Context
Years of conflict have left Iraq and the Kurdistan Region of Iraq facing persistent instability. Many people struggle with economic hardship due to widespread destruction and a lack of income opportunities. Internally displaced persons (IDPs), people who returned to their home communities, refugees from neighbouring countries, as well as host communities of displaced persons encounter particular difficulties. Among these, women and people with disabilities face additional barriers to employment. With nearly 60 per cent of the population in Iraq and its Kurdistan Region under the age of 25, young people urgently need access to work to build secure livelihoods.
Objective
Refugees, IDPs, and members of host communities – women and people with disabilities – have improved their skills to enhance their employment prospects or to start and develop their own businesses.
Approach
The project prioritises the inclusion of women and persons with disabilities across all its measures, focusing on four main areas:
•Policy advocacy: raising awareness by sharing evidence-based findings with state institutions;
•Skills for employment: designing and delivering vocational training, arranging internships, developing curricula, and training staff at national training institutions;
•Fit for business: organising training and offering financial support for micro, small and medium-sized enterprises (MSMEs);
•Short-term employment opportunities: arranging short-term work, like cash-for-work initiatives, for immediate financial relief.