Iraq - "IOM Iraq Economic Reconstruction through Employment and Revitalization of the Local Economy"

completed

The outbreak of armed conflict in Iraq has led to one of the world's largest humanitarian crises since 2014. Due to the long-standing military conflicts with Islamist groups, in particular the so-called Islamic State, a third of the country was occupied at one point. Thanks to military interventions and the liberation of cities, the conflict is now considered to be over. In total, around 5.8 million people were considered displaced by the rise of the Islamic State from 2014 onwards. Since September 2017, a large proportion of the internally displaced population as well as some of the refugees from abroad began to return. The high influx of IDPs into liberated areas or home communities places a heavy burden on the economic and socio-economic situation of host communities. Tensions between internally displaced persons, returnees and residents are correspondingly high, with competition for paid employment and jobs in particular playing a critical role. The aim of this SI measure is to create medium to long-term income opportunities for internally displaced persons, returnees and needy residents of these target communities. The project focuses on measures to A) improve employability (vocational training, on-the-job training, job placement); B) award small grants (up to USD 1,500) to people in need to start or expand a micro-enterprise; C) grants to small and medium-sized enterprises (up to USD 40,000) to create additional jobs; D) cash-for-work (CfW) measures to offer those in need a short-term income opportunity; E) renovation and provision of infrastructure to promote economic development within the target communities to make it easier for companies to resettle and expand. These measures aim to revitalize the economic situation in the affected target communities and thus strengthen the social cohesion of the various population groups in these target communities and reduce conflicts. At the same time, the ability of the relevant ministries and institutions to better coordinate measures to improve living conditions and employment and to support micro, small and medium-sized enterprises (MSMEs) at the local level should be strengthened.