted
mobility and little involvement in
decision-making processes.
UNFPA works with a wide range of
partners. Primary among them are the
Ministries of Planning; Health; Interior;
Women’s Affairs; Labour and Social
Affairs; Youth; Education and Justice.
Major partners also include the Iraqi
Central Statistical Organization; parliamentarian committees; Iraqi universities; non-governmental organizations;
the private sector; UN agencies; and,
diplomatic missions in Iraq. ■
Contacts
Tel (Iraq): +39 0831 05 2600 ext. 3741
Tel (Jordan): +962 (0) 6 554 9864/5
Fax: +962 (0) 6 554 8476
[email protected]
www.iraqunfpa.org
1- Central Statistical Organization /World Bank , Poverty Assessment/ Iraq Household Socio Economic Survey, 2007.
2- Central Statistical Organization/UNICEF, Iraq Multiple Indicator Cluster Survey 3, 2006.
3- Central Statistical Organization /WHO, Iraq Family Health Survey, 2007.
4- Iraq Multiple Indicator Cluster Survey, 2006.
5- Central Statistical Organization, Annual Statistical Abstract, 2007-2009
6- Central Statistical Organization/ ILO, Employment and Unemployment Survey, 2008.
7- CSO/UNFPA, Iraq National Youth & Adolescents Survey 2009.
45
programme in the most vulnerable areas of the country, while building the
capacity of the Ministry to manage the
programme. Studies show that a daily
school meal provides a strong incentive to send children to school and keep
them there. An adequate school meal
boosts learning by allowing children
to focus on their studies and not their
stomachs.
Maternal and child health and nutrition: Studies show that the period from
gestation to two years of age is a critical nutrition phase for children. When
a child of this age chronically lacks the
right nutrition, mental and physical
damage is irreversible. WFP is working
with the Ministry of Health to provide
food support to pregnant and breastfeeding women, as well as malnourished children. These efforts are part of
an integrated package of health services through the local primary healthcare
centres in the most vulnerable areas of
Iraq.
Cash-for-Work: WFP is targeting un-
employment in areas most affected
by violence and insecurity in Iraq
through a cash-for-work programme.
The scheme provides beneficiaries with
short-term employment in agricultural
infrastructure projects with the longterm aim of ensuring they do not go
short of food. Following the successful
implementation of a pilot cash-for-work
programme, the targeted communities
have requested its continuation and expansion. With a donor contribution of
US $5 million in support of this expanded activity, implementation started in
spring 2011.
Support to local food production:
WFP’s food assistance activities have
the additional benefit of supporting local development. The agency is building the capacity of local industries to
process commodities in-country into
ready-to-eat food for local distribution.
Foods are fortified with micronutrients
to provide additional nutritional sustenance. This is particularly important to
support the additional requirements
of pregnant and nursing women and
children. Local food production also
helps the local economy by creating
new jobs, and allowing local procurement of commodities, such as dates,
wheat flour, and sugar, all of which are
routinely used in food products.
Special operations: the provision of
humanitarian air services in Iraq: WFP
is supporting the provision of a safe,
reliable and cost-effective air transport
service for United Nations agencies, international non-governmental organizations and the donor community operating in Iraq. Flights are provided to
various locations throughout Iraq. ■
Contacts
Tel (Iraq): +39 0831 05 2600 ext. 2515
Tel (Jordan): +962 (0) 6 515 4009
Fax: +962 (0) 6 515 4099
[email protected]
www.wfp.org/countries/iraq
A school feeding programme funded by WFP at the Akkad primary school for girls in Al-Hai city centre, in Wassit Governorate. Photo: WFP
UN AGENCIES IN IRAQ
World Food Programme
WFP-IRAQ AT A GLANCE
N
early 30 years of economic decline and conflict have had severe
humanitarian consequences on
Iraq. The country is now at a crossroads
to political stability and socio-economic
recovery. Although the food security situation is improving, the latest Comprehensive Food Security and Vulnerability
Analysis, published by the World Food
Programme (WFP) and the Government
of Iraq in November 2008, shows there
are still 930,000 Iraqis in need of food
assistance and an additional 6.4 million
at the threshold of food insecurity. The
survey also shows that female-headed
households and those in rural areas are
particularly vulnerable to food insecurity.
