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This report provides an accessible overview of the main human security and protection of civilians-related challenges and developments in Iraq in recent years, focusing mainly on 2024 and early 2025. In doing so, it seeks to map out the biggest causes and concerns for insecurity in Iraq to identify the main protection priorities, as well as the pathways through which international institutions and bodies can support Iraq in addressing these. As such, the report is explicitly meant to feed into international discussions and decision making around the withdrawal of UNAMI, as well as for overall SSR support for the country.
This publication draws strongly on knowledge and experience PAX and its partners have acquired through rigorous surveys conducted from 2017 to 2024, through which we collect data on civilian perceptions of their own safety and security situation, and of security actor performance. The analysis is also informed by PAX's extensive policy and training work at the national level with relevant government and security institutions in Iraq since 2021. Combined, this provides a snapshot of the current state of protection of civilians in Iraq, covering trends and developments from the local level all the way up to the international level.