Iraq
After years of armed conflict, sectarian violence and political instability, more than 1 million Iraqis are still unable to return to their homes.
International Medical Corps was among the first international NGOs to establish lifesaving humanitarian programs in Iraq in the wake of the 2003 Iraq war. We have been there ever since, and have helped those in need in all 18 of the country’s governorates.
Since 2014, our efforts have focused on meeting the needs of conflict-affected Iraqis and more than 270,000 Syrian refugees hosted in the country, primarily in northern and central Iraq.
42 million
273,000
2.5 million
Syria Refugee Crisis
After more than a decade, the Syrian war continues to inflict incomprehensible levels of suffering on civilians and fuel the largest displacement crisis in the world today.
Learn MoreThe Challenges
Displacement and Returnees
Following the conflict, more than 1.1 million Iraqis remain displaced, refugees within their own country. Many of them have been displaced more than once.
Poverty
High unemployment, rising cost of living and lack of economic opportunities meant that one-quarter of Iraqi households lived below the poverty line in 2022.
Overburdened Services
Public services like healthcare and mental health services are overwhelmed, leaving many people with inadequate access.
Climate Change
After years of conflict and instability, the country is especially vulnerable to drought, heatwaves and desertification.
Our Response
Emergency Response
Though many years have passed since the 2003 war, Iraq continues to experience a large-scale humanitarian crisis, as government authorities struggle to restore basic amenities. To support those caught up in ongoing violence, International Medical Corps responds quickly to emergencies anywhere in the country, using prepositioned stocks of essential supplies and an active roster of technical staff who can be rapidly mobilized.
Community Health
Our community health workers (CHWs) play a vital role in connecting beneficiaries with project services by conducting regular door-to-door visits and delivering tailored messages about child protection (CP), gender-based violence (GBV) and mental health and psychosocial services (MHPSS) to communities. They identify the most at-risk people and refer them to available services. Our team also conducts weekly educational activities to engage communities and facilitate in-depth discussions on various topics, contributing to community awareness and addressing issues around health and well-being.
To ensure that our outreach efforts are effective, we conduct regular assessments to identify the community’s specific needs and challenges. This enables us to tailor our messages and services to better meet each community’s requirements and target those most in need. We also work closely with local community leaders and organizations to ensure that our outreach efforts are culturally sensitive and appropriate.
Gender-based Violence
International Medical Corps is a leader in implementing GBV prevention and response programs in Iraq. We provide survivor-centered GBV case management, risk mitigation, response and prevention services. In Dohuk, we have established two women’s and girls’ safe spaces (WGSS), which offer essential services and outreach activities to support GBV survivors, as well as vulnerable refugees, internally displaced persons (IDPs) and returnees. At the WGSS, we also provide empowerment and psychosocial services, skills-building and recreational activities.
Our GBV referral system is linked to our CP and MHPSS networks, ensuring integrated care. We provide GBV services through static WGSS, and reach women and girls in remote areas through mobile teams. Our programming for adolescent girls teaches them new skills, empowering them and helping to mitigate the risks they face daily.
To prevent GBV and provide a safer environment for women and girls, we engage men—including traditional male leaders and local stakeholders—through effective communication strategies that challenge harmful gender norms and promote behavior change.
Our experience has shown that community-led initiatives are vital in combatting GBV. These initiatives, which involve meaningful messaging for local populations, are key to engaging with and building the support needed from government and community leaders to achieve a lasting impact. We provide mentoring to those interested in actively supporting GBV prevention and response. Our GBV outreach workers run community-based prevention and response campaigns, identify vulnerable women and girls, inform them of available services and, if needed, make referrals.
Child Protection
Because we understand the role that community members and local actors play in preventing, mitigating and responding to protection issues and concerns, we enhance CP response, mitigation and prevention by building the capacity of frontline service providers and strengthening coordination among different protection sectors. We also engage with government institutions by building their capacity and improving their knowledge about CP rights and concerns.
Mental Health and Psychosocial Support (MHPSS)
International Medical Corps delivers integrated MHPSS services to refugees, IDPs and host communities through mental health case management, community outreach and specialized consultations at both the community and clinical levels. We train local stakeholders in providing brief psychological interventions, such as psychological first aid and mental health case management, and training in the World Health Organization’s Problem Management Plus and Mental Health Gap Action Programme.
We helped the Ministry of Health in develop and implement its national MHPSS strategy, which included supporting many psychosocial units within health facilities. We are currently supporting the reactivation of six psychosocial units within primary healthcare centers, and the establishment of two mental health service users associations.
Capacity Building
To address the lack of trained mental health professionals in Iraq, we provide training to help partners strengthen national and local capacity, ensuring that stakeholders can respond to protection and MHPSS needs efficiently. After training, participants receive continued supervision to enhance their learning and ensure that they are applying their skills appropriately.
Our Impact in 2023
Home Is Where One Starts From
International Medical Corps developed a series of comic books for children displaced by the conflict in Syria and Iraq to teach them important messages about disease prevention, safety in camps and about how to promote well-being. The comic book "Going Home Again" tells the story of a Syrian boy named Ahmed who is forced to flee from his village after fighting breaks out and a military plane drops bombs on his neighborhood.
READ MOREFrequently Asked Questions
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What are the challenges faced by IDPs in Iraq?
Most of Iraq’s remaining internally displaced persons (IDPs) have now been displaced for more than five years. They face numerous challenges, including poverty, debt and lack of economic opportunities. Many lack legal documentation and therefore struggle to access basic services such as healthcare, mental health support and education.
- What challenges do Iraqi returnees face?
- Is Iraq still experiencing a humanitarian crisis?
- Who are the refugees in Iraq?
- How is climate change affecting Iraq?
- How can I help people in Iraq?