While global attention often focuses on newly emerging crises, many displacement situations receive far less attention despite lasting for years. Iraq is one such example.

June 17th marked the World Day to Combat Desertification and Drought. This day compels reflection on a human-made phenomenon that is causing devastating consequences in Iraq, more than any other place on the planet.

Peacebuilding projects can have strong generative effects when being directed at the younger population, which holds the keys to the future of their communities

In Iraq, this struggle stretches back more than 4,000 years.

On September 11, 2025, Baghdad hosted a pivotal meeting of the Sub-Committee for Preventing Violent Extremism, chaired by the First Deputy Governor and attended by representatives from government institutions and civil society organizations. The discussions focused on Iraq’s 2025 Plan, emphasizing the importance of partnerships, resource mobilization, and empowering local communities to prevent extremism and strengthen social cohesion. Mercy Hands for Humanitarian Aid partici

Baghdad, September 1, 2025 — On Monday, the Guest House of the Prime Minister’s Office hosted a high-level national conference on Iraq’s efforts to prevent the involvement of children in armed conflicts. The conference was held under the patronage of Prime Minister Mohammed Shia Al-Sudani and brought together senior government officials, United Nations representatives, diplomatic missions, and civil society organizations. Mercy Hands attended the conference following an invit

Baghdad, 19 August 2025 – Mercy Hands held a high-level meeting with senior officials at the Ministry of Interior, alongside consultations with the Directorate for Combating Human Trafficking. The discussions were practical and focused on a shared priority: protecting children and strengthening community resilience. The meeting explored opportunities to develop child-friendly media tools and nationwide awareness campaigns on critical issues such as child marriage, violence ag

Amid the significant challenges facing Iraq’s education sector, Mercy Hands for Humanitarian Aid continues to strengthen its role as a strategic and effective partner advancing comprehensive and sustainable education reform. At the 9th quarterly meeting of the Iraq Civil Society Education Forum (ICSEF) held in Erbil, organized by UNESCO Iraq in partnership with People in Need and RRD Organization, Mercy Hands reaffirmed its leadership in driving collective efforts focused on

In Diyala Governorate, addressing the underlying drivers of violent extremism is essential. It is important to identify and implement effective, context-specific activities that tackle these root causes, with the goal of fostering long-term stability and enhancing social cohesion in the targeted areas. Mercy Hands for Humanitarian Aid has started implementing a project titled "Building Resilient Communities to PVE: Strengthening the Role of Youth and Women in the Prevention o

Some conversations don’t need a stage. Sometimes, it’s enough to sit around a table—with someone who has lived through displacement, someone who has returned unsure of being welcomed back, and someone who works daily on the ground—to realize that “return” is not a simple administrative process, but a deeply human equation. On July 21, 2025, the Engineers Club Hall in Mosul hosted a high-level dialogue session titled: “Reintegration, Countering Violent Extremism, and Peacebuil

In the face of accelerating climate change, Iraq is confronting profound challenges that affect millions—from internal displacement to fraying social fabrics. Mercy Hands, with the generous support of the Dutch Ministry of Foreign Affairs and in partnership with the Berghof Foundation and GIST, led the Strengthening Infrastructures for Peace (i4P) project implemented from May 25 to July 15, 2025. The initiative focused on understanding how climate change-driven migration infl

In March 2025, Mercy Hands invited government representatives and members of the local community to an exhibition of products made by women in shelters across Baghdad. It was a culmination of an eight month-long project which aimed to tackle violence against women and girls and support women in shelters in Iraq. Globally, violence against women and girls has surged in recent years, and Iraq is no exception: nearly 1 million women are at risk of some form of violence and arou

Iraq – May 2025 As climate change continues to reshape lives and livelihoods across Iraq, Mercy Hands for Humanitarian Aid has launched...

Sulaymaniyah, May 12–14, 2025 – Mercy Hands was invited to participate in a national workshop organized by SALAR International, through its partner IRFAD, to support the development of local women’s institutions in Iraq. The workshop focused on reviewing and discussing a guidance document that outlines the roles and responsibilities of these institutions at the governorate level. Mercy Hands was invited not only because of its long-standing work on women’s empowerment project

As part of its ongoing commitment to monitor the situation of returning Iraqi families from Al-Hol camp in northeastern Syria, Mercy Hands for Humanitarian Aid continues to closely follow the transfer process of families to Jadaa Camp in Ninewa Governorate. The humanitarian situation there requires urgent and multi-dimensional intervention. This week, the Mercy Hands team in Ninewa met with the Director of the Department of Migration and Displacement in the governorate. The t

Before virtually embarking on a trip to deep South of Iraq, let me introduce myself: my name is Chiara Fumagalli and I am the Director of the Protection and Human Rights Department at Mercy Hands. Despite being in Iraq for more than one year, I had never visited the southern Governorates of Maysan and Muthanna, two of most geographically remote areas of the country. Chiara at the Corniche, the riverside walk in Basraـ The occasion was given to me and my team by UNICEF’s invit

Reality Check: Institutes for children with disabilities in South of Iraq

In late 2015, Mercy Hands established a mission in the Kurdistan Region of Iraq (KRI), which became fully registered at the Directorate...

Mercy Hands is an international non-governmental organization based in Iraq. The organization has been working to provide humanitarian...

In partnership with MADRE, a US-based women's NGO, Mercy Hands has just completed the implementation of a six-month project titled "Futures Without Violence: Enhancing Women's Peace and Security in Iraq". The project was launched on October 1, 2022, and was completed on March 31, 2023. The project primarily targeted four districts in Baghdad: Yosefeyah, Abu Ghraib, Karkh, and Resafah. Its aims were to improve gender balance and increase women's representation in post-conflict