Attachments
The International Organization for Migration’s (IOM) Iraq Mission was established in 2003 and has over 1,600 staff, and sub-offices across all governorates, with main offices in Baghdad, Erbil, Mosul and Basra. IOM’s strength lies with its large operational footprint and institutional expertise across a range of sectors. By leveraging experience working with host communities, internally displaced persons (IDPs), migrants, returnees from abroad and from within Iraq, as well as those transiting Iraq and international migrant workers’ coming to Iraq and strong ties with government counterparts at national, governorate and local levels, IOM supports the GoI across the three strategic pillars of (A) Resilience, (B) Mobility and (C) Governance.
IOM’s support to the Government encompassed initiatives across the humanitarian–development-peace nexus with the cross-cutting theme of migration.
IOM Iraq focuses on addressing humanitarian needs and reducing vulnerabilities linked to longer-term interventions, supporting durable solutions for displaced populations, tailored to local needs and priorities, and contributing to stability and peacebuilding, addressing drivers of instability and conflict. IOM supports government and civil society actors to create conditions for the revitalization, stabilization and reform of social, economic and political life, and to manage safe, orderly and regular migration, including in pursuit of the 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development. This includes interventions related to assisted voluntary return and reintegration (AVRR), movement and resettlement including pre-departure orientations (PDO), community policing, immigration and border governance (IBG) and Humanitarian Border Management (HBM), labour mobility, migrants’ rights and supporting Syrian refugees in Iraq. Under humanitarian programming, IOM provides emergency assistance, including shelter and non-food items (S-NFI), camp coordination and camp management (CCCM), health, protection, and mental health and psychosocial support (MHPSS), and implements the Displacement Tracking Matrix (DTM) to analyse data on IDPs and returning populations’ mobility, vulnerabilities and needs.
In Iraq, IOM follows an integrated approach to address the highest priority needs, including supporting economic opportunities and private sector revitalization via small grants through its flagship Enterprise Development Fund (EDF) programming, strengthening social cohesion between communities and enhancing the resilience of people affected by conflict and displacement while creating job opportunities for IDPs and host communities.
IOM is committed to providing lifesaving, humanitarian aid, as well as recovery and stabilization assistance, while working with national and local stakeholders to reduce the impact of the political, social, security and economic challenges. IOM’s interventions contribute to a sustainable and stable environment that paves the way for recovery, durable solutions and longterm peace.
IOM Iraq has a dedicated team to work on protection mainstreaming. The team works to integrate protection principles across all programmes, operations and staff conduct of both IOM and its partners by prioritizing safety and security and avoiding causing harm, ensuring meaningful access to IOM services, promoting accountability to affected populations (AAP) and fostering participation and empowerment. Protection mainstreaming initiatives are carried out through capacity development, technical assistance and community outreach. IOM also holds a central role in safeguarding the affected population by co-chairing the interagency Protection against Sexual Exploitation and Abuse (PSEA) Network.