IRC - International Rescue Committee Iraq

The International Rescue Committee (IRC) responds to the world’s worst humanitarian crises and helps people to survive and rebuild their lives.

The IRC’s mission is to help people whose lives and livelihoods are shattered by conflict and disaster, including the climate crisis, to survive, recover and gain control of their future.
We first began working in Iraq in 2003, providing humanitarian relief and recovery assistance to the most vulnerable and crisis-affected Iraqis. The IRC now works in four Iraqi governorates—Anbar, Kirkuk, Ninewa and Salah al-Din—with offices in Erbil and Baghdad Governorates.

Specifically, the IRC:

• Provides conflict-affected children with access to sustainable, specialized, holistic and nurturing protective services. In 2022, our child and youth protection and development services supported 18,200 people.
• Supports children in the earliest phases of development through education, positive parenting and mental health wellbeing trainings. We also assist the professional development of Iraqi education and healthcare workers through workshops and trainings. The Ahlan Simsim program uses beloved Sesame Street characters to connect with children, teachers and caregivers across 15 governorates. In 2022, our early childhood development programming services reached 29,012 people.
• Helps people meet their basic needs and gain economic security through cash assistance as well as income generation and livelihood training activities which promote self-reliance and build resistance to economic shocks. In 2022, our economic recovery and development services reached 7,286 people.
• Works to ensure that communities recovering from conflict have sufficient and equitable access to services like the reconstruction of infrastructure or public spaces, like parks and schools, that were damaged in the conflict. In 2022, our work connecting citizens to government services and increasing civic engagement reached 276 people.
• Safeguards the human rights and well-being of those affected by conflict by monitoring their need for protection and reporting human rights violations. The IRC also provides cash assistance and legal awareness trainings and support.