In response to these findings, WFP has
46
shifted its strategy in Iraq from food aid
to food assistance and is supporting the
Government to find durable solutions
to food insecurity.
aims at strengthening the capacity of
the Government to design and implement effective social safety nets to protect vulnerable groups.
Capacity building to reform the
Public Distribution System and
strengthen social safety nets for vulnerable groups: At the request of the
Government of Iraq, WFP has developed in 2010 a two-year project valued
at US $25 million aimed at strengthening the capacity of the Government to
manage the supply chain of the Public
Distribution System efficiently. This includes procurement, shipping, quality
control, pipeline management and logistics. The logistical support includes
land transport, warehousing and commodity tracking and monitoring of the
the Public Distribution System and strategic grain reserves. The initiative also
Protracted relief and recovery operation: WFP’s assistance to at-risk groups
spans over 2010-2012 with the aim to
support the Government in improving
social protection for those most affected by prolonged conflict. The operation
consists of school feeding, maternal and
child health nutrition, as well as cashfor-work programmes.
School feeding: The School Feeding Programme is a national initiative
launched by the Iraqi Council of Ministers in August 2010. With a US $17
million contribution from the Government of Iraq, WFP is working with the
Ministry of Education to implement this
47 WFP
Internally displaced Iraqis grow vegetables in Baghdad province as part of WFP’s cash-for-work programme in Diyala and Baghdad Governorates. Photo:
UN AGENCIES IN IRAQ
World Health
Organization
Iraq, updated all vaccine schedules
and trained over 7,570 Expanded Programme for Immunization health workers on vaccine stock management, storage and administration.
Iraq has also succeeded in combating
the poliomyelitis disease and moving it
from outbreak status in 1999 to a wellmaintained polio-free status since 2000.
The country also managed to make big
strides in combating polio through
the implementation of two high quality rounds of house-to-house national
campaigns targeting all children under
the age of five years with more than 90
per cent coverage with the oral polio
vaccine.
WHO-IRAQ AT A GLANCE
T
he World Health Organization (WHO)
was established in 1948 as a specialized agency of the United Nations
that is the directing and coordinating
authority for health. The Organization is
responsible for providing leadership on
global health matters, shaping the health
research agenda, setting norms and standards, articulating evidence-based policy
options, providing technical support to
countries and monitoring and assessing
health trends. In the 21st century, health
matters are a shared responsibility, involving equitable access to essential care
and collective defense against transnational threats.
Building on these achievements, the
Ministry of Health, supported by WHO
and the UN Children’s Fund (UNICEF),
organized the second national vaccination week. The week was marked with
the full engagement of the Iraqi community through a variety of innovative
advocacy, education and communication activities that stressed the importance of immunization to save children
from needless suffering.
WHO has been on the ground in Iraq
since 1960. Today, it has a network of 105
staff based in Iraq (Baghdad, Erbil, Basrah)
and in Jordan (Amman) and Kuwait. The
Organization also has offices embedded
within the Ministries of Health in both
the Baghdad and Kurdistan region. In addition, WHO works through a network of
WHO-Ministry of Health focal points in
each of the 18 governorates. Intensive
efforts are now under way to strengthen
the presence of permanent international
staff based inside Iraq.
The Organization, through its various programmes, is currently working to help revitalize, strengthen and sustain the Iraqi
health system based on primary health
care. WHO is working with the Government and other partners to help achieve
the Millennium Development Goals for
Iraq, through improving access to quality
health services, helping to shape health
policies and provide technical support
in a number of programmes and areas.
The programmes focus on the following
areas: maternal and child health; adolescent and school health; nutrition; tackling
communicable and non-communicable
diseases, such as mental health and disability; strengthening the implementation of the 2005 International Health Regulations; essential health technologies
through management and the safe use
of biomedical equipment; and, environmental health.
Some key WHO programmes currently
being implemented include the Iraq Public Sector Modernization (Health) project,
the Specialized Medical Services Project
(Emergencies and Blood Transfusion Services) and Strengthening Tuberculosis
Control in the country.
48
WHO supports a health campaign organized in 2010 in partnership with the Kurdistan Regional Government. Photo: Ministry of Environment
Health issues in Iraq
The health care system in Iraq has been
based on a centralized, hospital-oriented
and capital-intensive model which, with
limited efficiency and capacity, could not
ensure equitable and appropriate access
to health care and other health related
services. The Ministry of Health is the main
provider of both curative and preventive
health care in Iraq, while the emerging
private sector provides curative services
to a limited portion of the population on a
fee-for-service basis. During the past five
to six years, an attempt has been made to
move to a decentralized system based on
a primary health care approach, with policy decisions taken from the perspective
that primary health care is a cornerstone
of the Iraqi health system.
