NRC in Iraq

NRC's operation

NRC in Iraq works in Dohuk, Erbil, Ninewa, Kirkuk, Salah al-Din, Anbar and Baghdad governorates, targeting displacement-affected women, men, girls and boys in urban and rural areas, including IDPs in camps and informal settlements, returnees, Syrian refugees, and vulnerable host communities.

NRC in Iraq prioritises addressing lingering humanitarian needs, particularly among displaced groups not yet receiving government-led social services. Through integrated programming, NRC in Iraq provides a holistic response to magnify the impact on households and communities, thus achieving self-reliance and contributing to long-term solutions.

Education

We ensure displacement-affected children and youth have continuous access to quality and relevant learning opportunities in safe, inclusive, and protective environments, as well as physical, material, and legal safety essential for developing self-reliance and long-term solutions. We support:

• outreach to out-of-school children to support access to learning through NRC’s Non-Formal Education (NFE) programme to support the transition back to formal certified education wherever possible
• teacher professional development via training, classroom observations and feedback, and facilitating teacher learning circles
• formal schools with remedial classes in key subject areas to prevent dropouts and create additional learning opportunities for children at risk of dropping out or falling behind grade level
• school management and governance bodies to promote school and centre-based community structures that strengthens Ministry departments and local systems to deliver safe and protective education services
• adolescent girls’ and boys’ clubs as a tailored through a contextualized sex- and age-lens to provide a safe and protected space for peers undergoing the same experiences and build a sustainable long-lasting support network relating to academic, social and life development
• education and training for NEET (not in education, employment or training) youth aged 15-24 years to provide flexible and relevant continued education, technical and vocational training, and social engagement programming that prepares young people for work and life

Information, counselling and legal assistance (ICLA)

 
Our team of lawyers and paralegals work directly with ministries, line directorates and the Iraqi judiciary to increase access to legal identity and civil documentation, legal residency and registration, housing, land and property (HLP) rights, as well as employment rights of IDPs, returnees, refugees and vulnerable local community members in Iraq, through:

• dissemination of tailored information on legal issues to help foster community awareness
• individual legal assistance, one-on-one legal counselling and legal representation before authorities and courts in complex and/or vulnerable cases
• a localised, nimble approach to overcome obstacles facing vulnerable people, targeting those most in need, with particular emphasis on the rights of women and girls
• integrating use of cash modality for legal fees, we ensure representation does not diminish a household’s ability to access other civic services such as healthcare and education
• supporting inclusion of people within available state-managed social protection systems 
• analysis of legal barriers facing Syrian refugee communities in Iraq, specifically as it relates to access to decent work, advocating for increased access to civil documentation for all Iraqis in displacement, and supporting dispute resolution as it pertains to equitable access to HLP rights

Livelihoods and food security

NRC is a key livelihoods actor in Iraq aiming to support displacement-affected populations’ resilience and self-sufficiency. We implement livelihoods programming that connects the recovery of conflict-affected communities and youth to the recovery of the rest of Iraq’s population. We do so by strengthening skills and connecting individuals to market-driven systems and solutions, such as entrepreneurship and financial inclusion initiatives. In addition, the Activating Markets and Agricultural Livelihoods programme strengthens livelihood opportunities in conflict-affected governorates through enhanced access to agriculture and infrastructure. Our programming: 

• provides multi-purpose cash assistance through one-time or multi-month cash transfers to displaced and returnee families as one of the largest cash assistance providers in Iraq
• provides access to emergency livelihoods support such as livelihood activation grants
• provides households with business grants that help promote self-employment opportunities and contribute to local market development
• supports recovery of micro, small, and medium enterprises (MSMEs) through provision of business scale-up grants and quality business development services (training, management support, strategy development, mentoring and market linkage, legal assistance) and focuses on improving capacity for economic self-reliance and knowledge, skillsets, and social capital to support the recovery process
• improves access to financial inclusion pathways for conflict-affected communities alongside awareness-raising and legal support
• enhances employability and income-earning opportunities for youth through apprenticeships and job placement/internship programmes or job referrals
• promotes restoration of agricultural productive capacity through agro-infrastructure rehabilitation, provision of inputs/starter up kits using in-kind and market-based approaches, technical agriculture training, and facilitating safe and sustainable access to farming land

Protection from violence

We work to ensure greater safety and freedom for at-risk individuals through our dedicated Protection from Violence (PfV) core competency.

Our PfV team focuses on:

Protection case management services:

• providing tailored support to individuals recovering from or exposed to protection risks
• identifying and addressing structural barriers that prevent individuals from accessing their rights
• working closely with ICLA teams to address protection-related issues, particularly those associated with the lack of legal documentation
• prioritising assistance for complex cases involving both legal and protection-related risks

Monitoring and analysis:

• conducting thorough assessments of risks to individual and community safety
• monitoring emerging and recurring protection trends to inform our strategies

Community participation and ownership:

• employing community-based solutions and civilian self-protection strategies to address challenges and support behavioural change that proactively minimises and eliminates protection issues
• fostering trust-building and engagement to encourage community involvement
• empowering communities to take ownership of their safety and protection

Collaboration with government officials and local leaders:

• working with government officials and local leaders to remove barriers that prevent individuals from accessing their rights
• collaborating with the government on establishing and implementing minimum standards
• enhancing their understanding of referral processes
• supporting government officials and local leaders in handling case management themselves

Our comprehensive approach within the PfV core competency integrates case management, community engagement, and engagement with key stakeholders to protect and empower at-risk individuals and communities

Shelter and settlements

NRC’s shelter and settlements team supports IDPs and returnees in protracted displacement in providing essential infrastructure resilience components to overcome infrastructure barriers in achieving durable solutions. Through this work and subsequent advocacy pieces, NRC in Iraq is a well-respected climate, water and drought resilience actor in the country, amongst donors, the government, international stakeholders and programme participants. We ensure:

• quality control and assurance monitoring for implementation of shelter construction and associated camp infrastructure, including household WASH services
• improved shelter accessibility for people with special needs
• integration with livelihoods programming, through construction and rehabilitation of associated agricultural infrastructure
• advocacy for climate adaptive solutions to support communities at risk of climate induced displacement through annual drought and climate impact surveys, and engagement with national roundtables, conferences etc.
• support for community resilience through upkeep and rehabilitation of critical infrastructure such as irrigation canals