International Organisation working in Iraq

United Nations Assistance Mission for Iraq (UNAMI

UNAMI is a Special Political Mission established in 2003 by United Nations Security Council Resolution 1500, at the request of the Government of the Republic of Iraq. UNAMI’s mandate is to advise and assist the Government and people of Iraq 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 reforms. The Mission is also mandated to work with government partners and civil society to coordinate the humanitarian and development efforts of the United Nations Agencies, Funds and specialised Programmes.

The United Nations Country Team (UNCT) in Iraq comprises 24 UN Agencies, Funds and specialized Programmes including 19 resident and five non-resident agencies, and coordinates their work through joint work plans. The UNCT works to improve the lives and livelihoods of all Iraqis by supporting the country in achieving the Sustainable Development Agenda and its related Sustainable Development Goals with the latest specialized expertise and evidence-based actions.

International Labour Organisation (ILO)

Iraq has been a member of the ILO since 1932 and has ratified 68 ILO Conventions, including all eight fundamental Conventions.

In December 2019, Iraq and the ILO launched the country’s first Decent Work Country Programme (DWCP). DWCPs are the ILO’s main vehicle to implement its decent work agenda and to deliver policy, institutional and development cooperation support to member states.

In March 2020, the ILO opened its first Iraq country coordination office, in the capital Baghdad, in response to a request by MoLSA. To provide better support to the government, workers and employers of Iraq in promoting decent work and increasing employment opportunities.

International Organisation for Migration (IOM)

IOM Iraq works in cooperation with the Government of Iraq (GoI) and the Kurdistan Regional Government (KRG) to provide support across the country’s 18 governorates, pursuing a holistic approach that focuses on sustainable, long-term impact, while also serving the critical, immediate needs of those experiencing protracted displacement and crisis. Furthermore, IOM Iraq supports the GoI to manage safe, orderly and regular migration and works together with Iraqi government authorities and civil society organisations to create conditions for the revitalisation, stabilization and reform of the country’s social, economic and political life.

NGOs working in Iraq

DEVELOPMENT Organizations

International Rescue Committee

Since 2003, the International Rescue Committee (IRC) has been helping Iraqis and Syrian refugees who have been displaced by conflict to survive and empowers communities to rebuild. In addition to providing internally displaced residents of Iraq—now seeking shelter in the Kurdish region of the country—with water and hygiene resources, the IRC is also working in Syrian refugee camps.

World Vision Iraq

World Vision is one of the world’s largest Christian humanitarian organizations, and is currently working to provide displaced Iraqis with food, water, sanitation, shelter and safety. Since 2004, World Vision Iraq has been working with the vulnerable children of Iraq, their families and communities.

Save the Children

Save the Children has been operational in Iraq since 1991. They respond to the humanitarian, recovery and development needs of children and families that have been affected by conflict. This includes assistance to internally displaced persons (IDPs), communities hosting IDPs, returnees and refugees who need access to basic and immediate assistance. They also have cash programming and work in communities to restore water and sanitation facilities and infrastructure.

Action Contre Le Faim (Action Against Hunger)

Action Contre Le Faim (ACF) supports Syrian refugees, internally displaced people, and host communities in Iraq. Their teams employ a multi sector approach, combining all fields of expertise.  The French organisation focuses on the implementation of water, sanitation and hygiene programmes, including the rehabilitation of drainage and water networks, schools and health facilities, the distribution of hygiene kits and shelter, and promotion of hygiene. Their food security and livelihoods programmes include learning programmes, as well as providing business grants, cash for work, kitchen garden development and the construction or rehabilitation of greenhouse and irrigation systems.  

HUMANITARIAN AID Organisations

The International Committee of the Red Cross

In Iraq, the International Committee of the Red Cross (ICRC) helps displaced people, refugees and civilians in places affected by fighting during the times of crisis. ICRC improves access to clean water and health care, visit detainees and enable them to maintain contact with their families and support the authorities’ efforts to clarify the fate of people missing from earlier conflicts.

Médecins Sans Frontières

Médecins Sans Frontières (MSF) has been offering services in Iraq since 2003, ranging from basic healthcare and treatment for non-communicable diseases (NCDs) to maternity, paediatric and emergency care, surgery and mental health support for displaced people, returnees and communities most affected by violence. MSF also rehabilitates and equips hospitals and clinics in some of the most war-affected regions to help get the Iraqi health system back on its feet.

CARE Iraq

CARE plays a crucial role in four camps in northern Iraq by organising the supply of clean water for Internally Displaced People (IDP) and their host communities. CARE has also improved access to sanitation facilities in camps and for host communities, as well as providing emergency kits to new arrivals in camps. Women, girls and boys receive solar lamps to ensure protection and safety at night. To date, CARE’s work in these camps has reached more than 45,000 people.

Islamic Relief Iraq

Islamic Relief began working in Iraq in 1997 and was one of the few international aid agencies that continued working there throughout military incursions and the invasion in 2003. Their priority is to provide much-needed emergency support for displaced people, returnees, host communities and refugees in Anbar, Fallujah, Baghdad, Mosul, Kirkuk, Ninewa, Saleheddin, Dohu, and around Erbil.

Norwegian Refugee Council

NRC assists internally displaced Iraqis, Syrian refugees, returnees and host communities, focusing on those in protracted displacement in camps, informal settlements and areas of return, with a particular emphasis on hard-to-reach populations.