Access to health care has also been affected by emergencies as a consequence
of military operations in recent years and
ongoing violence. The resulting drop in
gross domestic product and consequent
public expenditure on health has led to
the deterioration in the quality of services
and a corresponding shortage of essential supplies.
Shielding the
vulnerable
Damages sustained by the health infrastructure have had enormous impact on
the provision of health services, as did
the decreasing number of health professionals in the country. Furthermore,
the provision of safe water, sewage disposal and electricity remains inadequate,
which directly affects the health status of
all segments of the population. Despite
these challenges, steady progress has
been made in key components of the
health system in Iraq during the past few
years. ■
By Ruba Hikmat, WHO – Iraq
Contacts
Tel (Iraq): +39 0831 05 2600 ext. 2623
Tel (Jordan): +962 (0) 6 551 0438
Fax: +962 (0) 6 551 0437
[email protected]
www.emro.who.int/iraq
I
raq has come a long way and made
major strides in expanding immunization for preventable diseases. The Iraqi
Ministry of Health, in collaboration with
the World Health Organization (WHO) in
Iraq and respective partners, are heading towards a strong and effective Expanded Programme for Immunization.
To safeguard children from preventable diseases, the Government introduced into the routine immunization
programme two new vaccines: the
HiB (pentavalent) and Rota vaccines.
The vaccine, introduced in June 2011,
is provided free of charge at all health
centres, basic health units, and state
run-hospitals as part of its national immunization programme.
Introducing these vaccines will help
protect thousands of infants against
some of the most dangerous childhood
infections, including the major causes
of diarrhea, pneumonia, and meningitis. This landmark decision came after
more than three years of intense preparations to start a new chapter in the
history of the Expanded Programme
for Immunization programme in the
country.
In 2007, WHO Iraq began to advocate
for the vital impact of introducing these
vaccines to reduce the mortality and
morbidity rates in the country. As a result, a scientific study was conducted
by the Communicable Disease Control
and Central Public Health Lab following WHO’s guidelines. The objective of
this study was to verify the importance
of using this vaccine and the cost effectiveness behind integrating these
costly medications into the national
vaccination package.
During the second national vaccination
week, more than 1,600 vaccinators provided routine immunization services
through primary health care centres,
with programmes targeting unreached
and unvaccinated children in low coverage areas, in addition to outreach
programmes and mobile activities
all over the country. New vaccination
packages were introduced including
treatment, vaccine schedules, registration and admission. In addition, 2,000
volunteers visited houses in 19 governorates to educate families on the vaccines and the importance of immunization in general.
Iraq, once dependent on UN agencies
for the procurement of vaccines, cold
chain equipment, hiring of vehicles and
payment for incentives for national immunization days, acts most effectively
today by securing funds for traditional
vaccines, fully supporting immunizations days and investing as much as US
$70 million for the procurement of new
vaccines.
WHO Iraq and its partners are supporting all these efforts and are committed to helping Iraq achieve Millennium
Development Goal 4, which aims to
reduce child fatalities by two-thirds by
2015. ■
During the past three years, the
Ministry of Health, assisted by WHO
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International
Organization for
Migration
Each distribution included essential relief items, such as: mattresses, blankets,
pillows, kerosene heaters, gas stoves
and hygiene kits that were supplied by
the UN Children’s Fund (UNICEF).
UN PARTNERS
IOM-IRAQ AT A GLANCE
T
he International Organization for
Migration (IOM) Iraq was established in January 2003 in anticipation of the overwhelming humanitarian needs arising from ensuing conflict.
Since then its range of operations across
the country has grown considerably.
The majority of families originated from
the cities of Baghdad and Mosul and
fled to areas in the north where they felt
safer. Many now wait in the hope that
the security situation will improve sufficiently for them to return.
IOM, a non-UN entity, is a member of the
UN Country Team for Iraq, and contributes to the efforts and initiatives of the
Government of Iraq, its peoples, UN, and
other partners in rebuilding lasting stability in the country. This includes safe,
orderly, and voluntary return, sustainable reintegration, and community stabilization for the benefit of all Iraqis.
In total, IOM assisted 1,202 displaced
Christian families, while continuing to
provide emergency assistance to other
communities at risk. What made its position unique was its relationship with
the communities. In the case of this displacement, local priests were active in
contacting monitoring teams with updates on the situation and with access
to those taking refuge in their churches.
The Organization assists the Government in managing migration flows to,
from and through Iraq and in realizing
the country’s full development potential. Activities undertaken by IOM specifically seek the direct participation of
Iraqis in the rebuilding of their homeland, especially those affected by conflict, displacement and socio-economic
disenfranchisement.
Today, IOM-Iraq has approximately 300
staff working across all 18 governorates.
Utilizing logistical and administrative assistance from its support cell in Jordan,
its mission office in Kuwait, and three
regional hub offices in Baghdad, Basrah
and Erbil, IOM effectively utilizes 20 sub
offices and a vast network of monitors
to guide and manage the direct implementation of IOM activities across the
country.
IOM Iraq’s ongoing programmes include
emergency assistance, support for return and reintegration of Iraqis, development of livelihoods, and capacity
building for national and local authorities. The Organization’s specific projects
target the country’s most vulnerable
populations, including the displaced,
returnees and host communities, as well
as female-headed households, victims
of ongoing conflict, the disabled, and
the un- and underemployed.
Key achievements for 2010 – 2011
■■
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In response to ongoing conflict and
forced displacement across several
IOM staff with the help of a local doctor and members of the internally displaced community set up a temporary clinic in Qaladiza, in Iraq’s Kurdistan region. Photo: Matt Graydon/IOM
■■
■■
governorates, IOM has carried out
needs assessments for more than
7,000 families (37,000 individuals)
in the past six months alone. In response to these, IOM conducted 45
emergency distributions of nonfood items, including pillows, plastic sheets, furniture, and gas stoves
to 9,844 vulnerable families.
In the past six months, IOM has
provided in-kind grants for small
business to nearly 5,000 direct beneficiaries and 30,000 indirect beneficiaries (dependents) through its
flagship Programme for Human Security and Stabilization.
From 2010 to 2011, the Organization assisted 3,271 voluntary returnees from 22 countries worldwide,
including through information,
counseling, travel and reception assistance, as well as their socio-economic reintegration in Iraq.
■■
IOM assisted in building the capacities of several key Iraqi Central Government and Kurdistan Regional
Government Ministries in effectively addressing the needs of Iraqi
and foreign migrants, and in establishing a functioning border and migration management system in the
country. ■
Contacts
Tel (Iraq): +39 0831 05 2600 ext. 2462
Tel (Jordan): +962 (0) 6 5659660
Fax: +962 (0) 6 5659661
[email protected]
www.iomiraq.net
Responding to
emergency situations
within Iraq
By Bertram Chambers, IOM – Iraq
I
n recent years, the speed and efficiency of emergency activities carried out
by the International Organization for
Migration (IOM) has been entirely dependent on the presence of IOM monitors on the ground. Currently, there are
56 trained monitors across Iraq’s 18 governorates.
The most recent example of the Organizations’ monitoring ability to react swiftly
and effectively to the needs of the Iraqi
people occurred in November and December 2010, when IOM responded to
the thousands of Christians who were
displaced after the attack on the Sayidat
al-Najat church in Baghdad. Due to the
rush in which they fled, most had little
more than the clothes on their backs.
Within two days of the attack, IOM monitoring teams already working in Ninewa,
Erbil, Dahuk, and Sulaymaniyah, were
well placed to report these events. Immediately following the monitors’ coordinated assessment of displaced
Christian families, the Emergency Programme began delivering non-food
item packages to the most vulnerable.
IOM continues to utilize the funds of
the Office of U.S. Foreign Disaster Assistance, to provide immediate assistance to vulnerable families. In the past
year alone, essential household items
have been delivered to 9,743 families or
58,458 individuals.
In April 2011 a natural disaster struck
Iraq and, again, IOM was ready to respond. Many of those affected by the
flooding were living in squatter settlements in improvised shelters generally
built out of mud and reeds. After IOM
monitors assessed their needs, emergency distributions were made. In total,
the Organization provided assistance to
a total of 336 displaced families.
Regrettably, massive displacement in
Iraq is still prevalent. With over a million
people within the country displaced,
IOM’s monitoring and emergency activities remain as important as ever. ■
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UNAMI
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